Preparing for a winter garden

MsWildFlower · Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:13 pm

Sorry to be asking yet another question ... I just can't help myself

It is summer here in NZ so I am starting to think of my winter garden. Last year I planted some brassicas in April, obviously too late as I ended up eating them in December

. Our temps can be down to 10-15 degrees celsius during the day from June to August and down to 6-8 degrees at night. We only had two small frosts last year and they both occurred in Spring.

So my question. What can I do to get a winter garden underway? What should I plant? Can you recommend any good sites for making a cloche?

TIA

red · Post: # 84778Post **red** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:58 pm

having trouble getting my head around where you are in the season.. are you too late to sow some PSB? we are eating it now and have been since December...

MsWildFlower · Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:02 am

red wrote:having trouble getting my head around where you are in the season.. are you too late to sow some PSB? we are eating it now and have been since December...

We have the opposite seasons to you, so we are now in our 3rd month of summer.

What is PSB?

possum · Post: # 84781Post **possum** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:08 am

I would be very interested in people replies, also in NZ, but a different winter climate, although we are on the SI we are fairly frost free being close to the sea. I have never grown veggies in the winter before. Even our Swede is now ready to be eaten which I planted thinking it would be a winter crop.

red · Post: # 84783Post **red** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:25 am

MsWildFlower wrote: We have the opposite seasons to you, so we are now in our 3rd month of summer.

What is PSB?

problem is, im not sure when the first month of summer here is!..but assume that your Feb is like our Aug.. in which case you might be a bit late to so PSB - purple sprouting broccoli. but it might be worth a look at the seed packets - different varieties etc.
you shoudl be able to sow red cabbage now, to have next spring..

Growing Mama · Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:13 am

Hey Ms Wild Flower, have you got a copy of Linda Hallinans Homegrown? You need it! It is the bestest. I have sown heaps of winter crops, and am consistently putting in brasicas (I have a war going with the butterfly). Basically whenever I plant out brasicas I plant seeds. I have got a large crop of spuds in, put in an extra row just a couple of weeks ago to see how far into the year we can eat our own spuds. My leeks are growing well and I will transplant them in a couple of weeks. My Grandad gave me some leek seedlings that I have just planted out. Also I have just today planted a carrot crop so that should keep us going. But I would seriously get that book. It tells you what to sow, what is growing and harvesting and how to preserve it all on a month by month basis. We must catch up soon!!!

MsWildFlower · Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:02 am

Growing Mama wrote:Hey Ms Wild Flower, have you got a copy of Linda Hallinans Homegrown? You need it! It is the bestest. I have sown heaps of winter crops, and am consistently putting in brasicas (I have a war going with the butterfly). Basically whenever I plant out brasicas I plant seeds. I have got a large crop of spuds in, put in an extra row just a couple of weeks ago to see how far into the year we can eat our own spuds. My leeks are growing well and I will transplant them in a couple of weeks. My Grandad gave me some leek seedlings that I have just planted out. Also I have just today planted a carrot crop so that should keep us going. But I would seriously get that book. It tells you what to sow, what is growing and harvesting and how to preserve it all on a month by month basis. We must catch up soon!!!

I have that book. It's fab isn't it.

I guess I'm more keen to find out about protecting my crop in winter and perhaps quicken the ripening. I thought asking on this site might enlighten me on the subject because the winters in England are colder than ours. I'm thinking of making a portable cloche but I don't know when to start using it, before the weather gets cold or when it does and also what grade of plastic to use. I've also heard about using black plastic to keep the soil temperature higher if you are waiting to use that plot - bunkum or true?

possum · Post: # 84892Post **possum** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:41 am

once the current hot weather has passed, then there is no reason not to use a cloche, though I personally would wait till autumn, as for what grade plastic, I would say it doesn't matter. Whereabouts are you?

Growing Mama · Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:58 am

Hey, I wil ask my Dad. He made an amazing portable cloche/plastichouse thing that is huge but moveable with about 4 people. Next time I am there I will take some photos for you. I am sure there is a certain grade. He used one kind that the shop said would be fine and then some winds ripped it apart. They were strong winds but he replaced it with better stuff and it hasn't happened again. I am keen to remain as self sufficient as poss over the winter as well so will watch this thread with interest. We are meeting up tommorow at Trudi's, are you coming?

MsWildFlower · Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:58 am

Growing Mama wrote:Hey, I wil ask my Dad. He made an amazing portable cloche/plastichouse thing that is huge but moveable with about 4 people. Next time I am there I will take some photos for you. I am sure there is a certain grade. He used one kind that the shop said would be fine and then some winds ripped it apart. They were strong winds but he replaced it with better stuff and it hasn't happened again. I am keen to remain as self sufficient as poss over the winter as well so will watch this thread with interest. We are meeting up tommorow at Trudi's, are you coming?

Thanks GM. I made this cloche last year but was thinking more along the lines of protecting the harvest from frost rather than daytime temps and covered it with frostcloth instead of plastic http://westsidegardener.com/howto/cloche.html. Doh. It was a little too unstable as well, I couldn't get the tubing far enough into the soil to be stable. So I am thinking of nailing the tubing to some planks of wood this year and maybe stabilising it at the top too. I will probably make another as well to cover another raised bed. Are they supposed to stay on all day or do you open it up for 'fresh air'

??????

Playcentre day for us tomorrow so no go on the meeting up tomorrow. Grow Mama and I live in the same town by the way 'Ishers.

Is your Dad a fruit grower as well? If so can I steal him next time he's visiting to pick his brains

Possum, I live in the New Plymouth area. Autumn is next month isn't it? So only about 2 weeks away. Eeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.

Sue