Organic Gardening
From Down Under
up-dated on the 10/02/02
| March/April | May/June |
| July/August | September |
| October | November |
| December | Jan/Feb |
| Plant Lettuce | Tomatoes & Tips |
| Plants don't have Teeth | Saving Seed |
| Strawberries | Seedlings |
These Growing Times and Conditions are for Queensland, Australia. Other parts of Australia and the World "WILL VARY"
Such as:- other parts of the world are in the middle of winter while we Aussies are baking in the sun, so just reverse the seasons. After all organic gardening has the same principles, no matter what part of the World you live.
If you live on the coast as I do and you
don't have frost you can plant:-
Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower,
Carrots, Celery, Onions, Parsnips, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, Shallots, Silverbeet, Spinach,
Tomato, Turnips, Lettuce. (Brussel
Sprouts are difficult to grow on the coast - they need a frost)
If you live on the Tablelands or in a frost area you will have to wait untill August/Sepetember before planting out. You could try Brussel Sprouts they like a frost.
Now Autumn is on its way, and the weather is cooler, it is time to start preparing your garden for your winter crops. The first task is to pull out any weeds that have grown during the summer. Don't turn your garden soil over as it will do more harm than good, by all means use a pitch fork to loosen and aerate the soil.
If you have any compost and/or any old animal manure, now is the time to throw it on top of the garden and fork in, then give the your garden a good soak and cover up with mulch, leave for a fortnight before you plant out your seedlings see how to transplant seedlings (more to come later on)
You can now start-off planting seeds in punnets; such as the Brassicas family, Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower, (Brussel Sprouts are difficult to grow on the coast - they need a frost) you can also plant punnets of Lettuce, Onions, Silver Beet and Spinach. see seedling mix If you have a Bean Rack or a wire fence you could try Climbing Beans. "Now" is not the time for planting Peas early/mid April
Or sow directly in the soil Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery, Onions, Parsnips, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, Shallots, Silverbeet, Spinach, Tomato, Turnips, Lettuce and transplant later on or just thin out
January/February
"Just Too Hot for most Vegetables"
just throw heaps of Compost and Mulch on to your garden and grow Pumpkins, they will help to protect your garden soil and not forgetting the worms through the hot summer months.
Hint:- Keep up the water/mulch, or your garden will dry out.
What to Plant in December
Not a Lot it is getting to hot.
Tablelands:- Beans (climbing snake beans), Beetroot, Carrots, Corn, Lettuce, Zucchini/Squash, Cucumbers, Parsnip, Radish, Shallot, Tomatoes, and Herbs.
Coastal Areas:- you could try Tomatoes, Lettuce, Zucchini/Squash, Cucumbers, Carrots, Beans (snake beans are best), Radish, Spring Onions, Pumpkins not forgetting Herbs, they play a big role in companion planting this time of the year. But it is getting too hot, keep up the water with heaps of mulch.
Hint:- Best to hand water around the roots. Don't overhead water at night especially if you have Zucchinis/Squash, Cucumbers and Pumpkins planted, as they will get powdery mildew, either water early in the morning or late afternoon, allowing enough time for the plants dry off before night sets in.
What to Plant in November
Tablelands:-
Beans (dwarf & climbing), Beetroot, Carrots, Corn, Lettuce, Zucchini/Squash,
Cucumbers, Parsnip, Radish, Shallot, Silverbeet, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip and Herbs.
it's now too late for planting out Brassicas (the cabbage
family) unless you are prepared to use organic sprays.
see Herb Sprays
Coastal Areas:- Corn, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Zucchini/Squash,
Cucumbers, Carrots, Beans (dwarf & climbing), Radish, Spring Onions, Shallots,
Pumpkin, Parsley, not forgetting Herbs, they play a big role in companion planting.
Tips
of the month:- by mulching up to 100mm of mulch on
your garden it will avoid your vegies from stressing out in the heat and will also
save on water by having to only water every 3 to 4 days.
Another tip is not to overhead water late in the afternoons especially in the summer, as
this will cause mildew on your larger leaf plants such as Pumpkins, Zucchins and
Cucumbers.
Your garden should be well on the way by now, for the gardener on the coast, you should be starting to plant out your second crops such as Corn, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Zucchini/Squash, Cucumbers, Carrots, Beans (dwarf & climbing), Radish, Silverbeet, Spring Onions, Pumpkin, Parsley and other Herbs, NOT Brassicas for Coastal Areas (the cabbage family) unless you are prepared to use organic sprays, as the bugs are out for a feed, this time of the year. You could try leaving a few weeds around the edge of your garden, and the bugs may prefer the weeds, rather than feed on your vegies.
Tablelands:- (Cooler Climates) Beans (dwarf & climbing), Beetroot, Broccoli, Carrots, Chinese Cabbage, Cabbage, Lettuce, Onions, Parsnip, Peas, (dwarf & climbing) Potatoes, Radish, Shallot, Silverbeet, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip and Herbs. If you are having a warm spring no frost plant the LOT.
Hint:- this time of the year, now summer is well on the way, you are better off planting your seeds directly into the soil, or you could grow your seeds in punnets then transplant as seedlings into the garden.
Now Spring is here and the ground is starting to warm up, you should start mulching your garden. Mulch will keep the roots of the plant cool during the heat of the day, and keep the warmth in during the cooler nights still to come. Mulching will also help to keep the moisture in the soil, in turn you should only need to water your garden once a week. Now is the time to plant corn. It is a good idea to soak the corn seed in water 24 hours before you sow the seeds in your garden. The seeds that float will not germinate so throw these seeds away. Soaking the corn seeds will speed up the process of germination and the corn seedlings should pop up within 7 days after planting.
Tablelands:-(if the winter is mild frost free) Beans (dwarf & climbing), Beetroot, Broccoli, Carrots, Chinese Cabbage, Cabbage, Lettuce, Onions, Parsnip, Peas, (dwarf & climbing) Potatoes, Radish, Shallot, Silverbeet, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip and Herbs.
Coastal Areas:-Corn,
Tomatoes, Lettuce, Zucchini/Squash, Cucumbers, Carrots, Beans (dwarf & climbing),
Radish, Silverbeet, Spring Onions, Parsley, Herbs.
TIP:- Now the weather is warming up, Start
mulching your garden around 75 to 100mm thick (3 to 4 inches)
NOT Brassicas (the cabbage family) unless you are prepared to use organic sprays, as the bugs are out for a feed, this time of the year. You could try leaving a few weeds around the edge of your garden, the bugs may prefer the weeds, rather than feed on your vegies.
Now is the time to start planting out your
Spring crops, including Brassicas, Beans, Beetroot, Carrots, Lettuce, Silverbeet, Spring
Onions, Tomatoes and Radishes, in the frost free areas.
Corn and Curcurbits (Squash, Zucchini, Cucumber) can be planted in late August, early
September
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These tomatoes are fantastic 2.5 metres tall, the best I have had for years, I have tried out a little experiment, planted out the seedling in the garden, then placed a 150mm plant pot with the bottom cut out, around the tomato plant, as the tomato plant grew, I then filled the pot up with compost, chicken manure and have also been feeding the tomato plant with comfrey water mixed with chicken manure, making a very good liquid tea. With the pot full of compost and manure, it has encourage root growth up the stem of the plant, making a stronger and more prolific, more off and larger fruit. Try this and you will be able to feed the hole street, for a small fee of course. photos |
Tomatoes:- like rich soil, mulch and lots of water,they love comfrey water, if you have the time to hand water, water around the roots, for better results and this will also help to avoid the spreading of disease. A friend of mine who is a member of "BOGI" grows her Tomatoes without staking, straight on to the ground, and to avoid the fruit fly she covers the fruit with a rag, about the same size as a small hanky. I prefer to stake my Tomatoes and I also pick the fruit just as they start to turn colour. (works most of the time)
Hint:- plant Lettuce in between the Tomatoes also Basil, Chives and Marigolds,
Hint:- Use heaps of MULCH, and
you should only have to water very second day.
see below for liquid fertilizers
Liquid Fertilisers
"Plants don't have Teeth" 22/5/1998
They don't chew on manures, it takes time for Manures to break down.
SO:- If you have a plant that is desperate for a feed feeding, you are better off feeding your plant with a liquid fertilizer such as comfrey, chicken and /or horse manure made up as brew and poured over the plant. Liquid fertilizer is a Great Asset for the organic gardener; not only is it a very good plant booster and foliage spray, it can also be used as a form of pest control. N.B make a brew the colour of weak tea 25/75 for young plants, for more established plants 50/50. Comfrey is also a bug deterrent, so pour the brew all over the plant. The equipment you will require is a container (metal or plastic) around 45 litres (10 gallons) capacity, preferably with a lid to keep the flies and mozzies out. You will also require a watering can, a small bucket and a sieve to strain the brew into the watering can. (sieving to prevent clogging of the watering cans’ nozzle.)
Saving
Seed.
Collect only good quality seed. Pick seed heads when fully ripe and seed
has hardened off, or is very close to hardening off. Pick when there is no moisture on the
seed/seed heads eg. no dew, rain etc. Hang or spread out in dry warm place out of sun to
complete any drying. Remove debris. Pack only perfectly dry, well formed seed. Label and
date. Store in cool place away from light. Some annuals can benefit being stored in the
fridge and brought out when it is their usual time to plant. It is preferable to only
collect non-hybrid seed. Hybrid seeds are not always true to the parent plant. Also if you
grow different varieties of say lettuce, basils, at the same time, you make get
"cross" seeds. These can be interesting but will not necessarily be as good as
the originals.. Tomatoes, beans, lettuce, pumpkin, cucumber, melon, zucchini, chives, pea,
coriander and rocket seeds are well worth saving but other things such as carrot, cabbage,
cauliflower, radish can take a while to mature and take up a lot of room in your garden.
April is a good time to start planting out your garden.
Best time to transplant seedlings is late afternoon when it's not so hot. With a trowel dig a small hole, say around 100mm round, and 100mm deep, and then mix in a hand full of well broken down compost, then plant the seedling, water in well, cover them up, with either an old plant pot, or a margarine container (with the bottom cut-out) turned up side down, (push into the-soil this will deter the cutworm from chopping off the seedling), place another pot over the first pot to shade the seedling, Then cover the garden bed with dried out grass clippings. A couple days later, when the seedlings are over the shock of being transplanted, remove the top pots.
Growing Potatoes (Spuds)
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June is a good time to plant out potatoes tubers
Potatoes like Comfrey. Dig a trench around 250mm deep, 300mm wide and half fill the trench with comfrey leaves. Backfill the trench, place your seed potatoes on top of the back fill, then cover over with the rest of the soil.
Then stand back and watch them grow. As the plant starts shooting out of the ground keep the plant covered by hoeing up the soil around the plant or throw heaps of compost or mulch over the plant. This way the plant will produce more potatoes and avoid the potatoes going green. Comfrey leaves also make good mulch.
| Plant Lettuce amongst Cabbages |
Plant Lettuce amongst the Brassicas this helps to confuse the Cabbage Moth which dislike Lettuce. An Organic insect deterrents for Brassicas: you could try boiled Lettuce leaves - allow to cool and use the juice as an insect spray; also try Molasses. The recipe is 1 tablespoon of molasses with 1 litre of hot water until the colour is like weak tea. Allow to cool, then mix in one tea spoon of detergent, which will help the molasses to stick to the leaves. Or you could do what I do which is the pick and stomp trick, pick the grub of the plant and stomp on it. Also note that Brassicas and Tomatoes don’t like being planted beside each other.