For backyard gardeners, this time of year is ideal for refreshing garden beds and planting cool-season crops. A little preparation now will help ensure strong growth and productive harvests over the coming months.
Start by clearing out old summer plants and weeds so you’re working with a clean garden bed. Once the space is tidy, focus on improving the soil. Adding organic matter is one of the most important steps. Spread a generous layer of compost through the soil and lightly mix it in. Compost improves soil structure, feeds beneficial microbes and provides nutrients for new plants. If you have a worm farm, worm castings are also excellent for boosting soil fertility.
Because rainfall often increases at this time of year, some nutrients can leach out of the soil. A light sprinkle of garden lime can help restore calcium levels and support healthy plant growth. Some gardeners also add trace minerals, such as boron and magnesium, to help balance the soil.
Once the soil is prepared, it’s a good time to plant brassicas, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. Planting them now allows the plants to grow while the weather is still warm and then produce as temperatures cool.
For smaller backyard gardens, it helps to focus on crops that give the most harvest for the space they occupy. Broccolini is an excellent example. Instead of producing a single head like traditional broccoli, it sends up many small shoots that can be harvested continuously. You can often pick from the same plant for weeks, making it very productive for the space it occupies.
Some brassicas, such as cauliflower and cabbage, are more long-term crops and can take several months to mature. However, there are also mini cabbage varieties that grow much faster than traditional cabbages, with some ready to harvest in as little as eight weeks, making them a great option for home gardens.
Fast-growing leafy vegetables are also excellent choices. Silverbeet, rainbow chard, beetroot leaves and lettuce grow quickly and allow regular harvesting, often producing within about six weeks.
It’s also a great time to plant alliums, including onions and leeks, which grow well through the cooler months and are usually ready to harvest in late winter or early spring.
High-quality seedlings are essential for a productive garden, and gardeners can buy Luke Sansom’s organic seedlings every Friday at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market from 7am to 11am.
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