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Given the rising prices of specialty and sweet peppers, you may want to learn how to grow green peppers on your own garden. After all, green peppers are one of the many summer crops that are easy to cultivate yet produce high yields. How to grow green peppers is a combination of timing and the right amount of nutrients, so as long as you keep to these guidelines, chances are good you will have enough harvest for all your cooking and storing needs.

How to Grow Green Peppers

1.    Start your seeds indoors. The process of how to grow green peppers can be started
indoors 8-10 weeks before the last spring frost (check with your local weather bureau for details). The seeds can be planted in containers exposed to fluorescent lighting and heated at the bottom so the containers are kept at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Just keep the soil slightly moist so seeds germinate in three weeks. The seedlings can then be transferred to a bigger container once they are six weeks old, but they should not be planted outside yet until two weeks before the last frost date. Gradually expose them to sunlight everyday a week before they are finally set outside to minimize temperature shock.

2.    Transplant the seedlings to a sunny site. The second step of how to grow green peppers is to make sure that the pepper plant grows in warm weather with at least six hours of direct sunlight. In cool climates, pepper plants can be kept warm by using row covers or black plastic mulch that protect the roots from dips in temperature.

3.    Ensure that plants grow in soil with the right pH. How to grow green peppers is also a matter of choosing the right soil pH. In the case of pepper plants, a pH pf 6.0 to 6.5 is optimal.

4.    Loosen the soil and make a bed 12 inches deep. The third step of how to grow green peppers is to make a bed of loose soil mixed well with mature compost at least one inch deep. Dig holes 12 inches deep and at least 18 inches apart. Add a spadeful of additional compost and water well.

5.    Support the growth of the plants as they bear fruit. The next step on how to grow green peppers is to support the stems of the plant as they mature. Drive a stake deep into the ground so the maturing plants are braced well. This also prevents the fruit from getting into contact with the soil which could result to rotting. To minimize fruit contact with the earth, cover the rows with hay or grass cuttings. Not only does this step on how to grow green peppers important in keeping peppers shiny and mottle-free, covering the ground with hay or grass clippings also discourage weed growth.

6.    Ensure sufficient nutrients, but don´t overdo nitrogen. One of the most important step on how to grow green peppers is to ensure sufficient nitrogen in poor soils. Regular application of manure and other mature compost will provide your pepper plant with sustenance it needs to bear fruits. However, regulate the application of nitrogen as it may lead to thicker foliage instead of bountiful fruits. The secret of how to grow green peppers is in the right amount of nitrogen applied just when the plants are flowering to ensure a productive fruit-bearing cycle.

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Growing potatoes only requires basic to intermediate gardening skills, and this is the very reason why it is one of the most cultivated crops in the USA, Australia and around the world. (In fact, some potatoes can be grown in no-fuss, no-dig fashion.) It can also grow in varying conditions and elevations, growing well in the Andes (where very few crops survive in dry, bone-freezing temperatures) and the rest of South America, where it is a native.  Potatoes are also easy to store, so even if you have a bumper crop, you need not process all of them to last through winter. You can simply store them in a cool, dry and dark place so they don’t turn green (which makes them poisonous). The fact that they can last long in their raw form is one reason why growing potatoes should be undertaken before the frosts set in (although they can tolerate a light dusting of snow). When you start growing potatoes in early autumn, you’ll have some starch to fall back on come winter (although you may have to wait for September to December if you are in Melbourne).

If you don’t have sufficient space in the backyard, growing potatoes in containers is an alternate, and sometimes more manageable, way to go. As mentioned, potatoes are not finicky crops: they thrive in a variety of climates and in diverse environments. The ‘Toolango Delight’ is highly adapted to Victoria’s climate.

Growing potatoes in limited spaces does not require a lot of effort or materials: You need chicken wire, pea straw, sheep manure, potting mix, blood and bone, and seed potatoes if you want to grow them in cages. Refrain from buying commercial seed potatoes because they are likely sprayed with growth inhibitors. In addition, growing potatoes that are organic and full-flavored requires that you source seeds that have been likewise grown in chemical-free environments.

How To Start Growing Potatoes Today!

To start growing potatoes, make a cage out of the chicken wire 600 mm high and 500 mm in diameter. Line the bottom of the cage with sheep manure and top if off with 100mm of straw. Make a hole in the center so it can be filled with potting mix. Then, nestle the seed potatoes well in the potting mix. Add more potting mix so the potatoes are firmly grounded.

Growing potatoes require ‘hilling’ the soil as the plants grow taller. You can include mature compost and mulch in the mix to make a mound to protect the spuds from too much sun (the leaves should be exposed to full sunlight to create sufficient energy for tuber production). However, regulate the amount of manure or any nitrogen-fixing compost that you apply, as potatoes are likely to grow more leaves instead of tubers when they get more nitrogen than they need.

Growing potatoes require sandy soil with high humus content. Other gardeners add lime to the soil before planting. As long as they get sufficiently watered and planted in well-draining soil or potting media (like straw on chicken wire), they will thrive all year round. While thy need full sunlight to produce tubers well, they should be shaded from too hot or too wet weather (although the leaves are likely to grow thicker to provide shade to the growing tuber). On the other hand, tubers grow best in temperatures that range between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius (60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit). The growing potatoes in your cage should be ready for harvest in two months.

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Building eco friendly raised garden beds is becoming an attractive alternative to shopping for fresh organic produce that seem to be getting more and more expensive. Not only will you save significantly on your vegetable needs, you can also be 100% sure that your foods are grown in chemical-free environment if you cultivate your own eco-friendly raised garden beds. Going about the task is easy; all you need is a  set of basic materials, a bit of time – 6 to 8 hours of garden work altogether – and a dash of patience and creativity. Below is a general outline of how to go about building your own eco friendly raised garden beds and starting on your ‘locavore’ journey.

Building Eco Friendly Raised Garden Beds

1.    Choose appropriate location. Your eco friendly raised garden beds should have sufficient sunlight of at least six hours a day if you intend to grow flowering or fruit-bearing plants. If you can build your garden close to a water source and yet accessible from your kitchen, you will make nurturing the plants easy for you to do. Even if you do not have enough space, you can always grow food in containers not unlike the growing urban movement of planting vegetables on rooftops.

2.    Decide on which vegetables to grow on your eco friendly raised garden beds.  The choice will be influenced by what your family frequently prepares, by the price of your favorite organic vegetables in the market, and by seasonality.  If your family is fond of salads, you may want to grow lettuces and other leafy greens. In warm climates, peppers and squash and beans are ideal vegetables to grow in eco friendly raised garden beds especially since specialty and sweet peppers, in particular, are becoming particularly expensive.

3.    Start building your garden bed as soon as the soil can be worked. One major advantage of planting on eco friendly raised garden beds is the length of your growing season. Since raised beds are elevated and protected from the frost, you can start growing cold-hardy vegetables like carrots, onions, leeks, peas and Brassicas (cabbage family) at least four weeks before your last frost date or as long as the ground can be worked. In the case of cool climate vegetables, it is even better to grow them early (in the spring) so they can take advantage of sunny days yet cool nights as the ground thaws. Loose leaf lettuces are ideal to grow on your eco friendly raised garden beds towards the end of cold season.

4.    Use non-chemical treated wood for your garden boxes or risk toxins leaking out of your wood into your garden bed soil. Some gardeners line the interior of their eco friendly raised garden beds with polyurethane materials, but this just increases the rate of decay of your wood. Choose hardy lumber instead like cypress and red oak because their hardiness does not require chemical treatment and they can withstand frequent watering and the attendant moisture for years.

5.    Plan, design and lay out your eco friendly raised garden beds so it would be easier to install your wood borders. Once you have joined the lumber, control weed growth by laying down wet newspaper on the bottom of the bed, then fill the bed with potting soil and compost. If you will be growing leafy plants on your eco friendly raised garden beds, give room for their mature growth by creating rows 12 inches apart. The depth of your holes depends on the root structure of the plant. Loose leaf lettuces and other Brassicas normally take nutrients close to the surface so they do not necessarily grow deep roots. Peppers, on the other hand, need to be planted 12 inches into the ground for stable growth. That is why it is important that your eco friendly raised garden beds are at least two feet off the ground.

6.    Compost grass clippings, poultry or livestock manure, and biodegradable leftovers from the kitchen so you will have a regular source of organic nutrients for the plants. Save the water you use to wash fish and meats and use them to water your plants because they are also rich with blood nutrients.

7.    Inter crop your eco friendly raised garden beds with natural repellants. The only way you can control pests from sharing your produce is to use integrated pest management methods. Hedges of marigold keep out rabbits which may otherwise feed on your carrots and other succulents. Rattail radishes are excellent substitutes for squash vine borers. Herbs like thyme, basil, oregano and rosemary ward off leaf beetles, aphids, and slugs that thrive on succulent and tender parts of young plants. Invite insect-eating birds to control pest population by planting sunflower rows near your eco friendly raised garden beds.

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The benefits of having your own vegetable garden bed are numerous, especially if you are a natural green thumb yourself. But even if the basics of gardening elude you, there is a plethora of information on line and in print to walk you through, from the moment the shovel hits dirt up to the time you harvest and plan for how to prepare your garden bounty. Think of the many opportunities you missed by not having a vegetable garden bed, and think of the many benefits it confers, no matter how small your space or how little time you devote.

The Best Vegetable Garden Bed Benefits

1.    A vegetable garden bed can be your landscape. If you have a small lot but you want some green space, might as well devote that space to growing colorful yet edible plants. Unlike a manicured lawn, a vegetable garden bed will give you plenty of foliage and colorful accents that return the favor when the time comes. Your vegetables can be planted in sumptuous ways that catch the eyes and tease the palate.

2.    A vegetable garden bed can be your local source of food security. Given the rising cost of fuel and farm inputs, fresh produce have become quite expensive. The organic variety is about twice the price (because yields are lower, producers have to compensate for the difference in volume), so your grocery bills can really add up if you favor the latter. Because you are not dependent on outside growers who may be located hundreds of miles from where you live (and charge their transport cost on the price of vegetables), you get to enjoy fresh, organic produce no matter how their prices fluctuate in the market.

3.    A vegetable garden bed can be your medicine cabinet. Not only can you grow delicious food, you can also grow your own living laboratory. Cucumbers, for example, are not just delicious on their own, they are effective insect repellants too (cucumber peels can be placed on the ants’ point of entry). Cayenne pepper is not just a (literally) ‘hot’ spice, it is also a superstar anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory agent and digestive aid. It also happens to be a circulatory stimulant to aid detoxification. Thai lemon grass not only flavors food or beverages, it also acts as an insect barrier when planted in strategic areas in your vegetable garden bed. When steeped in water, it can be an effective tea to abate coughing, or it can be distilled to extract citronella, an effective mosquito repellant. You can also border your vegetable garden bed with bay trees. Bay leaves are not only flavorful spices, they can also be wrapped in cheesecloth squares and hung in open windows to deter flies.

4.    A vegetable garden bed is a great alternative to entertainment. Instead of accumulating calories while curling in a couch watching television, you can burn your calories by weeding, watering and shoveling dirt and mulch. They are low-intensity workouts that benefit you two-fold: you get to exercise while spending your energy on a vegetable garden bed that will you nourish you in return.

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Raised bed gardens make life easier for gardeners who live in an area with poor soil. The basic principle behind raised bed gardens is to build them above ground so the gardener can have control over the soil texture and other components that will make gardening more convenient and the gardens healthier. Gardens can of course be grown in the native soil, but other factors, like drainage and portability, make raised bed gardens more appealing. And there’s more.

Raised Bed Gardens Benefits

1.    Better soil. Building your garden on top of the native soil allows you to customize soil condition to fit the needs of your plant. You can control the soil condition to best support plant growth (some plants need loose soil, some need compact soil). If you don’t have it in your backyard, you can easily buy the right potting soil from the local nursery or garden shop and mix it with the right amount of mulch or compost.

2.    Warmer garden bed. Since raised bed gardens are often a foot from the ground, they warm more quickly in spring, allowing you to plant earlier and enjoy longer growing season.

3.    Better drainage. For the plants to grow well, not only should they be well-watered, they should get the right amount of water. Some plants grow well in well-draining soil; some grow better in a constantly moist environment; some even grow with minimal water altogether. With raised bed gardens, you can control the amount of moisture in the soil by fashioning your beds accordingly.

4.    More stringent pest control. The downside of having your garden built right on the ground is its accessibility to pests. With raised bed gardens, you can construct a barrier using a chicken wire so you keep underground bugs out.

5.    Better weed control. When laying down your raised bed gardens, you can layer the bed with moistened newspaper or weed mats so you minimize their growth. Since you are able to control the kind of soil you pour into the garden box, you can choose weed-free soil so weeds are few and far between.

6.    Higher yields. Because you have chosen the most suitable type of soil in your raised bed gardens, you are likely to enjoy bountiful harvests than if you planted vegetables on native soil.

7.    Portable. When moving the garden to another location, it is easier to scoop out plants and temporarily bag them while the garden box is transferred. You don’t leave a hole in the ground, which saves you the effort of filling it up again.

8.    Complementing landscape. Raised bed gardens can be designed so that vegetables and flowers grow side by side without looking out of place. Or gardens can be designed so vegetables can complement each other. Basil and tomatoes are said to be complementary plants because of the nutrient exchange happening at their roots.

9.    Easier maintenance. For gardeners with bad backs, they can elevate the ground so stooping will be minimal. Raised bed gardens can be built several feet high to accommodate the gardener’s limitations in movement.

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How to build raised garden beds should be an endeavor easy enough even for a greenhorn. For people picking shovels for the first time, the challenge may not just be how to grow their chosen plants, but how to build raised garden beds from scratch. The list shows easy-to-follow steps that even beginners can expertly do.

How to Build Raised Garden Beds

1.    Plan for and design your garden beds according to available space. The process of how to build raised garden beds start with visualizing. It would be best to have an edible landscape if you have limited space, so you don’t just “waste” valuable real estate with flowering plants that won’t cut your vegetable bills in half. Location is important, because you need to build raised garden beds that will get plenty of sunlight, water and attention.

2.    Determine the materials you need from your drawings and gather your supplies. Garden beds are framed by open-topped and open-bottomed box. Measure your plot’s dimensions so you’ll also know how much wood you need to build raised garden beds. But while lumber is easiest and most cost-efficient, you need to choose lumber that is not pre-treated with toxins. This is not a concern if you decide to grow non-edibles. But if you choose to build raised garden beds for vegetables or herbs, avoid using wood treated with creosote. Wood infused with alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) is found to be safe for food crops. Rot-resistant cedar and redwood can be bolted together with stainless screws to keep them in place.

3.    Build your garden. Carve out a shallow trench before you build raised garden beds. Use 4”x4” lumber posts to serve as your corners. Later, you can just screw or nail the sides in the posts to strengthen the frames once dirt is poured to fill the box. When you build raised garden beds, you also need to keep weeds away from the moment you laid down the foundation. Spread an 8-layer weed mat made of dampened newspaper to keep weeds from encroaching. Then, place the bed framework over the weed mat, nail it in the posts, and make sure that the frames are sturdy so they don’t buckle under the weight of dirt.

4.    Fill your garden bed with soil. You can mix dry organic fertilizers made of wood ash, bone meal, blood meal, and composted manure. Layer this mix on the bottom of the bed and cover with potting soil. When you build raised garden beds, make room for organic material which is ideally 1/3 of the raised bed’s component. You can save on potting soil if you get it from your backyard. Otherwise, nurseries and garden centers sell them in 40-pound bags.

5.    Start planting. It would save you a lot of money if you plant vegetables that you frequently use. This would save you trips to the grocers and ensure that you have a fresh stock of food as the season allows. To maximize your garden space, you can plant climbing vegetables like runner beans, peas, tomatoes and cucumbers. You can also plant slow-maturing and fast-maturing crops so you’ll have vegetables early on and vegetables for later. There is so much you can do with your garden to make you realize that those who build garden beds are rewarded with the bounty of the earth.

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A vegetable garden bed tucked in a small corner in your backyard can be a visually appealing edible landscape. You can grow organic food and cut your grocery bills in half. More important than money you save, you get to cook food you know is healthy and pesticide-free, a rare treat given the commercialization of fruits, vegetables and spices that you find in the produce isle. You only need a few items to start with, and perhaps a few minutes each day to tend to your vegetable garden bed. Not only do you become food independent, you also get to exercise and connect with the earth.
So how do you make the most of a small vegetable garden bed?

Vegetable Garden Maximizing Tips

1.    Choose the location. You are most likely constrained with where to put your vegetable garden bed, so just be sure that your small garden gets plenty of sunlight, is easily accessible to water source, is along your daily route (so you get to see if there are urgent tasks that need to be done), and will not compete for nutrients with other plants.

2.    Find out which vegetables can grow in narrow vegetable garden bed and limited spaces. Beets, carrots, lettuce, peppers, scallions, tomatoes and herbs like parsley and chives, can all grow healthy without taking up a lot of space. You can also grow plants vertically (some tomatoes and peppers do) or choose climbing vegetables you can grow on trellis (peas, beans, cucumbers, squash and melons). This way, you can maximize your limited space and minimize pests (which often attack ground-level vegetables).

3.    Grow plants in your vegetable garden bed that are expensive in groceries. Depending on where you are located, some vegetables and herbs can be quite expensive while they are dime a dozen somewhere else. Since you don’t have the luxury of space, grow only those that will save you money. You can also grow vegetables that are hard to find.

4.    Grow your favorite vegetables. To make the most out of your small vegetable garden bed, you can grow vegetables that you love to eat. Growing expensive or hard-to-find items may save you money, but if you don’t often cook them anyway, they will only save you a little. Instead, grow vegetables that you and your family often use. That way, you need not make frequent trips to the market.

5.    Choose vegetables that are fast-maturing. You can plant vegetables in your vegetable garden bed in succession if you have short-term crops. Frequent harvests will ensure you will always have something to eat whatever the season.

6.    Inter crop fast-maturing plants with slow-maturing ones. You don’t need to sacrifice your favorite vegetables when planting in a small vegetable garden bed. If your favorites happen to be slow-maturing, plant them first before utilizing the small spaces left for other crops. By the time you have harvested the fast-growing vegetables, the slower ones will have begun spreading out and filling the empty spaces. You only need to mix organic material or mulch in the garden bed so there is sufficient nutrient left for the slower crops.

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