Vegetable gardening can be a relaxing hobby for the whole family, especially if it is planned with a little effort. You'll be rewarded with wholesome, tasty low-cost food. You can even plant a surplus of vegetables to give to your neighbors or local food pantry.

Now is the "thyme" to plan your herb and vegetable garden. Proper planning utilizes all good gardening practices to produce a healthy vegetable garden. Practices include: site selection, plant selection, soil management, cultural practices, sanitation techniques and biological, mechanical and chemical control of pests.

A successful gardener will do some work in each season. If you do not have a garden, the winter is a great time to choose a location. The site should receive at least six hours of direct sunlight every day, but not be in the hottest place in the yard. It should be away from trees and shrubs that compete for moisture and close to the house for easy access. It should be near a water source and must be in an area with good drainage.

If you've already chosen your garden site, select the plant varietals you want to grow. Choose crops based on five factors:

First, what vegetables does your family enjoy eating? There is no point in growing vegetables they don't like. Plant extras of your favorites so each person can eat as much of the fresh harvest as they want. Can or freeze extra produce for future use, or give to the less fortunate.

Second, evaluate the cost-effectiveness of your vegetables. Most vegetables are inexpensive during the summer, so gardens that only produce summer vegetables might not save you money.

Third, consider which vegetables and herbs taste noticeably better when picked fresh from the garden. Fresh-picked asparagus, green beans, sweet corn, herbs, lettuce, melons, onions, peas, spinach, squash and tomatoes are all distinctly delicious.

Fourth, how much space is available? Some crops have large roots and require lots of subterranean space to grow. Other crops have dwarf varietals that still yield full-sized fruit. Miniature fruits can be used in salads and Asian dishes.

Fifth, select varietals that are insect- and disease-resistant. Resistant plants are easier to grow, yield less rotten fruit and require fewer pesticides.

The best way to purchase a crop may be to buy it in seed form. Most plant stores carry a limited selection of potted vegetables and flowers, but they often carry a wide variety of vegetable seeds. Seed catalogs offer hundreds of varietals, including rare heirloom varietals.

Planting indoors is a great way to begin cultivating your plants before transferring them to your garden — you'll get a head start on plants that mature slowly, and can moderate plants that germinate inconsistently. Most vegetables and flowers grow to a transplantable size in about two months. Find out the date of the next killing freeze in your area and plant the seeds indoors two months prior.

Cool-season crops, such as broccoli and cabbage, are planted earlier because they can withstand a frost. Warm-season crops, such as peppers, tomatoes and vine crops, must be planted after all chance of frost is gone. It is best to harden warm-season crops before planting them outdoors: Place the pots outside in a shady protected location during the day, and bring them back inside each night for the first week. Then leave them outside for a few days before planting. Water them as necessary.

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected]. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.