Vegetable gardening planning tips...
* Check the prevailing wind, and protect your plants from harsh winds. Cold winds will stunt growth, hot winds will dry the soil and harm the plants, strong winds will break them. If you don't have a natural sunny protected corner in your garden, prepare a windbreak of garden lattice or slatted timber.
* Where does the sun strike your garden, and for how long? Make sure your vegetable garden gets plenty of sunshine... at least 5 hours a day of direct sunlight. Areas with less sun can still be planted with some leafy vegetables and herbs.
* Make sure your taller plants don't block the sunlight for the smaller plants. Watch how the sun travels in your garden. In the northern hemisphere, consider planting your garden rows in a north to south position with the taller plants at the northern end. In the southern hemisphere, this is reversed with the taller plants at the southern end. This way, all the rows receive an equal amount of sunlight.
* If you are planning to plant successive crops, practice plant rotation. Different plants take different things out of the garden soil. This will also reduce the potential for a particular type of pest or disease to take hold in your garden. Keep replenishing your compost and mulch!
plan a vegetable garden/water drop
* Water, water, water! Vegetables need water to grow and lots of it. One of the best tips for a vegetable garden layout is to allow for a drip water system.
Set your drip system in place in the beginning of your garden planning and it will give your plants a good, deep soaking and will discourage leaf fungus. This will encourage root growth. Do NOT let your garden bed dry out. Your no dig garden will have good drainage anyway, so keep it moist and top it up with mulch to keep the moisture in.
* Spend some time to work out what you want to grow; what the climate, sun, shade, wind, and shelter are like. Take into account obstacles such as trees, drains, driveways etc; and finally consider the proximity to your house, and the possible interferance of pets, children and stray wildebeest.. I mean deer, rabbits, squirrels and other lovely but unwelcome pests.
By following these basic tips when planning a vegetable garden, your no dig garden will be off to a flying start, you will succeed and the garden will give you many hours of pleasure and satisfaction.
