How to Grow a Family Sized Vegetable Plot

Space nowadays is at a premium. Although many rented allotments may measure, say, 90 ft x 30 ft (27 m x 9 m), this is far too large for average family needs. Indeed, with careful planning, using the best varieties of vegetables and by intercropping where possible, an area of 20 ft x 10 ft (6 m x 3 m) can supply almost all the fresh vegetables needed for two people throughout the season. For the larger family, of course, this area should be increased accordingly. Apart from the fact that an over-large plot may result in a glut of produce, it is far better to maintain a smaller, well-cared for area with continuous weed and pest control.

The vegetable garden needs to be kept in first-class condition and carefully sited. Too often it is treated as a ‘Cinderella’, either screened from view by a hedge or positioned in shade under trees. A hedge is acceptable provided it does not cast a shadow on the vegetables for long periods of the day; but it is impossible to grow vegetables satisfactorily in continuous shade.

Another point to remember is the distance between the growing area and the kitchen. The closer it is to the house, the more frequently you will tend it, checking on the various crops as they come ready for use. And you can pop in and out conveniently, even if it is raining.

Once you have decided on the site and size of the vegetable garden, make sure you have a path to approach it and wholly surround it. The latter will, insure, in the case of a small plot, hat there is seldom any need to step on the soil when picking sprouts or lifting root crops such as carrots and parsnips during [tot-so-dry autumn and winter conditions.

It is very important to choose the right tools, which should be well made, strong but as light as possible. When buying a spade, make sure that it feels balanced in your hands, that the shaft is smooth (preferably made of ash), and that there are no rough or sharp edges where it is fitted into the spade itself. Get one with a forged steel blade, which will last a lifetime, especially if you clean it and give it a wipe with an oily rag after use. Stainless steel spades look good and are more expensive, but are also slightly heavier. Spades are made in three sizes, but you don’t have to buy the largest – it won’t necessarily help you to get more digging done in a given time. A spade fitted with a T handle is good value but in these days of plastic handles it is not always easy to find one in the shops or garden centers.

A good garden fork is also essential and here the same basic standards apply. A full-sized fork is ideal for the heavier jobs such as digging the potatoes, spreading compost, etc., but a smaller border fork will do equally well and is easier for women to handle.

A power driven cultivator is an unnecessary expense, certainly for a small vegetable garden. No machine does the job as well as a spade.

Surface cultivation between the rows and the plants during the growing season is all- important. It controls the weeds, allows air to enter the soil, which is good for root activity, and also creates a surface tilt which restricts the loss of soil moisture during dry weather. This job requires the use of a hoe. There are many types available, from the old long-handled draw hoe to the latest Wolf double-edged hoe, which is a great improvement on the standard type of Dutch hoe. For hoeing between rows of crops such as onions, where considerable care is needed, a short-handled swan- necked onion hoe is ideal; these are available in various blade widths (Spear & Jackson 3-5 in, Wolf also 2 in). For seed-bed or planting preparations in the spring you will need a three- pronged cultivator (Wolf, several sizes) to break down the roughly dug soil. A 12 in rake (Wolf or Spear & Jackson) is a must; both these makes are practical and strong. A garden line (Spear & Jackson) will ensure that the rows are always straight, or you can easily make one yourself. For planting leeks and basics there is nothing better than a dibber (available with a T handle), but for other jobs a garden trowel is usually better.

To give the plants a good start, buy a watering can with a long spout and a removable fine rose, the latter for seed-bed watering. Sooner or later, too, spraying will be necessary. Hozelock-ASL markets a wide range of reliable sprayers.