​Get ready to be inspired!

3) Soil is everything – Healthy, rich soil is the key to a successful veggie garden! A soil test will give you an idea of your existing soil fertility and pH, and offer suggestions of what types of fertilisers or amendments will get your plot up to par. Tip: homemade compost, organic well-composted animal manures, and organic fertilisers like kelp meal.

4) Bloom Time – Ok, this might be hard to believe, but most bugs are your friends! Yup, it's true. Think bees, butterflies, ladybugs and more! To attract these good guys to your garden – and boost crop pollination – include clumps of insect-friendly plants like sunflowers between the veggies and herbs. 

​5) Be selective with your plants – With your first veggie garden, it's very tempting to want to grow everything! But, for your own sake, we suggest you pick 4 to 5 types of vegetables and grow them well. Trying to cram too much in a compact space is asking for trouble!

6) Water, weed & feed – This might seem to be one of the most obvious vegetable gardening tips, but new veggie gardeners may not know when or how much to water. Newly seeded beds will need frequent watering, but most established crops can get by on one to two inches of water per week. To conserve water and reduce the need to irrigate, mulch your soil with several inches of straw or shredded leaves. Mulching also prevents weeds! As for feeding, quick growing crops like lettuce won't need supplemental fertilisers if grown in in fertile soil. Long-term veggies like tomatoes, winter squash, and eggplants, however, will appreciate a boost several times over the growing season. Give them an occasional dose of a water soluble organic food to support their growth!

Happy Planting! 

From The Team At LocaL2LocaL