Be prepared
Gardens generally reflect the amount of effort put in so plan carefully, go to a garden centre and talk to the staff about options for pots and garden beds. Get online and check out gardening and garden centre websites. Make sure you get good quality potting mix, fertiliser and the right size pots with good drainage. Plants like lettuce and silverbeet require around 30cm in diameter and a lot of fruits and vegetables need well-drained soil to keep their root structure sound enough to support the growing and ripening of yummy fruit and vegetables.
Keep it simple
Everyone’s loves the idea that they have a green thumb but this isn’t always the case and it’s best if you’re a novice gardener to start simply and then move on to more ambitious projects as your confidence grows. Herbs and leafy greens such as lettuce and silverbeet are regarded as good for beginners. They’re hardy and can be kept in pots and are harvestable sooner than a lot of other crops. Also do some research and learn how to combat myriad of pests that might invade your vegetable garden.
Use the space wisely
Wall gardens not only look great but also can increase the number of things you can plant with limited space, they’re great for garlic, herbs and leafy plants. Use a trellis to encourage plants such as cucumber, passionfruit and tomatoes to climb. Tomatoes can also grow hanging tubs so make sure you use every bit of space available to you. Small growth fruit trees such as Meyer Lemons can live happily in tubs and be kept on wheels and moved to catch as much sun as possible.
