As prices for produce continue to rise at local supermarkets and grocers, growing vegetables at home may not be a bad idea for consumers. And, with the price of vegetable seeds fairly inexpensive, growing vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers and herbs in your own backyard can be nutritious, delicious and cheap.

Rosalie Bjelke, co manager for Four Seasons Garden Center, said if you’re thinking about growing vegetables, make sure your soil is ready.

“You’ll need full sun, and soil needs to be rich and loose,” Bjelke said. “If you’re growing bigger vegetables make sure you have lots of room. As the weather heats up make sure you soak your plants in water at least two times a week.”

If you don’t have a green thumb but still wish to plant something that’s easy, Bjelke said tomatoes, squash and herbs like basil are the way to go.

“These plants are easy to grow and can be grown in a short time,” Bjeke said. “Anybody can grow tomatoes and they can be moved into containers.”

Homegrown gardens take organization and planning. Make sure you have the following ready before planting: seeds and garden-ready transplants, hand towels and rakes, top soil, compost or packaged manure, fertilizer, mulch, gloves and a hose.

Bjelke said before planting, be sure to get rid of grass and till soil down by at least a foot. Good topsoil, sold in bags, Bjelke said, is necessary when planting.

“An option is time-released fertilizer (plant food), Osmocote, which feeds for four months,” Bjelke said. “For a large-scale garden, use Triple 8 fertilizer.

“Then use pine straw, pine bark or even thick newspaper, to hold moisture, shade roots and help block weeds,” Bjelke said. “Keep plants watered constantly.”

Here are extra tips to think about before you choose to grow your own vegetables.

Decide whether to purchase seeds or plants. Leaf lettuce, radishes, beans, peas and carrots can be grown from seeds.  Peppers, tomatoes and broccoli are easier to grow from transplants. Grow small types of tomatoes such as roma, grape and cherry in abundance.

Figure out when it’s safe to plant. Grow lettuce, spinach, onions and potatoes in early spring and later summer. Plant other vegetable plants when the weather is not frosty.

Pick a sunny spot. Vegetables grow best in areas that receive six or more hours of full sunlight daily.

Start slowly. Don’t be tempted to grow a full garden if it’s your first time planting. A small garden that is well tended will yield more produce than a larger, neglected one. Stick with vegetables your first year.

Follow plant spacing recommendations. Read the information on each plant’s package to learn how far a part each plant needs to be from its neighbor when growing. Crowded plants are more susceptible to disease.

Anticipate plant needs. Different vegetables require different growing accessories such as strings or cages. If you’re unsure, ask a garden professional for tips and advice.