At the first stage of their vegetable garden New Zealanders are often faced with one of two possibilities - too much space or too little. People on the land have vast areas to spread their seedlings whereas inner city suburbanites often have little option but to use pots and create bite sized gardens. No matter your situation, we’ve got some great tips on starting your own vegetable garden.

 

Why start a garden?

Starting a garden does require some commitment, but it also comes with plenty of reward. Here are a few things that having your own garden can help with:

• Reducing waste – we are extremely fortunate to have easy access to plenty of fresh foods, but it often results in a lot of waste. Herbs, which are usually required in small amounts but sold as a bunch, are a common culprit. Planting your own herbs means you’ve always got constant supply and only use what you need.
• Eating more plant based foods – as the name suggests “planting” is all about nature’s plant foods. Fruits, vegetables, beans and herbs provide us with nutritious vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• Producing locally grown food – a few items like tomatoes and a bunch of parsley can help the environment because you’re lessening the need for transportation and packaging by growing your own food in close proximity.
• Knowing what’s in it – if you want to grow your plants organically without the use of pesticides, you can. And, if you do need to use a spray you can be assured that only the chemicals you’re comfortable with using have been exposed to the food.
• Getting active – gardening is the perfect leisurely activity for reducing stress and doing some low impact exercise close to your own home. You can find out more on the activity benefits of gardening in our Activate section.
• Getting kids involved – gardening is the perfect opportunity to teach children about growing food, nutrition and they can even be responsible for the nurture of their own plant. We also know that kids who help with food production are more likely to eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.

 

Planning a garden

Measure twice, cut once. This principle can also be applied to your garden. Segment the part of your back yard or balcony being dedicated to plants and add a little extra for when your plants start to grow and take up more space. Keep in mind that some plants will need sunlight while others need some time in shade. You may also want to investigate the use of a community garden in your area if a balcony garden is too cosy.

If your garden is on a balcony, ensure that your plants will be in a location that has good drainage. You’ll find some water may drip from the bottom of pots. Plastic pots hold moisture the best and are cheap, but terracotta also does the job if aesthetics are important. You can also use buckets, half wine barrels or wooden boxes – just pop some holes in the bottom to prevent rotting.

If you have a backyard garden, check with your local nursery to find out which soil is best for the items you’d like to plant. If you find you have poor soil you may want to stick with pots or construct a raised garden bed and fill with suitable soil.

 

Choosing plants

Deciding what you’ll have in your garden is exciting . Lettuce, parsley, green beans and baby carrots are good if you’re starting out, but you can choose any vegetable as long as it’s in season to plant. Your local nursery will be more than happy to help out if you get stuck.

Seeds are great if you’re planting green leafy vegetables and seedlings for temperamental plants you may not be entirely confident with. You may be tempted to buy tall seedlings, but opt for the smaller ones - they will grow into stronger plants.

 

Compost and food

Composting is super important if you want to improve the quality of your soil. It allows the water to reach the roots more efficiently and provides the soil with important nutrients so your plants are well fed. You can use a combination of manure, dry leaves, lawn clippings and organic kitchen scraps to feed your soil and in turn your plants. Care needs to be taken when exposed to compost, especially the bagged, dry variety. Some soil borne organisms can be harmful. Always use gloves and if compost is dry, water down before use. Try to avoid meat, oil, dairy and bones in your scraps if it’s going to end up in the garden.

If you live in an apartment, a Bokashi bucket is a great composting item to invest in. You can put all your kitchen scraps into it (along with a special fermenting mixture) and the nutritious compost it produces can be directly sprinkled onto your plants.

 

Loving your plants

The upkeep of plants is the part that requires a commitment. Though, a little dedication and love for your plants in the form of regular watering will result in healthy plants for you to enjoy in your cooking.

If you’d like more information on gardening and what’s in season visit www.gardengrow.co.nz