Plant and profit

Time for a last ditch autumn dig in the garden before winter sets in especially if you still plan to do some veggie planting.

Don’t despair if you think the colder months will eliminate the usual pretty hues from the flower beds – gardeners can still expect some burst of colour especially from sasanqua camellias, daphne and azaleas.

But, if its veggies you want as the year goes by, there is still time to sow some nutritious options and reap the benefit in a few months time but as usual you may need to do some work.

It might be a bit late to sow some vegetables but cold-hardy broad beans should do well although they probably won’t be ready for picking until warmer spring weather arrives. And, when pods develop, do pick when young and tender; don’t let them get old and tough.

You can also sow spinach in early May which grows easily from seed in a ready-prepared garden bed. Spinach prefers rich, heavy-ish soil so dig in plenty of organic matter before sowing. Because the seeds are a good size they can be easily handled – sow in groups of two to three and water well.

Germination can take anything from one to three weeks; then remove excess seedlings keeping only the strongest.

Feed regularly with a soluble plant food such as Yates Thrive and keep some Blitzem on hand to ward off slugs and snails. Well watered and well fed spinach should be ready to pick within 10 weeks and being rich in vitamins A and B, plus other nutrients, it’s a winner.

Baby spinach leaves can be used in salads but if cooking, remember ‘gently, gently’; boiling can destroy the food value and leave your veg overcooked. Those seeking a late winter, early spring harvest of broccoli still have time to plant seeds especially in our warmer part of the country.

Start in pots or trays, then transplant when seedlings are abut 7cm tall, making sure the ground is well prepared by digging in plant food and compost.

Broccoli seeds can also be planted directly into the garden in warm areas but ensure they don’t dry out during the germination stage. When seedlings have emerged, feed with soluble plant food and watch out for grubs and butterflies.

Although broccoli grows somewhat slowly in the colder months, nevertheless, if planted now, it should be ready to harvest in about 16-20 weeks. Gardeners could also consider sowing turnips in warmer parts. The growing season is short and these great soup veggies could be ready in 30 days.

Apart from planting there are added jobs to take care of in autumn – feed your lawn with a fertiliser which will release nutrients quickly; plant spring bulbs now, cut back anything that is dead or messy looking and prune sasanqua camellias after flowering.

Now is a good time to move plants which may need transplanting, to prepare soil for new season roses arriving June/July and to take steps to protect plants from slugs, snails and earwigs.

So, as you will now be aware, there’s plenty to do ahead of the real cold and wet!