http://www.fifthroom.com/garden-structures/ | Learn how to design an outdoor vegetable garden with the space you have.

1. How to
Design a
Vegetable
Garden

2. Why Design a Vegetable
Garden?
A home vegetable garden is a
wonderful way to save money
on groceries, while creating a
beautiful organic space for
your whole family to enjoy.
From crisp lettuce to ruby red
beets, any homegrown
vegetable will rival even the
best store bought produce in
flavor and texture.
Learn in the next few pages
how with a little effort and
planning, you can create your
very own vegetable garden
without having to spend
hours caring for it.

3. Decide What to Plant
The first thing to do is decide on what to plant in your garden. With hundreds
of produce varieties, it’s important to consider how much your family can
realistically eat during a harvest. Many novice gardeners tend to overestimate
how much they can consume, resulting in wasted vegetables. Produce like
peppers and tomatoes produce fruit throughout the year, so you may not need
as many plants. While carrots and corn only grow once a season.

4. Picking the Perfect Spot
After you decide on what vegetables
you would like to plant, it’s time to plan
the space.
Most vegetables need to have at least
6-8 hours of full sunlight a day, in
moist, well-irrigated soil, and that’s
close to a water source. If you have
poor soil or drainage, consider using
raised beds.
Avoid planting your garden too close to
a tree or bush, which may steal
nutrients from your plants.
If you have limited outdoor
space, plant your garden in
containers or planters that can
be placed outside your home.

5. Draw a Plot Plan
Before you begin planting, it’s important to
map out the space in order to determine
any foreseeable issues with watering,
sunlight, and vermin.
In your plan, determine whether or not
your space allots for row cropping or
intensive cropping.
Row cropping is what typically comes to
mind for a garden. Seeds are planted in
single file rows with a walking path in
between. Row cropping makes it easier to
use machines in your garden, but limits
the amount of vegetables you can produce.
Intensive cropping means planting crops in
wide bands that reduces the amount of
space you need for paths, but requires you
to do the majority of the work by hand.
Intensive cropping is good for smaller
spaces, or if you want to incorporate more
design elements into your garden.

6. Integrating Structure
in Your Garden
Integrating an open garden structure,
like a pergola or wood arbor, can add
a refined element of design to your
garden, while giving vining vegetables,
such as tomatoes, pole beans, and
peas, a place to grow.
These structures provide support for
growing vegetables and easy access
for you when they are ready to be
harvested.
Additionally, keeping vining vegetables
off the ground will help prevent
disease from spoiling your produce,
and add lush foliage to your yard.

7. Consider a Greenhouse
If you live in an area with unstable
weather, cooler climates, or have a
pest problem, consider installing a
greenhouse in your yard.
From the heat to the humidity, to
the amount of water your plants
receive, a greenhouse will give you
the ability to control all aspects of
your vegetable’s environment.
Greenhouses work by trapping in
the heat from the sunlight, giving
your plants a consistent source of
energy and the ability to continue
growing overnight.
Most greenhouses also feature a
window that can be opened if the
room becomes too warm. Monitors
and fans can also be installed to
track the temperature and moisture
level.

8. Adding a Greenhouse
Many gardeners are hesitant to install
a greenhouse due to the initial costs
when purchasing a kit.
However, most will agree, once a
greenhouse is installed, it requires
little to no maintenance.
If you are on a limited budget, or have
limited space, consider installing a
smaller greenhouse in addition to your
outdoor garden.
The smaller greenhouse can be
reserved for sensitive, frost prone
vegetables like eggplants or
cucumbers, while your outdoor garden
can be used to grow hardier
vegetables like broccoli, kale, and
brussel sprouts.

9. Making It More than a
Vegetable Garden
With some careful planning and
experimentation, any vegetable
garden can be as vibrant and
breathtaking as any flowerbed.
By incorporating stone paths,
greenhouses and other structures,
your vegetable garden will not only
represent your dedication to your
family’s well-being, but a reflection
of your environment’s natural
beauty.

10. For More Information
Since its launch in 2011, Fifthroom.com has transformed the landscape of American
homes with their easy to install, high quality outdoor furniture and accessories. With
personalized customer service and a 100% quality guarantee, they stand behind their
customers just as much as they stand behind their products.
For more information on their outdoor garden structures and other products, please
contact them at:
www.Fifthroom.com
1(888) 293-2339