Compared to other parts of the world South Africa actually has mild winters. Yes as cold fronts pass through and we may experience very cold conditions, but on the whole, winter is a very productive time in our vegetable gardens. In fact I find that during the winter months there is often more to choose from and the quality of the produce is often better than during our very hot summer months when plants have a tendency to bolt or simply struggle with our intense heat.
The mild days make it a pleasure to work outside and even on very cold morning after a few minutes of digging or weeding one warms up fast.
This week we pass through the winter solstice and I hope you have been watching the moon over the last few days. There have been times when I have woken up during the early hours of the morning and thought that I had left a light on as the moonlight was so strong. As the moon starts to recede over the next two weeks I will be putting all my effort into soil preparation and sowing crops like carrots, onions and any crops that produce their bounty below the soil. I have been lucky enough to have been given some interesting seeds from the U.K. and these include carrots called ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Crème de Lite’, a perennial broccoli and parcel.
However I am also looking a good three months ahead to early October when it will be time to plant out the first of the summer crops. This means starting to sow these crops in the next few weeks so that they will already be established by then. Of course this means that all window sills are filled with seed trays and old pots with basil. Beetroot and tomatoes sending out tentative new growth. I have also been given some seeds of a Tomatillo which will be something fun to experiment with.
The sap will start to rise in the next few weeks and so July and August are really busy times in the garden. However do not be tempted to cut things back if they have frost damage. Allow that burnt foliage to protect the tender new growth until all chances of frost have passed.
Have some protective coverings handy for those frosty nights and watch the weather forecast. If it is going to be cold then by simply throwing over a fleece will save your vegetable plants from any damage.
