Grow up

If you’ve never thought about growing plants from seeds, take a walk on the wild side and give it a try. It might just blow your mind

- CARROL BAKER

There’s nothing like the tranquil feeling of strolling around your vegetable patch, a morning cuppa in hand, watching dew droplets cling to the leaves of your fledgling seedlings. Perhaps you’ll even witness for the first time when a tiny seed germinates, making its way through the earth to reach the sun.

There’s a host of good reasons to grow plants from seeds. It’s a positive way to connect with Mother Earth, your vegetables are super fresh and therefore more nutrientdense, you know exactly where your crops have come from, and you’ll save money. Before long you’ll be reaping the benefits of a bountiful harvest you can share with friends and family, and you’re also doing your bit to promote a cleaner, greener planet.

With more of us spending time on our own little patch of dirt, why not put yours to good use and become more self-sufficient? Kids enjoy playing in mud and dirt, so getting them involved in your vegetable garden should be easy. Gardening is a way for them to develop their fine motor skills, to get out in the fresh air and sunshine, and to learn about sowing, growing, harvesting, and of course eating the fruits of their labour.

But to grow heathy bountiful crops, it is important to get the basics right.

SOILS AREN’T SOILS

For a potted vegetable garden, horticulturalist Colin Johnson from Earth Life suggests a goodquality potting mix. If you are using a base potting mix, you can add compost to it, but there is a prerequisite. “It needs to be well aged,” he says. “Add around 30–40 per cent compost to the potting mix.” Also add a biologically enhanced mineral mix.