Dos and donts of gardening

Gardening dos & don’ts

When the gardening bug bites, it often sends newbies into a frenzy of overdoing things and, ultimately, messing up their grand plan

BY TERRY VAN DER WALT

sO, HERE are 10 top tips to avoid making mistakes that can undo all your hard work and leave you frustrated.

1 Don’t over-fertilise your vegetables

because in the long run it will reduce your crops, possibly stunt growth and burn tender plants.

2 Try always to use organic fertiliser

since these are more environmentally friendly. 3 Avoid planting in shady areas because most vegetables thrive in direct and uninterrupted sunlight.

4 Improve your soil by adding compost and organic material throughout the season.

5 Avoid over-watering because you could kill your plants with kindness by turning their growing area into a soggy swamp.

6 Sow your seeds at the depth recommended on the packet to save yourself heartache – too deep or too shallow and they won’t germinate.

7 Avoid planting your seedlings too closely

because they will be competing for nutrients in the soil, sunlight and water. Stick to the guidelines on the packets.

8 Big is not always best, so in your enthusiasm to get growing, avoid being tempted into creating a large patch that you’ll struggle to maintain – weeding, tending plants, zapping garden pests and general upkeep takes a lot of effort.

9 Avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides,

which can kill beneficial bugs like ladybirds, and end up in your body.

10 Avoid sowing too many seeds at one

time, because you won’t have enough space for all of them when they start growing. You’re not a commercial farmer.

You’re probably going to make some mistakes as you set off on this new green-finger adventure but try to learn from them so that you don’t repeat them.

And remember that it costs nothing to ask for advice from your local nurseryman. Even neighbours and friends with a wealth of first-hand knowledge can give you tips to help you along the way.

The constant gardener

When you cook food and write about it, it makes sense to grow your food. You then know exactly what has gone into it, from the seeds to the compost. Restaurant owner, chef and author Portia Mbau says not only is she food secure, her garden produce tastes better than anything she can buy too

BY VIVIAN WARBY

Portia Mbau in her garden.

PORTIA MBAU owner of The Africa Cafe, chef and author of The Africa Cookbook

LUMAI DE SMIDT visual storyteller, author and graphic designer

This Cape Town motherand-daughter team take us through their grow-toeat journey.

“Being not only a chef, but a health enthusiast, I’ve always been attentive to the quality of my food. Good food starts with quality ingredients and, ultimately, this impacts on the nutritive value of your food, says Portia Mbau, owner of The Africa Cafe, and author and chef of The Africa Cookbook.

“My other love is gardening, so it was a natural intersection for me to start growing my own food. I started quite haphazardly, but over the past eight years, I’ve been learning and improving my kitchen garden.

“I endeavour to eat organic whenever I can and growing my own food gives me that control. I know exactly what’s in the soil and what’s on the leaves. And, believe me, home-grown food tastes different,” she says.

While before the lockdown growing her own food was a benefit, during the lockdown it began to

PORTIA’S DELICIOUS HOME-GROWN RECIPE

Moroccan Herb Salad page 20 THE AFRICA COOKBOOK by PORTIA MBAU

Ingredients:

1 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped 1 cup fresh dhanya (coriander), chopped 1 cup fennel, sliced 1 cup mint, chopped 1 tbsp fresh green chillies, finely diced 1 bunch spring onion, sliced 1 small onion, finely diced 5 ripe, medium-size tomatoes, diced 2 tsp red chilli powder 3 tsp Himalayan pink salt Juice of 3 lemons 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and leave to stand for 15 minutes.

The ingredients for the Moroccan herb salad recipe above.

TOP TIPS

The mother-anddaughter team have five tips for someone starting out on their own kitchen garden

1Start by growing herbs

They are generally forgiving and can be grown in a small pot on your windowsill.

2The garden is a process of constant learning

I’m always researching, googling and talking to friends about how to help my garden grow.

3It starts in the soil

Preparing your soil with compost and fertiliser is essential to the quality of your produce.

4Make your own compost

Compost can be expensive if you have a large garden. Compost your organic kitchen waste.

5Be patient

Things will die but you are not a failure. Only this year did I get an orchid to flower again – my previous plants never bloomed twice.

The Africa Cookbook.

Whether it be red onions, baby tomatoes or lemons, it’s exciting to see your garden flourish

Portia Mbau gathers a feast from her garden.

look like a necessity.

“I heard worrying news about food security, and while I’m not someone who buys into news drama, it made me consider how incredible it would be to grow all my own vegetables and never have to go grocery shopping again.”

Mbau says the pandemic gave her time at home to research things, such as greenhouses and raised vegetable beds, which she is creating right now.

As part of her health regime, Mbau drinks a litre of celery juice every morning and twice a day she drinks lemon water.

“So, I’m really proud of my lemon trees and celery plants. I’m also growing strawberries, which I am very excited about.

“But my favourite part of the garden is my herbs. I pick and dry herbs constantly, making spice mixes and teas. I love herbs.”

Adds her daughter Lumai de Smidt, a graphic designer and visual storyteller who took the photos for the cookbook and who is part of Mbau’s wonderful .instagram live channel @food.of.africa, “Whatever we’ve harvested from our garden is usually my favourite thing. Whether it be red onions, baby tomatoes or lemons, it’s exciting to see your garden flourish.”

Mbau says what she enjoys most about gardening is “getting my hands and feet in the soil”.

“It’s an incredibly grounding process that I consider part of my selfcare. On @food.of.africa I share a lot around self-care and how you connect with the earth, your food and your own inner quiet is essential for mental health.”