Planning a veggie patch!

Spring is just around the corner and the perfect time to start that veggie patch!

One essential component of a successful vegetable garden, whether it's a raised container garden or a conventional garden bed it will require a minimum of 6 hours of sunshine daily, shelter from winds and preferably north facing position.

If you are planting in a raised veggie bed, ( of which there are several varities available at hardware stores and nurseries ranging from

plastic , colour bond and treated timber) ensure you purchase a quality planting or potting mix. Don't think by economising and buying the cheapest you will obtain the same

result, because you won't!

A good quality mix has been formulated to achieve optimum results, and will be the correct pH for healthy growing veggies, will contain water saving products and slow release fertilisers for continued healthy growth of your crop. If your new veggie garden is a cleared garden bed in correction is required.

the corner of the yard, test the soil! Simple pH test kits available for approx $15 will indicate if soil As a general rule, most veggies grow well with a pH of 6.0 - 7.0. This test is critical as many nutrients and trace elements required for plant establishment and growth can become locked up and unavailable if the pH is too high or too low. Good luck trying to grow a crop of Potatoes if your pH is below 5.5! (Phosphorous is locked up + meaning no root growth = no healthy Potatoes.

The nutrients that plants need are most easily available when the pH of the soil is between 6.0 and 7.5. If the soil has a pH lower than 6.0, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are not as available to the plant. If the pH is higher than 7.5, iron, manganese and phosphorus are not as available

To reduce the pH a simple and effective organic solution is achieved with the addition of aged animal manures and well composted organic matter. Adding organic matter also assists in water containment within the sailor growing media.

Now that you know your

growing, take the time to plan your veg crop. If you want to crow climbing plants like cucumbers, snow peas or beans a support for ground optimising the potential crop. them is essential for keeping produce off the

soil is ideal for

T all growing plants are best suited towards the rear of your bed/ raised garden.

Positioned at the rear or the side of the bed : wont shade the smaller growing crops- grow toward the southern extremity of the bed or wont be in the way when you need to reach the smaller crops, see example (top left above)

twine ( above)

Climbing vegetables can be supported in many different ways, from the teepee construction ( illustrated above) to supports connected with

Vegetables should be grown rapidly for best flavour - this is achieved with regular, usually daily watering, and regular applications of liquid food (every fortnight). Vegetables need a well-drained soil, with a loose, crumbly structure - digging well-rotted manure in to a spade's depth before planting will improve the structure of any soil. Use additional fertiliser to encourage good growth - leaf vegetables need fertilisers that are high in nitrogen, while fruit and root vegetables need a good supply of phosphorus. Pelletised chicken manure, composted cow manure is ideal.

Spread your harvest - make repeated plantings (or sowings if growing from seed) every few weeks, also eat some vegetables when they are small and succulent, but leave others in the ground to develop further. Protect your vegetables from snails and slugs by using snail baits - but take care as snail baits are toxic to pets, especially dogs and native animals (follow the directions on the packet). Other methods of snail control include collecting and squashing, and traps such as beer traps or barriers.

Vegetable gardens are like most things in life the more you put in, the better the end result! A little time spent on a regular basis will see you getting great returns from even a small plot. for vegetables. - Liquid feed fortnightly (or weekly if you can), using a soluble fertiliser formulated specifically for vegetables. For veggies use a flower and fruit formulation. that bear fruit, such as tomatoes and capsicums, its best to - Keep an eye out for pests, especially caterpillars. These can be safely and easily treated using Yates Natures Way Caterpillar Killer Dipel or Success. - Water your vegetable bed regularly if the soil is dry 2-3cm down, it needs watering. During hot dry periods, youll need to step up the irrigation frequency. - Keep your beds well mulched with a quality fast-to-breakdown material, such as garden-grade lucerne stems As your vegetable garden expands, research the idea of companion planting. This is the practice of putting together plants that like each other, while separating those that can cause problems with others. Carrots, for example, get along well with tomatoes and their allies, such as capsicums, so plant these close together. with tomatoes. Cucumbers, on the other hand, are less friendly, so shouldnt be planted near tomatoes, but basil grows well straw. Only apply it after the seedlings have developed into small plants, and keep it back a little from the - At planting time, apply a quality controlled-release fertiliser

Crops such as garlic or marigolds can act as a natural deterrent for many pests.