From garden to table: What to grow now for a summer harvest

by Staff Bona
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Spring has finally settled in, and summer is well on its way. If you’re an avid gardener, you’ll know that this is the perfect time to get your hands in the soil. Starting to sow seeds, grow seedlings, and planning out your planting ensures a bountiful spring and early summer harvest. Use our spring/summer guide to reap the many benefits gardening offers, from saving costs on fresh produce and guaranteed freshness, to flavour-packed and nutritious fruits and veggies.

First, prep your garden for spring planting

You’ll need to prepare your garden before sowing. This is how to get started:

  • You need to check your garden’s soil quality to find out what nutrients it needs
  • You can enrich your soil with specific nutrients, like bone meal or fertiliser, or choose to hit all the needs with a once-off till of compost.
  • Make sure to clear any weeds and debris from last season.
  • Consider your garden layout: learn the sunny and shady spots, how much space you have available, and which companion plants will prove to be successful.

Veggies to plant now

Veggies that will benefit from being sown and grown now in SA, include:

  • Tomatoes: They thrive in warm weather, can be directly sown or grown as seedlings, and are super delicious in salads and sandwiches, or to make sauces
  • Peppers: These heat-loving plants take their time to produce their vibrant and versatile bounty; best grown and sown as seedlings
  • Cucumbers: The cucumber plant loves the heat and is fast-growing to provide you with a continuous supply for salads and cocktails
  • Zucchini/Baby marrow: One of the easiest veggies to grow, you can sow their seeds directly in the soil, and enjoy these prolific producers with braais, summer bakes, and pastas.

Fruits to plant now

Fruits you should be sowing now to enjoy later include:

  • Strawberries: A summer essential, and easy-growing plant, sow strawberry seedlings directly into pots and beds
  • Melons: Melons love the heat but take some time to grow. Plant seedlings now to enjoy as sweet summer desserts
  • Berries (blueberries and raspberries): A longer-term investment, berry bushes are worth

With a little planning and hard work now, your garden will reward you with a colourful, flavour-packed harvest.

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Image Credit: Pexels

Compiled by Maegan-Leigh Jacobs

First published on Garden and Home 

Also see: Ntsiki Mazwai Sparks Debate: Can Menstrual Blood Really Fertilise Your Garden?

(Feature Image: Pexels)