From page 29
with even less sunshine.
You will need to place your
garden to receive the kind of
sun exposure your plants
need to grow their best.
Bear in mind, also, that the
angle of the sun in winter is
more acute than in summer
and thus the area shaded by
trees, buildings etc will be
very different to that in
summer.
You can also plan your
planting so that some sunloving vegetables give shade
to others. For example. if you
are growing peas up a trellis,
that will create shade for your
lettuce.
Also check what kind of soil
the plants you want grow best
in and plant your garden
accordingly. The soil should
support plants to produce
healthy root systems.
Avoid planting your vegetables near tree roots to avoid
your produce competing with
the root systems of established
ON THE PLOT
trees and shrubs.
at night and lifted off during
too sandy or too heavy, it may
daylight to provide access for be necessary to replace the
To overcome the problems
soil in your beds with a more
associated with frost, particu- watering and weeding.
suitable mix, which could be
larly in Eastern and Southern
Blocking cold winds around
one-third river sand, oneGauteng, some form of
your plants can help control
permanent or semithe temperature, giving them third compost and one-third
the original soil, well mixed,
permanent covered growing
a better chance of survival
to a depth of 30 – 40 cm.
area may be required. Using
later in the season. Block the
black 80% shade cloth as a
weather through wind breaks, Soil does not contain an
roof and surrounding your
walls or by installing cold
endless supply of nutrients for
growing area with some form frames around your plants.
all plants. It must be cared for
of impermeable walling, such Cold frames, made of glass or and allowed to recover from
as greenhouse plastic or old
plastic, also speed up growth planting.
roof sheeting, will go a long
by forming a mini-greenhouse The best way to do this, and
way towards protecting your
around the plant with
ensure a healthy crop, is crop
plants from all but the
significantly raised daytime
rotation, where you plant
harshest frosts.
temperatures.
different vegetables at
If the idea of building a
Careful soil preparation is
different times of year, as
covered growing area is too
necessary. The best soil for
each plant uses different
extreme you can still protect
most vegetables is a light to
nutrients (see table).
individual pplants or single
medium loam with plenty of
Crop rotation may also
beds from frost by using small organic matter. If your soil is
reduce pest problems, weed
Continued on page 32
“teepees” made of plastic, for at either extreme to this, ie
small, single plants, or Table: An example of a crop rotation system.
by manufacturing
Bed 1
Bed 2
Bed 3
Bed 4
Bed 5
cloches out of heavyCycle 1 Leafy crops Legumes
Brassicas
Root crops Solanaceae
gauge wire or bamboo Cycle 2 Solanaceae Leafy crops Legumes
Brassicas
Root crops
Cycle 3 Root crops
Solanaceae Leafy crops Legumes
Brassicas
covered with frost
Cycle 4 Brassicas
Root crops Solanaceae Leafy crops Legumes
cloth, which can be
Cycle 5 Legumes
Brassicas
Root crops Solanaceae Leafy crops
placed over the beds
31
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