Spring is here…. I’m so excited I wet my plants.
The first day of spring (yippee!) is here!! So this blog is dedicated to preparations to get your vegetable gardens ready for the best time of year for growing vegetables.
Why is it the best time of year? I hear you ask…
Well, not only is the weather perfect for getting outdoors and getting those garden tasks completed the mixture of sunny days and occasional rains means you have the largest window of opportunity to grow a huge variety of Vegetables at this time.
Soil Preparation is the key to success…
Plants get their health, vitality and resistance from the soil, and we get our health, vitality and resistance from the plants, which means the soil is actually the key to our own health. I cannot stress the importance of healthy soil enough. Building up the soil with organic matter will make all the difference in the success of your vegetable gardens.
- Here are a few ways you can improve your soils health in preparation for spring:
Compost ( you should all be tapping into this free source of soil nutrients, for help please read our blog on Composting at https://www.gaiasorganicgardens.com.au/the-how-to-guide-to-composting/ ) - Manure- Make sure its broken down, aged manure . Fresh manure will burn the plants and can add unhealthy microbes to the soil, add it to your compost pile to ensure it is safe.
- Mulch, Mulch, Mulch- Lupin, or straw mulches are perfect for the garden. Steer clear of wood chips in your vege patches as seedlings will have trouble emerging.
- Green mulch is also a fantastic way to reduce weeds and improve soil health, try lupins or mustard greens.
- Regular Liquid Fertilizer- You can purchase a quality organic fertilizer (we recommend Eco Brand seaweed and Amino Grow combination)
- Garden Tea- Not the type you would want to drink! You can make your own at home using comfery, or weeds or bugs! Tea solutions are potent and powerful, and easy to make.
What can we plant this time of year?
We can get our summer crops ready to grow! Here are just a few suggestions that you can plant over the next few weeks-
Seedlings-
Asparagus
Beetroot
Carrot
Celery
Radish
Dill
Fennel
Lettuce
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach
Seeds- All of the above as well as….
Amaranth
Basil
Beans
Cape Gooseberry
Capsicum
Cucumber
Eggplant
Kohl Rabi
Leek
Pumpkin
Rhubarb
Rockmelon
Sunflower
Sweet Corn
Tomato’s
Zucchini
Just to name a few!!
Are you growing you food for free?
So get your garden ready for an abundant supply of fresh organic produce by prepping the soil and planting some seeds over these next coming weeks. Hopefully you have saved your seeds from last year and have your environmentally adapted & free seeds ready to go, if not, learn the art of seed saving and maintaining a vegetable garden at minimal cost at our Growing food for free workshop this Saturday in Inglewood ( there are still a few seats left if your quick!) https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/growing-food-for-free-tickets-25808285276
Let us do the dirty work….
If you are too busy to attend to your gardens needs, our routine maintenance service can come and take care of the dirty work for you, just sit back and watch the harvest roll in! At only $75 per visit, you can save heaps on your organic grocery bill, so contact us today if you need a hand prepping for spring.
Well, Until next time. Happy gardening!
