Josh shares his tips to maximise year-round productivity in the veggie patch. Subscribe ๐Ÿ”” http://ab.co/GA-subscribe

His garden has covered the basics: it is located in an area that gets full sun and is sheltered from strong winds. Compost systems nearby are used to continually build up the soil.

Today he is covering some of the higher levels of thinking that allow him to maximise productivity and plant health in this relatively small vegetable garden. โ€˜Crop rotation, efficient watering systems, and creating a healthy garden ecology are all practices that will get you on your way to really cranking out veggie production at your place. And they are ideas as old as gardening itself.โ€™

Crop rotationโ€” donโ€™t plant the same type of veggies in the same bed from season to season. Leafy crops are typically the hungriest plants, so plant them followed by fruiting crops, and then root crops in that order. Planting legumes at the end of this rotation helps to build up the soil nitrogen before moving back into a crop of leafy vegetables.

Wateringโ€” you want a good quality and properly installed irrigation system to sustain your crops during dry weather. Drip irrigation is the most efficient way to water established plants as the water is applied directly to the roots. However, this isnโ€™t ideal for newly planted seedlings or germinating seed, so Josh also has sprinklers in his veggie beds as well as the drip irrigation in each bed.

Companion plantingโ€”growing plants other than veggies for the purpose of creating a diverse and healthy growing environment. It is particularly important to choose plants that attract beneficial insects. Josh plants up the border around the garden with a range of flowering plants to attract insects that will act as pollinators or predators that eat pests.

Featured Plants:
BROAD BEANโ€ฏ – Vicia faba cv.โ€ฏ
SPRING ONION โ€˜RED LEGSโ€™โ€ฏ – Allium fistulosum cv.โ€ฏ
MEXICAN BUSH SAGEโ€ฏ – Salvia leucanthaโ€ฏ
SANTOLINAโ€ฏ – Santolina chamaecyparissusโ€ฏ
TANSY – Tanacetum vulgareโ€ฏ
(Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area)โ€ฏ
SWEET ALYSSUMโ€ฏ – Lobularia maritimaโ€ฏ
YARROWโ€ฏ – Achillea cv.โ€ฏ
PINEAPPLE SAGEโ€ฏ – Salvia elegansโ€ฏ

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9 Comments

  1. Excellent video. Would love to learn more from you about spacing/distance of plants from the drip system โ€ฆ it seems that you place them in the middle, between two drip tapes, but at what stage will the roots of a plant be close enough to be watered properly? Btw the spray setup is a great idea for seeds/seedlings. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

  2. Great advice, spend thousands of dollars on irrigation, sprinklers and compost bins to grow $76.50 worth of fruit and veg

  3. Is it just me that thinks that irrigation system is overkill for such a small veg garden like that? You want to be involved in every step of the life cycle with your plants. Not just turning on a switch. Convenience at what cost?? Much is lost.

  4. Love these tips on plants that attract beneficial insects and honeyeaters โ€“ย I've written this down in my illustrated garden journal. Thank you ๐Ÿ˜€

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