Winter Vegetable Planting

Winter Vegetable Planting

I have just made a vege garden, I have dug up the dirt and added compost as a top soil. Can I plant any veges over winter and if so what ones could I plant?

It sounds like you have made a good start in preparing your garden. It is a good idea to incorporate your compost into the existing soil by digging it in and at the same time adding in a good amount of blood and bone. Some winter vegetables are gross feeders so the application of Daltons blood and bone or even Daltons Vegetable Fertiliser will ensure enough nutrients in the soil for the season.  

Once the soil is prepared you can then commence planting. In terms of what to plant, think about how you are going to use the space you have; consider things such as if the plant you are growing requires a supportive structure eg: for broad beans, or if plants require extra spacing between them. 

If your garden plot is exceptionally exposed to south westerly or southerly wind then some shelter would be advantageous and will make a difference to your vegetables growth and cropping.

There are many vegetables you can grow successfully over winter. Choose from the brassica family such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussell sprouts and cabbage – they are also quiet hardy to frosts. You can also plant carrots, turnips, swedes and radishes, along with the ever popular silverbeet (swiss chard). Broad beans do very well in the South Island because they like the cold, but they do need support around 1m high.

Finally, apply a light to medium layer of good quality mulch such as Daltons Mulch & Grow. This stops the soil from getting too sodden during large periods of rain by catching the water and releasing it slowly back into the soil over time. 

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