It is now March, the first month of Autumn. In our subtropical climate, the Summer garden has gone wild with vines creeping along any surface they find. The start of Autumn means it is time to start tidying up the garden and preparing it for the first winter crop. Read on to learn the steps we take to prepare for Winter growing.
Seed Stocktake
The first thing we do is go through our seeds and work out what we need to order. These decisions are made by reviewing our notes from the previous season; what did we like/ not like? What did well? And what new varieties should we try this year? We have a collection of seeds now that we have saved ourselves as well as seeds from Seed Collection, The Diggers Club and Veggie and Flower Garden Seeds.
Cleaning the Garden and Strengthening Structures
There are a lot of things that make up cleaning the garden. We begin by pulling out old, spent and rotting plants, weeding the garden beds and pruning the leggy growth off any perennials. While we are doing this we plan out where we are going to plant the larger crops that sunlight is most crucial for such as broccoli. Having this planned out allows to then assess any structures that we need for crops such as tee-pees and trellises. We strengthen them and place them where needed for the season. Another task we complete as we are tidying up is cleaning the drip hoses to ensure the holes are clear.
Amending the Soil
With somewhat of a blank slate, we then order in our compost. We buy this in bulk once a year and spread evenly over the entire garden. The compost we use is a mushroom compost as this is the only compost we can order in the amount we need. When we are not ordering a large amount of compost, we like to use our own as well as composted cow manure. Our method for applying this compost is easy and simple as we use a no-dig/ Lasagne method. This means we are not digging into the existing soil but instead just laying it over the top and then adding a layer of mulch. We like to get this done early and allow the compost time to settle into the garden before planting into it.
Mulching
Our choice of mulch is sugarcane as this is what we can source affordably from nearby farms. After laying compost, we lay down a thick layer of mulch to protect the soil and keep the moisture in. As the mulch breaks down through the season, we also apply our own lawn clippings to aid in protecting the soil.
Sowing Seeds
Once we have all the seeds we need we begin sowing. We sow almost everything in module trays as it allows us to get a head start on the season. As a general guide we follow a seed sowing chart such as this one but modify things slightly for our particular sub-climate based on our notes from previous seasons. So far this season, we have sown the following seeds: cabbage, sprouting broccoli, beetroot, dill, parsley, coriander, celery, kohlrabi, Asian greens, peas, spring onion and brown onion.
Planting Seedlings
Before planting the seedlings out into the garden, we check our notes from the previous season. We ensure our seedlings are spaced properly and have adequate sunlight. We always wait until the seedlings have at least their second set of leaves before planting them.
Pest Control
One thing all gardeners battle with is pests. We follow organic principals and where possible encourage or allow wildlife to do our pest management. That said there are some things we do to help keep the pest levels down or at least away from our food. As we are planting the seedlings we put toilet rolls over the top to prevent snails and slugs from eating them. Over time these breakdown into the garden. We also utilise nets and cloches to cover fruiting or flowering crops in key parts of the growing cycle. On occasion pests such as aphids do get the better of us and we make up spray consisting of only water and plant based detergent to manage them.
This is only the start of the Winter growing season for us. Living in Southeast Queensland, without the risk of any frost and nice warm days throughout winter means that Winter is our busiest and most productive growing time. Throughout the season we will continue to have seedlings ready to plant out as soon as any space in the garden becomes available.
