Tip of the Week: Siting a Vegetable Garden

Here’s how to choose the best place in your yard for a vegetable garden.

Published Jan 20, 2009 12:01 AM PST

If you’re planning to start a vegetable garden this spring, follow these tips to choose the best place in your yard to create it:

Choose an area with level ground. Flat ground is best for vegetables because water reaches their roots rather than running off down the hill. Flat ground is also easier to prepare and plant in. If you can’t avoid a slope, plant your rows across it rather than up and down it.
Choose an area with lots of sunlight. Most vegetables require 8 hours of sun each day. Make sure deciduous trees won’t block the sun when they leaf out. If your space doesn’t get that much sun, plan to grow leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, which require less light.
Choose an area near a water source. You’ll be doing a lot of watering, so aim to make it easy and convenient.

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