Winter Planting — Veggies, Herbs and Fruit

We’re deep in winter now, which means it’s the perfect time to get your garden ready for the spring. Plant the right vegetables, herbs and fruit trees now and you’ll feast on your home-grown bounty through spring and summer. 

But first, of course, comes the prep. Skip this step at your peril! Here are some tips to prepare your veggie gardens for success and take care of your crop right through to harvest.

 

PREPPING YOUR VEGGIE GARDEN

  1. Location, Location, Location! Choose a sunny location for your veggie beds that receives around 5-6 hours direct sun a day.
  1. Compost. Prepare the soil well by adding and digging through good quality compost. We recommend Rocky Points ActiveGro; fork this through and water well.
  1. Mulch! Mulching the top of your veggie and herb bed will help keep the soil warm and will also stop the August winds from drying out your soil. We recommend Rocky Points Sugar Cane Mulch; over time it will break down and enrich your soil.
  1. Wait. If possible, wait a week or so before planting to allow the organic matter to start breaking down to create good soil structure and release nutrients.
  1. Liquid Fertilise. Once you’ve planted your seedlings, water them in with some liquid fertiliser. We recommend Searles 5in1 concentrate liquid as it will promote strong, robust plant growth as well as boosting flowering and fruiting.
  1. Water. Continue to water your plants every second day or so depending on rainfall.
  1. Fertilise fortnightly. We recommend Searles SeaMax Fish & Kelp to keep your veggies and herbs well-fed. It is a certified 100% organic fertiliser. 

 

 

WHAT EDIBLES TO PLANT IN WINTER

Your leafy greens can be planted now. Asian greens (pak choi, wong bok, bok choi, tatsoi, mizuna, mibuna), silverbeet, rainbow chard, lettuce, spinach and rocket.

Get those veggies in! Plant beans, sweet corn, leek, seeded potatoes, pumpkins, watermelon, radish, snow peas, broccolini, kale and spring onions. You can also plant some varieties of tomatoes (cherry, pear and mini Romas only).

Give your herb patch some love. Now's the time to plant coriander, dill, fennel, parsley, mint, chamomile and nasturtiums.

Get fruit trees in the ground. But remember, mulch well to keep warmth in the soil and prevent those August winds from drying out your soil. 

We sell a wide range of veggie and herb seeds and seedlings in-store, as well as all the best fertilisers, mulches and compost mixes. If you have any questions at all, please give us a call!