How to grow winter veggies

SIX HOURS OF SUN A DAY IS KEY

here’s no denying that autumn has arrived, and although gardening slows down over the next three months, there are still ways to ensure a constant supply of home-grown greens.

It is still possible to sow cool season vegetables such as beetroot, kale, lettuce, broad beans and radishes, as well as garden peas (in less frosty areas around Pretoria), says Kirchhoffs Seeds’ Marlaen Straathof.

“Although the nights are getting colder, the days are still long enough and warm enough for such cool season vegetables to germinate,” says Marlaen. A winter vegetable garden needs at least six hours of full sun a day. Anything less than that will result in lanky vegetables, disease and poor yields. Sow or plant from north to south for the most exposure to sun. Soil should be well composted so that it drains well; cold, wet soil is not what vegetables want. Water as early as possible so the plants are dry by nightfall; this prevents fungal disease.

Protect tender veggies such as lettuce by making small plastic tunnels. Use wire to make hoops that are pushed into the ground, lay the plastic over them and secure the plastic with bricks. During the day, you can take off the plastic or, as winter progress- es leave it on to maximise the warmth. Our sunniest spaces are often around the house and are usually paved. Consider using that space for growing winter veggies in containers.

Any winter veg can be grown in containers, says Marlaen. “If growing cabbage, make sure the container is wide enough, and for root vegetables make sure the container is deep enough for root development. A size 30cm or 35cm pot is fine.”

Leafy vegetables that do not have deep roots are particularly suitable and the Simply Salad range of ready-to-eat veggies in pots offers a great variety. Most are cut and grow again veggies or the individual leaves can be harvested, giving them a long life.

Alfresco mix consists of red and green leaf lettuce with rocket, endive and radicchio.

City Garden mix is a combination of red and green lettuce. Global gourmet mix features red and green lettuce with mustardy Asian greens for salads and stir fries. Kale storm is a mix of purple, blue and green kale. Wonder wok is a mix of Asian greens, mustards, kale and Pak choi.