Planning

• 1). Consider your region's climate. South Africa's Highveld region, where the city of Johannesburg is located, has dry winters and wet summers. Temperatures usually hover around the mid-70s in the summer, and can reach freezing in the winter. The country's eastern coast is humid and tropical, with summer temperatures in the 80s and winter temperatures rarely going below 50. South Africa's western coast, where the city of Cape Town is located, has cool, wet winters and mild, warm summers. Average summer temperatures peak in the low 80s and winter lows hover in the 40s.
  
  
• 2). Pick your vegetables. Most vegetables that grow in Europe and North America grow well in South Africa's temperate climate. Other than protecting your vegetables from overnight frost in the Highveld's winters and making sure they receive enough water during the occasional dry spell in the Cape's summer, you can rest easy knowing South Africa's weather won't interfere much with your veggies' growth. A few commonly grown vegetables in South Africa are corn (known there as "mealies"), squash (several varieties including the indigenous gem squash), plus the typical carrots, tomatoes, peppers, cabbages, beans and peas.
  
  
• 3). Plan your space. Most vegetables require lots of sunshine, so find a portion of your garden that is not shaded by trees or buildings. South Africa has a very sunny climate, so finding a sunny spot shouldn't be a problem. Vegetables also need room to root and grow, generally between 18 and 24 inches per plant, so make sure your vegetable garden has plenty of room for your plants to firmly root. Consider companion plants that will grow well together, for example, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers are good companions that help ward off pests which might attack one species alone.
  
  
• 4). Prepare the soil. Remove any weeds from the vegetable patch and churn the soil with a roto tiller. Add several inches of enriched garden soil or compost.
  
  
• 5). Sow the vegetable seeds, or transport the seedlings, into the freshly mixed soil.
  
  
• 6). Cover the seeds, and pack the seedlings, with a layer of topsoil, and water thoroughly.
  
  
• 7). Water daily until the vegetables begin to sprout, then water weekly.