I want to start growing a few vegetables this spring, but I really don’t know how to start. Where do I begin? MP

Congratulations on making the decision to start growing your own vegetables. Once you sink your teeth into that first vine ripened, delicious home-grown tomato, you’ll be hooked like the rest of us.

There are a lot of different ways to grow vegetables, but all the methods have several elements in common. Let’s talk about some of those.

First, you’ll want to find a place that gets good sun. Vegetables need to be grown in what we call full sun. A full sun location is one that receives a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight each day. The very least would be 6 hours a day, but in locations that receive less that 8 to 10 hours per day, your plants will not be as robust, and they won’t produce as well. So, see if you can find a spot with the appropriate hours of sunlight. A little afternoon shade wouldn’t hurt, but definitely not required.

Good soil would be next on your list. Good soils is typically defined as a nice sandy loam with proper nutrient levels, a good pH level, and one that contains a good amount of organic matter. If you are planning on creating an in-ground garden, in all likelihood your soil will need some amending to get it where it needs to be and this effort starts with a soil test. We have instructions on our website in the Hot Topics section on how to gather your soil sample. The test only costs $10 but is essential for your ability to know how to supplement your soil nutrients to provide the best growing environment for your garden.

If you are planning on growing your vegetables in raised beds or containers, just purchase the best soil you can afford. Since growing anything begins with the soil, it’s always a good place to invest.

As you are evaluating your perfect garden spot, pay attention to the proximity of trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs will compete with your vegetables for sun, nutrients, and water if nearby, so keep as much distance between them and your vegetable garden as you can.

While it seems an obvious consideration, once you find your perfect spot, be sure you have convenient access to water because you are going to need to water your garden… a lot. While you can drag a hose out to the perfect corner of your yard each day to water your garden, it won’t take long for that to become a burden, causing you to skip watering now and then which will adversely affect your success. So, remember to figure out how you are going to water your plants before investing in that perfect garden spot.

Also, there’s a variety of ways to water your garden. Personally, I like to hand water, meaning that I use a watering wand connected to a hose to water each plant individually. I say that, but last summer just about beat the desire to hand water out of me.

If hand watering isn’t your thing, there are a variety of strategies using flat drip tape or drip hoses. You can even get watering kits that come complete with mini-hoses and small emitters you can place near each plant. It’s really just a matter of how much time and effort you want to put into watering. Just remember, it’s the roots that need the water, not the leaves, so concentrate your efforts there.

Now that you have a handle on the garden necessities, you’ll need to decide where you are going to plant your vegetables. For beginners, I usually suggest starting with containers. A container appropriate for growing vegetables can be anything from a utility bucket to a galvanized watering trough and anything in between. Containers also give you complete control over the quality of your soil, so they are a good way to get some experience before diving into a larger, in-ground garden. Just be sure there are drainage holes in your containers, so your plants won’t fall victim to root rot.

Another great thing about containers is that they provide an opportunity to grow vegetables to those who might live in an apartment or perhaps rent a home where you can’t make a lot of changes. Plus, containers give you an advantage in inclement weather. By that I mean, when we have warnings about hail or storms, you can pick up your small container and move it to shelter while the rest of us hope our plants don’t get destroyed by wind or hail. That is a big plus for those of us living in tornado alley.

After containers, I would suggest raised beds. Raised beds are great for a variety of reasons. If you have been a gardener for a while, you know that time down on your knees in the garden can get tiresome. Raised beds can help minimize that time on your knees, especially if you build your raised beds to a height where you can work them standing up or while sitting on the edge. One of my favorite gardens I have seen had 1’ by 1’ by 3” wooden boxes filled with soil, supported on sawhorses which allowed them to be waist high. Something about being able to stand while working the vegetable garden is appealing to me and with each passing year it gets more appealing. If we ever move, I’ll be looking for a place I can build some waist high raised beds.

So, that’s the basics to get you started. If you would like to take a one-day class on how to grow vegetables, we have our first Urban Gardener/Seed to Supper class of the year coming up on February 11^th. Just visit our website (www.tulsamastergardeners.org) for more info and to register. See you in the garden… and maybe we’ll see you in class!

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: OSU Ag. Communications