Backyard Vegetable Garden Ideas – A Full Guide

Introduction: Hello gardener, we are back with a great information on Backyard Vegetable Garden Ideas. Backyard vegetable gardens are relatively small areas around homes we use to grow food for ourselves and the family.

Some of the Backyard vegetable garden ideas are given below;

Backyard Vegetable Garden Ideas

Now, let us get into the details of growing vegetables from scratch in your backyard for maximum profit and yields.

Choose a location for your garden

You may be tempted to place your vegetable garden where you feel it will add the most significant aesthetic to your backyard, but set your veggies up for success by choosing the best location for their needs.

Most vegetable plants require at least five hours of direct sunlight daily, while root vegetables will grow in partial shade.

Some of the vegetables that grow well in the backyard are;

Tomatoes, Potatoes, Cucumbers, Carrots, Peppers, Green onions, Turnips, Green beans, Lettuce, Squash, Broccoli, and Peas, etc.

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Build raised beds in the backyard

Depending on the size available to you in your backyard, build raised beds for your vegetable plants. Raised beds create a physical barrier that protects your vegetable plants from weeds and keeps food and moisture dedicated to your crops.

Backyard container garden

Container gardens are very easy to set up in the backyard. The important things for backyard container garden are;

• Containers
• Gardening soil
• Hand rake or tiller
• Seeds
• Water
• Compost (for heavy-feeding plants like squash)

The important thing to remember when planting in containers in the backyard is that the roots of the plants can only go down so far. Make sure containers are deep and wide enough to accommodate your vegetables. For example, most the vegetable containers are approximately 12 to 14 inches wide and 10 to 12 inches deep. Depth is particularly important when growing root vegetables, such as potatoes.

Soil nutrients for vegetables grow in the backyard

The basic soil requirements for plants to grow and produce vegetables are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). The relative amounts of elements are listed on most bags of fertilizer and soil amendments.

Nitrogen is necessary for vigorous stem and leaf growth. Sources of nitrogen contain manure, bloodmeal, bonemeal, canola meal, cottonseed meal, and others.

Phosphorous is necessary for strong root systems and flowering. It can increase vegetable development and seed yield. Sources of phosphorous contain rock phosphate, bloodmeal, bonemeal, cottonseed meal, and urine.

Potassium is necessary for cell division and strong stems. It helps fight disease, develop the quality of fruit, and decrease the water requirement of plants. Sources of potassium contain wood ashes, greensand, manure, and compost.

Timing of your planting

You will need to schedule your planting according to the seasonal temperature range in your region. Early season vegetable plants like peas, Swiss chard, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, turnips, and onions grow best at temperatures between 10-20°C (50-70°F). These plants prefer a cooler time of the year to grow and will generally tolerate frost.

Vegetables like lettuce, celery, cabbage, carrots, radish, and leek have intermediate temperature requirements. They grow best in the temperature range between 15-25°C (60-80°F).

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Window box backyard garden

The best type of vegetables to grow in a window box garden in backyards are lettuce, greens, and spinach, as they are sown on top of the soil and do not have deep roots. If you would like to produce tomatoes, carrots, and tubers, build or buy a deeper box. Spices such as oregano, basil, and chives do quite well in a window box garden.

Raised Beds in backyard

Raised beds are a sleek looking way to have vegetable garden presented in your backyard. It looks clean and landscaped, while also being functional; you could produce different types of vegetables in each planter. This method of separating vegetables in different planters will help you focus on different types of plant food on specific types of vegetables to help them get the nutrients they need and develop their growth. The raised beds are bordered with wooden planks, keeping your vegetables to their area and ensuring your yard remains neat and tidy. 

Hanging planters

Growing vegetables in hanging planters is an excellent space-saving solution and can be done with just a few planters, or in bulk as seen here. Utilizing hanging planters means you can keep several types of vegetables separate, which can benefit the plants themselves. But it will make life easier for you if different vegetables require different treatment in terms of the frequency and amount of watering they need.

Planters are best hung from metal frames for strength and stability as they can become heavy when filled. The planters themselves can be built from wood, metal, or plastic, depending on the look you are going for and the amount of money you wish to spend.

Tiered vegetable plants

If your backyard is on a slope, then instead of trying to contend with it, create a feature out of it. Produce a multi-level vegetable garden by building planters in a step-like method, and make the most of your sloping yard. If you plan on painting your planters, be sure to do it before planting vegetables and choose a hardwearing paint intended for use outside to prevent fading and peeling.

Hanging Baskets

You could hang baskets in your backyard, growing herbs to complement the vegetables you have growing elsewhere.

Backyard garden size

The size you choose for the vegetable garden will be determined by the amount of available space. For example, backyard garden size 20′ x 25′ (500 sq. ft.), and this is an ideal size which provides a variety of vegetables for a family of four, with enough extra to share with neighbors.

Orientation to Sun and Shade

The plants in your backyard will want to face south and will require a minimum of five hours of direct sunlight per day. Observe the path of shadows during the day from any trees, fences, tall objects, or adjacent buildings in your backyard. Sunlight calculators are obtainable to give you a more precise measurement of sun exposure for choosing ideal planting locations. The area of maximum continuous light will likely be the best location for your backyard.

Water requirement for growing vegetables in the backyard

Your vegetable plants need water. Vegetable plants that aren’t watered enough often grow weak and are more susceptible to disease. If you start with seeds, know that they should never be dried out, so make time to water your vegetable plants daily. The amount of water your vegetables need will depend on rainfall, humidity, and soil. Clay soil, for example, dries out more quickly than sandy soil and will need more regular watering. Make sure you understand the unique needs of the vegetable plants you selected and accommodate them accordingly.

Feed your backyard vegetable garden

Keep your backyard vegetable garden and yourself healthy by avoiding harsh chemical pesticides, fertilizers, and growth agents. While mineral nutrients such as agricultural lime, rock phosphate, and greensand can be added to your backyard garden more safely the chemicals, the best fertilizer is organic matter, such as compost, manure, coffee grounds, and shredded leaves.

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