Spring vegetable garden refresh

Get your vegetable garden ready for a healthy harvest

The arrival of spring means it’s time to hit refresh on your vege patch and get it ready for planting. But before you dig in, take the time to tidy the garden and improve the soil, as this will help grow healthy food. Here’s how to get your patch up to scratch.

Remove winter crops

To prepare vege beds, urban gardener Connie Cao (@connieandluna) recommends removing existing plants left over from winter. “Most veges are annual crops and need to be removed at the end of the growing season,” says Connie. “An easy option is to cut the plants back to ground level, allowing the roots to naturally decompose and provide a source of organic matter to the soil.” However, if there are weeds, consider pulling them out, as depending on the weed, slashing them can encourage more growth. “Removing existing growth and weeds gives you a clean slate and ensures unnecessary plants are not competing for water and nutrients with newly planted seedlings,” adds Connie.

Nourish your soil

The soil in a vege garden works hard to provide nutrients to productive plants, but its pH (which shows acidic and alkaline levels) can affect a plant’s ability to absorb those nutrients. Gary Town of Yates says veges thrive in a neutral pH band of between 6.5 and 7.5. “Check your soil with a soil pH test kit and, if necessary, adjust the pH with garden lime or liquid sulphur,” he says. Healthy soil also needs a balance of organisms like earthworms and beneficial microbes including fungi and bacteria. If you add organic matter to your garden, the beneficial soil organisms will repay you by feeding your plants, says Gary. “Organic matter includes manure-based fertilisers or blood and bone (from animals) and compost and mulches (from plants),” he explains. “These help to enhance soil structure, increase water retention and promote nutrient availability for your plants.” Before applying manure or compost, remove any vegetation and scrape any mulch to one side to re-use later. Spread manure or compost evenly in garden beds and dig in well. If soil is compacted due to clay or foot traffic, use a garden fork or aerator to loosen and break it up.

Give beds a blanket of mulch

Mulching makes a huge difference to plant growth and soil health. “Mulch helps reduce moisture loss from soil, protects soil from sudden temperature shifts in hot or cold weather and substantially reduces weed growth,” says Gary. “Organic mulches like pea straw, lucerne, coir, leaf litter, bark chips and untreated sawdust provide these benefits, in addition to breaking down over time and adding organic matter to the soil.” Water the garden well before and after applying mulch and keep it away from plant stems. The depth of mulch depends on the type – too thick and irrigation or rain may not reach plant roots.

Top tips for growing tomatoes

• Heirloom tomatoes, like ‘Black Cherry’, ‘Black Krim’ and ‘Tommy Toe’, are rich in flavour, boast unique colours and come in a variety of shapes.
• For a bountiful harvest, top the soil with organic matter such as compost at the start of the growing season, says Connie.
• To help prevent blossom end rot – a physiological disorder that causes the bottom of the fruit to rot – Connie suggests adding a handful of dolomite lime to the soil before planting.
• When transplanting tomato seedlings, plant them deeper than usual. “Tomatoes form roots along the length of the stem, so planting them deep will encourage them to grow a stronger root system,” says Connie. “Plant seedlings so only a few of the top leaves are exposed above the soil.”
• Once established – about six weeks – feed plants regularly with a tomato and vege fertiliser.

Fast-growing edibles for a quick harvest

Many vegetables take as long as 14-16 weeks to form a crop ready for harvest, occupying valuable space for an extended period. Here are six fast-maturing plants to kickstart the growing season.

1. Beans: Both dwarf and climbing forms are easy to grow. Climbers require a trellis for support but are a great way to make use of vertical space. Harvest time: 8-10 weeks.
2. Zucchini: This veg has a sprawling habit, so give it at least 90cm of growing space. One plant will produce dozens of zucchini throughout summer. Harvest time: 6-8 weeks.
3. Spinach: This superfood is the perfect leafy green for salads, sandwiches, sautés and smoothies. Snip leaves regularly to promote growth. Harvest time: 6-8 weeks.
4. Radish: While the crunchy roots are the star of this vegetable, the leaves can also be picked and used in salads. Harvest time: 4-6 weeks.
5. Lettuce: A compact veg that’s ideal for small spaces. Plus, loose-leaf varieties are a good ‘cut and come again’ option – simply pick outer leaves as needed. Harvest time: 6 weeks.
6. Cucumber: The vines grow best on a trellis, which improves airflow and keeps the fruit off the ground. Harvest time: 8-10 weeks or longer, depending on the variety. 

It’s time to get gardening!

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Photo credit: Getty Images, Alamy Stock Photo