Growing vegetables was recently revealed as the top activity by 19% of green-fingered Brits when it comes to gardening, in research commissioned by gardening supplier Gardena.
Whether fresh lettuce, home-grown tomatoes or crispy carrots, vegetables simply taste better when they come from one’s own garden, Gardena says. In response to the figures, the company has revealed some top tips for budding growers.
Planting vegetables in the garden pays off and is a lot of fun – even in smaller urban gardens. In order to ensure a bountiful harvest, there are few tips and tricks to keep in mind.
It’s essential to find a suitable place in the garden which receives a lot of sunlight when picking a site for your vegetable bed as plants need at least five to six hours of sunshine a day to ensure growth. Good and fertile soil is an absolute necessity. Loose soil which is rich in compost is ideal; if required, it may be supplemented with some loamy-sandy earth- rich earth that is slightly sandy and contains clay. The smart gardener can save a lot of time if he loosens and fertilizes soil prior to planting.
Good quality seeds are important for yielding large heads of lettuce and juicy cucumbers. Nurseries also offer small, ready-sprouted vegetable plants, which are ideal for beginners in gardening. This is especially suitable when it comes to tomatoes and cucumbers, which are relatively difficult to cultivate from seeds, Gardena advises.
Experienced gardeners know that good bed-planning is vital. Ideally, the individual beds should be planted at distances of 30 cm from one another so that the seedlings can be reached later from a squatting position. Bed-planning also includes a planting schedule in which the sowing and harvesting times for fruit and vegetables are entered.
