As Autumn arrives, bringing with it cozy attire and shorter days, a ‘Do-It-Yourself’ (DIY) veggie patch is the perfect activity to enjoy as a family during the school holiday. It can help keep the kids engaged, active, and off technology which is essential for their physical and mental health, all while providing fresh produce for delicious meals.
Don’t worry if you’re unsure where to start or don’t have all the tools, because Kennards Hire has you covered.
Safety is paramount, so before diving into the project, take a moment to discuss tool safety with the kids. While they can assist with marking and measuring, leave the cutting and drilling to the adults to prevent accidents.
Start your new veggie garden by marking out a patch of level ground 1.4 metres by 1 metre, then cut six 2400mm sleepers into two lengths: 1400mm and 1000mm using either a circular saw or a hand saw.
With a cordless drill, assemble the rectangular container by screwing two long lengths to the ends of two short ones. Repeat this process for the second and third layers, then nail on timber strips for stabilisation.
Line the box with heavy-duty builder’s plastic, overlapping all four sides. Fill your planter box with just over half a cubic metre of a garden soil and mushroom compost mix (parents should open the bag to prevent kids from potentially inhaling spores!). You can make your job easy by hiring a trailer to visit your local garden centre.
When selecting seeds, opt for vegetable varieties with high success rates to maintain your kids’ enthusiasm. Radishes, for example, are an easy win as they almost always come up, ready to eat in around 20 days – just the thing for a fresh touch to your hearty stews as winter approaches!
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