- What is a Makkelijke Moestuin?
- Hi, I'm Jelle
- Sowing in your Makkelijke Moestuin
- FAQs for first time gardeners
- What can the Makkelijke Moestuin do for you?
- Growing vegetables in your Makkelijke Moestuin
- Plant, sow, or pre-sow?
- Harvesting as long and efficiently as possible
- Mistakes beginners make in the vegetable garden
- What isn't a Makkelijke Moestuin?
- Square Foot Gardening and the Makkelijke Moestuin
- What is a Makkelijke Moestuin?
- Hi, I'm Jelle
- Sowing in your Makkelijke Moestuin
- FAQs for first time gardeners
- What can the Makkelijke Moestuin do for you?
- Growing vegetables in your Makkelijke Moestuin
- Plant, sow, or pre-sow?
- Harvesting as long and efficiently as possible
- Mistakes beginners make in the vegetable garden
- What isn't a Makkelijke Moestuin?
- Square Foot Gardening and the Makkelijke Moestuin
Plant, sow, or pre-sow?
When you're ready to get gardening, take a moment to think about what you want to sow outside, pre-sow inside, or buy a plant from the garden center.
Some questions should help:
Some questions should help:
- How tall will the plants grow?
- Is it the right time of year?
- What plant family do they belong to?
- How many plants will fit in one square patch?
Then you're ready for the next question:
Are you going to plant, sow, or pre-sow?
You can sow most vegetables straight into your square patch:
Pre-sowing
Summer vegetables that can't handle the cold (like tomatoes or cucumbers) need some extra care indoors first.
Because by the time it's warm enough outside, it'll be too late to sow them then. The plants won't get big enough for a harvest.
So, you sow and grow those plants inside. By the time the weather is warm enough, they're ready to be moved out to your vegetable garden box.
Most people pre-sow in potting soil. That doesn't always work. So I use a mixture of equal parts vermiculite and MM-Mix.
Because by the time it's warm enough outside, it'll be too late to sow them then. The plants won't get big enough for a harvest.
So, you sow and grow those plants inside. By the time the weather is warm enough, they're ready to be moved out to your vegetable garden box.
Most people pre-sow in potting soil. That doesn't always work. So I use a mixture of equal parts vermiculite and MM-Mix.
I use the MM-Airpots for that because the plants develop an extra healthy root system in it.
All this together works super well.
Read more about my pre-sowing method here.
All this together works super well.
Read more about my pre-sowing method here.
Plants
Other plants - like parsley and other herbs - take a ridiculously long time to grow from seed to plant.
Since you only need a few, it's better to plant them directly when they're small. You can buy them for next to nothing at the garden center.
Since you only need a few, it's better to plant them directly when they're small. You can buy them for next to nothing at the garden center.
Transplanting pre-sown or garden center plants into your garden box is easy.
Pick your patch. Make wide holes in the soil mix by pushing it aside with a trowel. Put the plant in the hole, root ball and all.
Then press the soil mix in around the base of the plant. Gently, because the soil mix needs to stay airy.
Pick your patch. Make wide holes in the soil mix by pushing it aside with a trowel. Put the plant in the hole, root ball and all.
Then press the soil mix in around the base of the plant. Gently, because the soil mix needs to stay airy.
Taking care of your plants
Now you know how to fill your square patch with vegetables. If you work with my seeds or free app, the next steps are simple.
Because with a garden box and soil mix you've already prepared everything else. You hardly need to do anything after sowing or planting.
You just add some water, remove any weeds that have blown in on the wind, and check every now and then to see if how it's going. Things like checking for pests or helping a zucchini climb up the trellis.
Not all plants are the same, so some do need a little extra attention.
For example, tomatoes need their side shoots removed. The summer vegetables need a few extra scoops of nutrients too. You can find those details in the seed descriptions.
And of course the app is there to help you.
Because with a garden box and soil mix you've already prepared everything else. You hardly need to do anything after sowing or planting.
You just add some water, remove any weeds that have blown in on the wind, and check every now and then to see if how it's going. Things like checking for pests or helping a zucchini climb up the trellis.
Not all plants are the same, so some do need a little extra attention.
For example, tomatoes need their side shoots removed. The summer vegetables need a few extra scoops of nutrients too. You can find those details in the seed descriptions.
And of course the app is there to help you.
Sometimes things don't go as planned
Of course, it's still nature we're talking about. and Things are bound to go wrong now and then. It will be too cold, too wet, too dry, too hot, or a hungry family of snails shows up and you didn't notice in time.
And sometimes there's no clear reason. You do everything by the book, the weather is perfect, but seeds just don't sprout or a plant won't grow. Grrr.
But believe me: after the first times, you'll take it in stride. Because these little disappointments will be exceptions to the rule.
Really: the vast majority of your plants will do just fine.
And sometimes there's no clear reason. You do everything by the book, the weather is perfect, but seeds just don't sprout or a plant won't grow. Grrr.
But believe me: after the first times, you'll take it in stride. Because these little disappointments will be exceptions to the rule.
Really: the vast majority of your plants will do just fine.
Makkelijke Moestuin system
- What is a Makkelijke Moestuin?
- Hi, I'm Jelle
- Sowing in your Makkelijke Moestuin
- FAQs for first time gardeners
- What can the Makkelijke Moestuin do for you?
- Growing vegetables in your Makkelijke Moestuin
- Plant, sow, or pre-sow?
- Harvesting as long and efficiently as possible
- Mistakes beginners make in the vegetable garden
- What isn't a Makkelijke Moestuin?
- Square Foot Gardening and the Makkelijke Moestuin