Years ago, I was dreaming of pulling my own fresh carrots out of the soil and cutting juicy tomatoes off the vine for dinner. I was dreaming of walking through trellises that was heavy with fruiting pumpkins and enjoying a late afternoon drink in the shade of a bean tripod.
My first veggie patch was no larger than a 1 x 1m. With a limited knowledge of compost, movement of the sun in my garden, water requirements for specific plants and what the best variety of veggie was to grow, I just started without the slightest consideration of how certain factors may effect the growth and productivity of my freshly sowed seeds and seedlings.
It should be easy right? Put seeds in soil, water and you will harvest tomatoes in about 2 months right?
NOOOOO! I was setting myself up for some serious failure and I thought my days of growing my own food, had came to an abrupt end! There are some fundamentals that you need to remember when you start your own veggie patch, and, if this is your first time, start small and start with some of the easier varieties of vegetables to grow.
In my opinion there are 4 Golden Rules for starting your vegetable garden. In posts to follow I will have a more in depth chat about each of The Golden Rules.
Golden rules:
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Soil
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Sun
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Water
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Lots of enthusiasm
Soil
For vegetables to thrive and produce they require soil that is fertile, alive with living organisms/micro-organisms and the ability to hold water, without becoming water logged. You need to create humus.
One of the best ways to create humus is to feed your soil with all your waste!
Not sure if your waste is good for you soil?
Ask yourself.
Was it once alive? Will it rot?
If the answer is yes, then bury it!
Nutrient-rich soil = healthy, strong plants = fights off bugs and disease.
2. Sun
Vegetables need plenty of sun. A north facing veggie patch is ideal. Find a space without any trees, walls or buildings that will be casting shade. Most vegetables require 6 hours of sunlight. When you plan your veggie patch, observe your garden space to see how the sunlight moves. Location, location location is just as important in veggie gardens as in Real Estate.
3. Water
Don't just water without thinking. Feel/inspect your soil! Over watering may cause the plants roots to become waterlogged. This will have a negative effect with water and nutrient uptake through the roots. Waterlogging lowers oxygen levels in the root zone, which reduces plant growth. Seedlings should be watered every day and in extreme heat twice a day until they are established. Once your garden is established, feel the soil before your watering and see if you garden really needs a drink.
4. Enthusiasm
Alfred Austin: The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. Starting your vegetable gardens can be back breaking work and torture on a nail manicure. I find that this is a absolute great time for reconnecting with nature, which is good for my health and mental wellbeing.
The best way to learn how to grow veggies is to start. The moment you get excited about a lady bug and know that this is going to be the best defence against aphids, I am sorry to say, but as the saying goes, the bug has bitten, and it is going to be downhill, or no, growing from here on.
My excitement hit the roof when some things I planted grew for the first time! Trust me, it will happen for you to.
Enjoy your gardening journey!
Blog written by Tash Van Zyl