Soil conditions had been very dry as winter approached, however over the past two weeks cloud, humidity and rain have dominated.
It seems the winter soil moisture recharge has begun.
The garden is looking very dormant, apart from brassicas, beets and leeks, which are all still enjoying the cool conditions and slow growing.
It has not been cold enough yet to damage soft foliage.
Even the Abyssinian banana I planted because it got pot bound has not been frosted, although strong winds in May gave it a hammering.
June is a quiet month in the garden. The only vegetable plants that tolerate the winter cold and damp well are broad beans.
They are incredibly tough and seem resistant to any amount of cold.
They can be sown from now, right through spring in a well drained and composted part of the garden.
There are several varieties available, with the shorter growing ones, such as Coles Dwarf providing an earlier crop and taller Exhibition Long Pod a heavier crop.
My personal favourite is Evergreen, a mid-size plant with green beans rather than the usual buff brown coloured bean.
The cold time of year is when indoor growing really becomes an advantage.
Between now and November is always a difficult time to supply fresh produce for the kitchen table.
We grow a variety of greens in compost-filled pots through winter and early spring, giving a regular supply of fresh greens when they are expensive, or just not available.
Even a sunny doorstep can produce tasty greens while garden soil is still too cold.
Pruning of roses, fruit trees and bushes, should be undertaken over the next few weeks. Reduce larger trees to a manageable height, cut out dead and damaged wood and enough growth to allow air circulation and light into the centre of trees.
I began my winter pruning with gooseberry bushes last week. Never a pleasant job! Thinning them out by cutting out the oldest wood and also branches around the base that arch towards the ground is my strategy.
Crowded bushes can be a nightmare to harvest and produce smaller berries.
I use a similar strategy for pruning currants. Any wood damaged by the currant borer insect should be removed and disposed of.
Blackcurrants fruit on young wood, so cut out any old unproductive growth.
Red currants fruit on older wood, so be careful not to remove too much!
Don’t delay pruning vines like grape and kiwifruit.
They have a very short dormancy and bleed sap profusely.
Once pruned, roses and fruit trees benefit from a spray with lime sulphur. This keeps the branches free of lichens and mosses, along with controlling mites and insect pests overwintering in nooks and crannies on the bark.
Apricots are sulphur shy, so avoid applying this product on these trees. Follow up the sulphur with a copper spray about two weeks later and then finish with an application of winter strength spraying oil.
Copper is an effective fungicide for diseases such as black spot on roses and pip fruit, while winter oil also controls overwintering pests.
The copper and oil can be applied together if desired.
Mid winter is time for planting garlic bulbs which slowly establish and push through the ground in about a month.
Split seed garlic bulbs into individual cloves (10 to 15) and press 2cm deep into composted ground.
Plant garlic into fertile soil and space 10-20cm apart. The wider spacing is probably better for air circulation and rust prevention.
Sprouting seed potatoes can be done in a warm, dark spot now.
This gives early potatoes a head start when ground conditions warm in early spring. Good, reliable early croppers include Swift, Rocket, Jersey Benne and Liseta.
- Keith Omelvena is a keen gardener and nurseryman.
