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Dig the soil to a depth of at least 30 cm (1')
and incorporate compost and manure
Keep vegetable garden beds raised about 200 - 300
(8" - 12") above ground level. The soil
will then drain better. If you choose to place a
solid "wall" around your vegetable beds
make sure you don't use treated timber as
chemicals in the timber may leach into the soil.
Plant your seeds or seedlings the correct
distance apart. Recommendations are
usually given and these should be adhered too.
Planting them closer may mean they don't have
enough air circulating and it may make the
plants more susceptible to any spreading
diseases.
Tiny seeds such as carrot seeds should be mixed
with sand and then scattered on the garden.
Adding sand makes it easier to scatter them
evenly.
Always strive to use organic material to feed
your vegetables.
It is sensible practice to mulch around your
vege seedlings. Mulching is done for
several reasons. It reduces the amount of
moisture lost from the soil, it can eliminate
weeding and it also can prevent fungal diseases
coming up from ground level onto the plant's
leaves.
Preferably water in the mornings and keep the
water as close to the roots as possible rather
than watering the leaves.
Plant some small flowering plants such as
marigolds amongst the veges. They will
attract bees which will in turn help with
pollination of the vegetables.
Plants such as tomatoes, egg plants and
capsicums will need staking. Tomato stakes
need to be just over 2 metres (7' - 8') high and
made from timber. Stakes for egg plants
and capsicums can be 1.5
metres (4') in
height. Ensure the stakes are hammered
into the ground at least 300 mm (1').
Some plants such as cucumbers and beans will
need fencing or trellis support. You can
create a fence from timber stakes and wire/metal
mesh. Make sure the mesh has holes big
enough to fit you hand through. Using vertical
supports keep the vegetables off the ground so
air can be circulated around them. They are then
less susceptible to disease.
If you have dead leaves or dead plants in your
garden toss them in the rubbish bin. They
may contain disease that could harm other plants
if you throw them on your compost heap.
Rotate your crops annually. This means you
don't grow the same vegetables (or their
relatives) in the same part of the garden two
years in a row. If you rotate crops you will
decrease the chance of disease within the soil.
Learn which vegetables belong to which family.
Tomatoes belong to the same family as capsicums
so you won't want to plant capsicum seedlings
right where your tomatoes were last summer.
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