Even when its cold and frosty there’s plenty of food to be had from the garden. Here’s a quick round up of what we’re harvesting to inspire you to a four seasons vegie patch.
Even when its cold and frosty there’s plenty of food to be had from the garden. Here’s a quick round up of what we’re harvesting to inspire you to a four seasons vegie patch.
- Leafy greens abound – chard, spinach, parsley, kale, chickweed, cress, miners lettuce, endive, chicory and rocket.
- Bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage ripen at steady intervals and we pick away at the stash of leeks, carrots, parsnips and yams that store so well in cold winter soils.
- Celery, beetroot, coriander, bok choy, gai lan and a variety of saladings grow in the protection of the greenhouse.
Yip, I’d say July’s pretty bountiful. Worth a bit of late summer/ autumn legwork don’t you think!
Sow
Direct Sow
- Greencrops in any gaps made by harvest
- Mizuna. Such a brilliant winter green.
Tray Sow
Direct or Tray Sow
- Broadbeans – tray sow on heavy, clay soils
- Spinach, coriander, bok choy and beetroot in the greenhouse
Plant
Mix it up! Plant a variety of varieties in mixed plantings to avoid big blocks of one. Diversity is the name of the game – for best, easiest soil health, for a good variety of best food to our table and because diversity is the cornerstone of our gardens resilience.
- Broadbeans, peas and brassicas
- Garlic, spring onions, shallots, potato onions, red or brown onions
- Asparagus
- Horseradish – under fruit trees is a great place for this keen grower
- Salads, bok choy or beetroot in the greenhouse
Regular + odd jobs
Plant support plants. This month, wander your land and notice all the spaces that could be planted up with more amazing perennials. Improved soil health, better pollination, less pests – so many advantages to having a diversity of support plants around your veggie patch or in your greenhouse.
Divide existing herbs and perennials, go to plant swaps, or, go shopping! Plant your heart out while winter is here.
Gather OM (organic matter). Your monthly forage for a sack of seaweed, manure, leaves, pond weed, old hay – what ever your neighbourhood can spare. Taking care to only grab the excess, leaving plenty for nature to fulfill her needs.
Create new gardens. A compost pile is the strongest start for a new vegie garden.
Let all your favourite leafys and flowers go to seed. Year on year the seed adapts and grows in strength. And strong is what we seek in this wild climate we find ourselves in.
Sort your seed stocks and make sure you have plenty of greencrops, flowers, greenhouse crops, spring crops and all your favourites – because next month we get back into seed sowing.
July in the Greenhouse
How is the soil in your greenhouse? Is it up to the job of another season of cropping? My recipe for best soil health is living mulch + chooks + a smear of homemade compost + vermicast. Read through June’s greenhouse news for a refresher.
How will you do it?