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The soil must be dug well and must be rich in manure and well-rotted compost. Dig to a depth of about half a metre and then fill with water. If it drains away very slowly, you`ll have to break up the hard layer or raise your beds, because that solid layer will impede growth.

Dig the whole area to at least a spade`s depth. If the soil is heavy, sprinkle mix coarse sand into it. If the soil is light and sandy, dig in all the organic material you can find.

Your beds should be one to one and a half metres wide so that you can reach into them easily and absolutely level so the plants can be watered evenly.

You can now choose your plants. On a small plot, avoid plants that take up a lot of space like pumpkin, melons and ground creepers. Don`t expect all seeds to bear at the same time - some take longer than others to mature - and take care to plant the taller ones so as not to rob the smaller ones of shade.

Seeds, such as, brinjals, beans, lady`s finger, spinach must be placed directly into the ground while others can be grown in trays. To keep up the production line you can buy six of whatever is in season on a weekly basis.

Spray with water frequently until the seedlings are healthy and then water more heavily.

Wait patiently for your first crop. The thrill is worth the wait.