By Marie Joanis
Madison Magazine
Special To Channel 3000

Growing one's own vegetables can allow people to eat local--very local--and also get some fresh air and exercise.

Oh, and there is the benefit of delicious, fresh produce. Whether you have a lot of space and time, or just want to try it out, here are some tips and resources for starting your own vegetable garden.

Planting the Seeds

First, figure out where you can garden: your yard, a neighbor's yard, at a local school or in a community garden. The

Community Action Coalition Web site provides a handy "Get a Garden" resource that shows which community plots are available in your area of Madison and who to contact to get started. Renting a garden plot typically costs $10--65 on a sliding scale, along with a few hours of volunteer work.

Experiment with space and shapes when planning your garden, suggests "Got Dirt?" a gardening toolkit from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services' Nutrition and Physical Activity program.

You can make a container or small plot vegetable garden if you have limited room. Don't think your garden needs to be square--make it a circle or triangle if that's what fits your space better.

"It's up to the person," says Judith Reith-Rozelle, assistant superintendent with the UW--Madison's west Madison agriculture research station. "There's no true, one way to lay out a garden." Just be sure to leave enough room between plants, she adds.

"Got Dirt?" also offers this tip for small gardens: Pair fast with slow. Alternate rows of fast-maturing and slow-maturing plants, or plant them among each other. That way you can harvest and remove the fast-maturing plants before they start to crowd the slower ones.

Two more key considerations: Make sure the spot you choose has plenty of sun and good access to water.

A number of vegetables can also be grown in pots which saves space, says Reith-Rozelle. Among these are determinate types of tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, edible flowers and kale, which has varieties like "Russian Red" that make it ornamental as well.

The UW--Extension's Learning Store translates UW scientific research into user-friendly how-to manuals that can aid a green thumb. Specialized topics include "The Vegetable Garden" booklet, which provides a chart detailing how deep and how far apart to plant vegetables ranging from asparagus to turnips, and the "Specialized Gardening Techniques" booklet with examples of setting up a garden for a small space or one that is wheelchair-accessible. Those interested may print one free PDF online, order a bound version for home delivery or call their UW-Extension office to pick up a copy.

To read the rest of the story, click here: Grow Your Own Vegetable Garden