Raised garden beds are definitely the way to go.
- Deb Delahunty
Having a kitchen garden is extremely popular because of our desire to be productive and to be as sustainable as possible.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The challenge for many is to grow food that is inexpensive, fresh and has a smaller carbon footprint than fruit and vegetables trucked in from other parts of Australia.
For those of you who are novices in the vegetable or kitchen garden it’s advisable to prepare your garden area over the next couple of months - then you can plant when the weather begins to warm up.
If you make the kitchen garden into a feature and put it in a prominent location it won’t fall by the wayside and become an eyesore.
A vegetable plot at the bottom of the garden is out of sight and often out of mind.
A garden that is in full view and near a tap is definitely the answer, in fact why not locate it near your outdoor eating area and barbecue.
Imagine herbs and salad vegetables picked while the meat is cooking, you can’t beat that!
Raised garden beds are definitely the way to go. They come in different shapes and sizes and become a feature in the garden. Raised gardening means saying goodbye to dirty knees and sore backs.
Start preparing your area now by getting garden beds in place and adding compost and organic matter. With hard work you’ll be ready for a big ‘plant up’ in August or early September.
The beginning of spring is a terrific time to plant crops such as asparagus, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, leeks, silverbeet, turnips and a host of other easy to grow crops.
When I say ‘easy to grow’ I’m assuming that most people have some horticultural experience, but for those who are a bit hesitant talk to the staff at local nurseries for pointers.
For those who feel that they need a bit more instruction - Karen McInnes from Wodonga TAFE will be taking a kitchen gardening course during October.
She will go over the skills you need to create your own sustainable vegetable patch and also look at other useful plants to have in your garden.
If you want to know about companion planting, composting, natural pest management and recycling then this would be a course to suit you.
For information call 1300 MY TAFE (I300 698 233) or email AgHort@wodongatafe.edu.au or call into the Agriculture/Horticulture Department in University Drive, West Wodonga.
