It’s very pleasing to discover how to grow a vegetable garden. It is really good exercise and the home grown food tastes better than something bought in a shop. You are also aware of exactly what’s gone into the food. A veg garden requires different tasks for which you will require the correct equipment. The basics will be sufficient and these are a hoe, rake, fork, spade and a trowel. It is best to get high-quality brands. Others will cost less but they are less likely to last as long. A barrow is also helpful and a watering can. Sometimes, there are drought notices and it’s good to have one or two rain butts. If you’re beginning your vegetable patch from scratch and it is a big area, you may want to use a rotary cultivator to do the digging for you. It will save you lots of time and cut out your back ache. They can be hired if you do not want to purchase one.
First of all, you have to locate and map out your scheme. Planting vegetables should be rotated to keep the ground healthy. Employ a soil tester to see which sort of soil you have. This is critical because different sorts of soil demand different methods of treating it. Your soil could be heavy clay, light, sandy, chalky or alkaline. This also affects what kind of vegetables you should raise in the produce garden, as plants respond differently to differing types of soil.
The soil will need to be broken up so the seedlings can settle in and so water and air can get through. Unless the soil is particularly hard, you can a spade as opposed to a fork. Take the weeds out and put in fertilizer or manure. It is a sensible idea to set up a compost heap near the vegetable patch. This will be a free supply of fertilizer for the soil.
As soon as you have set up the site and fed the soil, you’re ready to start sowing and planting. Break up the vegetable plot between root crops, brassica and others. Root crops incl ude potatoes, carrots, swede, beetroot and onions. Brassicas are cauliflower, kale, cabbage, broccoli and sprouts. That leaves veggies such as beans, squash, peas, sweet corn and salad crops like tomatoes and cucumbers.
You could start off some crops growing under a cloche or in a conservatory, especially if your are in an area where there can be a lot of windy or cold weather. Make sure you keep up with the watering and weeding. Many gardeners find it helpful to put up a wall chart and plan the jobs in the vegetable plot, month by month. In a short time you will understand how to grow a vegetable garden.
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