Which Garden Vegetables To Plant And How
When contemplating what and why, where and when to plant, there are THREE classes of fruit and veggies to consider. They are:
Root crops (carrots, potatoes, beets)
Leaf-type veggies (lettuce, cabbage, spinach)
Fruits and Berries (tomatoes, melons)
There are different considerations for each of these. We will look briefly at some characteristics and requirements of/for each.
General planting tips for root vegetables would include:
Typically these seeds are best sown in April
12-18" apart from one another
Rich and fine soil is a requirement for optimal growing environments
Hand-weeding is quite common and these patches of your vegetable garden will need cleaning and frequent cultivation
Some will recommend a top dressing of nitrate of soda
Light soil, started under glass and inside, early will give them a better fighting chance.
For later crops sow beets and carrots for example in June
Leeks are best started in seedbed, indoors, in April. For when moving or transplanting outside, cardboard collars may be used for support
Onions are best sowed directly into the soil, not started in flat trays.
Parsnips want deep, rich soil and are typically slow germinators and do best in a fine seedbed.
Potatoes are best planted in early March in sandy, well-drained soil
Radishes and turnips are robust and need rich, good soil, but are typically good and easy growers too.
General planting tips for leaf-type vegetables:
Characterized by stalks or flower-heads mostly
Rapid growth, sown directly into a flat, started indoors, and later transplanted, they are good growers, from garden to table with ease.
They need lots of nitrogen permanent positions. Manure is considered good soil feed for all cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and sprouts.
Hilling them up, helps to protect, hand weeding required.
Dangers and enemies of these plants will include the flea beetle, cabbageworm, cabbage-maggot (root) and "club-root". Reading up on how best to battle these critters and infestations are recommended.
Asparagus is easy to grow and experiment with in early spring with best-draining, lift soil required for optimal growing environment.
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage are all easily grown at home, started from seed, inside do very well.
Lettuce and celery are planted level, well-drained soil, kept moist. Seeds are sown and started indoors late February, early May and transplanting should be done with the utmost care. Cutting back the roots and thinning may be required too.
Mushrooms, parsley and spinach are other popular starters for young and novice gardeners that grow easily.
General planting tips for fruit-type ‘vegetables’:
Soil should not be too rich and warm weather, sun exposure makes them do better.
Wait until all risk of frost has passed before considering planting Peas and early beans can be done earlier
They need lots of room to spread out and distances between plants should be ample.
Light and fine sandy soil required with some organic-naturally manure worked into the surrounding soil, close to roots, make a great combination recipe for results and success.
Hills and slopes enable their growth and ensure good crop yield
Insects are notorious for these, start working on your strategy early. Some examples of the dangers and infestations are:
striped beetle
the borer
the flat, black "stink-bug"
As becomes clear pretty quickly, paying special care to the types, planting and care of the particular sub-class and type of veggies/fruits that you are planting can make all the difference in the world.
Increase your odds of good crop yield and a thriving garden, by studying their nature, needs, dangers, enemies and maintenance closely and you will have lots to teach and pass on from season to season and to others venturing down this path as well.
Planning and preparation, careful planting, feeding and cultivating all work together to get your garden in tip-top shape, rewarding your with crops that exceed your expectations. | 
