The thought of being able to go to your kitchen garden to pick or dig a fresh vegetable for your immediate cooking needs can be quite thrilling, but there are some basic requirements that must be met before you can experience the fresh taste of that delicious veggie grown in your backyard. Below are a few tips to get you started:
1. Locating Your Kitchen Garden
Vegetables grown in the warm season typically need at least 6 hours of sunlight daily, therefore, preparing your garden in an area that will provide adequate direct sunlight is critical to the success of your crop. Warm season vegetables include tomatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet peppers, okras, cucumber, beans, eggplant and corn and are suitable for the tropical climate of Barbados.
2. Soil Mix
A well mixed and formulated soil is the key to a healthy and bountiful crop. An organically prepared and well drained soil with compost and essential nutrients will effectively provide a solid platform for your kitchen garden to flourish.
3. Adequate Water
Water is the essence of life and your veggies will depend heavily on this precious resource, unlike some types of vegetation most vegetables are not drought tolerant. Therefore, you need to keep your kitchen garden sufficiently watered at all times to ensure optimal growth.
