What a wonderful feeling it is, to bask in the glory and achievement of your high yielding vegetable garden. You went through it all, the agonizing beginning wondering whether anything will grow and the relief when they began to sprout. The ecstasy at the first signs of blossoming and the anticipation when you are a few days away from harvest. There isn’t much out there that gives you that complete feeling of satisfaction like growing your own vegetable garden. Plus it saves money, saves the planet, and nothing tastes better than home-grown. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or fresh newcomer, our tips and tricks will help you to go that extra mile and be proud of your patch.
Just follow our tips:
Keep your garden as clean and tidy as possible. Remove all dead leaves and foliage around the area as soon as they appear and sweep up regularly to ensure no build-up occurs, as this is so often the cause of harmful diseases spreading.
Remember that wet leaves can also bring disease. Always try and water at the stem and roots of the plant. This will help to get rid of the places where molluscs such as slugs and snails hide away to feast on your crops.
Crop rotation is important if your garden is large enough as disease settles when the same crop is planted in the same place season after season, rotate crop placement to ensure you don’t get any disease or rot settling in before harvest. It is recommended that you try not to put things in the same spot two years running.
If you wish to use fertilizer, it is highly recommended that you use an organic garden fertilizer. However, if your soil is thick and rich, then you may not need to use it, as this can attract more pests or potentially feed any mold. However, going chemical free may not be an option, for an ideal weed killer, look for one that contains systemic glyphosate, as this will help to kill any weeds right down to the roots.
Stay on top of weeding – This will ensure that your crops aren’t losing vital nutrition at any stage of their development.
If you are limited for space, have a look at the range of dwarf selections and bush forms, available in most gardening stores.
All plants need the sun to survive and thrive, choose the sunniest spots in your garden for premium growth and sweeter flavoured veggies.
Create your own compost heap! This is an ideal way of getting rid of food waste such as vegetable peelings and tea bags as well as cardboard egg boxes, crushed eggshells and garden waste. For premium compost, turn it regularly to ensure effective aeration. When your compost is ready, you should have a dark brown, almost black soil-like layer at the bottom of your bin, with a spongy texture. If you don’t fancy building a huge compost heap, there are a range of compost bins available from leading gardening stores, perfect for those with limited space.
