Choosing a garden site is one of the most important decisions any gardener will make. The ideal place for a vegetable garden is a level, well-drained site, with full sun all day. There should be good air circulation, and the soil should be loose, fertile and easy to work.
Few gardeners are lucky enough to have such a perfect spot.
Avoid placing the garden in a low spot where water or air drain poorly. Such areas are slow to warm up in the spring. A gradually sloping hillside with a southern exposure is preferable to a low, level area where there is no air drainage. A southern exposure gets the most sunlight through the growing season. This means planting vegetables away from buildings, trees and other things that would shade the garden area.