| | A well-prepared bed is the one of the first steps in a successful vegetable garden. |
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| | Nothing says springtime like a delicious vine-ripened tomato grown in your home garden. |
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Vegetables can be grown in containers, community garden lots, schools, senior centers, home yards or large ranch areas. To be successful, follow these basic rules:
- Plant only as large a garden as you can easily maintain. Beginning gardeners often overplant and fail because they are not skillful enough to meet the task.
- Plan your garden on paper before you begin.
- Grow crops that will produce the maximum amount of food in the space available.
- Plant during the correct season for the crop you plan to grow. Choose varieties recommended for your area.
- Select a site that receives at least 8 hours of full sun each day. It should be relatively level, well-drained and close to a water source. Avoid shaded locations.
- Prepare the soil properly and amend and fertilize as needed.
- Harvest vegetables at their proper state of maturity. Store them promptly if they are not be used immediately.
Vegetables to plant:
Spring Plantings
March - May: Lima Beans (bush), lima beans (pole), eggplants, okra, hot peppers (transplants), corn, cucumbers, bell pepper (transplants), sweet potatoes, tomatoes (transplants), pumpkins, radishes, squash and watermelons
Fall Plantings
July-October
broccoli (seeds), brussels sprouts (seeds), cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, celery (seeds), Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, garlic, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onion (leeks), English peas, southern peas, Irish potatoes, bell peppers, pumpkins, rutabagas, shallots, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes and turnips.
More information on vegetable gardening can be found in the LSU AgCenter publication (1980) Vegetable Planting Guide, or by contacting your local county agent's office.