EAT YOUR VEGETABLES: Joannah Hill posts on vegetable gardening each Tuesday.

Two of the most important things to consider when starting a vegetable garden are location and soil condition. Fate played a role in the placement of my vegetable garden when a 50-year-old oak tree fell down, leaving me with a big hole in the ground and plenty of sunshine in a previously shady backyard.

Most vegetable gardens need a minimum of four to six hours of sunshine a day. With the tree gone, this was no problem, but preparing the soil was another matter. Rocks, twigs, tree roots, leaves and thick chunks of clay had to be removed and amended with compost, fresh topsoil and horse manure. That was three seasons ago, and this year I finally decided to have the soil tested, something I probably should have done a while ago.

Adding organic matter to the soil should be standard, but checking the soil's pH -- the measurement of acidity and alkalinity -- can troubleshoot any nutrient problems the plants may be experiencing.  Testing can also determine the presence of heavy metals in the soil, such as lead. Those who garden in the city may want to consider this kind of testing. The Maryland Cooperative Extension has a great link to choosing a soil testing lab.

If you're just looking for a soil tuneup, home test kits can be purchased from local gardening centers. Valley View Farms, where I took my samples, does free soil testing while you wait and can offer on-the-spot suggestions for soil enhancers. When taking a sample, dig 6-8 inches and take samples from more than one area of your garden. The ideal pH for vegetable gardens is in the 6.2 to 6.8 range.  

My soil fell squarely in the neutral range with a pH reading of 7.  Since I'll be growing tomatoes and peppers, it was suggested I add lime to the soil and a general 3-3-3 fertilizer. A gardening friend also suggested adding three to four crushed eggshells in the planting hole to give tomatoes and peppers an extra calcium boost.

Once your prep work is done you can get to the fun part -- planting.

Photo credit: Dreamstime