Regardless of whether you live in Durban or De Aar, there’s surely a coldness to the air. Not quite winter’s bite, but enough to slow things down in the garden. Don’t throw in the trowel just yet, though, there’s plenty to do in the garden. One of these tasks is to get your winter vegetable crop into the ground.
Firstly, get your grubby mitts on some good seed. By good seed I mean open-pollinated seed that will give rise to plants that in turn produce good seed. While your local supermarket is good for mass-produced cheap goods and fresh milk, you’ll need to sniff around a bit to find good seed. I find mail-order is easiest, from companies such as www.livingseeds.co.za, www.soughtafterseedlings.co.za and www.organicseeds.co.za. Most of these companies are fairly prompt and try to promote seed saving.
Root vegetables such as carrots and beetroot can be sown straight into the ground. Plant carrots closer than you think is best and thin the seedlings later. The smaller seed from brassicas such as cauliflower and broccoli will benefit from spending the first two weeks in seedling trays with seedling mix and controlled watering. The legumes (beans and peas) can also go straight into the ground. If you plant some leafy greens such as kale, you could begin harvesting leaves in just a few weeks – a few leaves at a time.
Aside from root vegetables, most winter veggies will do fine in either beds or in pots. Try to aim for well-drained slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter. Root vegetables will prefer soil that’s not too stony. Don’t feel that veggies have to be relegated to a separate patch, to be planted with others of their own delicious kind. As long as the cultural requirements of the plants are similar, they can be ornamental too.
For the most part winter vegetables will need a spot with full sun. This means at least six, but preferably eight hours of sun. If you have less light than this in your garden then pick root vegetables or leafy greens as they can still be productive at lower light levels.
What to do with your vegetables once they’re grown? I’ll leave that up to you. Rest assured the dish will taste good if it contains the fruits of your labour.
