What Are Good Vegetables to Grow on Hill Sides?
- Gentle hillside ready for planting.Hill image by Andrew Korobejnik from Fotolia.com
Many garden vegetables need room to grow and plenty of well-drained soil. The natural solution is hillside planting, a method that allows leafy vegetables to sprawl out as they mature. Excess water l naturally drains downhill, preventing root rot and other problems that occur in over-saturated soils. - Fresh garden cucumbers.Cucumbers image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
Cucumbers should be planted 1 inch below the surface of the soil in 12-inch rows, one plant per row. Add nutrient-rich compost and black plastic mulch when planting cucumbers to keep the soil moist. Use fencing or posts to support cucumbers so the vegetables will grow straight. Cucumbers may be harvested at any stage of growth, and are generally eaten before full maturity. Pick cucumbers that are approximately 2 inches long to create pickles, 4 to 6 inches for dill pickle varieties. Cucumbers that turn yellow are overripe and should not be eaten. - Squash growing on the vine.Squash image by nix pix from Fotolia.com
Squash plants are viney in nature, which means they need a lot of room to sprawl out and grow. Some types of squash, such as zucchini, grow in bush form. Both winter and summer varieties of squash may be added to hillside gardens. Winter squash, which grows a thick, inedible skin, stores better than summer squash varieties.
Summer squash reaches maturity in 45 to 50 days, while winter squash is ready for harvest 70 to 110 days after planting. Seeds should be planted 1 inch deep and lightly covered with soil. Plant squash in full sunlight with plenty of fertilizer. - Melons, freshly picked from the garden.melons for sale image by itsallgood from Fotolia.com
Melons grow during the summer, ripening in late summer and fall. Melons may grow as small as softballs, or they may reach up to 15 lbs. in weight. Cantaloupe, honeydew and muskmelon are grown in North American gardens.
Grow melons in warm soil, 70 to 80 degrees F. The soil should be slightly acidic and nutrient rich. Plant the melons approximately 1 inch deep, with plenty of space in-between plants. Keep melon plants several feet away from cucumbers, squash and pumpkins.
