How to start a new vegetable garden

Dreaming of homegrown vegetables? This beginner-friendly guide lays the groundwork for a thriving food garden

The rich flavor of homegrown tomatoes sends your tastebuds — and pride — soaring. While growing your own vegetables is immensely rewarding, getting started as a new gardener can be frustrating. This guide will help you get your vegetable garden off to a strong start.

There are many ways to grow produce. Most gardeners grow vegetables in rows of a single plant type. Another popular method is raised bed gardening, where plants are spaced a bit closer together. You can even produce many vegetables in containers on your patio. The basics for growing under these different systems are the same, starting with proper site selection and preparation.

Prep your site

Most vegetable crops thrive under the same growing conditions including ample sunshine and well-draining soil. Strive for a relatively flat site that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Avoid steep slopes where erosion will be a problem. Also avoid planting near walnut trees, as their roots exude a substance that inhibits growth of other plants. Finally, locate your planting site near a water supply to simplify irrigation.

It is important to start with a clean slate when planting a new garden, even if you plan to install raised beds. Bermuda grass can grow through several feet of soil, so you want to remove it and any other existing vegetation as thoroughly as possible. Several methods can be used to kill off vegetation including hand or mechanical removal, herbicide application (organic options exist), solarization and smothering. The latter two methods are less effective against Bermuda grass, but work for many weeds and other grasses. Solarization was once a popular organic solution but is losing favorability because it kills beneficial soil organisms.

Invest in healthy soil

After removing existing vegetation, invest time in building healthy soil. Vegetables thrive in loam or sandy loam soils with good drainage, ample organic matter, sufficient water holding capacity, a rich supply of nutrients and neutral pH (6.5 to 6.8). Few Oklahoma soils exhibit these conditions. Fortunately, you can easily amend garden soil to improve drainage, fertility and water-holding capacity by adding organic matter such as compost. In clay soil, organic matter improves drainage and air flow. In sandy soil, it helps retain moisture and nutrients. Organic matter also invites beneficial organisms into the soil.

The first step to building healthy soil is conducting a soil test to determine pH, nutrient content and organic matter levels. Collect and submit soil samples through your local County Extension Office for analysis. The results will determine what fertilizer(s) or other amendments are needed and in what quantities.

Know your plants

Once your planting bed is prepared it’s time to start planting. Knowing what to plant and when means the difference between abundant yields and struggling plants. Some vegetables, called cool-season crops, thrive when air and soil temperatures are cooler. These can be planted in the spring or fall. Warm-season crops are more sensitive to frost and perform best during the hotter summer months. Refer to the “Garden Planning Guide” graphic for spring, summer, and fall planting times of common cool and warm season crops in Oklahoma. Fall plantings can be challenging to establish in the dog days of summer. Start with crops that thrive in heat or those planted later in autumn.

Many resources are available to help you on your vegetable gardening journey. Local gardening groups abound on social media where fellow gardeners happily share their knowledge. Professional help is available through the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service with local offices in every county and fact sheets available online.

Click for a printable version of the seasonal garden planning guide and a detailed monthly breakdown PDF.