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Grant Douglas's Garden Diary

Week 4: fourth week of January

It seems incredible that it's a year ago since I mentioned in a garden diary that the first heralder of Winter, the Grape hyacynths, are popping their heads through. Well, they are coming through again - a sure sign that you need to get on to the Winter garden.

Remember that where you site your Winter vegetables is more critical than the Summer ones. Low lying areas will be prone to water-logging and frosting and those of you in small suburban gardens with trees or neighbouring buildings to the North will need to keep your site well to the South to avoid mid Winter shading.

Winter crops also can find it harder to draw nutrients from the ground so an extra dollop of compost or organic fertiliser will be beneficial, especially for leaf-crops.

Sowing or Planting this week:

Beetroot (urgent to get these in)
Brocoflower
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (Red and Green)
Cauliflower (Frieda - Summer variety, Snowmarch - Winter variety (5 Mths). Sowing these two varieties at the same time will give a good succession.
Celery
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce - Loose-leaf Fancy and Hearting (Webbs or Greatlakes)
Potatoes - quick maturing early Potatoes can still be planted such as Swift or Rocket, although late season plantings can be more prone to blight
Silverbeet and Perpetual Spinach
Spinach (New Zealand)
Spring Onions
Sprouting Broccoli
Tomatoes/Cucumber - a late planting in the Greenhouse for Autumn harvest

Sow Direct:

Carrots - main crop varieties
Corn Salad
Corriander/Dill
Mescalin Mix
Rocket
Radish

 
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