5 Tips For Growing Vegetables At Home This Summer

Published: July 2, 2021
Updated: July 28, 2021
By Demi
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Food & Drink

House plants for wellness is now a mainstream concept which has given rise to plant delivery services like Patch. Now many of us are growing our own vegetables too and ‘plant pets’ are the latest working from home accessory. Growing your own vegetables is a great way to save money and live more sustainably. DOSE have the ultimate beginner’s guide to growing vegetables at home this summer. From pots to soil, here’s everything you need to know…

5 Tips For Growing Vegetables At Home

1. Location Is Key

The first step is to find the right place to plant or place your plants.

2. Planting In Pots / Containers

Container gardening involves growing plants quite literally in containers or pot. A great way to use up your old takeaway boxes and coffee cups. Whatever container you use, make sure it has draining holes. This is a great method if you don’t have a lot of outside space. The pots can be placed on any windowsill with a decent amount of sunlight. Most vegetables prefer sunny locations. But if you have a shady spot then you can grow veg such as lettuce, spinach and peas.

3. Planting In The Ground

When it comes to soil planting, the first step is to test your soil. Soil testing kits can easily be purchased online and ensure that you won’t be wasting your time with your planting. For growing vegetables, sheltering from strong winds and cold will do wonders for their growth. Especially for aubergines, peppers, beans and peas. Aim to find a location away from large trees and hedges, as they will compete with the vegetables for nutrients and water and could create too much shade.

4. Consider How Much Time You Want To Devote

Research the vegetables you’d like to grow as they all need different levels of attention. Tomatoes for example, are a popular choice but they need staking and training and only crop outdoors for a few weeks in late summer. However, runner beans crop abundantly over a long period.

On the other hand asparagus almost looks after itself; once you have established a bed there is only some routine maintenance to do each year in exchange for up to 10 years of crops.

5. Consider The Timing Of Harvest

If you’re looking to grow in late summer then Mediterranean crops such as aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes and peppers are the ones for you.

When your seeds arrive make a seed store, using a box with dividers for each month, and place the seeds in the appropriate month so they are easy to find when the time comes to start sowing.

Is It Easier To Plant With Starts Or Seeds?

Many argue about whether it’s best to start with seeds or starts. In reality, it’s up to you. But to help you make the decision, below are the pros and cons of each:

Seeds cost less – If you’ve ever visited a nursery to buy a baby vegetable plant, then you know how easily the numbers can add up. Seeds cost much less and can sometimes be free from certain stores.
Starts are limited – It’s easy to find seeds for any vegetable you wish to plant. Whereas, many stores have the same baby plants and not much variety.
Some plants don’t transplant well – Beans or carrots prefer seeding straight into the garden. It’s not only the easiest option, but will ensure they grow to their full potential.
Seeds can be planted indoors – Timing is everything when it comes to planting vegetables. And with seeds you can plant indoors at any time of year that suits you. You have more control over light, climate and water.
Starts grow quicker – One of the benefits of using a baby vegetable plant is that they’re already half way there when you buy it. If time is of the essence, this is the path for you.