While there are many options and specifics when it comes to growing vegetables, there are some general rules that can easily be followed to help ensure that your vegetable garden is producing at its peak proficiency and yielding the yummiest crop come harvest-time.
Cultivate the area to be planted. Using a rotary tiller, turn the soil in the area to be seeded two weeks before planting. This will not only break up the soil for easier planting, but it will also bring up any dormant weed seeds that are buried.
Water the area thoroughly. A good soaking will cause the newly turned unwanted seeds to begin sprouting in about a week's time. Once they do, spray the area down with a general purpose herbicide to kill off all the unwanted vegetation that would otherwise be competing for resources with your vegetables.
Till the area again just before planting. This will loosen and aerate the soil, allowing your seeds to have an easy time growing.
Check the information packets on the specific type of vegetable seeds that you will be planting for when to plant, depth to plant the seeds and spacing between planting. Not all vegetable seeds are the same, so for the best performance check each type of seed.
Cut furrows in the freshly tilled ground at a depth recommended by the instructions on the seed packets.
Sprinkle the vegetable seeds into the furrows. Seed as directed per the type of vegetable being planted. Over-seeding may cause too many plants to grow in too small of an area and none of them will do well. Under-seeding may result in no plants taking root in that area. Use a rake to gently cover the seeds with the loose soil that was displaced when creating the furrows.
Water the soil to saturation. Make sure to use a gentle, indirect spray when watering for the first time, otherwise you will likely wash away your seeds.