TIP
HARVEST
>Once you’ve harvested your lemons it’s a good
idea to prune trees to maintain a manageable
size and help improve productivity. Winter is
the best time as borer, a major pest for lemons,
are not on the wing.
>When picking broccoli, make sure florets are
young and tightly closed. Use within a couple of
days for the tastiest flavour. Do the same with
cauliflower, removing all leaves before storing in
the crisper section of your fridge.
>Persimmons will be ripening on many trees now
and their golden fruit is both lovely to look at
and highly nutritious to eat, full of vitamins A
and C. Pick fruit straight from the tree and eat it
like an apple, or slice it up. Persimmons store
well and are delicious cooked in chutneys or
jams or even made into a sorbet.SOW
>For plenty of fresh carrots in the larder it’s
best to keep sowing continuously in small
batches. Nice straight carrots means clearing
out clumps, stones and large roots in the soil
before you sow. If your soil is heavy clay, use
planters or pots to grow carrots.
>Sowing a cover crop such as lupin or phacelia
is a good idea for areas of the vege garden
you’re not using in winter. In spring, the
mature crop is dug into the soil, adding
valuable organic matter and nutrients.
>Keep sowing peas every month or so for
continuous harvests. Dig soil over thoroughly,
making sure compost and fertiliser is mixed
in well to avoid burning roots. Avoid sowing
in a spot where you’ve had a crop of beans or
peas previously to avoid disease. Ideally,
choose an area where potatoes or other root
crops have been growing.
>In warm areas you can sow broccoli direct
into the garden, thinning out as they develop
to leave the strongest seedlings. Avoid a
windy spot as plants are easily damaged.
Alternatively sow in pots or punnets for
planting out in the garden once they have
formed a couple of sets of leaves and are more
able to cope with winter weather. Protect
seedlings with frost cloth in colder areas.PLANT
>Keep planting seedlings of greens such as
bok choy, cabbage, broccoli, broad beans,
peas, silverbeet and spinach if you live in an
area where frosts are not a problem. Make
sure seedlings have at least two sets of leaves
and are robust enough to go outside.
>Plant rhubarb crowns (divisions of established
plants) when growth has slowed down in
midwinter. Position plants away from other
annual veges so roots won’t get damaged. If
you live in a warm area, choose a spot in part
shade. Dig in compost and/or well-rotted
manure, seaweed and other organic matter
well before planting as fertile soil is a must.
>It’s not too late to plant garlic if you live in a
frost-free area.
>Winter is a good time to plant deciduous
berries such as boysenberry, thornless
blackberry and raspberry while they are in
their dormant stage. A support structure for
training the vines, fertile soil and good
drainage are essential for prolific berry crops.
>Strawberries can be planted now if soil is not
too wet or cold at your place. Choose a sunny
spot with well-drained, fertile soil. Ensure the
crown of the plant is level with, or just above,
the soil. If aiming for an early crop, protect
young seedlings from frost in cooler areas.CAROL BUCKNELL
Garden editorK
Many plants that we call weeds such as daisies, clovers and groundsel
are full of useful minerals. Collect while small and easy to remove,
then add to your compost to boost its nutrient levels.>Macadamias are another winter-cropping tree.
Make sure you pick up nuts from the ground as
quickly as possible to prevent them from
rotting. If trees are getting too big to harvest
easily, now is a good time to prune to reduce
height and thin out branches.
>Make more space for carrots by thinning rows
out early. Those tiny ‘thinnings’ make delicious
snacks for the kids and are great in salads and
stir-fries. Do the same with leeks, using them as
you would spring onions. Mature leeks should
be harvested when they about 2.5cm thick.
>Don’t stop picking silverbeet leaves or plants
may start to flower (‘go to seed’). Once this
happens, the leaves are usually inedible. If you
have too many leaves, give them to someone
who keeps chickens – chooks love silverbeet.yhg | 151G