Tuesday, March 3, 2009

How Much Food to Grow in Your Garden

By Stephen Cassandra

Most vegetables need a good depth of topsoil which is rich in humus and all need certain amount of space. They should be grown in some sort of rotation. A vegetable plot need not be screened, as is often suggested, for rows of neat vegetables can be attractive. Admittedly there are times in winter when they look straggly-hut a run of box edging should solve the problem.

A greenhouse naturally needs full sun, good access to it and preferably a hard surface area around it, as it soon becomes another centre of activity within the garden. if you can combine it with or site it next to the tool shed, or any other necessary small structure, so much the better. When wrongly sited, greenhouses can dominate the whole garden and, despite recent attempts to improve their appearance, they are seldom handsome structures. If the greenhouse cannot be a lean-to or an extension of the house, try to site the freestanding building, running east to west, to one side of the main view.

To give some indication of the amount of space which vegetables take up: an area of 84 sq m (300 sq ft) would provide a family of four with sufficient lettuces, runner beans, peas, carrots and turnips in summer, and with leeks, cabbages and sprouts in winter. But of course great pleasure can be obtained from growing your own produce, even if you do not have enough space to make the enterprise really economic, and the fresh taste of homegrown vegetables is reward in itself.

A space for any large vehicles to be parked, such as a boat or a caravan as well as a car, should be allowed for at this initial planning stage.

The fron garden should welcome your guests and provide safe and easy access to the door in all weather. Good lighting and a clearly visible house number are essential. The front garden will probably need to house several of the service items and you may want a parking space for one or more cars.

If possible, allow enough room not only to get out of the car without landing in a rose bed, but also to wash the car down; do not forget provision for a water point and for drainage. If there is not room to turn the car round, you will need to leave clear lines of vision for reversing out. - 15266

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