It seems everyone these days has a vegetable garden or has tried their luck at a garden in the past. In some cases, the garden becomes so productive that it could feed an entire neighborhood, while others suffer and don't amount to much. The amount of work involved with a vegetable garden is worth the assortment of fresh, homegrown produce on the dinner table each evening.

Click on an image for information on planting specific vegetables, or continue reading below for general gardening tips:

Green Beans

• Have a Plan: Determine well ahead of the start of the growing season where you want your garden to be located. The area should receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, be close to a water source, and convenient to check on a daily basis. Also, watch for areas that traditionally collect water after a rainstorm. Beyond location, plan what types of vegetables you want to plant and learn their varying needs, then plot on a map of the lot where those plants will be planted.
• Plants: Consider how much and what variety of plants you will put in the ground. In most cases it is best to start your plants indoors and transplant them into the ground, but not all plants handle the transition well, so do some research. In your early years, plant small quantities of each plant to see what works well and what doesn't.
• Pests: The most common problems with a vegetable garden are four-legged pests. Rabbits, woodchucks, squirrels and their forest cousins can make a late evening snack out of hours of hard work. Protect your investment with a close mesh fence around the entire perimeter of the garden. The traditional scarecrow or tin pie plates tied on short sticks keep most birds away. As far as insects, the best method is to remove them by hand to limit the use of chemicals in the garden.
• Maintenance: During the off season, do your best to fertilize the soil to get it ready for the coming growing season. Rotating plants to different locations in the garden will also help maintain good soil quality.