ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDENING

Basics of Small Space Organic Vegetable Gardening – By Upaj

Granted, a small space vegetable garden may not be enough to substitute farming, but it will be enough to grow great tasting tomatoes, some beautiful heirloom eggplants or an endless supply of cutting greens. If you have limited space, consider what vegetables you can purchase fresh in your area already and what vegetables you truly love and/or miss. The greatest advantage of growing your own greens is providing nutritious, chemical free food for yourself and your loved ones, everyday.If you can provide these three basics: sun, water and great soil, you can vegetable garden.

You don’t need a large area to have a vegetable garden. What you do need is good soil, plenty of sunshine, a water source and probably a grill/fence as protection for monkeys, other large animals, and  Zero Turn Mower for better lawn.

Sun: Vegetables need a good 3 to 6 hours of sun each day. Without sun, the fruits will not ripen and the plants will be stressed. There are vegetables that can survive in shade also. Try varieties of lettuce, spinach and other greens like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage crops in a shaded part of your garden, maybe even under a tree where it is difficult to cover with grass.

Water: Vegetables also require regular watering. Without regular water, vegetables will not fill out and some, like tomatoes, will crack open if suddenly plumped up with water after struggling without for awhile. Some vegetables like cucumber tend to grow bitter when raised with inadequate water. The best test for enough water is to put your finger in the dirt. If you can feel moisture up to about 2 inches, there is no need to water today, test it again the following day.

Soil: The final consideration is essential. Vegetables need a soil rich in organic matter. Soil is important to the growth of all plants, but more so with vegetables, because even taste is affected by the quality of the soil. The best possible soil for your vegetable/fruit garden is one mixed with compost from your own kitchen and garden scrap. Homemade compost provides a wholesome nutrient bank for the plants to absorb as and when required. If you mix this with equal quantities of peat moss or biochar, you will get the perfect porous, water retaining, organic matter rich soil which is the best way to start your garden.

Start composting your kitchen waste today. If you do so, by monsoon, you will have your first batch of compost to make your own rich soil. Soon you shall be on the highway to saving the earth with your small foot print.

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