May and June are time for reflection, planning and plotting in the vegetable garden. The winter crops have all been planted but because we are heading towards the winter solstice the energy levels and sap will be at its lowest and so plants are just ticking along and waiting until we cross the threshold, and with the days lengthening, the plant growth and energy levels will start to improve. The wonderful aspect of gardening and vegetable gardening in particular is the fact that it is a never ending learning curve and it is important to remain current with trends, ways of thinking and different approaches to growing food. In September this year a very interesting course will be held at the Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, www.ezemvelo.co.za (not to be confused with the Ezemvelo K.Z.N. Wildlife!), which is near Bronkhorstspruit.

This gem of a reserve is a wonderful weekend get away, or better still, a week getaway and has a variety of accommodation to suit all pockets. The reserve will be hosting John Jeavons and Steve Moore from the 16th to the 20th of September 2009 and they will be presenting a hands on 5-day workshop on the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Farming/Gardening methods, www.growbiointensive.org The methods main aim is to give people the skills to produce food using less water and energy input, all essential considering we live and produce food in a dry part of the world. People who want to do the course can choose to stay on the reserve for the duration of the course or travel to the reserve each day. Cost of the course start at R2300 with an additional fee for accommodation, which range from camping to a luxury house. Contact Maroti Tau on 013-6801399 or send an e-mail to ezemvelo@telkom.net for more information and a booking form.

Visiting France to look at gardens is a real treat, especially in May, when the gardens are at their freshest. This year my visit starts out in Paris with a visit to the Pere-Lachaise Cemetary to visit the grave of Antoine Parmentier, famous for teaching the Europeans how to grow, cook and eat potatoes. Then it will be off to Monet’s garden at Giverny, www.giverny.org, before heading to the SW hamlet of Soloumes to lap up some very rural countryside where the growing of vegetables, production of truffles and black wine is very important. It is an area well known for its food and is off the beaten track enough to make you feel truly part of the local landscape, and way off the tourist routes. I am staying in a wonderful renovated stone house called Camphinie, http://www.camphinie.com, which is an idyllic spot if you want to relax, take long walks through farm lands and poke your nose around the local farm yard vegetable gardens, all of whom are crammed with the early summer crops at this time of the year.

Back in Gauteng it is all about keeping the maintenance going, mulching soil to protect from the cold, covering young plants on frosty nights, ensuring all the watering is done before lunchtime so that everything is leaf dry by late afternoon, watching out for bird damage and even protecting your young plants with netting, looking at the shape of your fruit trees and planning your pruning.