Article Written By: Linsay Moore
Store Manager @ GardenShop Broadacres

With the current move toward sustainable living, growing your own food has become a popular way to use whatever gardening space that you have available, whether it’s big or small! Apart from being able to eat delicious, fresh and crisp veggies, the primary benefit of growing your own vegetables is that you know exactly how they grew and what happened to them along the way.

We’ve put together someone helpful steps and top tips to assist you in growing the healthiest vegetables possible.

Step 1 – Location: Ensure that the spot you choose to grow your vegetables in, has at least 5-6 hours of sunlight – this ensures good flavour and prevents any diseases from developing on your plants.

Step 2 – Preparation: Vegetables as plants are hungry feeders, ensure you prepare the soil by adding lots of organic material such as compost and a good natural fertilizer, this will ensure that your soil profile remains healthy , and a healthy soil means a healthy plant.

Step 3 – Choosing your Vegetables: Most vegetables are available at GardenShop during the appropriate seasons – so most of the hard work is done for you. You can start with seeds or little seedlings – both will flourish if planted properly.

Step 4 – Feed your Vegetables: Use a liquid fertiliser once a month to ensure vigorous growth – you will thank yourself for feeding your vegetables!

Step 5 – Watering: There is often no specific amount of water volume that one should give your vegetable plants – as they use as much as they need, when they need it, as long as they’ve got it. Factors such as wind and heat increase the water needs of any plant. Therefore the rule of thumb is to keep the soil moist but not wet. A good analogy for the amount of moistness required, is to think about a damp towel after you’ve dried yourself after a shower.

Step 6 – Mulch: Mulching assists with reducing weeds between your veggies and it also reduces the evaporation of moisture – keeping your vegetable roots nice and cool.

Step 7 – Prevention is Better than Cure: If your veggies should become infested with any bug or disease – there is a full range of organic products available in store – these can be applied and you are then able to harvest within 2 days of treatment.

Step 8 – Enjoy! These are your veggies, grown by you with care and attention, for your family, enjoy the process and remember not every vegetable will be perfect – but they will always be edible and super nutritious!

Keep in touch and let us know how your garden grows!