Starting your first vegetable patch
Growing your own vegetables is satisfying, and you do not need a large garden to start. Choose a spot that gets at least six hours of sun a day and is close to a tap. A raised bed or even a few large containers work well. Start small, with two or three crops you actually enjoy eating, and expand once you have the hang of it.
Prepare the soil with plenty of compost before planting. Easy crops for beginners in our area include spinach, lettuce, spring onions, radishes and bush beans, depending on the season. Water deeply a few times a week rather than a little every day. Mulching with straw helps keep moisture in during hot Pietermaritzburg summers.