| A crucial step in the process of vegetable garden | | | | garden lime according to directions. That should be in |
| planting is to learn how to prepare your garden soil | | | | the vicinity of 1-2 cups (250-500gms) per square |
| correctly and to get it ready for planting. Suburban | | | | meter. Water it in and check the soil level again in |
| backyards are very rarely suitable for growing healthy | | | | about a week. |
| vegetables because the soil just doesn't contain | | | | The next stage is to divide your garden into 4 or more |
| enough nutrients for those plants to survive. | | | | smaller beds. This will allow you to plant different |
| Therefore, it's up to you to make the soil better by | | | | varieties of vegetables into each bed: carrots in one |
| adding the necessary nutrients - preferably about 4-5 | | | | bed, potatoes in another and so on. The huge |
| weeks before you plant. Your primary objective is to | | | | advantage this gives you is, as you finish harvesting |
| make your garden soil as rich and fertile as possible | | | | one set of crops from a bed, you can then plant a |
| for your home grown vegetables. | | | | different kind of crop into that bed. In other words, you |
| Now, let's look at how you go about doing that in four | | | | never grow the same vegetable in the same bed. This |
| easy-to-follow steps. | | | | is called crop rotation and it is a widely used practice |
| A good size vegetable garden for a beginner is an | | | | not only to control disease and pests but also to |
| area of 3m x 1.5m. So, the first thing is to measure | | | | increase soil fertility. |
| such an area and clear it of the top growth and a thin | | | | It's now time to spread a thick layer (10cm) of |
| layer of turf, if you have to. | | | | well-rotted animal manure or organic compost to the |
| Then, start weeding thoroughly. Some gardeners stop | | | | garden. Add blood and bone (a handful per square |
| after weeding for the first time and then return a few | | | | meter) and dig it all in. Rake level and water in. Then, |
| days later to remove any weeds that have sprouted | | | | leave it alone for a few days to settle. Your seedlings |
| again. That's a great tip. | | | | will appreciate it. |
| Once you've finished weeding, cultivate the soil to a | | | | You've now completed the hard part - to get the |
| depth of about 30cm or about the depth of the garden | | | | garden soil ready for vegetable garden planting. You |
| fork or spade but don't turn it over. Remember the | | | | should now have a good garden soil, filled with rich |
| good soil is underneath and that's where it should | | | | nutrients and which drains easily. What this means is |
| remain. | | | | that you've created the right conditions for your |
| Check the acid or alkaline level of the soil too. It's very | | | | vegetables to thrive in and that can only result in one |
| easy to do. Savvy gardeners will always test the soil | | | | thing - you will be rewarded with tasty and nutritious |
| before planting anything. So, just do what they do and | | | | vegetables and luck will have nothing to do with it. It's all |
| use a soil testing kit to find out. If it's sour (acidic), add | | | | your doing. |