After a difficult year, everyone is looking forward to change. Starting a homegrown vegetable garden allows for not only change but also growth. It helps one’s diet and can become a new hobby. 

“I really just wanted organic vegetables and now it’s growing beautifully,” first time vegetable gardener Jessica Lopez said.

Depending on how much variety one will want in their garden, it may take some elbow grease. Making sure the soil is ready to be planted and that there is enough space, can cause extra work. 

“Deciding what to plant and where to plant in relation to how much sunlight they needed was difficult and we had to till the dirt and add potting soil,” Lopez said.

Although local nurseries can be a more economical option, they may not have as many vegetables or fruits as major seed and plant companies.

“At Lowe’s, I thought they were a little late for the season but I believe that was because of the frost, it probably delayed the little seedlings,” veteran flower gardener Jennie Candelaria said.

To start a successful vegetable garden, one has to be aware of the climate and weather conditions. Knowing the hardiness zone one lives in is important when planting because it estimates the success rate of a plant based on its hardiness. El Paso is Zone 8. 

“El Paso is very dry so you need to be prepared to water often and deeply. The plants need to have good moisture with good drainage,” Candelaria said.

Sometimes there can be unexpected mishaps.

“Recently we had a broccoli plant completely disappear! I thought one of my dogs dug it up but there was no pile of dirt so we are thinking some squirrels may have pulled it out and eaten it,” Raquel Candelaria said.

Although vegetable gardening may take some extra work, the results are extremely gratifying. Happy gardening!