Stepping into Spring: 5 Tips to Prepare Your Veggie Garden
Posted on Sunday 24th June 2018
Here in sunny Brisbane and South East Queensland, we are lucky to have fairly prosperous growing conditions all year round. For the committed gardener, winter can be just as fruitful as summer. However, for many, winter means a little garden down time and even neglect.
Fear not, because a little late Brisbane ‘winter’ preparation will have your garden sprouting luscious crops when spring arrives.
1. Prepare or Repair Garden Beds
Whether you have an existing veggie patch that needs a little TLC or have big dreams for something new, the end of winter is the perfect time to get to work. Forget about sweating it out in the exhausting sun, be smart and make the most of the cooler winter weather.
There is a multitude of options for all gardening dreams and yard sizes. You can start from scratch with the latest and greatest, you can recycle timber, or upcycle timber pallets. The options are endless.
Be sure to think about the placement of your garden beds, lots of sunlight is important for almost every veggie. Take a moment to consider the impact of a rogue family dog or curious little feet that might want to walk all over a patch. Perhaps a raised bed is best for them and your back.
2. Drainage
Whether you have opted for the traditional in-ground garden bed or a raised bed, each will have their own drainage needs. Having a garden bed which drains well is crucial to avoid vegetable rotting.
Talking with your local Farmcraft expert will help you understand your bed’s needs and the best solution for your situation.
3. Weeding
Consider this the removal of competition. Weeding is vital to ensure your veggies grow up big a strong. If you have an in-ground bed, then start with the edges and work your way in. You will need to constantly maintain the edges, if you don’t, then your patch will be constantly at war.
Start with the most present top soil weeds, then dig in and attack any nut-weed that might have its tentacles growing deep into your soil. This can be tedious, yet cathartic work.
If you’ve opted to start brand new, raised beds wherein you are applying soil you have brought in, then you are lucky enough to get to skip this step. Be mindful, however, that weeds which exist in the soil below the bed could infect your bed. Proper raised bed preparation will help eliminate this happening. Consult with your local Farmcraft expert for advice.
4. Plan the Plants
Tips 4 and 5 go hand in hand. And in fact tip 3 can be considered a part of tip 5. Nevertheless, what we are getting at here, is that your soil is the be-all and end-all in your plant health. That being said, different plants need differing soil, i.e. the nutrients they depend on to survive differ.
Thinking about the plants you would like to grow and researching their happiest growing conditions is preparing for success.
Your local South East Queensland Farmcraft can help you in your research and provide detailed product information to achieve the desired result.
5. Soil Preparation
After weeding existing soil, and planning your plants, now it’s time to make the perfect nutrient composition for your veggies. Homemade compost works wonders for all veggies, if you haven’t started your own compost, you read our last article on creating a bush turkey proof backyard compost,it is never too late.
For more specific soil composition, specialised fertilisers can be extremely helpful. Framcraft’s friendly staff can help you choose organic fertilisers that a great for you plant and your soil.
Remember, veggie patches are an ongoing labour of love, but the love you put in will bring you delicious nutrition. Grown at home, eaten fresh and transported only the simple steps from patch to fridge. The effort is more than worth it. For all your produce, farm supplies, and garden needs, your local Farmcraft can help you.
