$0.00
Cart
Secure checkout
0
Image courtesy of Lawn Solutions Australia
Eating the veggies you have grown in your own Veggie Patch is one of the proudest moments that you can experience. And they always seem to taste so much better than store bought produce too!
So, if you don’t have a Vegetable Patch in your own backyard, you definitely need to change that before Spring is done. So, what should you do?
Decide on where your Veggie Patch will be located, and how big it will be. Once you have decided on the size of your plot, fix a string line at both ends in your lawn with nails and wooden pegs. If your patch is going to be a little smaller, using a large timber square will achieve the same result.
Grab some marking paint and mark a line along your grass, right up against the string line or timber square - this will act as your guide for digging. If you’re going large and using a metal builders square, you may need to use a timber straightedge to extend its length.
If you have decided on a circular Veggie Patch, you will need to hammer a wooden peg into the centre of where you’d like your patch to be and drive a nail into the top of the peg - with a piece of string attached. Mark the circumference of the circle with paint while holding the string against the spray can.
Now you will need to dig out the turf, as well as shake the soil from the turf as you do go.
Tip: use the discarded turf from your plot for compost or to repair patches in your lawn.
Once you have dug out all the necessary turf, you will need to think about a border. This will stop your grass from growing into your veggie patch (especially if your turf is couch or kikuyu).
You can construct a border with either timber or railway sleepers or, if you are looking for a cheap option, consider a Victorian trench - this only costs you your time and energy. The aim with a trench is to make a wedge shape between the lawn and veggie bed. To construct one, dig straight down into the soil about 10cm at the lawn’s edge right around your veggie bed. Then dig out the dirt at a 45 degree angle from the veggie side toward the lawn to create the wedge shape.
Once your veggie patch has been prepared with soil from your local nursery, it’s time to plant. But, of course you need to grow what’s suitable for your climate. There are different options depending on your location, including:
If you are unsure, consult your local nursery as to what’s best in your area. Additionally remember that if you’re still suffering frosts or your soil temperature is still too cold, try and wait for a little longer.
Apart from the gastronomical benefits of a veggie garden, your veggie patch provides a great place to recycle your lawn clippings. This can be done either as mulch or as compost, as grass clippings have a high nitrogen content and decompose quickly. Also, when they’re combined with brown organic material (such as the leaves you raked up in your spring clean) to decompose, they provide a compost that’s awesome for your vegetables.
When used as mulch, lawn clippings help to keep your garden moist, keep the weeds out and add nutrients to the soil. The clippings also help to provide nitrogen and potassium, and both compost and mulch improve your soil structure. Remember however not to use clippings if you’ve recently applied herbicides or other chemicals such as fertilisers on your lawn, as this can be detrimental instead of beneficial.
Give Rosemount Turf a call if you are looking for any turf assistance - we can help!
buffalo turf buy turf online colourguard plus fertilising fertilising tips flood damage repair flooded turf care flood impact on lawn garden tips grass types healthy lawn lawn care lawn care after flood lawn care tips lawn grubs lawn health lawn improvement lawn maintenance lawn recovery tips lawn rehabilitation lawn renovation lawn solutions australia lawn tips low maintenance turf mowing tips new lawn nullarbor couch outdoor living Platinum Zoysia rosemount turf Sir Grange Sir Grange Lawn Sir Grange Turf sir grange zoysia sir walter buffalo soil improvement sunshine coast turf tiftuf tiftuf turf Turf Care turf selection weeds winter lawn winter lawn care Zoysia Australis
