Growing your own veggies is a wonderful thing. Have you ever pulled a carrot out of the soil in your own garden? Or cut off a huge armful of spinach? Or just a few basil leaves from a window sill pot plant? If you have, well done to all of you soil lovers.
Natures Garden farmers love supplying veggies to the people of South Africa, and ours are the most convenient, so you’d never dream of not having a few bags of our best in your freezer. But growing your own is also so rewarding – you’ll feel like a bit of a farmer in your own backyard. And it’ll help you understand what makes our farmers tick.
If you want to start, you can do it with a fairly small patch of soil. Just make sure you choose the right vegetables to plant for your area and climate. And also, remember to plant at the right time.
So what can you plant in March?
A lot depends on the climate in your area. Here’s a handy guide to the vegetables most suited to growing in your province.
Gauteng: Beetroot, Lettuce, Onions, Radishes, Spinach
Western Cape:: Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Lettuce, Parnsips, Potatoes, Radishes, Spinach
KZN: Beetroot, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Lettuce, Parsnip, Spinach
Now get those hands into some soil.
E Cape: Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn, Brinjal, Lettuce, Onion, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers, Pumpkin, Radishes, Spinach, Tomatoes. (Wow, what a list. No wonder those Eastern Cape people are so healthy.)
For a full list of all provinces, have a look here.
When growing your own veggies, remember, they need moist soil that’s well-drained and rich in organic matter. Temperature is also important so use a soil thermometer.
Also remember, most warm season veggies need at least six to eight hours of direct sun. If you don’t have full sun, you can still grow vegetables like lettuce and spinach. And you have hot summers, you should plant cool-season veggies like peas in part-shade.
You’ll need to water your veggie plants when it’s dry, so try to grow them close to a source of water.
Now get those hands muddy. Good luck!
