Looking forward to the arrival of El Nino which the meteorologists say is on its way! Cold and dry in the winter is much better in my books than warm and wet!
Veges are slow to grow right now, but we’re starting to enjoy the first of our brassicas.
I thought I might not sow any more brassicas, but remembering there is quite a lull around September and October, when brassicas will grow quickly and well, I have sown another batch (including the cool weather leafy greens of mizuna, bok choy and rocket).
Eventually I decided to sow a whole bed with lupins as a green manure crop. The plants I have ready to go in the ground can just be the replacements for the plants we’re eating. Fortunately I managed to foil the birds with well-held-down bird netting and the seeds are germinating nicely.
Our asparagus bed has been looking very neglected. Weeds galore and the ferns dying off. Last year I remember being surprised how quickly the spears appeared after I’d cut the old fronds off, so I’ve been holding back a bit as asparagus is not really due until August.
So it was off with the dead feathery stuff, out with the weeds, I applied some Dave’s Humate around each plant, then emptied out what was left in the bottom of a liquid seaweed barrel (the slimy stuff in the image). If you’ve got access to seaweed, now’s a great time to layer it on the bed of this seaside plant.
Then a layer from our latest hot compost pile.
You don’t need to net the bed, but I do to keep this precious food safe.
For brassicas that are halfway through their growing period, give them some more fertiliser to ensure plants are strong, and hill them up to keep them growing upright and so they’re firm in the face of wind. Ours got sheep pellets and homemade compost. Time to take the nets off these ones, as the birds sit on the nets and peck at the leaves.
It’s a hungry time for birds, so you could set up a bird feeder in the garden. If it’s native birds you want to attract however, this is interesting from Forest and Bird.
Lastly, at the end of this month we’ll start sowing summer crops, so make sure you’re gathering up all the seeds you’ll need.
Stay warm and dry!
From Jan and Rob
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3 Responses
Thanks for the tips and tricks! I think my raised asparagus bed is the only think not waterlogged. Glad to have something to focus on.
Yep it’s a struggle with all that rain for sure!😊
Thank you for your detail-by-detail gardening updates. I’ve been vege gardening very basically for years. Last summer was a complete fail, I think my soil has finally completely been cleaned out. This year I want to plant on a larger scale due to the cost of food and I want to get it right.