How to Grow Your Own Vegetables

Overview

Growing your own vegetables is not difficult. Even if you live in an apartment and don't have garden space, you can grow many vegetables, like tomatoes and other veggies, in pots either indoors or on a balcony. Planting and growing vegetables, whether potted or directly in the ground, is not difficult. By choosing plants appropriate for your climate, soil and length of growing season and by finding a location for your garden bed or container garden that gets the appropriate amount of sunlight, you can be eating from your own backyard all season.

Step 1

Prepare your soil. If you are planting in pots, add potting soil to about the level of the bottom of your nursery plant's root ball. If you are planting outdoors, dig down about 12 inches and break up any soil clumps. Dig holes for your plants. Space the holes so that they have an area about 20 percent larger than the expected full width of the plants.

Step 2

Add about 20 percent compost to your soil and mix thoroughly.

Step 3

Place your young plants in their holes or pots, and cover the root ball of each plant.

Step 4

Put 1 to 2 inches of mulch over the roots of the plant to help hold moisture in the soil, and then water your garden plot or containers thoroughly.

Step 5

After the plants have been in the ground or potting soil for a few weeks, add a balanced fertilizer as instructed by the manufacturer's packaging. The amount and frequency will depend on the type of fertilizer you are using.