Helpful tips for growing 'C' vegetables

You don't need to grow everything under the sun for a garden filled with hearty, healthy and delicious vegetables. In fact, there's enough under the letter "C." Here are some handy hints that should help you grow a delicious crop.

Cabbages are an ideal crop for succession planting.

• Like most brassicas, they prefer soil that has been enriched for a previous crop, such as peas or beans.
• Lime is also important, and if none has been added the previous season it should be lightly incorporated at planting time.
• Avoid planting crops to mature in midsummer as they will bolt to seed.

• Carrots need a light, well-drained soil, and preferably one that has been enriched for a previous crop.
• Too much manure will produce top growth at the expense of the roots.
• Sow the tiny seeds shallowly and cover with light soil in spring. Thin them out when they are about two centimetres (one inch) tall, leaving the seedlings five centimetres (two inches) apart.
• Make successive plantings throughout the growing season, as long as they have time to mature.

Cauliflower prefers a cool to cold climate, although they can be grown successfully in temperate regions if the right variety is selected.

• The soil must be rich and well-drained, with an all-purpose fertilizer added prior to planting.
• When they are established, mulch them well but not too close to the stems, and feed every three weeks with a liquid fertilizer or side-dressing of all-purpose fertilizer.
• As the creamy hearts develop, tie the leaves together at the top to protect them from the sun, otherwise they may turn yellow.

Celery is a heavy feeder and demands rich, fertile and well-drained soil, therefore it is necessary to add plenty of organic matter before planting.

• Celery can be grown from seed planted directly in the ground, although better results are achieved by raising them to seedling stage then transplanting them into the garden.
• Seedlings should be transplanted in spring when danger of frost has passed, then continue with succession planting. Allow a distance of 20 centimetres (eight inches) between each plant.
• To grow rapidly, celery needs regular feeding. As the stalks grow they should be protected from sunlight; this is called blanching. They can be wrapped in newspaper or cardboard, and the soil on the sides of the trench can then be mounded up around them.

To grow cucumbers successfully a rich, moist and well-drained soil is essential.

• They are generally planted as a summer salad crop, with sowings beginning in spring and continuing until midsummer.
• In small gardens it is possible to save ground space by erecting a small trellis to support the climbing vine.
• Reduce weed growth by mulching, and water plants well during hot weather.
• Fertilize routinely every two weeks in order to maintain growth rapid.

Creating a delicious garden may be easier than you think — get planting with these helpful tips!