It's All in the Soil

When I first started my garden, whatever was in there just grew. The whole patch seemed to be on steroids and I began to refer to my tomatoes as ‘triffids’. The first season I gave away 10 bunches of beetroot (about 60-70 large beets) because I just had so many and being a newbie, I didn’t know what to do with them to make them last. I still curse when I think about my first crop of broccoli as once I’d harvested the heads, I pulled them out, not realising that broccoli keeps producing for some time, just not from where they’d been cut. Carrots grew long and straight, kale began to look like a tree and our garlic provided us with monster bulbs that kept us going all year in the kitchen and we still had left over to plant the next crop with. 

First lot of garlic ready for the pantry

The second year was almost a repeat although by this time, I’d taken over the running of it from Your Patch and it looked a little less ordered but seemed to always be producing well. The third year however, was like that mid-range child at school: well behaved, gets on well with others, progressing nicely…but could voice their thoughts a little more and not really reaching their full potential . The garden was well ordered, pests were down, it was green…but somehow my yields weren’t quite as high and I didn’t need to cut the tops off the tomato bushes as I could still reach them…just. And, some of my carrots had developed warty noses and even worse, split personalities!

Flourishing Garden

I very quickly came to the realisation that I would have to pay attention to my own advice to passers by when they asked how it grew so well and I would answer, ‘It’s all in the soil’. If they stayed for a chat, I would then add that soil actually wasn’t everything - you needed to check it every day and become aware of its insecurities and odd habits!

So, what have I learnt so far about soil and the part it plays in growing strong healthy plants? Here goes…

• The Green Life Soil Co has amazing organic mixes for our gardens. We use their vege mix and get it made up on the spot. I only need to get it maybe every 12-18 months just to top up our beds. I remember seeing a program mentioning that vegetables only really use the top 8 inches of soil so keeping that up to scratch is most important.

• I compost whenever my bin is ready and I have space to dig it over. We throw in kitchen scraps (except for meats, grains, sugars, onion family, tomatoes and seeds from veges like pumpkin) and any other organic matter such as dog hair, ash from the wood fire, leaves, old plants etc. I aerate it regularly with a spiralled pole from the local hardware. There are plenty of websites the can help you set up different styles of composters

• Before planting seedlings I sometimes dig in some sheep and cow poo mix (depends when I last did it). I have been told that the sheep poo isn’t so good due to the lanolin in it but my dad used it for years in his gardens and they flourished. I then place a few handfuls of Rock Dust from No Frills Fertilisers where the seedling will go and water them in with Seaweed Tonic. About a week later I give them some Hydrofish and when I remember to, I alternate between that and Seaweed Tonic every week or two. No Frills Fertilisers have a great website with info about their products and a step to step guide for home gardening (really nice and simple)  

• On top of all this, I place Dsatco Lupin Mulch. It not only helps with water retention but provides goodies for the soil.

Eggplants with Dsatco Lupin Mulch

I never paid any attention to soil acidity and the ph level which has landed me with some very unproductive seasons in two smaller containers. We had sold some enormous ( I am talking GIANT) limestone pots and put the soil from them straight into our beds . Unfortunately it was all wrong for growing veges and has taken me on a huge learning curve. Two years on and they are just coming good. 

Basil seedlings surrounded by mulch in 'finely-tuned' soil

So, there you have it. Not rocket science but it is a science . Growing up with a family garden that ‘just grew’ no matter how often the dog used it as a toilet, the tennis balls flew in or we crashed the bikes into the tomato trellis, I have now learnt that gardens don’t actually just grow because you stick a plant in some soil. I am still a bit hit and miss when it comes to following my own advice but know that like children, if you want the best ‘product’ possible, you need to invest time, money, love, and effort into it . And just like the feeling you get when your '20 somethings' tell you, “I love you Mum, you’re the best’, there is practically nothing better than the taste of your own delicious vegetables.

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown