Vegetable gardening doesn’t have to be tedious or a chore. It is the ultimate in fresh eating and if you grow your own vegetables, you will be certain they are chemical-free. But best yet, if you include your children, they will be more inclined to eat what they grow.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have been blessed with some odd mixtures of soil. But wherever you are, there is probably not enough organic matter in it that adds nutrients and creates friable soil for vegetable gardening. Vegetables are “heavy feeders” meaning they require more nutrients to produce crops.

And, they require good drainage so they won’t rot. Raised beds are one solution. By building a 24-inch tall structure that lasts, gardening can continue worry-free for many years. Let’s look at materials.

Cedar

Cedar is naturally insect-resistant. If you choose to vegetable garden for only a few years, it’s a good choice. With our rainy winters, cedar will eventually decompose. It will last about five to nine years depending upon weather patterns.

Concrete block

Not only are they affordable, but they can be faced or stained if you don’t like the way they look. They can also be capped, producing a seat wall.

Concrete pavers

Still affordable, these interlocking pavers make attractive walls that last many years and will add to the value of your home. They can be capped and come in several colors.

Steel, aluminum sheeting

Steel and aluminum sheeting are not as expensive as you may think and can be bent into flowing shapes. Supported by rebar, they go in quickly.

Containers

Herbs make fabulous companions to a perennial or two in containers. And, tomatoes prefer the warmer soil of a ceramic container in the sun and will grow more quickly. Don’t forget that larger containers hold more soil; more soil holds more water and you water less with larger containers.

Seedlings

If you are growing cool weather crops, you may consider planting carrots, radishes, kale and chard in February. Otherwise, start your seedlings indoors in mid-March. Use sterilized soilless mix to keep soil-borne diseases at bay. To facilitate speedy seed starts, use a heating pad designed for seedlings – especially if you keep your home on the cool side. These pads can be obtained on-line. A 9 inch by 18 inch pad will be large enough to start 18, 4-inch pots that can hold three or four seedlings. Keep your soil damp until seeds have germinated.

After germination, water when the top one-fourth inch of the soil is dry. You don’t want to promote damping off, a fungal soil-borne/seed-borne disease that causes the crown (stem base) of your seedling to rot. When the first set of true leaves unfurl, it is time to transplant your seedings into larger pots. Holding on to one leaf of the true leaves, lift the new plant out and place in the prepared pot. Place one plant per pot. At this point, you can transplant your crop and start a new batch of seedlings with the heat pad. If you start seedlings for lettuce every two to three weeks, you will have salads throughout the season.

Planting outdoors

Plant outdoors after the last hint of frost has vanished, usually around May 15 in our area. You can go earlier if it seems to be a warmer year. Have your soil ready to go, with a ratio of 50 percent compost added to 50 percent 3-way mix.

Hardening off

Before planting outdoors, plants have to acclimate to cooler temperatures. Move your seedlings to a protected but unheated place like a garage or shed for the evenings and return to their sunny window for the daytime. Then start leaving them outdoors for increasingly longer periods during the day. At the end of the two-week period they should be outside 24 hours a day. If you start hardening off May 1, by May 15 they will be ready for the outdoor bed.

What to plant

The Pacific Northwest has cooler summers and a shorter growing season. This spring I am teaching gardening classes and we will be looking at how to plant, build raised beds and what to plant. Classes will be taught at the Peter Kirk Community Center in Kirkland. Register online at www.kirklandparks.net and click on the link for the “Kirkland Parks Brochure.”

Nancy Tom of Down-to-Earth Gardens, Inc. has been designing, installing and maintaining gardens for 10 years. Web: downtoearthgardens.com.