July 2020 Highway DBN
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Healthy soil grows healthy veggies<br />
Most garden soils lack the balance of nutrients<br />
required for good growth. For a productive<br />
veggie garden, make healthy soil a priority.<br />
Regularly enrich it by digging in compost<br />
and organic fertilizer, grow green manures<br />
and practice companion planting by pairing<br />
beneficial herbs and veggies, like basil and<br />
tomatoes, thyme and cabbage, oregano and<br />
carrots.<br />
Seed or seedlings?<br />
Sowing from seed is the most affordable way<br />
to garden. A single packet can yield two or<br />
three successive crops, possibly even for the<br />
following year. Most seeds germinate within<br />
seven to 14 days and are ready for thinning<br />
out and transplanting within another three to<br />
four weeks. Root veggies are best sown direct<br />
into the soil, leafy and fruiting veggies into<br />
seed trays.<br />
Seedling packs are for gardeners in a hurry<br />
(like most of us). They’re more expensive but if<br />
you miss the sowing window, seedlings allow<br />
you to play catch-up. With seedlings there isn’t<br />
the hassle of germination failure, thinning out<br />
or wondering when to transplant. There’s also<br />
less chance of overplanting. However, there’s<br />
less variety than you’ll find in seed packets,<br />
although many heirloom varieties are now<br />
available as seedlings.<br />
Patio veggies ... these are compact varieties<br />
bred for growing in pots, or small spaces,<br />
allowing more plants to fit into less space. The<br />
winter range includes Simply Salad mixes of<br />
leaf lettuce and Asian greens, as well as Kale<br />
Storm, a compact curly-leaved variety and<br />
Wonder Wok, a mix of Asian greens.<br />
For summer there’s a wide range of tomatoes,<br />
zucchini Easy Pick, butternut Honeynut,<br />
jalapeno chilli La Bomba, hot and sweet pot<br />
peppers, eggplant Patio Baby and cucumber<br />
Patio Snacker, as well as Simply Herbs<br />
rosemary, oregano and thyme.<br />
Plants are available in pots from garden<br />
centres or seed can be ordered online.<br />
Details: gropak.co.za<br />
44 Get It <strong>Highway</strong> • Berea • Durban North <strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong>