Cleaning Up Your Own Backyard

Build A Basic Vegetable Garden In Your Back Yard

by Warren Garcia

If you recently purchased a piece of land and would like to build a basic vegetable garden in part of your back yard, the following tips will assist with clearing the land and planting seeds. 

Gather Materials

First, gather the following:

  • measuring tape
  • ground-marking spray paint 
  • tiller
  • rake 
  • garden shovel
  • furrowing hoe
  • vegetable seeds
  • water hose
  • adjustable nozzle
  • wooden stakes
  • permanent marker
  • paving blocks
  • netting

Now, get ready to create your garden.

Mark The Outline And Clear The Land

Walk around your property and choose terrain that receives enough sunlight for the types of crops that you wish to grow. Use a measuring tape and ground-marking spray paint to mark the outline of the garden.

If the ground is covered with grass, loosen the sod with a push tiller. Walk across the marked section in straight lines as you push the tiller across the land. If grass is thick, you may need to move the tiller over some of the land multiple times to loosen all of the sod. After you've lifted the sod from the ground, use a rake or shovel to collect the sod and move it outside of the garden area. 

Make Furrows And Plant Vegetable Seeds

Use a furrowing hoe to make shallow furrows throughout the garden. Keep the furrows as straight as you can and place an even amount of space between each one.

Now, sprinkle vegetable seeds down the length of one furrow and cover the seeds with soil. Insert a wooden stake at the end of the row of seeds. Write on the wooden stake with a permanent marker to identify the type of seed that was planted. Plant the remaining seeds and mark the end of each row in the same manner. 

Add A Border And Netting

Use paving stones to create a border around the garden. The border prevents soil erosion and marks the portion of the ground where crops will soon be growing. Line the stones up, one at a time, and press all of the stones firmly into the earth.

As you wait for your plants to grow, it's important to water the garden at regular intervals. Once plants begin to sprout, protect them by securing a net over them. To do this, insert wooden stakes in the corners of the garden. Drape the edges of a lightweight net over the stakes. The net will prevent wildlife from eating the crops. 

For more information on building a garden, talk to companies like Bio Feed.

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