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Just because winter is here, and the prime growing season is over in many parts of South Africa doesn't mean we should neglect our gardens. Preparing a vegetable garden for winter is not that hard and can be done with just a few simple steps and will help provide an ideal growing space for the next season and prevent soil erosion and weeds from turning our gardens into a playground. We have already grown our winter vegetable garden, and we will guide you on how to develop a winter vegetable garden.
Here are a few steps that will help you grow a winter vegetable garden. But first, here are the vegetable seeds to plant in winter.
•Cabbage
•Garlic
•Swiss chard
•Cauliflower
•Onions
•Broccoli
•Leeks
•Peas
•Carrots
•Celery
•Broad Beans
1. The first step in achieving a great winter vegetable garden is to
plant your garden, where you will build your beds. I also choose to have my beds next to the kitchen.
2. Select the right vegetable seeds; I have already listed the suitable vegetable crops to plant in winter. If you are a beginner, start small with about three types of seeds so you are not overwhelmed with many crops.
3. Prepare your soil ahead of time; if you are using compost, allow at least two weeks for the compost to settle in the ground.
4. Now, it is time to sow your seeds or plant seedlings in the
bed that you would have built and prepared.
5. It is essential to place signs or tags with the names of the vegetables next to the row of your planted seeds or seedlings, so you can easily remember where you planted your seedlings or sown your seeds.
6. Water your seeds or seedlings after planting.
7. Every garden is likely to be attacked by pests, so another organic method of preventing pests from destroying your seedlings is to plant garlic or onions around your vegetable bed. Growing these will prevent pets from destroying your seedlings before you can try that new soup recipe.
8. After getting your hand and fingers dirty, you don't wash them and fold them until harvesting time. Now it is time to monitor your plants daily to see the growth process and to pull weeds.
9. The most exciting step! Harvesting time. Now it is time to harvest the fruit of your labour. Harvest your vegetables and fill your kitchen basket and get ready to prepare your new carrot soup recipe.