A couple of centuries ago, many families had vegetable gardens. But for a lot of people today, raising food is a mystery. We are lucky to have an excellent climate and soil for gardening, but if you have never done it before, how do you start? 

     Growing food is pretty simple. You need healthy soil, sun for photosynthesis, water, seeds or seedlings, and some time and effort.

     Your first step is to select a site for your garden. Most vegetables and fruits require a lot of sun, so choose an area that gets at least six hours of full sun a day. Avoid planting near trees or shrubs, as their roots will compete for water and nutrients.

     Make sure you have easy access. A garden needs regular attention, and if yours is inconveniently located, you may forget to check on it enough. Ten minutes a day will give better results than two hours one day a week. 

     Some crops, such as beans, peas, tomatoes and cucumbers, may require trellises or staking, so put these supports in before you plant. Others, like squash, melons and pumpkins, sprawl over quite a large area, so give them lots of room.

     Most soils in Napa County are pretty fertile, but you can test your soil with an inexpensive kit purchased from a garden center and make adjustments as needed. If your soil is crumbly, you can simply dig in a soil amendment like compost or aged manure before planting. If you have problem soil—either too claylike and clumpy or too sandy—more amendments will help. Adding a complete fertilizer before you plant will encourage plants to grow. Look for the numbers 15-15-15 on the package, which indicate the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.  

      Many gardeners recommend raised beds for growing vegetables. You can line the empty beds with a screen to keep out moles and gophers and then enrich only the soil you put in the beds. Raised beds drain better and warm up faster in the spring.  

     Choosing what to plant is the fun part. The first rule is to grow what you like to eat.

If you hate broccoli, don’t plant it. If you love spinach, grow a lot of it. 

     You also need to know when to plant. Some vegetables flourish in hot weather; others prefer it cool. Some are frost sensitive. Napa County Master Gardeners publish a month-by-month planting guide that is specific to our climate. Planting schedules in books written for a national audience may not be as accurate.  

     You can begin with seeds or with young plants called seedlings or “starts.” Root crops like carrots, beets and radishes do best when planted from seed, but you must keep the soil evenly moist until they sprout. Squash, melons, corn and lettuce also grow well from seed, but you can get a head start by buying them as seedlings along with tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. 

     Buy your starts from a reputable nursery, grower or farmers’ market vendor. Get the healthiest-looking plants you can find and avoid root-bound or lanky plants.  

     Don’t plant seedlings too early. Waiting until the soil temperature reaches 65?F will give your young plants the best start.

     Water needs vary for each vegetable. Put thirsty plants like leafy greens, broccoli and cucumbers together as they need to be kept moist. Beans and tomatoes do well with deep watering less often, so you can put them in the same bed.

     You can water by hand, but a good drip-irrigation system will save you time and water. Soaker hoses work well, too. Water deeply so the roots will learn to grow down toward the moisture. A layer of mulch will help conserve water and add organic matter, too.

     Once your garden is in, start a regular weeding regimen. If left unchecked, weeds will quickly overrun your plants and compete for water and nutrients. This is where the 10 minutes a day comes in. If you catch weeds when they are little, you will have an easier time of it. 

     Your vegetables will need to be fertilized as they grow. Use an organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion, but consult guidebooks first to determine the requirements for each crop. Your efforts will be rewarded when you start harvesting fresh, nutritious vegetables from your own yard.

      Free Workshops: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a free workshop on “Basic Gardening: When You Don’t Know Where to Start,” on Saturday, January 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The class is designed for the beginning gardener and will introduce basic concepts about soil, planting, watering, fertilizing and selecting plants. The Master Gardeners will hold another free workshop, “Basic Landscaping: Concepts and Ideas,” on Saturday, January 31, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Location for both workshops is the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Space is limited so call 707-253-4221 to register.