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Other ideal considerations would be:

• Locating near a water supply, such as a water spigot is absolutely necessary.

• It should receive at least six to eight hours of full sunshine daily. Some crops can tolerate partial shade, but no amount of food, water or care can replace needed sunshine. Try to avoid nearby trees because they will not only shade your plants, but they also absorb huge quantities of your soil's water supply.

• It should be fairly level with a slight slope of about one and a half degrees to the south if possible; this is particularly helpful in colder climates as it will help the early crops get started.

• The plot should be well drained, and not in a place where water collects after a heavy rain. Drainage can possibly often be improved by the installation of tile, digging ditches, or even plowing or digging deep into the subsoil.

• Locating your site so that you receive good air ventilation is also critical with clean air flowing over your site to keep the danger of early spring or late fall frost damage to a minimum. A windbreak, however, such as a fence or a row of shrubs, will help if your site is subject to strong winds.
Fertile, deep, friable soil is necessary for successful gardening. The exact type of soil is not as important as that it be well drained, well supplied with organic matter, retentive of moisture, and reasonably free of stones. The kind of subsoil also is highly critical. Rock ledges, gravel beds, very deep sand, or hardpan under the surface soil will make the development of high-quality garden soil extremely difficult and or almost impossible. On the other hand, any soil that has good physical properties can be made productive by using organic matter, fertilizer, and other soil amendments such as compost from your compost bin or your worm farm.

While locating and planning a vegetable garden, consider the many advantages of the raised bed system or the square foot system of gardening. By utilizing a raised bed gardening system your whole perception of what a vegetable gardens should look like will be entirely different.

If you live in an apartment, a condominium or a mobile home, and are unable to find sufficient a good location for a vegetable plot, don't despair! Container gardening may be your salvation. Almost anything that can be grown in a garden, can be grown in a container.

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