Planning a vegetable garden is key to its success. Here is how I make sure I have enough food for canning, dehydrating, freezing and pickling
Summer Garden Update When I started sharing about our new DIY raised garden beds this...
Happy weekend friends! It’s the first Saturday of a brand new month, which means that it’s time again for some cozy inspiration with our Cozy Living series. I always look forward to seeing the cozy ideas that everyone has to share each month! You can find them all linked at the bottom of this post. With Summer…
Kitchen garden installation pictures are beautiful and inspiring. See some of the best before and afters from kitchen garden designer Nicole Burke.
When considering when to start your garden, tradition might tell you that Autumn and Winter are desolate seasons, and your gardening hobby has to be tabled until the Spring. However when you are planting in raised garden beds, nothing could be further from the truth. No matter where you live, these late seasons still have many advantages to offer when it comes to starting and maintaining your garden. In fact, Winter is the very best time to prepare your garden for an abundant season in the Spring. 1. Cultivating The Perfect Ecosystem While easy to build and seemingly simple to the naked eye, every raised garden bed is actually a complex microclimate, teeming with life in a rich ecosystem deep within the soil. More than just the earthworms we all know and love, the branches, twigs, leaves and other plant waste in the soil are also breaking down over time, and returning vital nutrients to the soil that plants can later use to grow healthy and strong. In a previous blog, we discussed the Hugelkultur Method, wherein yard waste and other organic material are layered inside the raised garden bed, to take up space and provide essential nutrients for your plants as they decompose. Since it takes about 4 months for organic waste to break down, the ideal time to begin preparing your raised garden beds using the Hugelkultur method is actually in the Winter. Beginning the Hugelkultur process now allows time for the branches, leaves, and other organic matter at the bottom of the raised bed to decompose and return essential elements to your soil. This means that by the time Spring rolls around, your raised garden soil is at its optimal nutrient capacity and is ready for you to begin planting. 2. Sustainable Materials Collecting the materials to fill your raised garden bed can take some time, and a successful Hugelkultur system uses quite a bit of yard waste in order to fill the raised garden bed. There is no better time than the Fall and Winter to collect the materials to fill your garden beds, as the Hugelkultur method uses branches, sticks, and piles of fallen leaves as well as other yard waste to fill the bed. The Fall and Winter seasons are the perfect time to set up Vego Garden raised garden beds as you can take advantage of the seasons and sustainably repurpose your piles of raked leaves and broken branches and twigs from trimmed trees to sustainably fill the beds. Keep in mind that collecting the volume of yard waste needed can take some time, which is another reason why getting started in the Fall or Winter is preferred. 3. Schedules and Supply Chains Another advantage of starting your garden in the Winter is avoiding scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues. Landscaping companies are often busiest in the Spring, during their peak season, and they may be difficult and costly to schedule if you require assistance clearing yard waste, or assembling and filling your raised garden beds. Taking advantage of their more open schedule in the Fall and Winter means you’re more likely to secure reasonable rates, and start your gardening project on the ideal time schedule. Preparing your garden in the Winter also negates concerns about supply chain issues that have disrupted the global economy during the last two years. Buying compost, mulch, and other gardening supplies will be easier now than it will be in the peak season this coming Spring. 4. Natural Mood Booster With the colder seasons sometimes come the Winter Blues, but staying active in your garden is a great way to naturally boost your mood. Every gardener knows that gardening provides great exercise, tending to your raised garden beds and plants, but gardening can also provide a therapy of sorts. Moments to connect with nature, breathe in the fresh air and sunshine, and precious time with loved ones in the garden all help cultivate mindfulness that keeps you grounded during the shorter days. Gardening in the winter does not have to be a barren season, as there are also many varieties of vegetables to tend in the Winter, especially if you install a cover to shield your plants from frost. Here in zone 9a, where Vego Garden is headquartered, this 60-70 degree season is the ideal time for cole crops (members of the mustard family like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi.) You can also start planting seeds this season for crops including garlic, lettuce, carrots, beets, turnips and collards. 5. Decorate For The Holiday Season No matter whether you are using the Fall and Winter seasons to prepare the perfect Hugelkultur, or if you’re taking advantage of your area’s seasonal harvest, you can always add some pizzazz to your raised garden with seasonal decorations. Because of their durability, Vego Garden raised garden beds are perfect for decorating, as you can easily change the decor from season to season. Consider adding a friendly scarecrow to the garden, or trimming the edges with an edible garland for the birds. You can even decorate the surface of the bed with tape or paint. The possibilities are endless for both the inside and the outside of your garden this Fall and Winter. productarticletag_article[academy/why-is-aluzinc-steel-the-best-material-for-raised-garden-beds,articles/why-is-everyone-obsessed-with-modular-garden-beds,articles/8-excellent-reasons-to-use-raised-beds-in-your-garden]article_productarticletag
Need inspiration as you plan a beautiful home garden? Check out this list, evaluated by our garden design expert.
Have a look at our fabulous collection of DIY ideas to plan your own vegetable garden, to help create one that is attractive and edible.
Square foot gardening is an easy to follow method of growing a vegetable garden that makes efficient use of small spaces. The square foot garden method is simple to understand, organized, and makes it easy to plan your growing beds. Visit for full tutorial plus the recipe for the perfect garden soil for raised beds.
When first checked out our new house in person this past August- after having stalked the house photos of it up online- I remember taking a walk around the property and coming to the sad realization that most of the sunlight was in the front yard and that there was probably no way we would […]
Find out which fruit and vegetables should and shouldn’t be planted together with our companion planting chart for some of the most popular garden foods!
Check out this super-simple raised bed setup for your garden. All you need are planks, rebar, a mallet, and soil to fill the garden bed.
Whether you are planting your first garden or getting ready to expand your plot, these 10 tips are sure to come in handy.
7 best vegetable garden layout ideas on soil, sun orientations, spacing, varieties, plans & design secrets to create productive & beautiful kitchen gardens.
From early spring to fall's first frost, Martha's vegetable garden yields not only delicious crops but also clever and innovative techniques. Take a peek at Martha's garden in all its glory.
Companion planting is the best way to protect your crops from pests the natural way and make your garden look prettier at the same time. Our expert guide will tell you how
Help your plants grow strong and healthy without dangerous chemicals by using one of these best organic fertilizers in your garden.
Your home may be your castle, but your garden should always be your retreat. Here are the South's best gardens, filled with color, beauty, and new ideas to fill you with excitement and to give you fresh new ideas.
Learn how to plan a vegetable garden in just 7 simple steps to increase your gardening enjoyment and produce a higher yield this season.
Planning a vegetable garden is key to its success. Here is how I make sure I have enough food for canning, dehydrating, freezing and pickling
My new veggie garden at our new farm! It's coming along great, but I already want to double it in size!
Find out which fruit and vegetables should and shouldn’t be planted together with our companion planting chart for some of the most popular garden foods!
We've put together 25 of our favorite vegetable gardening tips to help you grow a healthier, more productive organic garden. Enjoy!
Summer Garden Update When I started sharing about our new DIY raised garden beds this...
