How to plant your own vegetable plot

Planning the plot
• Draw a rough design (graph paper is great for this), consulting your seed packets for spacing, spread and height information. Place the tall plants along the northern edge of the plot so they don't shade the short ones.
• Design your plantings in single wide or staggered rows, in blocks, or on raised beds (each about one square metre). You may want to plant a few rows of annual flowers to cut for bouquets, or devote a space in the garden to perennial herbs.
• Include permanent paths, about 30 to 60 centimetres wide (a good idea, since soil gets compacted underfoot). Mulch with bark or straw, or lay stone or brick pavers.

Preparing the soil
• Be patient – working soggy soil compacts it, making it harder for plants to thrive. Squeeze a handful of soil; if it falls apart when you open your fi ngers, it’s dry enough to dig.
• Measure and mark out the plot with stakes and string, then use a straight-edged spade to cut around the edges. To remove sod, use the spade to cut it into a grid, then lift out each square with a garden fork and shake off the soil. To deter weeds, you can push in metal or plastic edging around the perimeter.
• Using a garden fork and shovel, turn the soil to a depth of at least 30 centimetres, removing all roots. Cover it with about three centimetres of composted manure, then work that in, adding compost and a few handfuls of bonemeal, if desired. Finish by raking the surface into a fine texture.

Planting
• Follow the seed-packet instructions for each type, then tamp the soil and keep it moist until the plants are established.
• Plant homegrown or nursery plants on cool overcast days, if possible, to reduce transplant stress.
• Stake peas, beans and tomatoes; use branches, a fence, tomato cages or even old hockey sticks.
• Leave some space for successive plantings, such as lettuce, to ensure a fresh supply, or a midsummer planting of corn or beets.
• In the following years, remember to rotate crops. Don't plant the same thing (or a related plant) in the same spot two years in a row.

Weeding and watering
• Don't just storm over the plants with a hose. Water directly on the soil around the plants with a watering can or lay a soaker hose along the rows. Either method conserves water and keeps plants dry, which reduces mould and disease (if you're really lazy, put the hose on a timer).
• To make it easy on plants, hand-pull or hoe weeds before they get big –half an hour a day should do it.


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