The Little Veggie Patch Co. has taken the mystery out of - and put the fun back into - growing fruit and vegetables. No matter how much space you have, whether it's in the sprawling suburbs or an inner-city high rise, The Little Veggie Patch team will have you growing your own food in no time.
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1-Minute Gardener features 60 illustrated step-by-step guides to edible gardening essentials, from preparing and caring for your patch through to harvesting the rewards.
Here are some handy hints for getting the best out of your seedlings, and some ideas for fast growing and easy growing plants.
Time to pull on the gumboots and get planting.
- 1-Minute Gardener by Mat Pember and Fabian Capomolla. Plum, $26.99. Photography by John Laurie.
How to plant seedlings
Planting seedlings is not just for the lazy, it's for the gardener who looks at their watch and decides "I gotta bust a move!"
While propagating from seed is no doubt the most cost-effective way to grow your food, when you enter the season late or simply don't have the time to invest, you can always fall back on the seedling. And thankfully, some well-organised nursery has grown it on your behalf.
Despite the apparent ease of planting seedlings, there are traps that both the experienced and inexperienced gardener can fall into. A first-timer pitfall is planting the whole lot together and then finding them stunted and struggling a month down the track. Old hands may just be more preoccupied with their tea break than some important hydration for the plant prior to planting.
These guys have spent the formative months of their lives in a cosy greenhouse and now they come face to face with reality. They are no doubt thirsty, tired and worried. Make it a pleasant transition by watering the seedlings 10 minutes before transplanting.
The first trap is planting all the seedlings together, unaware that there are tens of seedlings in the punnet that all need separating.
When transplanting, first break off the excess roots at the base.
In terms of herbs, some can be planted in one hit, such as rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano. Other herbs, such as chives, basil, coriander, dill and parsley, should be divided into segments. Be careful when breaking off segments to minimise damage to the roots and foliage.
Rectangular punnets present neatly organised seedlings. Separation of these is more straightforward. Pinch each seedling out, clearing off any excess root growth.
Square punnets present the greatest challenge - a ton of tiny seedlings, all crammed into a tight space, needing separation. Usually any plant grown in this fashion can cope being planted with a partner, but you will get the most out of them if each is separated.
Now time to plant away and water in.
Top 5 fast growers
These veggies are the ones best suited to people with short attention spans or who are in need of instant gratification. That may well be your eight year old, but, more likely, it's you.
Zucchini
From the second month on, zucchini will be hitting the party scene hard, dragging along the entire ratatouille crew.
- Zucchini is best grown in an in-ground veggie patch. Space plants one metre apart and grow them in spring.
- Water three to four times a week initially and then cut back to twice a week when mature.
- Zucchini likes a bit of space to cut loose and needs sunshine. Soil should be free draining, with plenty of compost.
- Left on the bush too long, zucchini will become aerated and tasteless with tough skin. Pick frequently and dispose of any fruit that doesn't pollinate properly in the compost.
Butterhead lettuce
Butterhead's calendar is pretty open, so you'll only need to give two to three weeks' notice for a dinner party.
- Butterhead is suited to smaller pots - 10cm in depth will be fine. Space plants 20cm apart.
- Butterhead grows well all year round but does best in spring. It needs soil with adequate nitrogen - compost will do - and regular watering, but otherwise ain't fussy.
- Butterhead will keep on giving just as long as you keep on taking. Perpetually harvest leaf by leaf, taking from the outer more mature leaves and working your way in.
Spring onion
Spring onion only takes a month or so to get dressed and ready.
- Suited to smaller pots - 15cm in depth will suffice. Space plants two to five centimetres apart. Spring onion plants don't mind being packed in together, so they're good space-savers.
- Plant in a fertile, friable soil. While spring onion plants can tolerate shade, they'll grow faster with plentiful sun.
- Water in daily when establishing then cut back to two to three times a week. Apply liquid fertiliser every fortnight.
Radish
Our favourite variety is Cherry Belle - named after the Indonesian girl band.
- Radishes are suited to smaller pots, 10-15 cm in depth. Space plants two to five centimetres apart, depending on the dexterity of your fingers.
- Radishes like a mix of cool and warm, with even moisture. By that we mean the best of autumn and spring, without all the erratic stuff. Make sure your soil is well drained and not too nitrogen-heavy.
- Water two to three times a week over their lifetime.
- In cooler, wet weather, radishes become susceptible to snails and slugs, so set up your defence boundaries and launch a pre-emptive strike.
Bok choi/pak choi
Unless you're skilled at converting a chopstick into a cutting tool, you might like to try dwarf bok choi.
- Bok choi is suited to smaller pots. Space plants 20-30 cm apart.
- It likes moist, fertile soil and requires high levels of nitrogen.
- Bok choi prefers warmth and humidity, so spring is perfect - however, it can be grown at most times of the year.
- Pick leaf by leaf, from the outer more mature leaves working inwards. If you decide you want the entire plant, cut it off with a knife a few centimetres from the ground and let the roots reshoot new growth (you can do this two to three times).
Top 5 easy growers
Easy-growers are an ego boost for all hopeless gardeners. This is gardening 101 and the only way you could fail growing these plants is by not trying to.
Mint
If you don't already have one, look to develop a drinking habit that peaks in summertime. Mojitos for all!
- Mint is suited to larger pots, at least 30 cm deep and 30 cm in diameter.
- It loves water and isn't fussy for sunlight, so a damp, semi-shaded space - aka your B-spot - will do just fine.
- When planting in a patch try to keep mint alone as it has a habit of interfering with others. In the right soil it's virtually impossible to over-water mint, so go for broke.
- Mint is usually left alone by pests and disease, other than rust.
Silverbeet
Surplus is a given. Be prepared to lose friends by hounding them trying to offload excess silverbeet.
- Soak seeds in water overnight prior to planting, then sow directly into your patch or pot.
- Silverbeet is suited to smaller pots, 15-20 cm deep. In a patch, plant seeds or seedlings 30-40 cm apart.
- Apply liquid seaweed fertiliser once a fortnight. Keep well watered initially, approximately two to three times a week for the first month.
- Silverbeet is a grazing green - simply snap off the outer leaves as you need them.
Radish
Vegetable gardening 101 starts with the radish. Pop them in the ground from seed, water and six weeks later you'll be sick of them.
- Radishes are suited to smaller, shallow pots. Plant seeds 5cm apart.
- Radishes can be planted at any time of year.
- They will grow in most soil types, but prefer a friable and free-draining soil to allow room for easy root growth.
- Apply phosphorous-rich blood and bone prior to planting.
- Water two to three times a week over their lifetime to ensure roots are crisp and watery.
Squash
What makes it so easy to grow? We're certainly not smart enough to explain the evolution of the squash. Ask Darwin.
- Squash is best grown in an in-ground veggie patch. Plant seeds one to one and a half metres apart.
- Squash will grow in most soil types but the soil must be free-draining. Mix through compost before planting.
- Water two to three times a week until the plant is established (about a month), then cut back to once a week. Increase watering again when the plant fruits.
- If growing a creeping variety, attach the plant to a trellis as it grows and pinch out growth tips to encourage it to branch out.
Spring onion
Take a machete and chop them down to ground level and the buggers keep coming back! Some fear artificial intelligence; we fear the spring onion.
- Spring onion is suited to smaller pots. Plant seedlings two to five centimetres apart.
- Spring onion can be planted at any time of year.
- It will grow in most soil types, but prefers a free-draining, friable soil to allow room for easy root growth.
- Apply liquid fertiliser every fortnight. Water about three times a week initially, then cut back to once a week.
- Rather than ripping out the entire plant, chop it down to the base and it will regenerate. Just don't leave them in-ground too long or they can become slimy.
Karen Hardy
I've covered a few things here at The Canberra Times over the years, from sport to education. But now I get to write about the fun stuff - where to eat, what to do, places to go, people to see. Let me know about your favourite things. Email: karen.hardy@canberratimes.com.au
I've covered a few things here at The Canberra Times over the years, from sport to education. But now I get to write about the fun stuff - where to eat, what to do, places to go, people to see. Let me know about your favourite things. Email: karen.hardy@canberratimes.com.au
