The second inspiring installment from the VegeTTable talks to get you growing.
Recap: It all starts with the soil and location location location.
- Vegetables grow mainly in the top 6cm of the soil, so it’s up to you as a gardener to make the best soil. Think of your vegie patch as a lawn improvement device.
- Face your garden North to North-east if possible to catch the most rays.
- Start small with a 1m square, it's big enough. Make it easy to access all around the patch. Once you've got the hang of it expand a bit at a time.
- Tools of the trade include a spade, fork, rake and hose
- Soil preparation is important.Break up the clods, add organic matter, dynamic lifter, blood and bone, dolomite (MgCO3 )
- Mulch is magic. Cover the surface, to reduce evaporation, keep the soil cooler in summer and warmer in winter
- Compost is dug into the garden...it's international compost awareness week soon
- If you don't have enough room for a garden and want to delve into pots as the preferred growing medium styrofoam boxes are very versatile as growing pots. Ceramic/earthenware that are not glazed need to be lined with plastic because they loose water through evaporation.
Sowing Seeds
- Read the back of the back, we live in a temperate climate and use by dates matter
- For an instant garden lettuce and spinach are great and you can pick the leaves all year round.
- Parsnip seeds only last a year at the most but are quick growers
How to sow?
- Use a rake handle to make a groove, the drill.
- Water the drill and remove any lumps
- Sow the seed, the smaller the seed the shallower the drill and cover over
- Put a stick at either end to remind where you planted
- Thin out when second set of leaves emerge
What to sow in May
- Seed : broad bean, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, pea, spinach
- Seedlings: cabbage, celery, leek, onion, silver beet, spinach,turnip
The VegeTTable group will meet on the 2nd Saturday of the month 10-11am at various gardens around the community to gather ideas, advice and support. Contact Geoff for more information on 4959 3470
Handy Tip- There is a manure selling business at 110 Macquarie Rd Fassifern, about 400m past the train station turnoff. They sell chook, cow and horse manure at very reasonable rates.
