Winter Gardening

Posted on May 26, 2020

Winter Gardening

At this time of year we are usually more inclined to go down to the pub for a warm meal and glass of red then to slog it out in the garden in the cold. However, since we are mostly house bound with current lockdowns we may turn our attention to the backyard and find some comfort in improving the now coveted space outside.

Now could be the perfect time to install or build that fire pit you’ve always wanted, or get those weeds under control, or mulch, or prune your fruit trees. Or it could even be the time you start a veggie patch.

Winter Veggies

May and June are a great time to plant brassica such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage. You should find that with the cooler snap of weather that the white cabbage moth has slowed down its assault and if you are lucky you won’t have to net your brassicas. Do keep an eye out for the pesky caterpillars though and pick off any remaining culprits or spray with some organic dipel. Other tricks include companion planting with sage and

I have always found a bag or two of zoo gro compost added to the patch and dug through every seasonal change over helps revitalise the soil and makes sure there are enough good things in the soil to support healthy vegetable growth. Your own homemade compost is perfect to add also.

Beetroot, rainbow chard, lettuce and radish all make for a quick return on your investment as they are quick and easy crops to grow and perform well over the cooler wintery months.

Finally, don’t forget to replenish your herb garden. Add in some dill and coriander which will be a more stable crop to deal with out of the heat of summer, give your thyme and oregano a light trim if they are a bit wild and monitor your bay for pests such as scale. What could be better than a fully stocked herb garden to brighten your winter cooking?

By Kim Moon

Senior Horticulturist

Semken Landscaping