Is there anything in life more soul-satisfying than managing a garden? The sweat and tears of the constant weeding, pruning, and other down and dirty tasks (literally) seem worth it when our beloved garden starts blooming and growing. Here, Bridgewood Organics shares easy ways to get your garden to its peak productive stage.
How to Boost Vegetable Yields
You have your patch all laid out, but what next? Harvesting more from your veggie garden is every amateur gardener’s dream, but what are the most effective ways to get the bounty going? Following is an excellent place to start.
- Choose wisely: When choosing seeds, look for non-GMO varieties, preferably organic. Sites like Bridgewood Organics sell 100% organic seeds procured from the Seattle Seed Company, which is USDA certified organic.
- Nourish: Strong plants with great growing capacity need constant nurturing from organic matter such as compost, manure, and mold. Bonus points for creating a self-nourishing system by setting up a compost station in your garden!
- Feed: Organic fertilizers like liquid seaweed and alfalfa meal will help your plants grow faster while improving the quality of your soil.
- Rainwater: The pH of rainwater is softer with fewer contaminants, which helps boost your veggie yield.
Laying Out Your Garden
Your garden layout is arguably as important as watering and feeding it, and can significantly impact your yield. Be sure to watch out for:
- Spacing: If your plants are placed too close, they will fail to grow and may be prone to disease. Too far apart, and you’re wasting valuable space. Check out this list of virtual planner apps by Country Living to make the most of your square footage.
- Companion planting: Planting mutually beneficial plants together will increase productivity. Do some research on which plants pair well and plant accordingly.
- Shade: Shade is a sacred element in the garden. Leafy veggies, slow growers, and hardy fruit all improve productivity in the shade, so try to maximize your shady areas.
Water All the Way
Let’s not forget the most critical tool to growing green. Following are some easy watering tips to utilize:
- Drip irrigation allows tubes to sprinkle water on plants and is an effective method to utilize in the summer when temps are dry.
- Regular watering using hoses provides better irrigation for the wintertime.
- It’s better to under water than over water.
A self-sustaining garden can come in handy. Not only is gardening a great way to increase your property value, but you’ll also truly be living the farm-to-table manifesto. This means less money spent on groceries and more delicious, perfectly imperfect vegetables you helped grow - the ideal lifestyle!