How to build a steel veggie garden

How to build a steel veggie garden

Preparing delicious meals with produce that you've grown yourself is one of life's most satisfying things. From tomatoes and herbs to broccoli, there’s a great pleasure in knowing it just can’t get any fresher.

STEP 1: CHOOSE AN IDEAL LOCATION

The first thing to figure out is the best place to locate your garden bed. All vegies need sunshine and morning sun is ideal, so look for an easterly aspect. You’ll also need to protect your new seedlings from harsh weather conditions. Avoid areas with large trees, as they can steal moisture and nutrients from your growing area.

STEP 2: ASSEMBLE THE GARDEN BED

Lay out all the parts of the garden bed and remove the protective film off the steel panels. Check the instructions for which panel to start with. With your garden gloves on, take the first piece of corrugated steel and carefully slide one PVC post onto the end of the steel panel vertically. Take the next sheet of metal into the other side of the first post making sure each lug in the steel panel slides freely inside the PVC groove. Keep adding posts and panels until all are joined together. Next, press the post gaps on top of each post.

STEP 3: PLANT YOUR SOIL AND SEEDLINGS

You can either use the cardboard packaging that the garden bed came in as a base for your garden, or can choose to line your veggie pack with weed matting. The garden beds are ready to be filled with planting soil and compost. Check with your local Home Timber & Hardware to find the best soil mixture to use for your plants. Most vegetables can be bought as seedlings, or you can start from scratch and plant seeds. If you do plant from seeds, soil preparation is particularly important.

STEP 4: MAINTAIN YOUR PLANT

Water your seedlings in well and always check the soil and keep it moist. Regular amounts of organic or artificial fertilizers will encourage growth. Manure, blood and bone and liquid fertilizers will also get the nutrients going too.

Insects and diseases are going to love your garden as much as you do. So to keep them at bay, there are numerous options depending on what you are growing- head down to your local Home Timber & Hardware for advice on the best product for your garden.