How to start your own vegetable garden
A backyard vegetable garden is as close as it gets to eating local. Veggie gardens come in a range of shapes and sizes: a couple of raised beds, a series of pots on the balcony or even a no-dig garden. Here are a couple of things to think about when you are getting started:
The site
Is there enough shade or light for the type of food you want to grow? Is there enough space for an entire patch or are planter boxes more suitable? What will grow best in the climatic conditions? Will I have enough time to tend to a big garden? . Be sure to survey your area – it might even be helpful to draw a map or plan for your garden.
Soil and compost
Soil is one of the most important parts of growing food – it’s the difference between plonking seeds in the ground, and having them grow or struggle. The best way to cultivate good soil is to start a compost. Scroll down to read about compost. Chicken, horse or cow manure is another sure way to condition the soil and add right nutrients to the soil. Growing ‘green manure’ or legumes will add nitrogen, lime will add acidity. There are a variety of ways to improve your soil – a soil test using a soil testing kit will help you determine what you need. See this infographic for quick fertiliser facts.
Seeds and seedlings
Pick up your seeds and seedlings at local Canberra nurseries. Organic varieties have been grown without chemical treatments. Heirloom varieties are older varieties that are great for seed-saving, and have high nutritional value. Different seeds may require different treatments such as soaking in water or mixing with sand before growing. Be sure to read the sowing or planting information, including where and when to grow. Seedlings can also be purchased for a quicker growing period, or if you have missed the sowing window.
What should I grow when and where?
Canberra is lucky enough to have four distinct seasons to guide our planting. The Canberra Organic Society has produced a fantastic set of fact sheets for each season. We recommend having a look here. This is also a good growing vegetable chart and this is a chart of vegetables to grow in the shade.
Alternatively, you can drop into the Canberra Environment Centre to pick up our Canberra specific gardening calendar. Other ideas to consider: companion planting (what grows best together), seed- bombing, crop-rotation and growing fruit trees.
Harvesting
Harvest time at last! Most times it is obvious when a vegetable can be harvested. Others such as pumpkins are a bit different (keep an eye on the pumpkin vine – it’s ready when the stem and vine starts to brown). There are countless online resources to help if you are unsure when to harvest your crop.
