Introduction to Vegetable Gardening

Updated 1/2024

This class teaches the basics of growing your first vegetable garden. Come and learn what you need to know about where to plant your vegetables, which plants to choose, and how to care for your garden all season long. This class topic is part of the Local Food priority of the Master Gardener program. 

If you enjoyed this class, please join us for another. Current and upcoming classes are posted on our website. 

Class Handouts

For Single-day class

• Slide Presentation (Slide print-out)

• Participant Class Handout

For multi-day class

• Part 1

  • Slide Presentation (Slide print-out) – Part 1

  • Participant Class Handout – Part 1

• Part 2

  • Slide Presentation (Slide print-out) – Part 2

  • Participant Class Handout – Part 2

• Part 3

  • Slide Presentation (Slide print-out) – Part 3

  • Participant Class Handout – Part 3

Related Handouts

• VegetableGardenPlanner (University of Minnesota Extension; Ramsey County Master Gardeners)

• Home Garden Productivity Guide  (University of Minnesota Extension; Hennepin & Ramsey County Master Gardeners)

• U of MN Seed Trial Winners 2019

• Companion Planting (Cornell Cooperative Extension)

• Plastic Mulch, Row Covers and Low Tunnels (University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension)

• Mulching Vegetables (University of Georgia Extension)

• Planting and Harvesting Times for Garden Vegetables (Iowa State University Extension & Outreach)

• Storing Garden Vegetables at Home (University of Wisconsin-Extension)

• Plant Spacing (University of Minnesota Extension; Ramsey County Master Gardeners)

• Square-Foot Gardening (North Dakota State University Extension Service)

• Square-Foot Gardening (University of Missouri Extension; Clinton County Master Gardeners)

Online Resources

PRO-TIP: Google “site:edu vegetable growing” (or site:gov) for research-based advice

• University of MN Extension Program 

• Extension's Ask A Master Gardener 

• Ramsey County Master Gardener Facebook group

• Ramsey County Yard Waste Sites

• University of MN Extension Soil Testing Laboratory  

Books

• Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward Smith

• Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew

• Year-Round Vegetable Gardener by Niki Jabbour

• Bountiful Container by Maggie Stuckey & Rose Marie Nichols McGee