The cooler months of winter are a good time to build on your previous work in the vegetable garden & start growing.  If you have planted out broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, sugar loaf along with brussel sprouts then netting will be your key to success in the warmer regions. This will stop the cabbage moth from laying her eggs on the leaves of these plants thus seeing the fast annihilation of the plant once the grubs hatch.  If the weather is cool enough then the cabbage moth won’t be much of an issue but safeguarding against this little pest is best taken.  Take a look at our handy garden frame utilizing cut bamboo & bird netting which is great for winter growing. It also comes in very handy for providing some shade through summer by installing shade cloth to the top or wrap with clear plastic if your garden suffers from frosts.  Regardless it’s a handy frame to have.

Picking Pleasure.

If Ginger and Turmeric are inclusion in your productive garden then now is the time to consider harvesting them.  Not all of the plant needs to be lifted, leaving some to reshoot in Spring to continue to grow.  If you prefer the milder flavours then you can just leave the rhizomes in the ground and harvest when you need it.  Mild flavours will be experienced in harvested rhizomes now but if left longer until the plant has fully died back, the heat and flavour will intensify.  If you are wanting to grow some then well drained, open soil is required full with nutrients.  Existing plants should be fertilized with a soluble plant food through spring and you will have an abundance of these two nutrient packed super foods always available in the garden. It’s important to know that the flower of the Turmeric is quite pretty, so if your gardens are built on sandy soil, don’t hesitate to include it with your ornamentals in a sunny position.

Let’s do some recycling.

This old umbrella frame has been upcycled to create a trellis for climbing beans. With a little time, you can repurpose items to allow your productive garden to be low cost. This project took no time at all and by utilizing the pool umbrella (that died over summer) & some wire, the beans now have good support for their growth.

 

Make the most of the cooler weather.

Setup irrigation, saving you time and better directing water to plant roots in preparation for our usually drier Spring and hot Summer.  D.I.Y. kits are available at hardware stores and are easy to install. Choosing the right sprinkler heads that don’t become easily blocked is the hardest part so do a little research before purchasing.

Install a worm farm, feed them your kitchen scraps and be rewarded with nutrient rich worm juice (wee) and castings (poo). A cost-effective solution to feed the soil within your growing veggie patch. 

Feed your soil by adding nutrients, worm juice, blood and bone and compost before planting, then mulch with an organic sugarcane mulch after planting seasonal crops. Remember that if you want to extend your productivity, your plants are going to need feeding, so schedule some time during mid to late July to add an extra boost to your productive garden.

Extend your composting station, allowing space for a working compost area and another space for the gradual addition of garden waste. There are many units available for composting or you can make your own using timber pallets which can be sources from landscape yards.

Extend on veggie beds to ensure you have enough space for future growing. Once you get the growing bug you will be looking for every extra little bit of space you can possibly find. Don’t shy away from incorporating productive plants within ornamental gardens. We have been known to run a pumpkin vine or two in open garden areas here at Ezyplant H.Q..

Time for citrus.

Maintain fruit trees by pruning and binning branches infected with pests and diseases such as gall wasps. Feed iron deficient citrus with iron chelates.  This deficiency is indicated by yellowing of leaves with green veins still present. The best approach is to feed citrus with a specific fertilizer each winter and mulch well with organic sugarcane mulch.

Winter growing can be fun and rewarding.  Where temperatures are milder it can be the most productive season of the year.  With good planning & time well spent, you & your family will reap the health benefits growing your own food provides.

 

 

Want to learn how to start your own

Productive Garden?  Let us show you how.