Growing Vegetables

GROWING VEGETABLES (Part 2)

Making The Most Of Your Space

By a careful choice of cultivars, good timing, and imaginative sowing combinations you can get the maximum return from the smallest plot. Closer than recommended spacing often works well, provided watering and feeding are regular.

To save space, sow two difference crops in a single drill – this is known as inter-sowing.

Sow a slow-growing crop, such as carrots or parsnips, at well-spaced intervals and a fast growing crop, such as lettuces or radishes, in between the rapid maturing crop will be ready for harvesting before the slower one needs the space. On a larger scale fast growing vegetables can be sown under or around tall, slow-growing vegetables – this is known as intercropping. Make spacings between the rows larger than normal, so neither crop is cramped. Green beans, zucchini, and pumpkins crop well under sweet corn.

Many salad crops can be sown densely and harvested as seedlings. The plants will usually sprout again for a second or third crop. This method, known as cut-and-come- again, suits some lettuces, spinach, and endive.

Growing Vegetables In Containers

Many vegetables can be grown in containers, making an attractive and productive display for balconies, roof gardens, and patios. Shallow rooting vegetables, such as lettuces, can even be grown in a window box, but others need a deeper pot or a grow bag to give them More space for their larger roots. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers are all easily raised in grow bags and need slightly less watering than they would in a pot

Container grown vegetables often need more careful attention to ensure temperatures and light levels are suitable especially in sunny, sheltered sites. They will also need to be fed and watered more frequently to meet their needs.

Looking After Your Vegetables

All vegetables grow better and crop more heavily if they are well looked after. Keep the weeds down from seed sowing through to harvesting because they will compete with the plants for water, nutrients, and light. Hand weed around seedlings; once the vegetables are larger, remove weeds with a hoe. Early evening is the best time to water to minimize evaporation – though if a plant is wilting, water it a once. Irregular watering is a common cause of crop failures. Most vegetable crops need feeding during the growing season.