7 questions every gardener needs to ask themselves

So you're thinking of starting a vegetable garden? Before you start, ask yourself these questions. Doing so could save you money and you get you better produce come harvest time.

• Pick a spot in your yard that gets at least six hours of sun a day. The more sun, the better.
• The soil should drain easily, so choose somewhere where the water doesn't pool after a regular amount of rain.
• You will probably need a wire fence to keep out rodents and animals that would like to eat your vegetables before you do.

Pumpkins are fun and sweet corn is delicious, but both take lots of room. Consider the plants you want to grow, then draw your garden planting plan on paper to make sure you don't crowd your garden.

Homegrown tomatoes outstrip anything in stores, but other produce can be difficult to match in quality. Melons, for example, are difficult to grow and notice a difference in taste.

Red peppers, fancy mesclun greens and many other vegetables are costly at the supermarket. You can grow them at home for much less.

• If your space and time are limited, grow only those crops that allow you to harvest a lot of produce from a small area.
• Tomatoes, green beans and lettuce are great for busy gardeners.
• It takes a wide, 1.5-metre-tall plant to produce one artichoke, so gardeners that are short on space usually avoid them.

A standard grouping for a kitchen garden is:

• One row of mixed lettuces
• One row of spinach
• One cherry tomato plant
• One beefsteak tomato plant
• Three to four paste-type tomato plants for making sauce to freeze
• Four green pepper plants
• One hot pepper plant, one row of carrots
• One cucumber plant
• One zucchini plant
• One butternut or acorn squash plant
• Four eggplant plants, four broccoli plants
• Four cauliflower plants
• One row of bushy green beans

Green peas not only need special supports, they also take lots of time to shell. When choosing plants, consider the fact that plants not commonly grown in your area may be difficult to grow, or take extra time and effort.

Growing your own vegetables is a fun activity that can save you money and give you quality, fresh produce. But before you start your garden, make sure to ask yourself the important questions so you can get a better yield of vegetables you want.