planting season.

If planting a vegetable garden for the first time, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before you start planting, like the size of your new garden and how much time you will be able to devote to it.

Local soil tends to be very alkaline, since the soil is limestone in origin, and extremely shallow. The soil depths can vary anywhere from a few feet to an inch or less. If you are creating a new garden, you will need to rid the designated area of any grass and weeds and turn the soil over as deep as you can -- at least one foot.

Rocks will need to be removed and plenty of organic material will need to be added to compensate for soil that is less than ideal for gardening.

Experts also recommend incorporating some fertiliser into the soil while you are turning it over.

Before starting work on your garden, be sure to do a few stretches to warm-up the body as gardening can be as strenuous as exercising. There is lots of bending and kneeling involved with gardening and those large bags of mulch can be quite heavy.

When gardening, always wear supportive shoes, comfortable clothing, a hat and sunscreen. And should it be a warm day, be sure keep a bottle of water close by so you do not become dehydrated.

If you weren't born with a `green thumb' and are embarking on uncharted terrain, don't be afraid to seek advice from the experts at one of the Island's nurseries. They will gladly advise you on which plants will flourish in your care.

According to the Department of Agriculture a wide variety of plants, ranging from greens to herbs, can be planted in the month of September.

Here are a list of vegetables and flowers that can be cultivated this month: Vegetables: Beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, cucumber, celery, eggplant, endive, garlic, herbs, kohlrabi, kale, leeks, mustard greens, parsley, peppers, parsnip, potatoes, radish, rutabaga, spinach, tomatoes, thyme and turnip.

Flowers: Celosia, cosmos, gazania, amaranth, impatiens, marigold, salvia, snow-on-the-mountain, vinca and zinnia.

Planting season: September is traditionally the month local gardeners and farmers prepare their soil for planting vegetables. Joey Pacheco recently set out on a tractor to prepare some farm land on Locust Hill in Devonshire.