BetterHomesAndGardensAustraliaDecember2015_

Diagram Lorenzo Lucia

We’ve put

the step-

by-step

instructions for this

family-friendly vegie

garden on a project

sheet to make it easy for

you to build at home. It

includes raised growing

beds, arches for vine

fruit, a bench seat and

sandpit for the children.

How to get your

project sheetVisit

bhgshop.com.au/

projectsheets where

you can download the

project sheet, or post

a stamped ($1.20),

self-addressed C5 (162

x 229mm) envelope

toBetter Homes and

Gardens, Vegie Garden

December 2015, GPO

Box 7812, Sydney NSW

2001. Please allow at
      least 14 days for postal
      delivery.

free

PROJECT

SHEET

Hints and tips

■ Try to group vegies

that grow to about

the same height and

mature about the

same time. This lets

them share sunlight

and means, after

harvest, the whole

section can be dug

up and prepared for

your next crops.

■ Tall vegetable

varieties, like

tomatoes, beans

and corn, are best

positioned on the

southern end of

beds, to prevent

them shading lower-

growing varieties.

■ For an ongoing

supply of favourites,

make small

successive plantings,

or sowings if you

are using seeds.

■ Vegetables need

bees for pollination,

so attract them to

the plot by including

flowers such as

nasturtiums

and marigolds.

■ With leafy crops

such as silverbeet

and lettuce, extend

their production by

harvesting only the

outer leaves and

letting the plant

regrow. These plants

can go on producing

for many weeks.

104 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS, DECEMBER 2015 bhg.com.au

If you’re keen to get

(almost) instant returns

with vegies, choose

varieties that will do their

thing quickly. Here’s a

selection to try:

■Lettuce:the fancy-leaf

types such as oakleaf and

coral are speedy growers,

with leaves ready to pick

after about 3–4 weeks.

■English spinach:a fast

leafy grower, it’s ready

to harvest in as little

as 5–6 weeks.

■Rocket:as quick as

its name, rocket will give

you leaves to pick in about

3 weeks (faster if you

liquid feed it!)

■Baby beets:these

smaller-sized versions are

ready to eat from about

6 weeks after planting

seedlings.

■Cherry tomatoes:the

fastest to fruit of all

tomatoes, these types will

have fruit ready to pick

after 2–3 months (large-

fruited tomatoes can take

up to 5 months). Buy

advanced tomato plants for

even faster results.

■Radishes:select smaller

types for a crop after

about 4 weeks.

■Herbs:perfect

companions for your patch,

herbs can be bought

mature enough to harvest

straight away! Alternatively,

buy smaller pots, plant

and liquid feed them, and

you’ll be snipping away in a

couple of weeks.

Maturation times

are based on planting

seedlings. For seeds,

add 2–3 weeks.

Beetroot

homeharvest

SEEN ON

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TV

Vegie Garden Diagram