1. With plenty of sunlight and some afternoon shade
2. Raised beds
3. Soil that isn’t clay-like but can be packed down firmly
4. Good watering system
Originally this plot was roughly 6m x 3m, but we’ve since doubled it to be 12m x 6m, so it is now a very large veggie garden! We’ve used this plot for the last two years and instead of having the garden in ‘traditional’ long rows, we’ve split the area into square metre beds, leaving one-foot pathways in between. Instead of having maybe six or seven long rows of plants, we have 50 square-metre beds – with footpaths inbetween.
Other things we’ve done over the years:
* In 2007, the year we moved our vegetable garden to where it is now, we had some friends over who were a little bit more experienced with gardens than we were, and we set up the square-meter plots and stomped down the pathways.
* We’ve used both seeds and seedlings, but mostly seedlings, so we didn’t have to worry about growing them from scratch.
* Last year, before we went on holidays, my two brothers thickly mulched the garden with sugarcane hay so as it decomposed, the dirt would become the perfect growing condition for the next growing season.
Growing a veggie garden is heaps of fun, gets you out outside, and is economical. There are so many different plants to try – why not give it a go? It doesn’t have to be 12m x 6m plots; I once read about growing herbs in old sneakers! With the spice of creativity, imagination and diligence, you will be eating your own veggies in no time!
Miss Jessica is a 14year old homeschool girl who lives in Australia. She loves the Lord and enjoys music, reading, history, computers and sewing. Jessica has a warped sense of humour and is always ready for a giggle. She helps her mum around the home and participates in the local church music team. You can find out more about Jess at her blog Little Miss Giggle.
