A primer on vegetable gardening

This year more people will be growing their own vegetables - even the Obamas with the new White House garden. Space is all that is needed, whether it's a raised bed, converted lawn area or a container in the carport. The food is fresher and better for you, it's a means of saving money and it's fun.

When you know where your food is coming from there is no need to get alarmed about safety issues either. Nothing is more local than your own backyard. If you have the room, grow an extra row for the hungry in your community. Here are some tips for first-timers:

Grow what you love to eat.


Make out a list of the vegetables you routinely shop for and enjoy. If you love hot peppers, plant them. If you hate radishes, don't bother with them. It's also a good time to try something new for the price of a packet of seeds.

Location

Just like real estate, gardening is all about location, location, location. For vegetables, that means a sunny spot.

Soil


Cape Cod soil tends to be sandy and in need of amendment with organic matter. If you haven't been composting leaves, grass and kitchen scraps, which is the cheapest way to go about it, vow to start this year. Until then, add bags of compost, manure and organic fertilizer. Cape soil also tends to be acidic and may need to be adjusted with lime. Bring a sample of your soil to the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Service in Barnstable and have the pH tested.

Follow directions on labels and packets

Directions for planting seeds can be found on seed packets, and they are clear and concise. Read them! If it says to plant seeds 2 to 4 inches apart, do it. When it says thin to 8 inches apart, obey. Plants won't develop well if they are crowded. It's that simple.

The simplest approach is to sow vegetable seeds directly as soon as the soil is warm enough, generally in late May. Once the plants are established, water deep rather than often.

Add a few flowers and herbs


Lettuce, parsley and peas can be started earlier in April, as they like cool, sunny weather. Stagger your seed planting so the crop doesn't all mature at once.

Other standard garden fare includes green beans, peppers, cucumbers, summer squash and zucchini. Supermarket prices make Swiss chard a good investment. Pick the outer leaves and the plant will continue to grow. Also consider broccoli, kale, onions, potatoes, beets and carrots (remove stones from soil or they will grow as crooked as arthritic fingers.) Add a few marigolds, sunflowers or zinnias for color as well as herbs such as basil, cilantro and thyme.

No vegetable garden would be complete without tomatoes. Get a jump start by buying plants. Many garden groups like the Master Gardeners sell homegrown plants in late May. A six-pack of plants will produce a summer's worth of tomatoes for most families, with some left over for sauce.

Shop with a friend and swap varieties so you can have both a large beefsteak type as well as a smaller grape variety. Or start seeds on a windowsill now.

Make it easy

Don't overthink it. Plants have been growing for thousands of years without being fussed over. As Roberta Clarke, who manages the master gardener program on the Cape, is fond of saying, gardening is not rocket science. Just do it.