Create A Fuss-free Spring Vegetable Garden
Our warm climate is perfect for growing your favourite spring veggies. Take advantage of our gorgeous spring sunshine and plant your spring vegetable garden now.
Preparation
Ground preparation is key to a healthy garden. You can purchase a raised garden bed from your local hardware store, or get digging and create your own garden bed. Find a Northern / Eastern facing part of your garden to maximise morning sunlight.
Whatever the style of your garden bed, make sure you’ve got nutrient-rich fertilised soil to start. Purchase compost mix from your local landscape supplies store or garden centre.
Select Your Plants
For quicker results, look for small plants found in your local garden centre, rather than starting from seeds. Refer to the growing conditions on each plant to ensure your plant selection is best suited to your garden.
The following vegetables are fuss-free, easy to grow and readily available from your garden centre:
Rocket – Great for summer salads and quick to grow. Rocket is ready to harvest in just 3 – 4 weeks!
Capsicum – A hardy plant, that grows in well-drained soil. Capsicum plant will grow with little maintenance. When your plant starts to blossom, you know your capsicums won’t be far away.
Zucchini – Plant your zucchini in a nice sunny spot and allow room for them to spread along their vine. Wait for the bees pollinate the flowers and watch your zucchinis grow.
Tomatoes – Although technically a fruit, varieties of tomatoes (particularly cherry tomatoes) grow well in our coastal environment. They are low-maintenance plants. Staking sections will help lift the fruit off the ground and away from pests.
Mulch
Once you’ve planted your garden, cover the area with a layer of mulch. Mulch is a natural insulator and helps to retain moisture in the soil. Mulch is also a great way of keeping pesky weeds out of our gardens.
Maintenance
The above plants are relatively low-maintenance. Regular watering, especially on any hot days, will help keep your plants healthy and thriving. Edible gardens can be susceptible to pests and insect infestations.
If you notice bugs getting into your plants, ask your local garden centre on for the best treatment option. Try some of these handy tips from the better homes and gardens team. Remember, you are growing food for eating so look for natural, organic solutions.
What are you waiting for? Pick up some soil, veggie plants and start digging. You’ll be enjoying delicious homegrown salads at your next summer barbecue.
