5 tips to get your garden and veggie crops winter ready
1. Plan what you want to grow (and then eat!)
This is a really important part of getting your winter garden ready, particularly if you have limited space. Basically, plant the veggies you eat a lot of and think about what meals you cook during the colder months – soups, pasta sauces and slow cooked casseroles.
Winter is an ideal season to grow dozens of veggies, including broccoli, cauliflower and snow peas - all of which are simple to grow from seed.
Prioritising what you sow in the garden based on what you like not only means you’ll have a good supply of some of your favourite veggies in a few months’ time, it’s also the best way to make the most of your growing space.
2. Start growing from seed
Now is the time to start growing your plants from seed — either in a warm spot indoors or in some kind of hothouse. Pea varieties can be sprouted in a shallow dish or tray on some paper towel, but make sure they’re kept moist at all times. This radically speeds up the sprouting process so that once you stick them in the soil, you’ll have shoots in no time.
Other vegies, such as broccoli, should be sprouted in seedling trays in a good seed raising mix and kept fairly moist, but don’t over water. Starting these now will mean they’ll be ready to plant out in a few weeks, by which time you’ll have prepared your pots & planters or your garden beds.
3. Prepare your soil
Once you’ve cleared out the remains of your summer crops, it’s time to prepare your soil for the next round. Think about what you want to grow and do a little research on what kind of soil gets the best results. Brassicas, for example, which include broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, are heavy feeders, so you’ll need to add lots of nutrients to the soil. Add some nitrogen-rich manure and some garden lime as well, to assist with the breakdown of nutrients. When you plant out your seedlings, add some blood and bone for an extra boost.
If you’re growing your vegetables in pots or containers, give the soil a thorough refresh using good quality potting mix and organic compost. Add a small amount of slow release fertiliser at this stage and a bit more when you plant your seedlings
4. Mulch, mulch & more mulch
Many of us associate mulching only with the hotter months, as an aid in water retention. But mulching your veggies is pretty important all year ‘round, and should be utilised in winter to keep the soil warm, which in turn increases the size and yield of your plants. Mulch also improves the soil as it breaks down, adding nutrients and pliability.Even veggies in pots or containers benefit from mulch, particularly in light of water retention, as pots drain and dry out much faster than garden beds.
5. Don’t forget to feed your veggies!
Once you’ve prepared your soil and planted your seedlings, don’t forget that winter crops need regular feeding. This is because it’s usually raining more often through the cold months, which contributes to stripping your soil of vital nutrients. And, as mentioned above, a lot of winter veggies are heavy feeders, but don’t overdo the nitrogen once your seedlings are established, as this promotes leaf growth and can lead to poor yields.For both garden beds and containers, use a liquid fertiliser once a week or so, particularly when the plants are young. Fish or seaweed-based liquid fertilisers are ideal, particularly if you supplement them with a slow release or blood and bone fertiliser once a month.
Most of all, enjoy yourself – gardening is good for you mentally and physically, not least because you’ll be eating the food you’ve grown yourself!
Date:
21 February 2017
Category:
Lumo Community
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Living Sustainably
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Lumo Energy
