Summer is here

All the seedlings and seeds planted last month will be shooting away.

What to plant now

All Summer greens, carrots, beetroot, late corn, celery, zucchinis, beans and peas., tomatoes, capsicums and chillies.

Plant maintenance

Tomatoes will need to be staked and pruned. remembering to remove the lateral shoots and bottom leaves to promote good ventilation. Leave one lateral, immediately below the first flowering truss to make a second main stem or "leader".

Keep weeding between rows of other vegetables until the seedlings are 15cm tall. There will still be significant winds in December and varied growing conditions from the odd scorcher to cooler days. Mulching plants will not only conserve water but maintain the soil temperature to an optimum level, promoting growth and protecting the soil biome. Apply mulch between rows of smaller seedlings, and between bigger seedlings like tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, cucumbers and capsicums Mulch to about 7cm thick.

Mulch can be:

Old straw or chopped sugar cane are the best sources of mulch 

Avoid hay as it has too many weed and grass seeds 

Pine bark which is not suitable for vegetable gardens. It is fine for ornamentals and fruit trees. 

Avoid lawn clippings as they will produce heat and ferment which will burn and probably kill your baby vegetables.

Tie larger plants to stakes or trellis to protect them from wind damage and keep their growing tips up in the sun.

Harvesting

Yummy fruits and vegetables are here at last. Tomatoes are ripening, there is an abundance of greens and spring onions, peas, beans and the start of many zucchinis. Small fruit like raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants and blackberries are abundant.

Pick all fruit as soon as they are ready. They do not improve if left on the vine. 

Pick zucchini when they are 15cm long for continuous production of tender vegetables. 

The more beans and peas picked, the more the plant will produce.

Pick outer leaves of lettuce, chard and spinach. The plants will produce more leaves in the centre of the plant. If the plant looks like going to seed, chop it down and it will reshoot to produce more leaves.

Zucchinis ready to eat.

Bare spots in your patch after Winter crops are removed

Areas of your garden that are not needed for Summer crops should be looked after too. Throw some green manure seeds over the soil, rake in lightly and cover until the seeds emerge. Remove the cover and let the plants grow to about 30 cm tall, usually about 6 to 8 weeks later. Well after the Christmas festivities when you have more spare time to deal with the patch.

Once grown, smash it down and lightly dig in. Cover with compost and mulch and leave to brew. A green manure crop will protect your soil, improve the soil biome and soil fertility. It will protect the soil from weeds and make make your patch perfect for Winter crops to be planted in late Summer.

Enjoy your garden and its bounty!