Kem Ormond’s vegetable garden: Improve tired soil for bigger summer harvests

The secret to an abundance of tomatoes and basil in Kem Ormond's garden starts with the soil. Photo / Phil Thomsen

Kem Ormond is a features writer for The Country. She’s also a keen gardener. This week, she’s sharing soil advice and an update from her busy vegetable garden.

I have spoken to quite a few friends over the past month, many new to vegetable gardening, who have not had much success growing some of their vegetables.

On visiting their gardens, the most obvious problem for most of them is their soil condition.

It lacks substance, and I can’t emphasise the importance of feeding your soil.

I have previously written about Andrea Coleman from Whanganui, who makes her own compost.

She has a small vegetable garden that produces wonderful vegetables, all because she continually feeds the soil.

If you see a composting class in your area or know someone who is successfully making their own, gather up the info and try making your own.

Also, I know that I continually write this in my articles, but try using the chop and drop method, where you put all your weeds and leftover plants back on top of the soil to rot down.

It really is effective on your soil. (Not nasty weeds like convolvulus or oxalis, though).

Vegetable garden update

Wow, this time of the year is crazy in the vegetable garden.

I am already picking my tomatoes, and I have to say, there is nothing nicer than freshly picked tomatoes.

I am also enjoying freshly dug potatoes, huge cauliflowers, broccoli, and tasty green beans. Oh, what a treat.

If I blink, my courgettes seem to turn to marrows.

Still, I have been making plenty of courgette fritters, my favourite carrot cake, but replacing carrots with courgettes, and mixing up wonderful savoury muffins, with you guessed it, courgettes and whatever is floating in the fridge.

At the end of the month, I will have beetroot and plums to bottle, and I am determined to use my food dryer and dry the abundance of herbs I have in the garden.

Zucchinis produce profusely, and quickly develop into marrows if unpicked. Photo / Phil Thomsen

I also have a mass of basil, so I will be making jars of pesto for friends using gorgeous macadamia nuts that I am lucky enough to be given, instead of walnuts, of which I have none!

Over the summer, there has been some construction around my vegetable plots, with edging added to increase the height of several beds that were previously quite low to the ground.

This simple improvement has made a noticeable difference, not only in the appearance of the garden but also in how well the vegetables are growing.

I always grow sunflowers to attract the birds, and I have to say, I have had a good strike rate from self-seeding sunflowers this season, which have given my corn a run for its money.

I can’t bear to pull the excess out, so maybe fewer cobs this year than I had hoped.

Sweet corn and sunflowers in Kem Ormond's garden. Photo / Phil Thomsen

I have just planted a few more brassicas, and I am impressed this year so far…no green caterpillars or white butterflies, although still plenty of time for them to show

A friend made me a mobile out of shells from the beach, painted and made to look like white butterflies.

It is supposed to scare them away as they are territorial, so if any appear, I will be setting it up on a rod to fly around in the wind!

Kem Ormond’s spring onions are thriving. Photo / Phil Thomsen

Sadly, I lost one of my mature orange trees the other day.

Something to remember, citrus don’t like competition around the base, so keep it weed and plant-free.

My tamarillo tree is loaded with fruit, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will ripen and I will be able to stew and freeze them.

With all the wind happening at present, make sure you have your tree well tied and staked.

Surplus vegetables are being blanched and put into the freezer, and I am finding I have so much produce in the garden, visiting a supermarket is a rarity, which is just bliss!