Incredible EDIBLES
Plant your winter garden now before the rain comes says
THIS WEEK WE have been enjoying what has become a regular occurrence — a long lingering autumn with calm settled weather.
Moisture and warm temperatures are the key to good growth in the gardens for most plants. We are still enjoying numerous warm days and, as I write this, it is around 20C. These temperatures are good for keeping growth going which is important for getting good size on the brassicas in the vegetable garden before winter arrives and it pretty much grinds to a halt. The unfortunate downside of the continuing warm weather is the proliferation of insect pests. A spray with Yates Success or Mavrik will keep these in check.
If you haven’t made plantings of winter vegetables then do it now, for as winter draws closer rain becomes more frequent and frost more likely so the garden becomes a much less inviting place.
It is time for vacant ground to be dug over and fertiliser and/or compost added to it. This is the best time to add lime to the soil. If your garden is on heavy clay soil, the lime helps to combine with the very fine particles to form into larger particles that are more easily cultivated.
Rake up leaves as they fall from trees and add them to your compost heap or make a specific pile of leaf mould. When composted this is excellent for use in planting and also helps the condition of the soil. Leaves do generally take longer to break down than other garden compost but a compost activator (Tui Worm Farm & Compost Conditioner) is available to speed this process.
Broad beans are a cool season crop and it is time to start sowings of them now, with a second sowing in June or July as a successive crop. They are normally ready for eating in 16 weeks. They are best grown in full sun in well-dug soil and sheltered from the wind. Protect them with bird netting.
Place seeds in double rows 10-25cm apart and set the double rows about 90cm apart. This will help ensure that there is good pollination. Sow 5cm deep, cover with fine soil and keep moist. Water regularly as this is important during pod setting. Pods picked at a young stage can be eaten whole, although normally they are left to mature and only the beans are eaten. Broad beans like lime and sulphate of potash — apply to the ground before sowing.
You can sow a row or two of peas if you wish to grow your own. Peas like lime added to the soil. Soak the seeds for 4-6 hours to hasten germination. If sown now you should be picking them by October.
If you are keen to grow your own onions from seed now is the time to be sowing the Sweet Red, Odourless and of course Pukekohe Long Keeper varieties. The soil for all onions, shallots and garlic should be fertilised with potato food. When planting onions make sure the ground is firmed.
If you do not intend to plant a winter vegetable garden, rather than letting the area become invaded with weeds sow a green crop. Growing a green crop is also good for flower beds and new garden sections. The two most popular are blue lupin and mustard.
Blue lupin is useful for the maintenance of soil fertility. It assists in recycling lost nutrients from your subsoil and adds a good level of nitrogen which is available to your next crops.
Mustard aids in the control of wire worm nematodes and other pests, which are problems often associated with root crops such as carrots and parsnips. Mustard also reduces the chances of any soil borne diseases within about 40 days of digging in (if clubroot is a problem don’t plant brassica crops after mustard).
Brassica may need another treatment for the control of white butterfly caterpillar, whitefly and aphids which are common on brussels sprouts. Plantings of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli can still be made. Check brussels sprouts in your garden, particularly after strong wind, to make sure they are firmly in
the ground and remove any yellow leaves.
This month is a good time to bring out any cloches you have. They are useful in the vegetable garden for warming the soil before sowing peas, onions, etc. The warmer the soil, the better the seed germination. They are useful for covering lettuces and keeping off birds, and later on for warming up the soil for early tomatoes.
Strawberries would have to be the most popular berry fruit and a small patch in the home garden can provide a good supply over a long season. They tolerate a little shade but crop better and earlier in a sunny situation. A practical idea is to plant strawberry plants under the clothesline where the flapping clothes will act to scare away birds. Avoid planting in areas which have been growing potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines or raspberries within the past three years, because strawberries can contract verticillium wilt and other root diseases from these crops.
Strawberry plants can be grown in a wide range of soils although medium to fairly heavy acid soils are best within a pH range of 5.8 to 6.2. Soils can be improved with the addition of compost or other organic material. Good drainage is essential. Prepare the strawberry bed by digging in compost or manure several weeks before planting. Polythene or weed mat can be set down to suppress weeds. Apply a good coating of copper spray onto any citrus trees you have to prevent brown rot on the fruit through the winter. I recommend Grosafe Freeflo Copper. It controls a range of fungal and bacterial diseases and is in the form of a highly dispersible granule which mixes well when dissolved in water. It can also be mixed with Grosafe Enspray 99 which will control scale, thrips, mites and aphids which seem to be quite prevalent on citrus at the moment. The presence of these bugs is often indicated by spreading black sooty mould which grows on the sugary excretion from these insects.
Broad beans are a cool season crop and it is time to start sowings of them now