Vege Plot

Feb 2010:

As one of our main projects for this year, the cert 2 and 3 groups had to put in a vegetable garden. Each student was given an area 4.2mt x 1.2. The areas were marked out with string lines after the plots were measured out with a tape measure. The type of soil we were dealing with was a damp, thick, clay based soil. To make matters worse Mike had the irrigation on the day before we started. The soil was turned and big clay clods were broken down with a pitch fork and spade. Next around 2-3 wheel barrows of compost was added and gently worked into the soil. At the same time, chicken pellets and gypsum was also added and mixed through. It was important when turning the soil not to go too deep and bring up large clods of damp clay. The garden bed was raised up around 20cm from ground level.

We also had to put in mulch on the paths that went around the beds. This was done with by first placing damp sheets of newspaper down and then wood chips. The mulch would stop people from walking on a muddy path. It would also act as weed suppresent.

The garden bed was now ready for planting. It was vital to choose seeds that could be planted for this time of the year so they would germinate. We went through a list and wrote down all the seeds we could plant. We then put several different seeds into a prop mix in punnets, and tray cells. These included broccoli, parsley, lettuce, cabbage, beetroot, radish. Once the seedlings came up we would then plant some of these. We also directly sowed several different seeds.

The seeds I dirrectly planted in my vege plot were, baby carrott, lettuce, sugar snap, corriander,

a punnet of established broccoli. After about 2 weeks some of the seedling from the nursery were ready to plant. I planted beetroot and radish.

It is important to implement a weed control program for your vege plot. Trying to keep your plot as weed free as possible. So far I have hand pulled the weeds out, which have been mainly grass. I will also introduce a pest and disease program as the plants get established.