Lewis | July 20, 2015 | 0 Comments
You can view a concise PDF version of this blog post by clicking here. From there you can save as well as print the version for your own leisure. Happy reading!
Here’s the second in Oakleigh Manor’s latest series of blogs posts; the ‘How to…’ series, where we bring you top quality guides for you to be as efficient in your garden as possible. The first edition tackled the often-overlooked issue of watering correctly, by avoiding the cardinal sins of both overwatering and under-watering; click here to read all about it in full. However, if starting your own vegetable garden is something you’ve always fancied doing, please read on.
Self-sufficiency is something I personally like to champion in a gardening domain. For one, it can lead to significant savings in terms of money, time and food miles, benefiting all parties – consumer, retailer and the environment – in the process. Secondly, it is a great educational tool for, say, the children of vegetable gardener’s, for example, and furthermore, in my own humble opinion, I feel the satisfaction of knowing the veg on your Sunday Roast came from your own back garden is extraordinary, thanks to your own hard work, care and attention!
You may really like the idea of having your own vegetable garden, but a common ‘stumbling block’ is the matter of space. However, the idea that you need a significant area to personally grow fruit and veg is a misconception. Sure, a little more space does help, but simply because you have a small garden doesn’t render your potential venture null and void. You can run your veg garden out of hanging baskets! Click here to see a previous blog post from myself about growing chillies in this manner.
But I digress. Here’s a few tips for your vegetable garden before you jump into the deep end:
So there you have it! This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it’s a darn good start, a springboard if you will. You can find plenty for information online, at your local garden centre or even from friends and family! A personal tip from me: always follow the advice and instructions displayed on seed packets. This can often be a difference in success and failure and I learnt the hard way; my carrot crop of 2013 will be sorely missed!
I hope this article has inspired you to start your own vegetable patch. Leave a comment below if this is the case; we’d be very happy!