When planting veggies, pay good attention to the planting information on the tag. Some veggies, like corn, need to be planted in blocks to allow for sufficient pollination. Melons and squashes should be planted on mounds to keep them dry, and peppers should be planted in a warm area- the hotter the pepper, the warmer the environment should be. Be sure to allow for plenty of air circulation and direct sunlight for your veggies.

Nothing is better for your vegetable garden that having great soil. Great soil is rare in most homes in the country but luckily there are many things you can do ahead of planting.

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Work that soil. With only rare exceptions, all gardens benefit from nutrient rich, well-draining soil. As soon as the soil is workable in your region, begin by digging deeply, turning the soil and remove weeds, old roots, sticks, rocks and other debris. Add copious amounts of organic material like peat, compost, composted manures, even fireplace ashes, and turn them in to the soil. All of these will create a healthy, well-draining site to plant.

We cannot overstress the importance of adding organic material to your garden. If you have clay based soil, organic material will help break up the clay and get much needed air to the plant roots, if you have a sandy soil, organic material will help hold onto moisture and nutrients. The rule of thumb is add organic material every time you turn your soil.

After you have added organic material to your soil it is time to think about adding plant food. We like to use two different types of fertilizer - a time release granular type we add to the soil ahead of planting - getting the food down to where the roots can absorb the nutrients. Follow up the granular time release by adding a fast acting liquid plant food throughout the growing season. We usually water with a liquid food every 2-3 weeks throughout the growing season. Some are powders you mix in a watering can, other types are liquid that you dilute. They are all easy to use- the key is to remember when to apply them - too frequent applications can burn the plants or roots - too infrequent can leave the plants hungry and reduce your yield.

For vegetables we like to use plant foods that are high in Phosphorous and Potassium - the second and third number in the 3 number ratio you see on all plant foods. We like ratios in the 1:2:3 or 1:2:2 range. The first number of this group is Nitrogen and while it will not hurt you tomatoes or veggies, you want a good combination of strong roots, thick stems and to encourage fruit set - and that is the job of Phosphorous and Potassium.