Ever considered growing your own veggies and not sure where to start? Then you’ve come to the right place! Deciding to start growing your own veggies can be quite daunting and leave you feeling more than a little overwhelmed. But with a couple of basics in place, you’ll soon be well on your way to growing your very own organic veggie! What could be better? So read on for some essentials you need to start your own veggie garden!
Before we dive in let’s take a quick look at some of the reasons people like to grow their own veggies. There are a couple of reasons people choose to go this route and they are as follows:
- It helps you become self-sustainable
- Provides you with organic vegetables
- You eat food unaffected by chemicals and pesticides
- The taste of the vegetables is fresh and flavourful
Now that we’ve established some of the reasons people grow their own veggies let take a look at the essentials you need to have in place to begin growing your own veggies.
1. VEGGIE GARDEN LOCATION
This is such an important aspect to consider when establishing a veggie garden. But what exactly should you consider when choosing the best location for your veggie garden?
- Sun – most vegetables need a good amount of daily sun
- Well-drained soil prevents plant roots from rotting
- A spot sheltered from strong winds
2. START SMALL
It can be so tempting to be overrun with excitement and plant a veggie garden that is much too big to meet the needs of your family. Aside from having an over-production of veggies it can also be frustrating when things go wrong and you have to figure out how to fix it.
So avoid the temptation of going too big and start small. Keep it just small enough that it’s easy to manage and will meet your family’s needs.
3. START WITH EASY TO GROW VEGGIES
Always take into account the veggies your family prefers when planting. Below is a list of easy to grow veggies:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Spinach, chard, kale
- Zucchini
- Carrots
- Beets
- Lettuce
- Green beans
- Cabbage
- Radishes
- Herbs like basil, parsley and rocket
4. USE THE BEST QUALITY SEEDS
Not all seeds are of good quality. Instead of buying cheaper seeds, go with high-quality seeds even though they may be more expensive. With high-quality seeds you know they will germinate and your time and money won’t be wasted.
If you find you are struggling to grow certain plants from seeds then consider buying the seedlings already established from your local nursery.
5. STAGGER YOUR VEGGIE GARDEN PLANTING
A common mistake many new gardeners make is to plant all the seeds for a particular veggie at the same time. This only results in having a big harvest of the same type of veggie at once. This can be a little overwhelming and your family may grow tired of eating the same veg over and over.
Instead, it’s a smart idea to rather stagger your planting of the seeds by a few weeks to ensure that you have a more continual harvest spread over a longer time period.
6. ALWAYS CHECK THE PLANTING INFO
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of planting and end up skimming over the plant info on the back of the seed pack. However, this information is absolutely crucial to the successful growth of your veggies so take the time to read and follow the info.
Don’t be tempted to plant seeds out of season or ignore the spacing requirements of the seeds. The spacing requirements are there to ensure that your seeds get adequate water and sunlight. Plants do not do well when they need to compete for these very critical needs.
7. HAVE A RELIABLE WATER SOURCE
Whether you’re planning to establish a small or large veggie garden having a reliable water source is absolutely critical. Relying solely on Council water is not a good idea as we often face interruptions to our water supply when water pipes burst. Additionally, using Council water for watering can also become pricey.
A great idea is to invest in having your own borehole. It may be an investment initially but the long-term benefits of having your own secure water supply are so worth it.
There are many reasons people choose to grow their own veggies. Aside from the satisfaction of growing your own produce, the health benefits of eating organic vegetables are endless. It’s such a win-win.
Use these tips and start growing your own veggies today!
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