Growing vegetables can be a fun way to spend time with family, to slow down, and to enjoy the fresh outdoors. It is also an easy way to save money and to enjoy produce that is difficult to find in a grocery store or farmers’ market.
Here are a few tried and tested steps to success:
Start small – many gardeners get over excited at the beginning of the season and plant more than they need; ending up with wasted food. So first, determine how much your family will eat when planning a vegetable garden. Keep in mind that vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash keep providing throughout the season so you may need fewer plants but other vegetables, such as carrots and radishes, produce only once so you may need to plant more of these.
Pick the perfect spot – plants will do best if they are well suited to your growing area so take some time to research, and choose plants accordingly. Plant vegetables in direct sunlight as most vegetable plants need at least 6-8 hours of full sunlight; if they don’t get enough light they won’t bear as much and they’ll be more susceptible to attack from insects or diseases. It is also advisable to plant vegetables near a source of water as most vegetables plants require plenty of water. Importantly, plant your vegetable garden in good soil that is moist, well-drained and rich in organic matter.
Pesticides – use pesticides responsibly! Apply them only late in the day if necessary. Never apply pesticides in the morning when pollinators and beneficial insects are most active because synthetic (and even some natural pesticides) are non-selective and will kill beneficial insects too.
Keep records – practise makes perfect! One of the most effective ways of improving your garden from year to year is to pay close attention to how plants grow, and to note your successes and failures. Records ensure that failures are not repeated, and that good results can be reproduced.
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