TIPS FOR PLANTING YOUR OWN VEGETABLE GARDEN
September is planting season and the climate and soil in the northern parts of South Africa, especially Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Tshwane, are ideal for growing crops. Premier FMCG, together with Food & Trees for Africa, are planting more Super Sun school vegetable gardens and share their tips below.
Size: A few square metres is usually enough to grow the basics at home, however working together with other members of one’s community to plant more vegetables together is a great idea;
Soil quality: Good, fertile soil is rich in nutrients and dark in colour. If soil is dry, sandy or very tight, consider buying topsoil and fertiliser, or starting your own compost heap;
Location: Sunshine is important. Too much or too little, and veggies won’t grow. It’s important to find the correct balance for what you plant or perhaps make two smaller patches – one in the shade and one in the sun. Be sure to plant vegetables where they will be protected and safe from strong winds;
Selection: Choose a mix of your favourite vegetables and herbs and follow the instructions to space them out correctly. Consider planting the most nutrient-dense vegetables and herbs that are good to plant in spring. These include spinach, garlic, green peas, asparagus, beetroot, brinjal, tomatoes, red cabbage and cauliflower;
Crop rotation: Different plants soak up different nutrients from the soil, so to avoid using all its nutrients, rotate /change your crops around by planting a different vegetable in each section after every harvest.
Super Sun’s partnership with Food & Trees for Africa is fuelled by their mutual goals to promote sustainability, educate communities about nutrition and work towards eradicating poverty in the home.
.jpg)
Comments