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The weather may be cooler but there’s no need to hang up the gardening gloves. Many crops can handle the chill and be ready for harvest during the coming months. Plant up beds or pots with edibles now and you’ll have a source of fresh, healthy and tasty food for you and your family.
To prepare a patch for cool-season vegies, start with a clean slate. First, pull out weeds and remove all the old stems and leaves from summer crops. Once clear, improve the soil by mixing in a rich source of organic matter, advises horticulturist Angie Thomas of Yates. “This replenishes nutrients used up during summer, boosts soil structure and attracts earthworms and beneficial soil microorganisms,” she says.
To make the most of the season, Angie advises kickstarting the patch with vegies that take a few months to mature. “Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and leeks have a long maturation period, so it’s ideal to get them in early,” she says. “While they’re growing, also sow quick-growing vegies like baby leaf spinach, baby beets and snow peas. That way, you’ll have crops to enjoy both sooner and later.”
Other fast-growing crops include bok choy, lettuce, radish, rocket, mint, coriander and Italian parsley. “The benefit of growing parsley and coriander during the cooler months is that they’re slower to bolt (set seed), giving you more tasty and fragrant leaves over a longer period,” says Angie.
If you lack lots of growing room, try ‘intercropping’. This hack involves planting different crops near one another within the same garden bed, explains horticulturist Bonnie-Marie Barnsley. “You can maximise your space by strategically growing vegetables and herbs with varying habits, such as planting smaller lettuces under larger crops like kale or broccoli,” she says.
Further extend growing opportunities by cultivating microgreens inside. These tiny, nutrient-packed seedlings can be grown on windowsills and are ready to harvest within a week or so. Snip them at the base and use to enhance the flavour and texture of sandwiches or salads.
For a regular supply of homegrown produce, stagger crop sowings throughout the season. “Planting in intervals or batches avoids excess produce at one given time, reducing waste while ensuring an extended harvest window,” explains Bonnie-Marie. “Sow vegies like lettuce, radish, peas and broad beans every fortnight, and continue sowing until conditions are no longer favourable.” Seeds are more cost-effective than punnets of seedlings. “Growing by seed is budget-friendly and allows you to control the number of plants you need, when you need them,” says Angie.
Regular feeding and keeping soil or potting mix consistently moist are key to a great harvest. “Liquid feed every 1-2 weeks to promote healthy growth – you’re watering and feeding at the same time,” says Angie. A layer of naturally derived mulch, such as pea straw, will help to reduce soil water evaporation, keeping soil moist for longer. Picking individual leaves of leafy greens, like spinach and lettuce, promotes fresh new growth and allows the plant to continue to produce for months. You can also harvest plant leaves while waiting for their vegies to mature. “Young baby beet leaves are great in salads,” says Angie. “Don’t pick them all, though; leave some to allow the plant to keep growing.”
Here’s what to grow to cook up patch-to-plate soups this winter. And don’t forget parsley to garnish your bowls of comfort!
Grow more cold season stars in your garden this winter.
Photo credit: GAP Photos/Maxine Adcock, Getty Images
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![Ripe heads of cauliflower wrapped in their green leaves]](https://media.bunnings.com.au/api/public/content/c06d986775ad46b58ece0e1f6489d157?v=11c1be72&t=w1300dpr1)
