Time to prepare your winter veggie garden
THIS weekend is the time to prepare for the hunger gap in July when winter vegetables from gardens in Durban are not as bountiful.
Vanessa Meintjes, who practises permaculture with Berea guerrilla garden legend Frank Edwards, said permaculture gardens prepared this weekend would give the beds a week to settle before planting over the Easter weekend.
This would allow a mid-winter harvest of veggies that take three months to grow, such as tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beetroot, cauliflower and cabbage.
One- and two-month plants can also be readied.
One-month plants include radish, mustard, lettuce, herbs, bok choi and spring onions, and in the two-month category are swiss chard, baby carrot, kale, peas and cherry tomatoes.
First select a patch of lawn and water it. Lay down a sheet of cardboard with holes punched in places where the roots of plants will eventually reach, said Meintjes.
“Place manure or very rich compost on the cardboard, then a layer of dry leaves and grass on top of that, green grass on the next layer and mulch on top, watering each layer as it is placed.”
Seeds and seedlings should be planted on the bed directly above the cardboard holes.
Rather than watering the bed with a spray hose, it is best to let water flow more heavily into the soil, said Meintjes.
“Permaculture helps you use less water because of the mulch and the deep watering.”
Meintjes is also a fan of weeds, not only because they can add to compost, but they can also be food.
Amaranth, better known as morogo or pigweed, is already a traditional South African dish.
“It’s high in Omega 3,” said Meintjes.
“You can eat young blackjack leaves. They also work well as a pot herb in curries.”
And she says lamb’s quarters – Chenopodium – is very nutritious, cooked or raw.