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About A Vegetable Garden
A Vegetable Garden is an independent guide to planning, building, and growing a home vegetable garden. We read the research from university extension services and US agencies, then turn it into plain steps sized for your beds.
- Operated byJum Garden
- BylineEditorial Team
- Sources.edu and .gov research
- Last reviewedNovember 2026
Why we exist
Why This Site Exists
Good vegetable garden advice already exists. It is spread across hundreds of extension fact sheets, and each one is written for a single state’s climate and soil. A raised bed guide from Georgia and one from Oregon can give different numbers, and both can be right.
We bring those sources together. We show where they agree and explain where they differ. Then we carry the figures through to your garden, such as how many bags of soil a 4 by 8 foot bed takes.
You should be able to check every number on this site in a few clicks.
What this site is not
- Not a farm, test garden, or seed company. We do not grow or sell plants.
- Not a plant clinic. We describe problems but do not diagnose them.
- Not a product tester. We do not buy or field-test gear.
- Not a replacement for your county extension office, which knows your local conditions.
Site map
A Map of the Garden
The site is laid out like a garden. Six beds hold the guides, and the tool shed holds the Gear reviews. Step through the gate and pick a bed.
Garden Planning
Where to put a garden, how big to make it, and layouts for every size.
Raised Beds and Planting Boxes
Bed sizes, safe materials, filling soil, and containers.
Planting and Timing
Frost dates, soil temperature, seeds, and transplants.
Vegetables to Grow
Crop guides for cool-season and warm-season vegetables and herbs.
Soil and Care
Compost, fertilizer, watering, mulch, and weeding.
Pests and Problems
Insects, diseases, and plant problems, described with prevention first.
Gear
Raised bed kits, planters, tools, watering, and seed-starting gear, judged on specifications.
- You are at the gate. The homepage covers the basics in one place.
Our process
How a Guide Grows
Every guide goes through the same six steps, from a reader’s question to a page we keep weeding.
- 1A real question
We start with what gardeners ask, from search data and reader mail, and look at what the top results leave out.
- 2The reading
We read the extension and USDA publications that cover the question, and note which state and climate each one was written for.
- 3The draft
We write plain steps and name the source in the same sentence as each figure, so you can check it.
- 4The check
A second editor opens every source and checks each number, unit, crop, and region against it.
- 5Planted
The guide goes live under the Editorial Team byline, with the date it was last reviewed.
- 6Weeding
We review guides when sources change, and fix errors as soon as we confirm them.
Our sources
The Sources We Use, and the Ones We Weed Out
A guide is only as good as what goes into it. Research claims on this site come from .edu and .gov sources.
Sources we use
- Land-grant university extension services, such as University of Wisconsin, UGA, and Oregon State
- USDA agencies, including the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map from the Agricultural Research Service
- EPA and FDA rules, where pesticides or food safety come up
- Peer-reviewed horticulture research, when extension guidance does not cover a question
- Product labels and maker specifications, for Gear guides only
Sources we weed out
- Forums, social media posts, and comment threads
- Other gardening blogs and review sites
- Almanac or moon-phase planting presented as research
- Seed catalog and maker claims stated as fact
- Paid placements and sponsored content
Our Editorial Rules
Directions for every guide- Every figure names its source.The source goes in the same sentence as the number, not in a list at the bottom.
- Ranges, never averages.When two extension services disagree, we show both figures and explain why they differ.
- Crop and region on every figure.A planting date or spacing means little without the crop, the season, and where it applies.
- We describe. We do not diagnose.We explain what a problem looks like. Your county extension office identifies what your plant has.
- No pesticide rates.We name product types and what they control. The label sets the rate, and the label is the law.
- No growing or testing claims.We do not run test gardens or test products, so we never write as if we did.
The people
The Editorial Team
Five people share the Editorial Team byline. Guides carry no single name, because every page passes through at least two of us before it goes live.
- Managing editorT1
Team Member One
Chooses which reader questions become guides, sets the order of work, and signs off on every page.
- Coverage plan
- Final edit
- Reader mail
- Planning and raised beds editorT2
Team Member Two
Covers garden sites, sizes, layouts, and raised bed building, from bed dimensions to filling soil.
- Garden plans
- Raised beds
- Planting boxes
- Crops and planting writerT3
Team Member Three
Writes the vegetable guides, with planting times matched to the season and region.
- Vegetables
- Timing
- Seeds
- Soil and plant health writerT4
Team Member Four
Covers soil, water, mulch, and garden problems, always prevention first and never a diagnosis.
- Soil
- Watering
- Pests
- Fact checkerT5
Team Member Five
Opens every cited source and checks each figure, unit, and crop name before a guide goes live.
- Figures
- Sources
- Corrections
Our limits
Where Our Guidance Stops
Some questions need someone who can see your garden, or a label in your hand. Here is where we hand you off.
Plant problems
Many problems look alike. Your county extension office or a state plant diagnostic lab can identify what your plant has.
Pesticides
We name product types but never give rates or mixing directions. Read and follow the label on the product you buy.
Preserving food
For canning and other preserving, use tested recipes from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Your local conditions
Frost dates, soils, and pests vary by region. Your state extension service publishes local figures.
Digging and building
Call 811 before you dig deep for posts or beds, so buried utility lines get marked.
How the Site Is Funded
Some Gear guides contain affiliate links. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Affiliate links never decide what a guide says or which product comes first. We do not accept payment for reviews, sponsored posts, or link placements. Read our affiliate disclosure for details.
Corrections and Updates
If a figure looks wrong, tell us. Email editor@avegetablegarden.com with the page, the sentence, and the source you trust.
Our fact checker reviews it against the original source, and we update the page once an error is confirmed. See our editorial policy for the full process.
This page was last reviewed on November 8, 2026.
Questions or ideas?
Our contact page lists both inboxes, plus free help for plant problems near you.