Vegetable Farming: A Step-By-Step Manual Guide For Beginners On Vegetable Farming

Vegetable farming or horticulture, is the practice of growing vegetables for commercial purposes or personal consumption. It is an important aspect of agriculture that plays a crucial role in providing nutritious and diverse food options for people worldwide. Vegetable farming encompasses a wide range of activities, including preparing the soil, selecting suitable vegetable varieties, planting seeds or seedlings, managing pests and diseases, providing appropriate irrigation and nutrition, and harvesting the mature crops. This form of farming can take place in various settings, including open fields, greenhouses, or even urban gardens, offering flexibility to farmers. 

Below are the steps farmers should embark on when starting a vegetable farming venture.

Step 1: Site selection

When we talk about site selection, a farmer should look into the topography of the land, soil type/quality and the availability of water.

Topography refers to the physical characteristics of the overall field site and includes such conditions as; contour, soil depth, water and air drainage, and, the presence of rock out cropping and trees. An ideal topography for vegetable production is one that is nearly flat to slightly sloping, well drained, and free of trees, rocks and low areas. Efficiency of crop maintenance, irrigation and harvest operations is greatly enhanced in fields with this type of topography.

Soil type refers to the physical composition or properties of the soil. Soils basically consist of decomposed mineral matter (sand, silt, and clay) and decomposed organic matter. Optimum vegetable production is achieved on well-drained sandy loam soils. Although vegetables can be grown on a wide range of soil types, most vegetables are not well adapted to heavy clay soil types. Soils of this type tend to have poor aeration and drainage and can restrict root growth.

Vegetable crops generally require more total water and more frequent irrigation than most other agronomic crops. Few vegetables can be grown successfully under dry land conditions. Water quality is equally as important as water volume in selecting a field site water source. Water sources for vegetable irrigation should contain less than 400 ppm soluble salts.

Step 2: Choose the vegetable varieties you need to grow

Guided by the climate and soil of your site, a farmer is able to choose the vegetables to grow that can be both for home use and commercial use. Some of the best vegetables to grow are:

1. Tomatoes
2. Bell pepper
3. Onions
4. Garlic
5. Lettuce
6. Kales
7. Cabbages
8. Spinach
9. French beans
10. Peas, among others

Step 3: Planting

Planting of vegetables can be done in 2 different ways. The first is direct seeding whereby the farmer plants the seeds directly in the soil. The other method is the indirect seeding which involves transplanting of the seedlings from the nursery to the garden. In both of these methods, a farmer will require to clear the land, plough, mix the soil with manure, make beds and do the planting. After planting is done, it’s important to irrigate.

Step 4: Irrigation

The home gardener has several ways of irrigating the garden: a watering can; a garden hose with a fan nozzle or spray attachment; a portable lawn sprinkler; a soaker hose; or drip or trickle irrigation. Most of these options are simple to use and work adequately. Drip irrigation is most recommended. Drip irrigation provides the crop with a uniform supply of water through the season. A drip irrigation system consists of a filtration system, flow meter, pressure regulator, main line, header lines and lateral lines with built-in emitters. A fertilizer injector is also required for fertigation.

Step 5: Fertilization

Regular fertilizer applications keep plants vigorous and productive. When plants grow reluctantly or start turning yellow, fertilizer may help. If plants are vigorous and green, you can wait a little bit before applying more fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can burn plants. Tomatoes and beans given too much fertilizer grow lots of foliage but little fruit.

Vegetables growing in porous, well-drained soil should be fed frequently. Usually a balanced fertilizer is applied every three to four weeks throughout the growing season. Don’t stop applications when fruit appears, continue to apply fertilizer as needed to ensure continued production.

Vegetables growing in clay soils will need less fertilizer than those in sandy soils. One application every four to six weeks after planting is typically enough. Crops growing in organic soils may need little additional fertilizer, just use foliage color and plant vigor as guides. In gardens where the soil is sand enriched with organic matter, one or two additional applications at intervals of three to four weeks is usually enough.

Step 6: Pests and diseases control

Start the gardening season by using these six basic principles to minimize disease problems. 

1. Buy healthy, high quality plants.  Many disease problems are brought into the garden accidentally through diseased plant material. Buy only healthy plants from reputable growers. 
2. Select resistant varieties.  Using cultivars (cultivated varieties) with resistance to disease reduces damage. Examples include tomatoes with resistance to fusarium, verticillium, and nematodes; or cucumbers resistant to bacterial wilt.
3. Rotate vegetable families.  Rotation reduces insect and disease pressure on vegetable crops by preventing a high level of pests to build up in the soil or around the garden and is particularly useful in reducing disease problems. Crops are rotated by families, so you need to know which vegetables are related.
4. Use good garden sanitation. Removing diseased plants will limit the spread of disease to healthy plants. Many pathogens survive between growing seasons on diseased plant material, so removing diseased leaves, plants, fruits and vegetables from the garden as soon as you find them slows disease spread. Keep gardens as weed-free as possible, since weeds often serve as a reservoir of insect and disease problems. 
5. Avoid overhead irrigation. Many diseases require leaf wetness for infection to occur, so plan to use drip irrigation this year to keep foliage dry and conserve water. If overhead irrigation must be used, water early in the morning so leaves are dry by nighttime. Avoid placing plants too closely together; this slows air movement through plant foliage and lengthens leaf drying time after heavy dew or rain. 
6. Mulch. Summer mulch prevents rain-splash of soil containing fungal spores onto the undersides of leaves, which is the starting point for many fungal infections. 

Step 7: Harvesting

The following general principles are intended to give the gardener a framework for when and how to harvest vegetables:

• Peak flavor and nutrition. Many vegetables, such as beans, peas, summer squash, and turnips, are at their peak of taste and nutrition when they are tender and immature.   Other vegetables, such as tomatoes, melons, and winter squash need to be allowed to completely ripen on the vine so that their flavors can become fully developed.
• Check for size. Size is generally a reliable indicator of maturity, but it takes a little practice to know when some vegetables are just right for picking.  Because there may be some variance in vegetable varieties, always check seed packets or any information that is provided with purchased transplants for guidance on mature vegetable sizes.
• Harvest often. One of the biggest mistakes a gardener can make is neglecting to harvest vegetables regularly. Unpicked beans can go from tender to tough in no time at all.  A zucchini that was just 2 inches long a couple of days ago can be an overripe 2-foot long club today.  Keep in mind that the goal of the plant is to reproduce.  If vegetables are allowed to grow to full maturity and are not harvested, the plant will stop producing.
• Use the right tools. Some crops, such as lettuce, kale, and peas can be either pinched or gently snapped off with your fingers. Vegetables that don’t easily separate from the plant should be cut off.  A pair of scissors is ideal for snipping off some vegetables, such as beans.  A sharp knife or hand pruners should be used to harvest crops with tougher stems, such as eggplants and cucumbers. A garden fork is an ideal tool for harvesting potatoes and root crops.
• Harvest under the right conditions. Vegetable quality is at its highest at the time of harvest and begins to decrease rapidly thereafter.  The best time of day to harvest most vegetables is in the early morning after the dew dries.  This is when they are at their sweetest and juiciest. Avoid picking vegetables in the heat of the day, especially leafy vegetables, which can wilt immediately.
• Handle plants with care. Keep vining plants properly trellised so that the weight of maturing vegetables doesn’t cause the plant stems to bend or break. Avoid tugging or ripping a vegetable from the plant. This can damage the plant and provide an entry point for diseases. Also avoid working among vegetables during wet weather to inadvertently spread fungal and other diseases among plants.
• Harvest the outer (larger) leaves of leafy vegetables first. Lettuces and some other leafy vegetables sprout from the center of the plant.  Unless you are harvesting the entire plant, pick the larger, outer leaves first and leave the tiny new growth in the center to continue developing.

In conclusion, successful vegetable farming requires a series of essential steps that encompass planning, preparation, cultivation, and management. By following these steps, vegetable farmers can maximize yields, maintain the health of their crops, and contribute to the sustainable production of nutritious food.