With the ever-increasing produce prices at supermarkets, now is the best time to start growing your own at home. Homegrown veggies are not just more economical but also very satisfying to grow. Nothing beats the flavour of homegrown veggies and knowing where your food has come from. Here are our must-have products and tips for your spring and summer veggie patch to get you on the right track.

Planning is Key
A successful veggie garden should be in a spot that gets plenty of sunlight. We recommend around six hours a day for most veggie varieties, although plenty will grow with fewer sunshine hours.

What to Grow?
When planning what to grow, think about what you buy at the supermarket, what's in season, what's suited to your local weather conditions, and your planting space. If you are a beginner gardener, the easiest things to grow are cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach - basically anything that is green and leafy. If you are moving into the fruiting plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, these can be a bit trickier. For tips on tomato growing, read our helpful Tomato Growing Gardening Guide

It All Starts With The Soil
Strong, healthy plants are less susceptible to pests and diseases, and the better the soil, the better the plants. Incorporating the following into your veggie patch at planting time is essential for plant health, vigour, and flavour.
Compost – an excellent soil conditioner for improving soil structure and fertility. This should be added at least once a year to replenish the patch.
Sheep Pellets – a slow-release fertiliser ideal for balanced plant growth and feeding micro-organisms in the soil, thus improving fertility.

Bigger, Better Brassica
Lime is a must-have product if you grow brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc.). Lime will increase the size of the brassica heads up to double and stop clubroot from forming. As a bonus, lime is also great for improving soil fertility and structure.

Feeding your veggies
Providing food is vital for growth and plant health. We recommend
using...
Oderings Garden Replenish – this nitrogen hit will give veggies the boost they need to grow plenty of green, leafy goodness.
Tui Seaweed Plant Tonic – regular applications promote healthy plant and root growth to create a naturally healthy garden.
Ocean Grow – highly effective all-purpose fish fertiliser to promote strong growth for all plants.
Blood & Bone – is a natural organic plant food containing nitrogen for healthy plant growth and phosphorus for strong roots.

The Importance of Mulch
Use mulch to help conserve moisture and to water less, especially in summer. Mulch blocks sunlight and therefore helps keep the soil moist. Mulch is also essential to help maintain a consistent soil temperature; this is especially important with fruiting crops such as tomatoes and strawberries. You can use many types of mulch, so read on for more info.

Pests

While you're out feeding and watering your veggies it is a good opportunity to check for any pests and diseases that may be around or on your plants, and pull out any weeds that have popped up. You may want to set up crop cover for your veggie garden to protect against insects and birds. 

When your plants are going to seed, you will know, as the foliage growth will become very vigorous and flowers will appear (depending on the veggie). When this happens... you can leave the plants in to provide some food for the bees or remove the plants. Although they may still be producing new shoots and leaves they will not taste good anymore...