The vege patch with Jonesy
Spring started off well but didn’t last long. With overcast skies and lots of rain it was not ideal weather to get a good seed strike but that’s gardening.
At our school gardens we have both raised plots and on-ground gardens. The raised plots are warmer and the seed strike is no problem but the ground level plots have been cooler so we had to re-sow. Planting young plants instead can be a better option, so don’t give up!
As we head towards the longest day and the middle of summer we’ve got to start thinking of winter: what a thought, but with gardening you must plan ahead, which means getting the winter veggie patch ready.
The end of December is about the right time in Canterbury to plant Brussels sprout plants. They need that warm initial growing period followed by cold weather and frosts to form hard, tight hearts. Aphids love Brussels sprouts so spray with a suitable insecticide at the young stage or for the organic grower, wash them off with the hose.
Leeks are ready to plant in December. It’s too late to grow from seed so buying plants is the answer. If you can, buy them about the size of your finger. First dig over the plot deeply then make a hole as deep as the leek plant and twice as round. We put a teaspoon of Nitrophoska Blue fertiliser in the hole then drop the leek plant in the hole leaving about 3cm above ground, and lightly water. Don’t fill the hole in with soil; let it fill naturally, allowing the leek to grow without any restriction.
Christmas looms so you should be starting to eat your new potatoes, and as each plant is dug out replace it with a seed potato and you’ll have new potatoes for Easter. The end of December is also time to sow a winter carrot crop, silver beet, kale, cabbage and broccoli.
It is safe to plant cucumber, tomato, sweet-corn, zucchinis, capsicum, pumpkin, runner and French beans, as frosts are gone and the soil is warmer. Keep sowing lettuce and radish for those salads after Christmas.
Tip: as you pinch off the laterals on the tomatoes, make a hole in the soil with your finger and plant them. This will give you “free” tomato plants that will crop well.
If you’ve got a question for Jonesy, send us an email at zn.oc1337372807.semi1337372807tylim1337372807af@ni1337372807mda1337372807.
Alan Jones (Jonesy) is the 2010 New Zealand Gardener of the Year. He looks after Leeston Consolidated School’s veggie gardens and keeps school parents up-to-date with tips for home gardens.
