SOW, PRAY, REAP, EAT

With spring approaching, it’s time to get your seed trays going. I always have too many tomato seedlings at the beginning of spring because the promise of the summer harvest gets me so fired up. Try succession sowing: two trays now and another two in two to three weeks’ time.

Cucumbers, marrows and squashes can be sown in protected seed trays. If sowing outside, make sure you sow in shallow drills as the ground is still cold. Be careful with watering. If the seeds lie in wet beds they can rot and die, and it is equally devastating to allow them to dry out.

Plant brinjals now, in protected trays or directly in the ground. I do both in case there is a late cold snap. Use fresh seeds from a good source when starting a vegetable garden. It’s frustrating to do all the work and then nothing happens because the seeds were old.

Winter beds must be sorted out with the removal of any stalks from harvested crops like cabbages or cauliflowers. Beds must be dug over and fed with compost. If your peas have finished, chop them up roughly and feed them back into the bed — this helps boost the nitrates in the soil. Bury them just under the surface so the elements can help break them down quickly. If they are too deep, they will take longer to decompose.

Germination is the most crucial time for watering. Keep the soil damp in the trays and only water when necessary. I use a spray bottle, it’s gentler and doesn’t move the seeds around. Happy sowing! Alison’s on the Green, 33 Troupant Ave, Magaliessig, Joburg, 011 467 0561, alisonsorganicdeli.com. E-mail queries to food@sundaytimes.co.za with ALISON as the subject.