Plant Gardens 101

Give them their own ‘patch’. This is a great way for kids to learn to be responsible for something. It’s best if their patch is small, at least in the beginning. If they love it and want to do more, you can always make it bigger.

You want to encourage them by getting results as quickly as possible. When I was a little tacker it seemed like time almost stood still – especially when I was waiting for something. Start with seedlings of lettuce, cherry tomatoes or snow peas – foods that they love and are quick to give results. Potatoes are always a winner. Digging them up is like digging for buried treasure!

Take your little one(s) with you to select seeds that they can grow in their plot. They’ll probably choose plants with bright colours and interesting textures, which will add interest to your dinner table. You’ll find they are really keen to eat what they’ve grown, so you’ll have them trying new things. This also gives them a valuable sense of contribution to the family and pride in themselves. (more…)

One of the many marvels of gardening is that you can create a gorgeous and productive garden with very little financial outlay. It will take longer than going to your nearest nursery and stocking up with everything you want. But I enjoy watching my garden evolve over time.

OK, so how do I get new plants for free? The quickest way I know is to give some of your own plants away. Yes, that’s right! You probably already have something in your garden that you can divide, collect seeds, take cuttings from or dig up a few rhizomes or bulbs.

Give some of whatever you have plenty of to someone who you know is a keen gardener. Gardeners are very good at sharing. The love to share their knowledge, their plants and often their crop yields. Just try giving some plants to three or four gardening friends or family. In no time you will have plants being given to you out of the blue. (more…)

1. Water – Over watering and under watering are both bad for your plants. Over watering creates plants with shallow root systems. Without deep root systems your plants will suffer (or die) if they aren’t watered daily. Encourage your plants to develop deep roots so they can take in more water. Under watering dehydrates your plants. This creates stress and can lead to weakened and susceptible plants. Mulching can help with both of these problems. I like to mulch each spring – I use pea straw – once I have planted seedlings into my veggie plot. Water your plants deeply about once a week, depending on rainfall – more often in really hot weather. Make sure the water penetrates to a depth of about 25mm (an inch).

2. Mulching – This is a great way to prevent soil erosion, add organic matter to the soil and reduce evaporation. However, you need to leave space around the base of each plant. Mulching right up to plant stems encourages disease and rot to set in. Leave a 50mm (2 inches) between the mulch and the stem. You don’t need to mulch any deeper than 75mm (3 inches). (more…)

This method of vegetable gardening is what I prefer. As you might have guessed, it doesn’t involve digging. This method is particularly suited to older people or people with physical disabilities. But I just prefer it because I think it’s better for the soil.

When soil is turned over it destroys the soil structure. When you create a no-dig plot you are not disturbing the topsoil at all, this means that the soil microbes, worms and creatures can continue doing what they do best in your garden. For the best results in your garden, you want to aim for no compaction of the soil. Water, air and nutrients travel through the soil by pathways made by worms and plant roots. When soil is compacted these pathways are destroyed.

By designing you plots to be no more than say 1.25metres (4 feet) across (and however long you want) you can avoid having to stand in it. If you start with a small bed, (1.25m x 2.5m / 4’ x 8’) you can plan it so that you can expand when you are ready. No matter what your location, no dig vegetable gardens are a great option for you. It means that it doesn’t matter what sort of soil you are starting out with as the layering of materials over the surface will continue to feed and condition your soil. Eventually you will end up with dark, nutrient rich soil. (more…)

Transplanting seedlings is one of my favourite tasks in the garden. There are a few simple things to consider to give your young plants the best chance to flourish – you want them to thrive, rather than just survive.

Timing
Think about the time of year. Just because certain seedlings are available at your nursery, don’t assume it’s the right time to plant them out. If you’re not sure, read the label – most tell you the best time of year to plant. You could look in gardening books, research online or ask family or friends who are gardeners (they might even give you some seedlings if they’ve bought too many).

You can plant tender plants before the risk of late frosts has passed, provided you listen closely to weather forecasts and are prepared to cover your ‘babies’ with protection or enclose them in a cloche. (more…)