Plan and plant a home garden from soil testing and layout design through bed preparation, planting schedules, and ongoing maintenance for a productive growing season.
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Site Assessment and Planning
Choose a garden location with 6-8 hours of direct sun
Track sunlight on your intended spot for 2-3 days before committing. Most vegetables need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun. Leafy greens tolerate 4-5 hours, but tomatoes, peppers, and squash need 8+.
Test your soil pH and nutrient levels
A soil test kit costs $10-$15 at garden centers, or send a sample to your local agricultural extension office for $15-$25. Most vegetables grow best at pH 6.0-7.0. Results include specific amendment recommendations.
Decide between in-ground beds, raised beds, or containers
Raised beds (4x8 feet is standard) cost $50-$150 each to build and fill with soil. They warm up faster in spring and drain better. Containers work for patios — use pots at least 12 inches deep for most vegetables.
Determine your USDA hardiness zone and frost dates
Your zone determines what you can grow and when to plant. Zone 6 has a last frost around April 15-30 and first frost around October 15-30, giving about 170 growing days. Zone 9 gets 270+ growing days.
Sketch a garden layout with plant spacing
Tomatoes need 24-36 inches between plants. Peppers need 18-24 inches. Lettuce needs 6-12 inches. A 4x8 raised bed holds about 32 plants in a square-foot gardening layout. Draw your plan before buying any seeds or plants.
Soil Preparation
Amend soil based on test results
Add lime to raise pH ($5-$8 per 40-lb bag) or sulfur to lower it ($8-$12 per bag). Work amendments into the top 8-12 inches of soil. Amendments take 4-8 weeks to change pH, so apply well before planting.
Add 2-4 inches of compost to the beds
Compost costs $25-$40 per cubic yard delivered. One cubic yard covers a 4x8 bed at 4 inches deep. Compost improves drainage in clay soils and water retention in sandy soils. Work it into the top 6-8 inches.
Break up compacted soil to 12 inches deep
Use a garden fork or broadfork to loosen soil without inverting the layers. Tilling works but can bring weed seeds to the surface. Never work wet soil — if a handful crumbles when squeezed, it's ready to work.
Install edging or borders around beds
Steel edging ($2-$4 per foot) lasts 20+ years and creates a clean line. Landscape timbers ($3-$8 each) stack easily for raised bed walls. Edging keeps grass from creeping into garden beds, which saves hours of weeding.
Planting Schedule
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost
Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant need 6-8 weeks of indoor growing time. Use seed starting trays ($5-$10) and place under grow lights or in a south-facing window. Keep soil temperature at 70-80°F for best germination.
Set up seed starting trays with sterile mix
Label all varieties with planting dates
Direct-sow cool-season crops 4-6 weeks before last frost
Peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and carrots can handle light frosts and go directly into the ground. Plant peas 1 inch deep and 2 inches apart. Lettuce seeds go 1/4 inch deep — they need light to germinate.
Transplant warm-season crops after last frost
Wait until soil temperature reaches 60°F for tomatoes and 65°F for peppers. Harden off transplants over 7-10 days by gradually increasing outdoor exposure. Plant transplants in the evening to reduce shock.
Succession plant for continuous harvest
Plant a new row of lettuce every 2 weeks and a new round of beans every 3 weeks through midsummer. This spreads the harvest over months instead of getting everything at once. Mark sowing dates on a calendar.
Irrigation and Mulching
Set up a watering system
Drip irrigation costs $30-$60 for a basic kit covering a 4x8 bed. Soaker hoses ($10-$20 for 50 feet) are the simplest option. A timer ($25-$40) automates watering and prevents over- or under-watering.
Install drip lines or soaker hoses along rows
Connect a timer for automated watering
Water deeply and consistently
Most vegetable gardens need 1-1.5 inches of water per week. Water in the morning to reduce evaporation and disease. Stick your finger 2 inches into the soil — if it's dry, it's time to water.
Apply 2-3 inches of mulch around plants
Straw mulch ($5-$8 per bale) is ideal for vegetable gardens. One bale covers about 50 sq ft at 3 inches. Mulch reduces weeding by 90%, retains soil moisture, and regulates soil temperature.
Ongoing Maintenance
Weed beds weekly before weeds set seed
Pull weeds when they're small — 10 minutes per week of early weeding saves hours later. Weeds compete for water and nutrients within a 4-inch radius of your plants. Hoe between rows when soil is dry.
Fertilize every 3-4 weeks during growing season
Use a balanced granular fertilizer (10-10-10) at 1 tablespoon per plant every 3-4 weeks. Tomatoes and peppers benefit from calcium-rich amendments to prevent blossom end rot. A 5-lb bag of fertilizer costs $8-$15.
Monitor for pests and diseases
Check the undersides of leaves every few days for eggs, holes, or discoloration. Hand-pick large pests like hornworms and beetles. Neem oil spray ($8-$12 per bottle) treats aphids, mites, and fungal issues on contact.
Stake and support tall plants
Install tomato cages ($3-$8 each) or stakes at planting time — adding them later damages roots. Indeterminate tomatoes grow 6-8 feet tall and need 5-6 foot cages. Tie stems loosely with soft fabric strips, not wire.
Harvest regularly to encourage continued production
Pick beans, zucchini, and cucumbers every 2-3 days once they start producing. Leaving overripe fruit on the vine signals the plant to stop producing. Tomatoes ripen best when picked at the first blush of color.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start a vegetable garden?
Start planning in January-February and begin indoor seed starting 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. In USDA zones 5-7 (most of the Northeast and Midwest), the last frost falls between mid-April and mid-May. Warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers go outdoors 2 weeks after the last frost. Cool-season crops like lettuce and peas can go out 4-6 weeks before the last frost.
How big should a garden be for a family of four?
A 200-400 sq ft garden feeds a family of four with fresh produce through summer. A 600-800 sq ft garden produces enough to freeze and can for winter too. Start with 100 sq ft if you are new to gardening, which is roughly 4 raised beds at 4x8 feet each. Each tomato plant yields 10-15 pounds of fruit, and a 10-foot row of lettuce produces enough for weekly salads.
How much does it cost to start a garden from scratch?
An in-ground garden costs $50-$200 to start (soil amendments, seeds, basic tools). A single raised bed (4x8 feet) costs $100-$300 for materials and soil. Seeds cost $2-$4 per packet and cover 10-25 feet of planting row. A full raised-bed garden with 4 beds, soil, seeds, and tools runs $500-$1,200. After the first year, annual costs drop to $50-$150 for seeds and amendments.
What vegetables are easiest to grow for beginners?
Tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, green beans, and radishes are the most forgiving for first-time gardeners. Radishes mature in just 25-30 days and show fast results. Cherry tomatoes produce 100+ fruits per plant with minimal care. Zucchini is famously productive, with each plant yielding 6-10 pounds. Herbs like basil and cilantro grow well alongside vegetables and cost $3-$5 per seed packet versus $3-$4 per bunch at the grocery store.
Is raised bed gardening better than in-ground?
Raised beds warm up 2-3 weeks faster in spring, drain better in heavy rain, and let you control soil quality from day one. They produce 1.5-2x more per square foot than in-ground rows because you can plant more densely without walking paths. The tradeoff is upfront cost ($100-$300 per 4x8-foot bed) and the need to fill them with quality soil ($30-$50 per cubic yard). In-ground gardens cost less to start but require more weeding and soil improvement over time.