Produce Swappers Gardening Tips February 2021

IN THE GARDEN:
La nina has brought a cooler, wetter year and many of the summer veggies are running a bit behind (looking at you tomatoes!). None the less it’s time to start sowing some of the longer-term cool season crops now. Beetroot, carrots and parsnips can all be sown direct – see last month’s newsletter for some tips on successful germination of carrots - the same can be applied to parsnip. It’s extremely important to use fresh seed when sowing parsnips and it is beneficial to soak the seed overnight also. We have some fresh seed that has been donated to our seedy suitcase this month so we’ll bring it along to the produce swap on Sunday.

Autumn brassicas: Late summer and early Autumn is a great time to establish brassicas (the mustard family – including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc) in Malmsbury and other cool-climate areas as they establish very well in the warmth. Once they have bulked up they are then able to produce their heads slowly during the cooler weather which means that they are less likely to bolt than later plantings. However, if you are starting them now beware that cabbage moths are prolific at this time of year so you will need to net them with fine insect netting, or spray regularly with a caterpillar spray such as Dipel. *Dipel contains the naturally occurring bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis and is approved for organic systems.

*If netting your brassica seedlings then do a thorough check on the back of all the leaves to check for small cabbage moth eggs first and remove them by gently scraping them off with your finger. They are tiny elongated cream-coloured eggs that are laid individually on the underside of the leaves (see photo).

SOW NOW (direct): Beetroot, broadbeans, lettuce, climbing and bush peas, Asian greens, rocket, spinach, turnips, swedes. Sow brassicas into punnets to transplant.

PLANT NOW (As seedlings): Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, celery, silverbeet and rainbow chard, perpetual spinach, Asian greens including pak choi, tatsoi, mustard greens and mizuna, leek, spring onions

COMPANION FLOWERS FOR THE WINTER/SPRING GARDEN: Nigella (Love in a mist), calendula (French marigold), cornflowers, snapdragons, pansies and violas, nasturtiums (these are frost tender though so only in polytunnels or very protected spots)

*Note: sowing lists are not comprehensive and there are other seedlings and seeds that can go in now, especially in such a cool February.

SOIL CONTAMINATION: Many local gardeners have been affected by soil contamination this season from bulk soil and compost. The suspected and most probable cause is herbicide residue that has been unknowingly incorporated into mixes after being improperly used in farming systems. This is a complex issue and not something that we can really go into here but there is a facebook group called Soil Contamination Victoria that concerned gardeners can join for more information.

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