WHAT TO PICK AND WHAT TO PLANT THIS WEEK
What to pick
* Limes. You can still get some late-ripening limes off the tree.
* Roselle/Rozelle Hibiscus sabdarriffa. Often used as a decorative flavour infusion in sparkling white. Also used for tea and jams.
* Pomegranate (great for salads and desserts). Pomegranates are also said to have three to seven times more antioxidant value than green tea and red wine.
* Rhubarb
* Last of the gem squash
* Last of eggplant
* Last of the beans
* Last of the chillies
* Last of the zucchinis
* Tomatillo: Also called “tomate verde” in Mexico (which means green tomato)
* Last of the corn
* Pumpkin, if stems are dry
* Guava
What to plant now
* The brassica family of vegetables, which includes broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower and brussel sprouts (this family of plants is one of your most powerful weapons in warding off many common diseases).
* The Allium family includes onion, garlic, chive, leek, and shallot.
Maintenance
* Mulch with third cut lucerne and incorporate cow poo in veggie garden now.
* Don’t let weeds go to seed.
* Stubble straw is a little bit hard to break down in a veggie garden.
Autumn colour
Now is the time to look around at the autumn tones you might want in your garden next year.
When planning to buy your deciduous plant, plan to buy it in the bare rooted season. It’s a cheaper and a better way to plant them.
Put stakes in ground before planting the bare-rooted stock, so as not to damage roots.
Plan the positioning of a deciduous tree, so it can give summer shade and winter sun and not be a problem for pools and gutters during autumn.
Buy a blower or get a good plastic rake.
All these plants, except the pear, will decompose in a compost heap easily. The pears may need to be mulched up with the mower blades and sucked up in the mower catcher to reduce the leaf size if in lawn areas.
Get out and get dirty.
– Horticulturist Tom Fagan runs Tara Landscaping in Red Cliffs.
