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Ideal
Vegetable Plot
- Pick an area that is open but not
exposed or overshadowed by trees or buildings.
- The site must have warmth and
sunlight but with some shelter.
- The soil
should be well drained and fertile with a good water supply.
If your site is exposed too much or
you live in a coastal area there is a possibility of your crop being
damaged by winds or sea spray so adequate wind breaks must be
erected to prevent this from happening. The best windbreaks to use
need to have 50% permeability to allow some of the wind to get
through. Solid windbreaks cause the wind to swirl around the edges
thus creating more damage on the other side. Use hedges around a
large plot or netting around a small one for best results. Sloping
sites are a bit harder to use than flat ones due to the heavy
rainfall that may cause soil
erosion, if you have a sloping site set the plot across it. When
positioning your vegetables ensure to place the taller ones where
they will not cast shadows over the smaller ones. South facing plots
may need added watering in the hotter months to ensure the soil
does not dry out. Try to plant sun loving vegetables in south facing
gardens and shade loving plants in north facing ones using added
shade if needed. generally vegetables prefer temperatures to be
above 6C, obviously the amounts of days that the temperatures reach
this in your garden depends on your situation and aspect. Choosing
vegetables that are more suited to your climate might be more
beneficial as some prefer colder or warmer climates.
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Soil
The ideal soil
for growing vegetables is well drained but will also hold moisture.
Its pH should be approx 6-6.5 which is slightly acidic. The majority
of vegetables will thrive in this sort of soil.
Of course with a wide variety of vegetables out there to grow you
will almost certainly find one to grow in whatever soil
you have. Sandy soils
heat up in the sun rapidly and are good for growing early crops but
they do not retain nutrients as well so may require added feeding.
Clay soils
are heavy and slow to warm up but they are nutrient rich. Make them
work to your advantage by digging
in organic matter as this will make them more fertile and moisture
retentive. Lay out the beds in small rows to prevent any damage
caused by having to walk or kneel on the soil
when tending to your crops.
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| Vegetable
Plots Vegetable plots can be
all shapes and sizes. You can put vegetables in beds, containers,
grow bags, hanging baskets and flower beds. Generally vegetables are
annuals and are rotated around the plots, ensure any perennial
vegetables you grow such as asparagus and artichokes are separated
from the annuals in different beds. There are a range of grow bags
that allow you to produce vegetables on a smaller scale and the
majority come with handy hints to get going. The best vegetable to
use in a grow bag is tomatoes but do not let that stop you from
being adventurous and trying out others. Containers and pots on
patios and roof gardens are a fantastic way of growing vegetables
not only for the benefits of eating them but for admiring the
foliage too. They can even be planted up with other plants such as
dwarf ones to create striking displays. Traditionally vegetables
were grown in rows in plots approx several metres wide with the
plants spaced so to allow access. Nowadays more and more of us are
growing vegetables in beds that are smaller and more narrow. These
beds can be square, rectangles, even circles to allow all round
access to the plants inside. They can be decorative, used as
centrepieces or formally. The use of these beds allows us to
maintain our plots without treading all over the soil.
All work can be done from the outside. Planting vegetables in flower
beds is also becoming more common as more of us are finding the
problem of space in our gardens for designated separate plots.
Decorative vegetables next to annuals and perennials creates a
lovely and edible display. Just ensure soil
control is maintained. As long as the planting is evenly spaced to
discourage weed germination and plants fighting for nutrients any of
the above methods can be used.
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| Seeds
Decide on paper or in your head the vegetables you would like to
grow. Before sowing divide up your beds into groups such as
brassicas, legumes, tubers. Then when you come to sow ensure all the
vegetable seeds
are separated into these groups. That way when it comes round to
crop rotation it will more effective. It is advisable to list all
the vegetables you have in each group in each plot so that you can
monitor them throughout the year. Choose varieties suited to the
climate and conditions you have. Choose good quality seeds
to ensure decent germination. Seeds
can either be sown straight into the ground or elsewhere to be
transplanted in when they are established. Vegetable seeds
can be bought as they come (naked), prepared or pre germinated.
Certain naked seeds
such as carrots may be harder to sow individually and evenly due to
their small size which makes them difficult to handle. Prepared seeds
combats this problem as the individual seed
comes wrapped in clay or paper which means they can be sown straight
into the ground evenly. They do need to be kept moist to allow the
clay or paper to dissipate. Seeds
can also come wrapped in gel but these need to be sown into pots
until germinated when they can go outside. Pre germinated seeds
can be bought and put into a pot or seed
tray. Used mainly when germination is tricky or the seeds
need a certain regulated temperature from a propagator.
Outside Sowing
- Dig the soil and remove all debris
and stones by raking. Rake in good weather not wet or too dry.
- Ensure soil
is relatively warm as many seeds
need this to germinate, although do check individual needs as
some vegetables prefer cool soils.
- Check instructions for sowing
individual seeds
as they may require different depths.
- Sow thinly so as not to overcrowd.
- Ensure surface moisture is
retained. If sowing in hot weather cover the soil
to prevent from drying out and remove once the seedlings are
up.
- Once the seedlings are up thin
them out to create spaces by nipping them from just above ground
level so the roots of their neighbour are not disturbed. Do not
thin out the entire plot as you may have few losses and will
need spares to move around to fill the gaps.
Seeds
can either be sown in ridges in uniformed lines, scattered over a
plot, or sown individually into the ground using a dibber or your
finger. Cover tender plants with plastic bottles or jam jars to
protect from the elements.
Inside Sowing
- Grow in a greenhouse or on a cool
windowsill.
- Sow in a
seed
tray in compost. Once germinated keep at a low temperature in
light and protection.
- Prick out into a seed
tray with potting compost when the seedlings have a couple of
leaves.
- Keep them warm, well lit and free
of draughts.
- Grow in a module that can be clay,
plastic or biodegradable.
- Sow a couple of seeds
into separate modules then thin out the weakest seedlings
leaving one strong one in each module.
- This will produce healthy root
balls making them more easily adapt to the outside when they
go.
- Grow in a container if limited
space available or your soil
is pest or disease ridden.
- Ensure drainage holes are in place
before putting in the compost.
- Choose fast growing vegetables
that are not deep rooting or large.
- Plant containers with vegetables
from modules or cuttings you have taken from your existing
crops.
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| Crop
Rotation
Pro's
Vegetables are able to be grown
in different areas of your plot if you rotate them. The majority of
pests and disease problems can be combatted by rotating your crops.
Certain pests and diseases attack certain types of vegetables and if
they are left in the soil
for for than a year in the same place the number of attacks will
increase. If the crops are moved and replaced by a vegetable that
the pest or diseases does not like they will not attack it and will
cease to live. Certain types of vegetables will alter the soil
making it more rich in nitrogen for example so when rotation comes
around replace these with nitrogen loving vegetables. Some plants
will not need rotating such as the perennials or salad plants. Salad
plants grow very quickly so are useful for filling in any gaps for
short periods of time.
Con's Certain
pests and diseases are not fazed by rotation and will simply follow
their vegetable of choice to wherever they have moved. Others stay
in the soil
for long periods of time and will
not die so the problem may still be there even though the vegetables
have been moved.
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