How to create a vegie garden
Posted on Sunday 24th June 2018
The cold months are approaching once again, and if you’re looking to get into a new challenge for the change of season, you might consider one of the most popular winter activities for Brisbane hobby farmers: the humble vegie patch.
Vegie gardens are a great way to enjoy the rich flavours of fresh, unadulterated vegetables—that usually far exceed the quality of store-bought produce—straight from your garden to your table. But if that’s not enough of a reason to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in, you’ll also save a tonne of money on your grocery bills.
If it’s your first time creating a vegie garden, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s probably a lot easier than you think. By following a few simple guidelines, you and your family can enjoy the bountiful meals and cost savings of home-grown vegetables—as well as some quality time together outside in the winter sunshine as you create your edible garden.
Choosing the right vegetables
The rich soils and temperate weather in Queensland deliver the perfect conditions for growing a vast array of vegetables, and you’ll be spoilt for choice. With so many options, it’s best to put some thought into what you’ll use the most, and opt for a smaller selection of versatile vegies—if you get carried away, your abundant vegie patch will only end up as wasted food.
With the different needs of each vegetable, you’ll also have a lot of extra work if you choose too many. This is especially true for the vegies that keep on giving all season—like tomatoes and capsicum—so err on the conservative side for these types.
By contrast, carrot, potato and other root vegies will only produce once, so if you use a lot of them, plant more. One of the most important factors in choosing the right vegies is how much sun youryard can give them.
Most vegies will need at least 6-8 hours of full sun a day—for both their growth and for protection against pests and diseases—so you’ll need to choose the right varieties based on how much you can give them. If your yard is fully or partially shaded, you can still grow leafy greens like spinach and lettuce, and cool-season vegies like peas.
Planning the space
One of the main attractions of vegie gardens for hobby farmers is how little space they need. Most vegie plants will grow in pots and containers, and they’ll do nicely in beds just a few metres long if it’s well tended and free of weeds.
As long as you plant them in good soil—and keep it moist and well drained, with plenty of organic matter—they’ll grow well virtually anywhere. There aren’t any hard and fast rules about how to sow your vegie seeds, but different ways of cropping have different benefits and drawbacks.
You’ll lose space with row cropping, but it allows you walking space in between rows, and plenty of room to wield gardening tools. Intensive cropping looks nicer, but you’ll have to weed by hand because the plants are closer together.
Always allow enough room for plants to grow to their full size, and don’t crowd them because they’ll be competing for sunlight and nutrients. And a good tip for hobby farmers working in smaller spaces: plant vining vegies like beans, peas and cucumbers to make use of vertical space—you’ll still be able to harvest a bumper vegie crop without sacrificing your outdoor living areas.
Caring for your vegies
The one thing you’ll always need to be vigilant with is watering. Queensland is usually very dry throughout the winter months, and most vegies aren’t drought tolerant, so you’ll need to remember to water them frequently.
They’ll do well with a steady supply of water, but they shouldn’t be standing in it, so water when the top few centimetres of soil is dry—usually once or twice a week. You should also remember that raised beds will drain faster and you’ll need to water more often.
Each vegie plant will have its own needs—and each variety of vegie will have distinct differences—so it’s important to pay attention to the descriptions on the tag when you buy the seedlings. If you can only accommodate a few specific conditions, try and match your plants on their natural resistance to disease, their heat and coldtolerance, and the best soil types to support their growth.
A bit of mulching won’t go astray either: mulch made of compost or clean straw will stave off weeds as well as improve water retention and nutrient uptake.
Fertilising your vegie patch will also improve your yield: it could be as simple as adding in a good quality compost when you’re sowing, but if your plants aren’t doing
particularly well or they’re showing signs of deficiencies, ask a local retailer for advice on chemical fertilisers that are specially designed for what you’ve got growing.
Harvesting your vegies
The best part of creating a vegie patch is reaping the benefits of your labour. But it doesn’t just come the once: most common vegies are a gift that keeps on giving, and the more you harvest, the more the plant will produce.
There’s not much to it either: while there are some differences between vegies and their varieties, as a general rule it’s usually safe to eat them when they look like they’re ready.
Whether you’re a hobby farmer or just a home-grown food enthusiast, Farmcraft’s friendly staff would love to help you create a thriving vegie patch with the finest quality garden products.
Brisbane gardeners dreaming of bountiful harvests and epicurean vegetable feasts throughout winter can contact us anytime or visit us in store, and we’ll be happy to help.
