Tips to start growing your own food

By MiNDFOOD

Tips to start growing your own food
From how to get the right amount of sunlight to spacing out your crops, our beginner tips for growing your own food.

If you find yourself avoiding the supermarket, why not try growing your own food?

Be it a vege garden or a few pots on the windowsill, there are many ways you can start growing your own vegetables, fruits and herbs.

If you’re a beginner gardener, here are our tips to start growing your own food.

Find the right spot to grow your own food

Location is key when you’re starting to plant your food. different plants require different conditions so pay attention to what they need. In saying that, there are a few key things most plants will need to grow well:

  • Sunshine. Most vegetables need around 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, so make sure to pick a sunny spot – balconies, backyards or front porches are great.
  • Quality soil. Think of soil like the home your plant is living in. In order for it to thrive, it needs a healthy environment. Compost provides great nutrients and make sure you’ve got the right drainage to avoid build up of water.

Want some more ideas? Check out our tips for growing your own chillies at home.

garden

Start small

If it’s your first time growing, don’t overwhelm yourself with lots of different plants. Start simple and small – pick a few easy-growing vegetables, herbs or fruits.

This also goes for how many you plant. Make sure to give your crops plenty of space (this varies from plant to plant so check the seed packets or plant tabs when you buy).

Pick easy-growing crops to plant now

Growing food takes time, energy and patience so if you’re starting out, pick foods that are relatively fuss-free. Here are a couple of our favourite beginner crops to plant now:

  • Beetroot: Choose a spot in full sun and prepare your soil before planting 50cm apart. Water regularly and harvest when you are happy with the size of the beetroot, normally within three- four months
  • Berries: now is a great time of year to plant blackberries and blueberries. Plant a variety of berries to ensure healthy cross pollination. Continue to feed and water your fruit and harvest when ready to eat.
  • Bok choy. A fuss-free Asian green, bok choy is perfect for beginners. It’s quick to grow and simple to cook. It can handle lots of sun, but grows best with a little shade, aiming for 3-5 hours of sunlight a day. Make sure to water consistently and it should be ready to harvest after 1.5 – 2 months.
  • Broccoli. Packed with nutrition, broccoli is a great winter vegetable to start planting. It needs plenty of space to grow so keep this in mind when planting.

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