How to grow a vegetable garden

August 30, 2012, 5:51 pm Yahoo!7

Rating:
(4)

Nothing beats home-grown vegetables from your own vegetable garden. Thanks to rising food prices and environmental concerns, there has never been a better time to start growing your own. As long as you have a spot that receives at least five hours of sun each day, creating a vegie patch is simple. It can be as small or big as you like – it just depends on how much space you have and how many mouths you’re feeding.

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Gather your supplies

  • 50 x 750mm Retain-iT corner posts (4)
  • 50 x 200mm x 2.4m H4
  • ACQ sleepers (6)
  • 90 x 45mm H3 treated pine decking (for capping)
  • Seedlings or seeds
  • Quality organic mulch, such as sugar cane or fine lucerne
  • Suitable quantity of soil
  • 14ga x 125mm bugle-head treated pine screws
  • Notes:

    To work out soil quantity, multiply length of bed by width and depth in metres. These supply will make a 2.4 x 1.2m x 400mm raised garden bed

    Here's How

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      Step 1: Mark out area where bed is to be positioned. Remove turf and level area.
    • imageTitle
      Step 2: Dig a 750mm hole in each corner of bed. Position corner post in hole, ensuring it faces directions in which sleepers will be inserted. Pour in concrete and mix according to instructions. Check if post is right height, and check plumb using spirit level, adjusting if necessary. Repeat for each corner and leave to dry.
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      Step 3: Measure and cut 2 sleepers in half – these make the ends of the raised bed. Position base sleepers, then top sleepers. Check height of top sleeper matches corner posts so capping sits flush along wall.
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      Step 4: Mitre corners of capping, then screw on top of sleepers, leaving a 20mm overhang on each side.
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      Step 5: Fill bed with soil. Rake to level and lightly compact. Plant seedlings or sow seeds, paying attention to recommended spacings on packet. Water in well with a solution of seaweed tonic.
    • imageTitle
      Step 6: Spread mulch around seedlings, being careful not to push it up against seedlings or cover seeds. Water gently to lock mulch in place.

    You’ll also need

    Quick set concrete; stringline; mallet; shovel/post hole digger; circular saw; rake; measuring tape; set-out paint; spirit level; Yates Nature’s Way Seawood Booster or Seasol (seaweed tonic)

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    4 Comments

    1. Margaret11:09am Tuesday 04th September 2012 ESTReport Abuse

      All wood used to build a garden bed where any edibles are grown should be UNTREATED. This information is missing from the supply list. What is worse, treated pine decking is even recommended! And I agree with Mike M - this article was not written by a gardener, more by a handyman.

      Reply
    2. Red_Herring09:51am Tuesday 04th September 2012 ESTReport Abuse

      yahoo have lost the plot.get back to the real issues that matter.

      Reply
    3. Beady_Eyed_Big_Eared_Briber09:02am Tuesday 04th September 2012 ESTReport Abuse

      Anti-Labor yawnhoo,why dont you bury yourself in compost.Let us comment on REAL matters.

      Reply
    4. Mike M07:22am Tuesday 04th September 2012 ESTReport Abuse

      Treated pine!! Why remove turf....newspaper it and use that grass etc to fed your soil (hence your plants). If planting seeds, soak them for an hour first in a diluted seaweed mix. Place mulch down before planting seedlings....then all you have to do is make a small gap in the mulch to plant. This article doesn't appear to have been written by a gardener!

      Reply

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