Autumn. Warm Days, cool nights. Perfect for vegetable planting.
By now your vegetable patch has been freshly composted and manured. It’s just waiting for you to plant out. If you are having trouble with how to start off your vegetable patch, check out my Vegetable Patch Checklist
The basic cool season vegetables that I find grow well in most areas are – broccoli, beetroot (my favourite), cabbage, cauliflower, leek, onions, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, snow peas, strawberries (my other favourite), peas, kale and rhubarb.
If you don’t get a frost or you can cover your vegetables - beans, lettuce, capsicum and tomatoes can also be grown.
If you get really cold you can give brussels sprouts a go.
This is the basic vegetable range; there are so many different variations on these classic cooler weather vegetables.
In seedlings alone you can get about four different versions of broccoli.
If you start using old fashioned open pollinated seeds, the list can be endless.
If your vegetable patch consists of a variety of different sized pots don’t worry, there is a large range of dwarf vegetables available in seedlings and seeds.
Leek, lettuce, capsicums, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, snow peas, strawberries, peas and rhubarb all grow well in pots without needing dwarf varieties.
The secret to growing any vegetables in pots follows the same principles as growing in the ground.
Start with the best quality soil or potting mix, mulch with an organic material (I like organic sugar cane mulch that is free from weeds), fertilise with a complete organic slow release fertiliser and liquid fertilise fortnightly with a complete organic liquid fertiliser.
I like using the Plant of Health range of fertilisers – Organic Link and Triple Boost and Searles' range of garden soil for gardens and potting mix - Platinum Potting Mix for pots
I find the cooler months are the best time for growing herbs. Nearly all the herbs are available now. Herbs grow well in the garden or in pots and most herbs can be grouped together in pots to make mini herb gardens.
The best thing about growing cool season vegetables is that it’s usually too cold for the pests to be out and about. If you do get a few pests a pyrethrum based spray or one of the new organic sprays like eco oil or eco fend work well. Mildew and mould is a common problem during wet winters - copper spray (some are considered organic) can be the best solution.
I have heard that having pretend white butterflies in your vegetable patch not only looks pretty but helps deter moths. Jerry Coleby-Williams has also mentioned that Land Cress is a confirmed biocontrol. We stock Land cress in seeds and in plants.
Remember though the healthier the soil, the healthier the plants and the less likely you are to get problems. Now get outside and get dirty!