Gardening Tips

  • Don’t confuse potting mix and soil.  The former is only good for plants in pots.  Planting in the ground should be into good soil.
  • Avoid watering in the evening or at night as it encourages fungal problems.  Early morning watering will help your plants get through the day.
  • Improve your soil by adding organic matter, e.g. compost. All soil types will benefit.
  • Test the pH. A range between 6.5 and 7.5 will mean fern-leaf-mdthat your plants can access the available nutrients in the soil.
  • Add gypsum to clay soils.
  • Practice crop rotation in your vegetable garden to minimise disease.
  • Do not use grey water on your vegetable garden.
  • Group plants according to their water needs.
  • Keep your garden mulched (but keep it a little bit away from plant stems).
  • Remember that growing plants, especially vegetables, remove nutrients from the soil and these need to be replenished.