EnviroMatters-Spring-Summer-2020_

Start a veggie garden for less than $100 Consulting gardener Kate Wall shares her tips for a productive backyard patch.

Pick the right spot Somewhere with plenty of sun, and easy to access. Veggies need attention – if your garden is somewhere easy to see and visit, you are more likely to pay it regular attention. Mark out the area you want to plant in. Improve your soil Veggies are big feeders, so you need good soil. Add compost and rock minerals, but beware using too much of nitrogen based products – they will make your plants grow too quickly and attract pests. Compost also helps soften the soil for little roots to grow in. shopping-cart BUY: A bag of compost and a bucket of rock minerals Select your plants Choose plants that are right for the season, and Ipswich conditions – our summer can be too hot for some plants that would be considered ‘summer’ plants in southern states. shopping-cart BUY: A selection of seeds and seedlings Water it in Give everything a good water with liquid seaweed fertiliser added. This is a tonic that helps reduce transplant shock and stimulates root growth in plants. shopping-cart BUY: A bottle of liquid seaweed fertiliser Mulch the soil

youtube WATCH THE VIDEO: How to grow a veggie garden Ipswich.qld.gov.au/sustainability

A thin scattering of mulch such as sugar cane is enough to stop the soil drying out but also lets water penetrate into the soil. shopping-cart BUY: A bag of sugar cane mulch

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