Gardening Australia – May 2019

Cabbagesthriveincoolconditions,soif

youareinthenorth,thisisyourprime

plantingtime.Youcanplantthemnowin

southernareas,too,butifyougetsnow

orhardfrosts,it’sbesttowaituntilspring.

Youshouldfindarangeofestablished

cabbageseedlingsreadytogoatyour

localgardencentrerightnow,including

yourclassicgreenDrumheadtypes,Red

Balls,SugarloafandSavoy.

Ifyouprefertosowyourownseed,it’s

goodtoknowcabbageseedgerminates

veryreadily.Fillamulticellpunnetwith

moistenedseed-raisingmix,useapencil

tomakeaplantinghole,5–10mmdeep,

ineachcell,thendropin2–3seedsper

hole,backfillandwater.

Placethepunnetinasunnyspot–try

awindowsillifit’scoldoutside.Keepthem

moist,andtheseedlingswillbeupwithin

theweek.Thinthemout,leavingone

strongseedlingpercelltogrowon.Keep

watering,andliquid-fertiliseonceaweek

untiltheylookestablishedandreadyto

plantout(about2–3weeks).

You’llgetthebestyieldsinsoilthatis

richinorganicmatter,sodon’tbeshy

addingcompostifyoursoilisalittlelight

on.Gooddrainageisimportant,sogrow

inraisedbedsormoundheavysoilto

improvedrainage.CheckyourpH.Ifit’s

lowerthan6,addlimetobringitupto

about6.5.Cabbagesarevoracious

feeders,soonceyourseedlingshave

settledin,givethemalittleorganic

fertiliser,andfollowupwithregularside

dressingsevery4–6weeksorwhenever

theylookliketheyaresulking.

72 MAY 2019 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

Olivetreesstartbearingacrop

when they reach 4–5 years of age.

If you want green olives, pick them

when they turn from dark to light

green. Wait a little longer for black

olives but, for good eating, pick

them while they are still firm. Hand

picking is fine, but if you have a lot

to harvest, lay a tarp under the

canopy and give the tree a good

shake until they fall. Now it’s time

to prepare the brine!

PLANT

it NOW

PHOTOS

ISTOCK, GAP PHOTOS/BBC MAGAZINES LTD

CABBAGE

OLIVE

NOW

PICK it