The reality is that in many places a year round vegetable garden is simply not an option outdoors. Learning about the temperatures, moisture and lighting that are present in your area throughout the year are a good starting point for determining whether you will need some shelter to garden year round.
In the best case the weather outside may allow it. Individuals in these climates can take better advantage of this by carefully scheduling the timing of their vegetables. There are two types of vegetables that you might plant. The first are those that you plan to leave. These may actually include some plants that only grow once a year. The other type are those that will be removed completely each season. This includes removal of the roots, but could be removal for transplant or consumption. For outdoor gardens try to leave enough room between each row to plant seeds. Then with careful scheduling the seeds can be sprouting between rows of vegetables that are about to be removed.
A number of locations will require some amount of shelter. A low cover in particularly harsh times may be sufficient. Irrigation or other watering may also be necessary for these environments. A year round vegetable garden in these locations can also benefit from planting between the rows. With the additional environmental considerations you will need to schedule your plants accordingly though. In cases of low covers and some other outdoor shelters, it is best to schedule pollination for times when the covers are not present. The opposite may be true if you practice intentional pollination however, as the cover can actually reduce the possibility of accidental or natural pollination.
In other areas there is the need to actually plant the year round vegetable garden inside. This allows you to create the environment that is best for your plant. The set ups in indoor gardens can become elaborate rather quickly. In some cases the very lighting may be artificial and placed on specific timings. In these cases the vegetables that are chosen should be within a certain range that grows well in the conditions that you are creating. Beyond this you can further maximize the production by moving plants outdoors when the weather is suitable. This will allow you to then begin a second garden indoors that can then be mature in the next season.
With the importance of timing and space optimization the process may seem far more technical than the practice of sowing seeds and watching vegetables grow. Developing an entire plan prior to beginning can help to ensure the process is more relaxed. It is also a good idea to introduce some variety. With limited conditions and space it can prove more challenging, but having something different in the garden can be a wonderful joy that both you and the others you share your garden and vegetables with will appreciate. Consider planning a two year cycle at one time for your year round garden. It isn’t the gardening that should be a surprise; planned variety produces the surprise of a variety of vegetables.