Gardening expert reveals how to perfectly grow your own vegetables this Summer

With Summer just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to grow your own vegetables. However, this can often be a tricky process, especially for beginners. Organic vegetable specialist, Logan Hailey from AllAboutGardening.com reveals her top tips for growing the most popular garden vegetables.

Potatoes

“Pre-sprouting or “chitting” your seed potatoes can jumpstart your harvest by up to two weeks and reduces the risk of rot and waste. To do this, you should lay your potatoes out in an even single layer on a tray or in egg cartons, place them in a light area (such as a window sill or porch) with the optimum temperature ranging from 60-70°F  and let them sprout until they’re around an inch long before planting.”

Cucumbers

“If you want to save space in your garden and yield higher quality cucumbers that are less prone to disease, trellis cucumbers rather than letting them vine along with the soil. Use a cattle panel mounted on T-posts or rebar to create a cheap, simple trellis. Then, plant cucumbers about 12” apart and allow them to vine up the panel. Prune off the suckers to promote more fruit growth and keep plenty of airflow between the foliage.”

Beetroot

“Beets often lack the nutrient boron, which can lead to “black heart rot”, weak leaves, or poor root growth. If you suspect your soil is lacking in bioavailable boron, you can side-dress or foliar spray with an organically-approved Borax (boric acid) at a rate of 1/2 ounce per 100 square feet.”

Carrots

“Due to their particular watering needs, carrot seeds tend to be difficult to germinate. Try using a piece of row cover or clear greenhouse plastic laid over the soil surface to maintain even moisture until they sprout. Also, don’t forget that thinning is essential for quality carrots. If you have noticed spindly or undeveloped carrot roots, be sure that you are using snips to thin out 2-4” of space between each carrot seedling.”

Zucchinis

“The secret to keeping zucchini plants disease-free is maintaining air circulation by providing 2-3 square feet of space per plant, keeping weeds down, and preventatively applying diluted neem solution during moist conditions. It also helps to mulch with a straw or dried leaf mulch to prevent rain splashing onto the leaves.”

Onions

“If you’re an impatient gardener craving spring scallions or sweet onions, opt for “onion sets” or starter bulbs to make your harvest quicker. These mini onion bulbs can be planted instead of seeds to save you time and effort from thinning.”

Bell Peppers

“Boost bell pepper yields and flavour by amending vermicompost or composted chicken manure to your garden beds. Once they begin flowering, these moderate-feeding Solanaceae-family crops also love an added boost of diluted fish and kelp fertiliser.”

Squash

“Proper curing squash is the secret to sweetening the flavour and enjoying butternut or pumpkin pies all winter long. As your winter squash plants thrive in the garden, prepare a cool, dry area for curing with a ventilated table, fans, and dehumidifier (if in a moist climate). When it comes time to harvest, wait until the squash vines begin to wither and yellow, then cut your squash with 2-3” of stem and let them firm up in your curing chamber for 7 to 14 days. This can also be done in the garden if you are lucky enough to have warm, dry fall weather.”

Lettuce

“Lettuce gives us a bit of a predicament: we crave its crisp, cool leaves in the heat of the summer, yet these plants are quick to bolt and become bitter in hot weather. If you want to enjoy tasty summer salads, opt for bolt-resistant varieties like ‘Salanova’ and companion plant them in the dappled shade of your trellised tomato plants.”

Turnips

“Consistency is key with turnips. If you want crisp, tender turnips, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses on timers to ensure a slight but continuous soil moisture. Use ample compost to increase water holding capacity and ensure that the soil doesn’t ever dry out.”