In early October, we brightened up a narrow walkway of a house with our easy to assemble Raised Garden Beds.
You can read about the set-up of this fun gardening project here.
One of the many advantages of our Raised Garden Beds is the ability for the soil to retain heat and promote faster root development in seedlings – and we are seeing great results 4 weeks later!
We planted an array of basil, cherry tomatoes and kale as seedlings and added in some strawberries the following day. We love seeing how happy and healthy all the plants have become, and how much the owner enjoys picking leaves off for dinner.
Here are a few tips on how to look after your growing seedlings.
Pests
Pests are an inevitable part of any garden and even our little garden wasn’t exempt. As your plants grow larger and stronger they will become more resilient to certain pests, but young seedlings can quickly perish after a minor pest attack.
The trick is to get to pests early and in an environmentally friendly way. While nasty chemical sprays may be effective at killing off pests, you may want to consider if you want to spray such products on edible plants.
We used a natural Pyrethrum spray, which is made from the Pyrethrum daisy and is effective at keeping aphids, caterpillars, whiteflies, scale, mealy bug and thrips at bay. Check the instructions of the product to use to see what temperatures are suitable for spraying in, and if there is a withholding period.
Watering
Try limiting your watering to mornings as dampness lingering around in the evenings can cause stem and root rot. It can also invite excess slaters which are attracted to damp and decaying organic matter, but also love munching on baby seedlings if they are around. As your seedlings grow they should be able to handle less watering – one good soak in the morning should suffice if you have a good quality mulch applied. Holman produce a number of manual, digital or Bluetooth tap timers which can schedule watering for you – these are especially useful if you go on holidays. Check out the range here.
Harvesting
Harvest your plants after approximately 3-4 weeks. Taking green matter off your plants promotes healthy growth and prolongs their lifespan. Pick off early flower buds to delay bolting, which can occur if you have too much hot weather too early in the season (ie. Very hot stretches in Spring).
Topping up
Check the soil level of your garden beds and top it up if it gets too low. You can top up with a 50:50 mix of potting mix and compost or just compost once your plants have matured. Top up your mulch as when summer hits to ensure optimal water retention.
Happy planting!
