Spring is here and before you know it Summer

This is the most exciting time of the year for gardeners.  The excitement of getting ready for all the new budding growth that will follow and then summer.  All those exoctic tastes and dishes to be looked forward to.

What can you do now to get ready for those delights?

Prepare the garden

Preparations of vegetable gardens

The soil is very important when growing vegies. Add plenty of compost and or cow manure, blood and bone and nice rich organic soil / compost. This will help create healthy plants.

If you are growing vegetables and herbs are in pots, just use an organic compost / soil mix.

Then get planting

Companion planting

Plant flowers and vegetables together

Flowers will attract good insects which will eat pests.  The more flowers, the more perfumes, which will help mask the smells of the vegetables, thus confusing the pests.

Basil will deter thrips, Marigolds inhibit nematodes, their colour will attract insects, Lavender will create an attractive smell.

Try these combinations

Vegies and herbs that go well together and benefit each other.

• Mint, thyme, sage, rosemary, cabbages, coriander, oregano, dill
• Broadbeans, beetroot, carrots, cucumber, celery
• Broccoli, celery, onions, sage, dill, oregano
• Carrots, lettuce, Tomatoes, beans, chives, sage, rosemary
• Celery and tomatoes
• Capsicum with basil, mint, parsley, carrot
• Eggplant  with beans, potatoes, tomatoes
• Lettuce  with carrots, strawberries, pumpkins, corn, capsicum
• Peas  with carrots, beans, corn, potatoes
• Pumpkin  with lettuce, corn
• Silverbeet  with beans, onion
• Spinach  with eggplant, celery, strawberries
• Tomatoes with carrots, celery, broccoli, parsley, rosemary
• Sweet corn  with lettuce, potatoes, dill, mint
• Zucchini,  with corn, carrots, broccoli
• Peas, broad beans, marigolds, egg plants, foxgloves
• Lettuce, marigolds, parsley, garlic
• Tomatoes, parsley, chives, basil, garlic
• Onion, beetroot, lavender, silverbeet,

try it and let us know your successes.  Combination planting even makes the vegie patch look really festive.