How to Start a Vegetable Garden: Growing Vegetables in a Raised Bed

There is nothing more satisfying and enriching than growing your own vegetables. From the satisfaction of accomplishment to the empowerment of growing your own nutrient rich food it is journey of reward. There will be successes and failures along the way, however with the right set up you can help give your garden the best chance for success!

Choosing a Raised Garden Bed: Options to consider

When choosing a raised bed, think about material, size, and location. Wooden beds like cedar or redwood are popular for their strength, natural look, and lower risk of chemicals. Metal beds give a modern appearance.

Size depends on your space and what plants you want to grow; a common size is 4 feet by 8 feet for easy access. Pick a spot that gets 6-8 hours of sunlight each day and is easy to reach for care and watering. Smaller beds need more frequent watering and can be more affected by weather. Larger beds need more upkeep but provide a better soil environment, leading to greater gardening success.

How to Fill a Raised Bed: Creating a beneficial soil environment

Filling your raised bed properly is crucial for healthy plants. The size of your bed will affect how much of each item you need, but they should all include similar materials. Think of the soil as the garden's battery. Set it up for success and keep adding to it over time.

Start with a layer of coarse material, like small stones or branches, at the bottom for better drainage. For bigger beds, use sticks and small branches to help release nutrients and retain moisture, similar to hügelkultur. Then, add a mix of quality organic soil, compost, and organic matter, using 60% soil, 30% compost, and 10% perlite or vermiculite for good nutrients and airflow. Many potting soils already have this mix. Choose high-quality compost for more trace minerals and microorganisms. Fill the bed to about an inch below the top.

Other important elements to mix in that truly serve as the secret to gardening success are essential to remember. The two components that I make sure to include in every raised bed I create are high-quality rock dust or azomite and nutrient-rich worm castings. Rock dust and/or azomite are fantastic because they provide a wealth of valuable trace minerals that your vegetables will naturally crave and need for optimal growth. Meanwhile, the worm castings not only deliver readily available nutrients but also enhance the microbial life within the soil. With these vital ingredients in place, your garden soil “battery” will undoubtedly be supercharged and ready to support flourishing plant life!

Vegetable Garden Layout: Selecting and planting veggies with beneficial companions

When setting up your vegetable garden, think about companion planting to use space wisely and boost growth. Place taller plants, like tomatoes and sunflowers, at the back or center, and shorter ones, like lettuce and radishes, along the edges. Use trellises for climbing plants like cucumbers and peas to save space. Plant in staggered rows to fit in more plants. Remember to consider how big plants will grow, not just their size when you plant them.

When to Plant: Consider Vegetable Seasonality

Timing is crucial for a successful vegetable garden. For most South Bay communities we have a the ability to grow different vegetables year round. However there are certain seasons that are best for growing specific varieties, the growing season begins in late winter (around the end of January to February) for cool-season crops like peas, lettuce, and broccoli. As the temperatures rise in late spring, transition to warm-season crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash, typically around late April to early May. For fall crops, consider planting cool-season vegetables again in late summer (August to September) to take advantage of the mild autumn weather. Always check local frost dates to optimize your planting schedule.

Stagger your plantings to have different crops ready at different times. For instance, plant lettuce every few weeks instead of all at once to enjoy its harvest longer.

What to Plant: Planting Veggies

Plant what you enjoy eating, but also try new crops! You might be surprised by what you like to grow and eat. Make sure to choose plants that are in season and suited for your local climate. A variety of plants increases your chances of success. Experiment by mixing different plants for delightful combinations. Use both seeds and plant starts (already growing plants); the plant starts will help your garden get started and gather sunlight, while the seeds will fill in later.

Add some non-vegetable plants to benefit your garden. Flowers like sweet alyssum, marigolds, and calendula attract pollinators and keep pests away.

Fall Garden Planting Idea: My Fall Garden

Vegetable Starts: Baby Broccoli, Purple Cauliflower, Purple Cabbage, Red Kale, Spinach, Chard, Lettuce Varieties, and Onions

Vegetable Seeds: Snow Peas, Purple Carrots, Radishes, Beets, Cilantro, and Arugula

Companion Plants: Marigolds, Sweet Alyssum, Violas, and Nasturtiums