Time to Plant that Summer Vegetable Garden

Now that the days and evenings are warmer and many of us are home more, we might want to take this opportunity to plant a vegetable garden. You can order seeds and sow some directly in the ground now that all danger of frost is gone. Or, you can visit a local nursery and pick up some seedlings (and compost!) that are ready to plant in your garden.

If you’re new to gardening, here are some basic suggestions about how to get started:

It’s a great idea to think about what you and your family actually eat and then look at some of the resources from the UC Master Garden Program for Contra Costa County listed below.
Then make your list and maybe even draw up a rough sketch of where the plants will go, feeling free to move them wherever you think best at the moment.
You may need to clear some weeds, loosen up the soil and add some compost. (If the garden has irrigation tubing, it’s wise to probe carefully to avoid puncturing it.)
It’s a good idea to make your holes wider than the plants so the roots can spread out.
And, you may want to wait until the evening when it’s a little cooler so your new plants won’t dry out in the hot sun.
Make sure to water the seeds and seedlings well when you plant them and keep them moist but not waterlogged until they get well established. They will need to be watered regularly.

Watching the seeds sprout and the seedlings grow a little more each day is satisfying and very restorative to one’s spirit as well as one’s garden.