5 Steps to Starting a Vegetable Garden

Starting a vegetable garden in Atlanta is simpler than you think when you follow these five steps:

1. Choose Your Location – Find a spot with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Position your garden on the south side of your home or fence to maximize sun exposure, especially during Atlanta's cooler months.

2. Build Raised Beds – Use raised beds at least 12 inches tall to overcome Atlanta's red clay soil. Raised beds drain better, warm up faster in spring, and make gardening easier on your back.

3. Fill with Quality Soil – Skip the native clay and fill beds with well-draining sandy loam soil from a local nursery. This gives your plants the nutrient-rich foundation they need to thrive.

4. Understand Your Seasons – Atlanta has distinct cool (January-March), warm (April-May, September-October), and hot (June-August) growing seasons. Plant leafy greens and root vegetables in cool weather, and tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers when frost danger passes.

5. Start with Leaves, Then Roots, Then Fruit – Begin with easy herbs like basil and oregano, plus lettuces and arugula. These require less space, sun, and time than other crops. Once you've mastered herbs and leafy greens, progress to root vegetables like radishes and carrots, then graduate to fruiting plants like tomatoes and peppers.