An initiative by the United Nations, 29 September is celebrated every year globally to remind ourselves about the impacts of food loss and waste on people and the planet. Did you know that around 11 percent of food production is wasted globally through households?
Growing your own food is a great way to reduce waste and food loss while also reducing your living costs and now is the perfect time to get prepared for the Spring growing season now with these tips for a successful food crop.
The groundwork you lay now will make all the difference to the health, resilience and abundance of your food crop.
- Prepare your garden bed - for ease use a raised garden bed and layer it with rich compost and organic mulch
- Only plant like crops together and fertilise for your type of crop for maximum yield:
- Fruiting crops – use Potassium based fertiliser
- Green leafy crops - use Nitrogen based fertiliser
- Root vegetables - use Phosphorus base fertiliser
- Avoid using harmful chemicals and consider the following alternatives:
- Exclusion netting- use this fine netting over fruit trees and secured around the trunk at first sign of flowers to protect emerging fruit from fruit fly and avoid pesticide use
- Use crushed eggshells or seaweed around vegetable plants to prevent attack from snails and slugs
- Alternatively use a dish of diluted yeast or beer. Slugs will feast on it and either bloat up and die or fall into the dish and drown
- Apple cider vinegar in a bowl with a little soap will attract and trap fruit flies
- Scatter crushed garlic or garlic powder around the garden to ward off aphids, cabbage worms and other pests
- Plant strong smelling herbs to deter bugs and pests:
- Mint - menthol in mint repels spiders and ants
- Basil - oils in basil repel flies and mosquitoes
- Lavender - its fragrance deters moths and mosquitoes
- Install a compost bin or worm farm in your garden and recycle your organic waste into rich fertiliser for your food garden – City of Ryde provides free tutorials and subsidised composts and worm farms
- Consider a native beehive for your garden to encourage pollinators to your garden and increase your crop yield.
Now is the perfect time to plant the following:
- Herbs - basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, thyme.
- Fruits and vegetables – strawberries, leeks, onions, parsnip, radishes, spinach, sweet corn, beetroot, tomatoes, peas, silver beet, lettuce, swedes, turnips, cucumber
Don't forget to harvest your fruit and vegetables to share and enjoy!
Use our Waste Wise Ryde to find creative ways to better plan your meals and to store leftover food to save your money and your food.
Any food waste that no longer can be on your table does not have to end up in your bin. Putting your food into a compost bin or worm farm can help reduce up to 40% of your household waste. Check our Compost Connection page to learn how to set up your own compost or worm farm system.
