Vegetable gardening can be done by anyone and is a pleasurable and relaxing activity for gardeners of all ages -- especially kids! The satisfaction and rewards of growing your own vegetables have made gardening one of the favourite hobbies for generations of gardeners.

How much space will I need? From a few containers on a Patio or Balcony, to a larger backyard garden, fresh vegetables can be grown almost anywhere. The one preference that most vegetables require is plenty of sun. This can be a location that receives full sun or at least 6 hours of filtered sunlight every day.

Prepare the vegetable garden site by clearing and tilling the soil as soon as the ground can be worked. Some organic matter should be added to the soil to assist in drainage and to add valuable nutrients, which will promote good root growth, which in turn will encourage strong plant growth. Then water the surface with a fine spray, until the soil is thoroughly soaked. Allow the water to drain and you are ready to sow the seeds to a bountiful harvest.

Sow your seed according to the instructions on the back of each McKenzie Seeds vegetable packet. While most vegetables can be grown directly from seed, some should be started indoors (Tomatoes, Cabbage, Broccoli, Peppers etc.) and transplanted to the garden after all danger of frost has passed. If starting indoors, fill a seeding tray with potting soil to 1cm (1/2") from the top. Do not use soil from the garden as it becomes hard and may carry disease or insects from the garden. Sow the seed to the required depth, moisten the soil by misting then cover, if necessary, with plastic to make a mini greenhouse. Keep soil moist at all times and transplant to the garden after the last spring frost. See the chart to determine which of your McKenzie vegetables should be started indoors.

Caring for your garden need not be a chore, but should be taken as a time to relax and enjoy your garden as it grows. As the seeds germinate, take a few minutes each day to remove weeds, and thin where necessary to avoid overcrowding. See the back of the McKenzie seed packet for plant and row spacing information. If thinning is not for you, McKenzie also offers a limited selection of SeedTape, which reduces the amount of thinning required because the seed is pre-spaced between two layers of biodegradable tissue tape.

Water regularly. If the soil is dry 1.25-2cm (1/2-3/4") below the surface it is time to water. Do not soak the soil. For container grown vegetables, water either from the top of the soil, or stand the container in water to allow the soil to soak up enough water until the soil on top is moist.

Harvesting your vegetables can begin in as little as 3 weeks for radishes, or, in the case of late-season vegetables such as Watermelon, Tomatoes and Pumpkins, as late as early fall. This is definitely a time of great joy. After nurturing your garden for the summer, it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labour, because nothing tastes better than garden-fresh vegetables.