10 hints for a great summer vegie garden
10 hints for a great summer vegie garden
- Install dripline. El Nino has been declared, signalling a very dry summer ahead. The key to good vegies is consistent water which dripline will provide especially if set on a timer. Sustainable Macleod is running a workshop on installation of drip line on November 12.
- Dig compost into your vegie beds now.
- Check the pH of the beds in which you plan to put tomatoes, eggplants, chillies or capsicums. It needs to be 5.5 – 6.5. If the beds are too alkaline add some powdered sulphur and dig it through to increase the acidity. Do not add mushroom compost which will make the bed more alkaline
- Choose the hottest part of the garden for tomatoes, eggplants, chillies and capsicums.
- Stake tomatoes, eggplants, chillies and capsicums at the time of planting
- Plant silverbeet, chard, coriander, chervil in the shadiest part of the garden. They thrive in shade in summer, and this, plus plenty of water will prevent them bolting to seed.
- Provide trellises for cucumbers, and climbing peas and beans.
- Dig any beds that will have root vegetables sown in them, including the onion family, to a fine tilth and to at least the depth of a spade. Dig deeper if you are planting root vegetables such as parsnip, daikon or carrots that have long roots. A fine tilth means the soil is powdery with all sticks, stones, roots etc removed.
- Be proactive in deterring Queensland Fruit Fly. Use both Wild May lures to indicate whether QFF have arrived, and Ceratraps which are protein traps to trap male and females throughout the season.
- NET, NET, NET! Use white insect exclusion netting with holes no bigger than 2mm x 2mm or 1mm x 3mm. You can buy this at cost from Sustainable Macleod. It’s 6 metres wide and a cheap sustainable option for excellent protection. ($4.70 per metre). Go to the shop https://sustainable-macleod-inc.square.site/
Written by Robin Gale-Baker