Spring is hitting its strides this month and is the best time of the year to get into the garden. Don’t know where to start? We spoke with Darcy Pritchard from Horticultural and Landscape Supplies.

What tips do you have for growing veggies in a garden bed in spring?

It’s the best time in the garden! It is really fun planning out your spring and summer crops. I do get asked a fair bit how to start a garden bed for the first time. If we’re talking about a raised gar­den bed rather than in ground, then you want a bed with a minimum soil depth of 300mm. That will allow the majority of crops enough depth, although just double check what you want to grow first.

Is deciding on the type of soil to use the next big choice?

Yes, deciding on which growing medium to use is a key decision. This is based on what you are growing, the size of the bed, how much rain or the frequency you can water the bed. Soil is generally what I would recommend for a raised bed or in ground growing. A good veggie garden soil will be typically a sandy loam with quality organic matter such as manure and compost. Sand, composted bark or maybe even aggregates can be used to change the structure to increase drainage and reduce compaction. Potting Mix is good for small garden beds and as the name suggests is designed for pots.

What is the biggest mistake you see with veggie gardens?

Well, gardening is all about having fun, and trial and error. It is not an exact sci­ence for home gardeners as it may be for commercial growers – you can achieve the same outcomes from many different approaches. That being said I encourage people to use the right growing media. That means don’t plant directly into compost, be careful how much manure or fertilisers you add. You can easily kill plants with kindness (i.e. too much fertiliser).

Tomatoes are a huge thing in Tassie, with people often trying to outgrow family, friends and neighbours. Any tips to getting a good crop this year?

Yes, tomatoes are a big deal across the state! Start off well with the right potting mix if you are growing in pots. Choose a potting mix that has the red tick Austra­lian Standard, a logo that all gardeners should look for on their potting mix bags. It will have decent drainage and fertiliser. For organic or eco conscious growers there are organically certified potting mixes available too. Apply potash when you see flowers starting to form and apply as instructed on the label through the growing cycle. Typically, we will see tomatoes going through to around April but it really depends on your local micro climate and tomato type. Make sure they get enough water particularly when we enter summer.

Is mulching the garden important in spring or is that more of a benefit in winter and summer?

Mulch is always important. Use suitable mulch in your garden, garden beds and even on pots to protect the soil, suppress weeds and regulate soil temperature and moisture. ‘Suitable’ means a mulch that works for your conditions and plant types. In a windy area you need mulch that isn’t going to blow away, and around young plants you don’t want a mulch that is too coarse or too thick because it could impact their development.

Darcy Pritchard has a customer ser­vice and marketing role with Hor­ticultural and Landscape Supplies (HALS) with 10+ years experience in the horticultural industry.