Sowing seeds for a plentiful harvest

Photo / Paul Thompson.

Gardening:
Sow little and often for a longer harvest:
Now that warm weather is here, and we are all throwing seeds here and there, it's worth remembering how good it is to be able to enjoy a continued harvest for as long as possible.

This means not sowing or planting an entire crop at once as this can result in a glut of produce and then, just as quickly, a finished crop.

First plan your beds and containers (it helps to do this on a piece of paper). Decide what crops will go where and how much space you'll give them.

Then sow or plant a row or a half row every few weeks until you have filled the allocated spaces over a period of time. This will produce a staggered harvest.

From now on if you sow or plant fast growers such as salad greens - rocket, lettuce, mesclun mix -as well as the likes of beetroot, beans, coriander, carrots, chervil, parsley and peas - iyou should be enjoying delicious, easy vegetables and herbs right through to autumn.

Space seedlings properly so that plants grow productively:
Seedlings of tomatoes, zucchini, capsicum and chilli are small when it comes to planting them but they do get a lot bigger as they grow to maturity.

Don't crowd them enthusiastically together or you'll end up with plants that are starved for nutrients, moisture and space.

This could mean a poor harvest and plants that are more susceptible to disease.

So check each plant's width and height and allow them sufficient space from the outset. You'll enjoy a better harvest if you do.

Get free seeds packs with all POD orders over $25 at the POD website.

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