Adelaidians, what are you planting, or planning to plant in the near future?

[VanessaMember]

I am starting to think about getting my veggie patch organised.

I discovered on the weekend that what appears to be fairly crappy soil in my yard is only present for approx the top 10cm (we had to dig a hole to bury a chook that died on the weekend 🙁 ) below that is probably the reason that this area is primarily used as market gardens, a nice dark silty clay. So hence I am enthused to try to get some veggies growing ASAP.

I have been looking on the internet at what to plant now, or in the next month or two, and it seems like now is the “go go go” time, the weather has cooled down from summer, but the ground is still warm, and the cool weather is yet to arrive putting everything into hibernation mode.

Most of what I have managed to find on the net is very broad in terms of separating different climate zones, and I have found from living up in Port Augusta 300km although still in the same climate zone has a huge diference in weather patterns and timing of the change of seasons.

I know that even in Adelaide (and surrounding suburbs) there is going to be a fair amount of differences and numerous micro climates.

But I thought it would be a good idea to get people on similar areas talking about what they are planting or if they have some sort of “rules” as to when to plant things according to what is “recomended”

So what are you planting now or are planning to plant in the next few weeks?

[BelMember]

Vanessa,

I’ll be planting brassicas asap. Don’t bother with brussel sprouts – it just doesn’t get cold enough and the bugs love them! Most broccoli ends up as a ‘sprouting’ type even if the label says it’s a bunching type – once again because it just doesn’t get cold enough (but I don’t mind – it still tastes really nice and you can pick it over a long period of time). I’ve had good success with cauli’s here – just make sure you get them in early enough cos they take a while to form curds. This year I’m not planting cabbage – they grow really well, but the bugs like them too much and I can’t be bothered pulling them apart leaf by leaf to clean out the bugs and poop! Kohl rabi is a great substitute and grows really well here – white and purple varieties. I’m also going to put in my garlic early this year even though it’s recommended not to plant until winter solstice (or July according to my reference book). The rogue garlic left in the garden from last season is already sprouting and well on its way, so I’m thinking it’s trying to tell me something. I’ll be planting other root crops soon too – carrots, swedes, turnips to name a few. Broad beans grow SOOO well here (unfortunately 😐 – they’re not my favourite thing to eat). Peas and snow peas will go in soon – snow peas are generally more prolific, so I’ll be growing only 1 row and about 4 or more of peas. I’ll also be putting in some onions, lettuce and spinach. Phew! Starting to wonder now when I’m going to find some time to plant all this stuff – didn’t realise I was planting quite so much until I started writing a list….. one other thing – I’m going to direct sow nearly everything this year and protect it with the iron snail pellets. I get much better germination rates in the ground and they take off much quicker. I might cover with some wire if birds become a problem too.

[JeanieParticipant]

Im building another wicking bed I have the same weather as SA

[GrethMember]

Planting loads of veggies now.

Will plant Romanesco Broccoli, love this one and it seems to have less pests than standard broccoli.

Sweet peas should be planted now, some people say on St pats day, others at least before Anzac, get a bit of growing done before the cold months. Other peas and broad beans a bit later, but within the next month or so. Prepare the beds with lime now if your soil is acidic, they want alkaline.

Garlic, plant at the autumn equinox, thats about today folks! Or at least before midwinter., sometime real soon. Other onion family, great.

Lettuces also will do well now.

Carrots my mothers wisdom said plant in any month except August when the soil is too cold.

Coriander, its cool enough to get those started, dont grow them in summer because the heat makes them bolt to seed too fast. Many of my other herbs will be sprouting in the next month or two, just depends on the timing of the rain, which is not very reliable.

Dont know how much autumn rain we will get, but I agree with go go go, you may have to water a bit for some weeks, but will be worth it. Hope you have a great winter veg garden!

[ali_celtMember]

I’m planting my feet firmly and refusing to give in… but that probably doesn’t answer your question, given it doesn’t relate to vegetables at all *grin*

[GrethMember]

Think I must have missed something there Ali

Thought this thread was about what vegetables we are planting now

[ali_celtMember]

Yeah it is, I’m just off an a totally random tangent as usual. Don’t mind me, Greth. I’m generally obscure. And I tend not to think too much before I type!

As for vegies – well, we haven’t got our beds yet, so I’m guessing there won’t be any again this year. Weeds are growing nicely though. Wish I still had the acres of marshmellow weed we used to have, and the nettles – then I’d have something to eat! But this year it’s all turned to pigface and 3-corner jacks around here.

[GrethMember]

Pig face is edible!

Beds are only a patch of land + a bit of work, you still got time before winter.

[AshramMember]

I’ve thrown around some mustard in 1/2 the veg garden to dig in as a bio-fumigant and green manure before it sets seed.

Coriander, dill, rocket, and parsley all self seed each year and are popping up now.

Cut back my tomatoes to hopefully get a 2nd crop out of them and they’re rocketing along, hopefully they flower before the weather cools down too much.

Planted saved nasturtium, sweet pea, dwarf bean seeds in the herb garden.

Planted out some young asparagus.

Direct sowed brussell sprouts in between the already growing rocket which acts like a mulch and gets fed to the chooks once the sprouts are established.

Ready to go I have carrot, radish, kale, watercress, onion seeds.

I’ve also got some native bush plum plants to plant out now that I’ve raised from seed, a chilean guava, and will separate and plant out some strawberries.

I think I’m going to be a little busy!

[GrethMember]

I use black, brown and white mustards to…. make mustard Ashram!

Might try strawberries yet again, lol. However the garden is improving every year, may have some success this time. Certainly wont if I dont try

[ali_celtMember]

Land i have plenty of. Space, too *grin* what I don’t have is any fences to keep the neighbours kids out of my land, and also, that time of which you speak!

Ahh well. With any luck we’ll have the beds here over winter some time so I can get them set up for wicking for spring!

[VanessaMember]

Sounds Great everyone.

I set up the compost bins on the weekend and started them off with chopped up agapanthus flower stalks, then they got filled up with lawn clippings, (which we have gotten away without mowing since moving in about 6 weeks ago). I’ve found in the past that the bins dry out to easily to compost well so they are fairly close to the tap (one tap in the whole back yard :shrug:) but still hidden behind a concrete retaining wall thing that forms part of the pool fence, I am hoping that being west facing that this area will retain some heat over winter.

This is where I am thinking of starting my “beds”, will probably be way to hot and exposed in summer but I have quite a few months to think about that, and I am hoping that the concrete wall will retain and disperse some of the heat in the cooler evenings. I did have plans to build raised beds in nice neat, squares/rectangles, but I have been inspired by Bels garden, with no formal definition to the beds, but fitting things in as they go. So instead of waiting and planning where things will go, and not growing anything, I am just going to jump in and plant things and hopefuly learn about the garden here as I go.

I have planted some rainbow chard next to the compost bins (where I know that water will run out of the bottom attepting to keep the contents damp and composting). Hopefully on the weekend I will be able to get out and loosen up some more ground and find my seeds and get some more in the ground and growing.

[GrethMember]

Nobody says vegetable beds have to be squarish, lol, just make sure you leave enough paths for a wheelbarrow.

I grow Jerusalm artichokes and golden rod along the north side of their patch, gives a little extra shade and shelter during the hot months (both are taller than me now, and starting to flower. In winter they can be cut back to let the sun in.

A trellis with climbers would also help with temporary summer shade. I know vegetables mostly want full sun, but that doesnt mean full desert scale full sun, which makes even the cactuses look thoughtful.

[RobyneMember]

Dug the area over but have the chooks in at the moment to do a bit extra digging for me.

Planing to plant leaves and beans.

[katerinaMember]

I got my new veggie bed up and running a few months ago and started germinating all my seeds.

i have just put in 400 onions (years supply), red earliball cabbage, chinese cabbage, silverbeet and spinach, lots of lettuce (various) kale,

broccoli, cauiflower, brussel sprouts, radicchio, celery, rocket, some late tomatoes and capsicums, raddish, carrot, swede, beetroot, fennel, and I am about to put in my snow peas, broad beens and shelling peas.

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