Organic Vegetable Gardening

By Annette McFarlane

This bestselling guide to growing a wide range of vegetables organically includes:
● the basics – how to plan your garden and prepare the soil, make compost, develop a planting guide, propagate, and sow and germinate seeds
● a comprehensive, A–Z guide to growing over 115 vegetables including Asian greens and unusual varieties
● growing Australian bush food, as well as a wide range of exotic herbs and spices
● growing mushrooms, plus edible flowers and weeds
● vegetable gardening in containers
● seed saving and heirloom vegetables.

For gardeners with not much room to move, there is a chapter on growing a large range of vegetables in containers. And for those interested in heirloom vegetables, advice on collecting and storing seeds. All this plus extensvie instructions on how to grow everything from 'A for Amaranth Spinach to Z for Zucchini', ensures that Organic Vegetable Gardening remains the organic grower's bible.

Annette McFarlane is a senior lecturer in horticulture, garden writer, author and broadcaster. Extensive travel has provided her with the opportunity to garden in a wide range of climates. She is the author of four gardening related books; regularly contributes to a range of gardening publications and online sites and also broadcasts a weekly gardening program. Annette is a recipient of the Australian Gold Laurel for Horticulture and has been inducted into the Horticultural Media Association Australia Hall of Fame.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781922565488

Book preview

1Welcome to organic vegetable gardening

WHY GROW YOUR OWN?

Increasing numbers of people are discovering the edible rewards and personal satisfaction of growing their own food. Mass-crop production may have brought the price of vegetables down, but taste and freshness are often sacrificed. The convenience of calling into the local supermarket, with its many aisles of goods and checkout queues, is not so convenient if the alternative is wandering around the garden and picking your own vegetables.

We are continually reminded of the need to diversify what we eat. Health professionals encourage us to eat at least three serves of fruit and five different vegetables each day. However, it makes sense to assume that the more diverse your diet, the more likely you will be able to supply your body with all the nutrients and minerals needed for good health.

Growing a diverse range of edible plants at home is easy and empowering. It allows you to start taking responsibility for your own wellbeing. You can also save money and benefit from some enjoyable exercise.

The vegetable garden of the 1950s saw the entire back garden dedicated to market garden-like production that fed an extended family and friends. Today we are more likely to mix vegetables and herbs together. We pop a few tomatoes or lettuce seedlings around the garden and grow vegetables in pots. But more of us are growing non-hybrid, heirloom varieties, and a new generation of gardeners is learning how to collect, clean and save their own seeds for replanting.

What we grow is also changing. Interest in international cuisine is increasing. As we become more adventurous in the kitchen, we tend to diversify what we grow in our gardens. It is becoming commonplace for gardeners to talk of growing water chestnuts, kangkong, hibiscus spinach, ginger and turmeric.

Some of these plants are not only wonderful to eat but also actually easier to grow than many traditional vegetable crops. In some cases, you do not need a vegetable garden to accommodate them. These versatile plants can be grown as garden shrubs, understorey plants or in water gardens. If you are restricted to growing in pots, you will be impressed by just how adaptable some of these plants can be. Even the smallest window box can provide a harvest of micro-greens.

Australian bush tucker plants have entered the realm of gourmet food. Some of the best bush tucker plants currently available can be grown in pots, the backyard or as street trees; they can even be found in local parks and reserves.

WHAT IS ORGANIC GROWING?

According to Brisbane Organic Growers, ‘Growing organically by definition is growing without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, using open-pollinated seed and free from genetic engineering. Organic gardening is working with nature, using the natural resources of soil, air, water and the return of animal and plant waste to create healthy soil. Plants grown in healthy soil are healthy and resistant to pests and diseases.’

The philosophy of these growers is echoed by other organic growing groups, city farms, seed saver networks, and biodynamic and permaculture organisations. Groups such as these are well placed to assist those wanting more information about going organic.

Membership of organic growing organisations has grown steadily over recent years, but consumer concern about the safety of genetically engineered plants and potential pesticide residue has sparked new interest in organic growing.

Organic growing groups support research into better organic methods. They provide people with information about how to garden organically, and advice on the benefits of organically grown produce both to people and the environment.

Growing your own organic vegetables has never been easier. Many certified and biodynamic preparations are now available off the shelf in the form of compost and soil enhancers, liquid manures, seaweed sprays and non-chemical pest control options. Obtaining non-hybrid seeds has become easier with several companies now dedicated to the preservation of heirloom varieties. Just place your order via mail or the internet, or call into your local organic retailer or nursery.

Learning the techniques of organic growing, weaning yourself off relying on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, building up a healthy soil and fostering a balanced garden ecosystem takes time, patience, a willingness to learn and a little effort. But the rewards of organic gardening, particularly growing your own garden-fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices, are more than compensation. As one dedicated organic gardener was heard to say, ‘Seeds will never grow in the packet. The most difficult step is the first one!’

Organic growing groups

There are many organic growing groups around the country. Some involve a small local network of enthusiasts who meet regularly in each other’s gardens, swapping information, seeds and seedlings. Organisations with larger memberships often distribute informative newsletters in which experienced home gardeners and commercial organic producers give advice on what to plant, pest control and general topics of interest. Guest speakers may address group meetings held in community halls or schools. These groups provide an avenue for exchanging or purchasing open-pollinated, non-hybrid seeds. Some sell books and organic products to members at reduced prices.

Seed saver networks

Seed saver organisations are dedicated to the preservation of non-hybrid varieties of plants. Unlike a seed bank, where seeds are stored, a seed network is an association of people who actively regenerate, share and therefore preserve genetic diversity by growing and saving seeds from open-pollinated, heritage or heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers. Network members freely exchange seeds and information on the performance of different crops in the hope of preserving locally adapted varieties with unique characteristics that are advantageous to organic gardeners and farmers.

No straight rows of vegetables here. Flowers and vegetables are often planted together in today’s suburban garden.

Did you know?

The word vegetable is culinary, rather than botanical. It usually describes a crop used as a main course or accompaniment to meat or fish, as opposed to fruit (in the culinary sense) that is served as a dessert.

A fruit, in the botanical sense, is the ripened ovary of a plant and any of its associated floral parts. Therefore, botanically speaking, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, eggplants, capsicums and countless other edible crops that are normally thought of as vegetables are fruits because they contain seeds.

A variety of vegetables and fruits are grown in what people think of as the vegetable gardens, so the widest possible definition has been adopted in selecting plants for this book. Today’s vegetable garden is perhaps better termed a kitchen garden.

Biodynamic associations

Gardeners who practise biodynamics follow the teachings of Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner. Special preparations are used to enhance plant growth and disease resistance, and cosmic influences are considered in all aspects of plant and animal culture. Commercial biodynamic farmers produce organic vegetables, fruits and meat. Australia currently has more land area devoted to biodynamic primary production than any other country in the world.

Permaculture organisations

Gardeners who practise permaculture combine the principles of organic growing and ecological design to develop energy-efficient, low-maintenance, high-yielding gardens. According to founder Bill Mollison, ‘Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems.’ (Mollison, 1988)

City farms and community gardens

Municipal authorities are increasingly giving land back to local residents so they can create productive organic gardens. But city farms and community gardens are about more than just gardening: they provide a meeting place and focus for social interaction, help to create a sense of community, foster a sense of power and ownership among residents, and are also a resource for sharing knowledge and ideas.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION

More consumers are interested in buying organically produced food, but how do you determine whether the goods you are buying have been grown without the use of chemicals?

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) has overall responsibility for setting the National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce in Australia. These standards can be viewed online. AQIS delegates the inspection and certification of organisations, growers and produce to a variety of associations. These include:

•National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA)

•Biological Farmers of Australia Cooperative Limited (Australian Certified Organic)

•Organic Growers of Australia Incorporated (OGA)

•Bio-Dynamic Research Institute (Demeter).

Certifying organisations in New Zealand include:

•BioGro New Zealand Limited (BioGro)

•Bio Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association in New Zealand Incorporated (Demeter).

The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) provides an organic certification system for goods traded internationally. Demeter is a worldwide biodynamic certification system.

When purchasing organic products look for locally produced goods that conform to local organic standards. All organically produced packaged goods should bear certification symbols.

2Know your climate

Why is it that some plants grow well in some climates and not in others? Is it just a question of temperature or planting time? A number of factors combine to dictate what will grow well in a particular region. There are also several strategies that can be used to modify climatic influences and allow us to grow a wider range of plants over an extended season.

WHAT IS MY CLIMATE?

This is a more difficult question than you might imagine, but understanding the climate where you intend to garden is fundamental to understanding what you can grow successfully and when you should plant it. The characteristics of five broad climate categories are detailed below.

Tropical climates

Tropical climates within Australia include coastal areas from just south of Mackay and extending across the top of Australia as far south as Broome. Tropical climates are characterised by distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry season (mid-autumn through winter to mid-spring) lasts for up to eight months and is the most pleasant and productive season in which to garden. Mean mid-winter daytime temperatures in the dry season hover around 30°C. Mean overnight temperatures are 18°C, but occasionally the overnight low may drop down to 12°C.

The remainder of the year is described as the wet or monsoon season. Annual rainfall in tropical climates may top 4000mm. The late afternoon thunderstorms and high humidity that characterise the monsoon season are essential for recharging soil moisture and topping up natural water storage areas. This rain gives rise to luxuriant growth in plants that can tolerate high levels of soil moisture, but causes root rot problems and crop failures in those that cannot.

Mean daytime temperatures in the middle of the summer monsoon season are about 32°C. Mean overnight temperatures rarely drop below 22°C. Regardless of the season, tropical climates have almost equal hours of daylight and darkness.

Subtropical and warm temperate climates

Subtropical and warm temperate climates in Australia include coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales, including Sydney. In New Zealand the zone includes Auckland, Coromandel, Tauranga and Mt Maunganui, and in other parts of the world it includes areas of South Africa and South America.

These regions have more distinct seasonal temperature changes than tropical regions. Summer rainfall dominates, with roughly two-thirds of the up to 1200mm average annual rainfall occurring during summer. Gardeners in subtropical and warm temperate climates can grow a remarkably diverse range of plants.

Mean mid-winter daytime temperatures in subtropical and warm temperate climates are between 10°C and 20°C, depending on latitude and distance from the coast. Overnight temperatures of 8°C are common, but occasionally may drop as low as 2°C in the subtropics and 0°C in warm temperate regions. Frost can occur in inland areas away from warming coastal influences, particularly in warm temperate regions.

Mean daytime temperatures in the middle of summer range from 20°C to 30°C. Overnight temperatures during midsummer rarely drop below 12°C, but in subtropical regions temperatures may occasionally only drop a few degrees below daytime temperatures.

Daylight extends to about 14.5 hours (9.5 hours of darkness) during summer, with mid-winter daylight contracting to 9.5 hours (14.5 hours of darkness).

Semi-arid and arid climates

Semi-arid and arid climates encompass Central Australia and extend to include areas such as Longreach and Charleville in Queensland. They include Carnarvon, Port Hedland and areas just south of Broome in Western Australia, central South Australia and north-western Victoria.

These regions are characterised by extremes of temperature, particularly as you move further away from coastal influences. The annual rainfall is generally 250–500mm, with falls mostly occurring during the warmer months. Gardening in these climates can be challenging, but with access to irrigation, significant production can be achieved.

Mean mid-winter daytime temperatures are 20°C to 33°C. Average overnight temperatures during winter are about 10°C, but may drop to 0°C in inland regions.

Mean daytime temperatures in the middle of summer are about 34°C, but temperatures of about 46°C are not unknown. Mean overnight temperatures during summer rarely drop below 21°C.

Average length of daylight extends to 13.5 hours (10.5 hours of darkness) during summer, with mid-winter daylight contracting to 10.5 hours (13.5 hours of darkness).

Dry temperate (Mediterranean) climate

Dry temperate climates mimic that of the Mediterranean region in the northern hemisphere. In Australia they include the southern corner of Western Australia (including Perth, Esperance and Geraldton); the region around Adelaide in South Australia; and East Gippsland in the south-eastern corner of Victoria. These regions share climatic features with central California and Capetown in South Africa. All these regions have relatively pleasant year-round temperatures for gardening. They are renowned for their potential bountiful harvest, but the very dry, hot summer months can be challenging.

The annual rainfall is generally between 600 and 800mm per year, with almost three-quarters of this falling during winter.

Mean mid-winter daytime temperatures are between 15°C and 18°C. Overnight minimum temperatures are about 9°C, but they occasionally drop down to 6°C.

Summers are relatively dry, with low humidity. Mean daytime temperatures in midsummer are 30°C to 33°C, and rarely drop below 18°C overnight.

Daylight extends to 13.5 hours (10.5 hours of darkness) during summer, with mid-winter daylight contracting to 10.5 hours (13.5 hours of darkness).

Temperate and cool climates

Temperate and cool climates in Australia include Canberra and eastern, central and southern Victoria and Tasmania. These conditions are also found in the southern parts of the North Island and throughout the South Island of New Zealand. Summer in these regions can be warm to hot. Spring and autumn are mild to cool while winter is cool to cold.

Spring, summer and early autumn are the main seasons for gardening in temperate and cool climates. A priority in these climates is planting deciduous fruit and nut trees as well as root vegetables that store well over winter.

Annual rainfall varies between 600 and 1000mm, depending on latitude and distance from the coast. Winter and spring rainfall is common, but on the whole, falls tend to be spread relatively evenly throughout the year.

Mean mid-winter daytime temperatures range between 5°C and 13°C, with overnight temperatures dropping to 0°C and below. Frost is common, and significant snowfall is possible in some regions.

Mean daytime temperatures in the middle of summer vary between 16°C and 26°C, with the hottest days occurring during mid-January (southern hemisphere), when temperatures in some regions can exceed 30°C. Humidity is low, with average overnight temperatures of 11°C.

Temperate and cool temperate climates are characterised by long summer days with 15.5 daylight hours (8.5 hours of darkness). Winters are cold, dark and damp, with just 8.5 daylight hours (15.5 hours of darkness). Such conditions make these climates particularly suitable for growing day-long crops such as onions and garlic. For more detail see Day length, Chapter 2.

WHAT GROWS WHEN AND WHY?

Why do some plants grow well at certain times of the year, but not at others? For many plants it is a factor of maximum and minimum temperatures, but for others it is a combination of temperature and the difference between the hours of daylight and hours of darkness to which the plant is exposed.

Maximum and minimum temperatures

Some plants are acutely affected by temperature. For example, watermelons require plenty of warmth over a long growing season. Gardeners in warm climates have no trouble growing them, but temperate and cool climate gardeners may not be able to grow their vines to the point where they flower and fruit before temperatures fall and the vines die from exposure to cold conditions.

While gardeners in cool climates try desperately to keep their plants warm and go to great lengths to protect them from frost, gardeners in warm climates battle against the heat trying to prevent their plants bolting to seed prematurely. Gardeners in tropical climates find it virtually impossible to grow Brussels sprouts successfully, as temperatures are simply too warm to allow plants to form sprout heads, even in winter!

Some plants tolerate a wide variety of climatic conditions. Lettuce can be grown in a range of climates, from cool to tropical. Iceberg lettuce is a popular variety in cool climates, while warm climate gardeners may prefer to grow ‘Gwenda White’ or Darwin varieties, as they are heat-tolerant and slow to bolt to seed. Local seed saver networks are a great source of information about locally adapted varieties.

Using netting over a polypipe frame is an effective way to keep birds and other animals off your plants.

Creating microclimates

There are many ways of modifying climatic conditions to extend both the range of vegetables you can grow and the seasons in which you can grow them. One solution is to erect a temporary cloche or mini-tunnel house over your herbs and vegetables.

Simply cut the hanging hook from a few old wire coathangers and bend the remaining wire into U-shaped hoops. Form a tunnel by pushing the ends of the wire into the soil and covering the line of hoops with clear plastic, recycled bubble wrap or shade cloth. A plastic or bubble wrap cloche will help keep your plants warm overnight, making it ideal for starting off young seedlings. Remember to open the plastic at each end of the tunnel to allow air to circulate, otherwise your vegetables will be steamed when the sun comes out. In hot climates, cover the cloche with shade cloth to shelter plants from the heat.

In the southern hemisphere, north-facing walls exposed to the sun tend to accumulate heat, which radiates 16–18cm from the wall during the evening. Gardeners can also capitalise on heat from a chimney or a fireplace on the inside of an exterior wall. The additional warmth transferred through the brickwork can improve the production of trellis crops, planter boxes and hanging baskets. As a general rule, the softer and more succulent the plant, the more susceptible it is to damage when temperatures are cool. Feeding your plants excessively with nitrogen creates soft growth, which is prone to frost damage. Even when the nitrogen comes from an organic source, such as animal manure or compost, overfeeding your plants will make them less cold-tolerant.

Coping with frost

Wind can push freezing cold air vast distances, with the result that cold temperatures and snowfalls in one area can cause frost damage in a distant region. To protect plants from these convection frosts, direct cold air moving across the landscape away from sensitive plants. Solid fences or hedges can be used to block and funnel cold air downhill.

When temperatures drop below 0°C, the water inside the tissues of many plants will freeze and therefore expand. The cell walls of plants are rigid and fracture easily under the increased pressure, particularly when rapid thawing occurs at daybreak. The cell walls of animals, on the other hand, are flexible. That is why it is possible to successfully freeze meat, but not a lettuce. The most damaging frosts occur on still, cloudless nights. During these nights, the heat loss from the earth is more dramatic and the air temperature close to the ground drops below freezing. To protect plants from these radiation frosts, you must create a warm microclimate around them.

Did you know?

During the 1820s, English gardeners incorporated hot water pipes and constructed purpose-built fireplaces within the walls surrounding productive gardens. This strategy generated and radiated heat, which kept fruit and vegetables warm and protected from frost.

Many gardeners protect plants from frost by covering them before the sun sets and then removing the covers the following morning to admit air and sunlight. The polyester-fabric frost cloths used by commercial vegetable growers are also available to home gardeners. They are often sufficiently transparent to be left in place for the duration of the frost period. The additional warmth these thermal blankets create around vegetables will enhance plant growth and protect plants from frosts to –5°C.

Early in the season, when the soil is warm, mulch materials can help to insulate the soil from heat loss. However, once the full force of winter has arrived and the soil has become cold, thick mulch materials can prevent sunlight from warming the soil on sunny winter days. The increased moisture held by mulch materials can increase the cold damage suffered by plants if temperatures drop to the point where the moisture in the mulch freezes.

Frost-tolerant vegetables

Vegetables considered frost-hardy include asparagus, collards, kale, kohlrabi, rhubarb and turnips. Root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and parsnips may die back, but can be stored in the soil over winter, coping well with frost during this dormant phase. Vegetables that will tolerate light frost include beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, garlic, lettuce (cold-tolerant varieties), onions, parsley, spinach and chives.

Coping with cold weather

To help your garden cope with cold weather, consider some of the following strategies:

•Use hedges and barriers to redirect cold air away from sensitive plants.

•Look for planting opportunities close to brick walls so you can take advantage of radiated heat.

•Avoid overfeeding your plants. Tough plants are more cold-tolerant.

•Cover plants before the sun goes down to help retain heat around them, particularly when you know frost is likely.

•Take care that thick, water-retentive mulches don’t chill your plants.

•Be inventive and build a mini-greenhouse or cloche from recycled materials.

•Use pots and window boxes in warm spots around your home and garden to grow sensitive plants, as well as give seeds and seedlings a head start.

•Look for cold-tolerant varieties and lesser-known species through seed saver networks and organic gardening groups.

Coping with hot weather

To help your garden cope with hot weather, consider some of the following strategies:

•Shelter plants with shade cloth or other sun-filtering fabric.

•Forget the traditional north–south orientation of vegetable gardens. Establish vegetable gardens on the eastern side of buildings, where they will benefit from some afternoon shade.

•Look for heat-tolerant varieties of vegetables, such as non-hearting lettuce, perennial leeks and bunching onions.

•Substitute traditional vegetables with Asian, tropical or arid vegetables, which are better suited to the climate where you live. Snake beans and Ceylon spinach are more suited to warm climates than many traditional European crops.

•Change your planting schedule. You may be able to grow traditional summer crops that are less tolerant of extremes of heat and humidity more successfully during spring, autumn and winter seasons.

•Build a pond or other water feature in the garden. Air will be cooled as it passes over the water, providing free evaporative cooling for your garden.

Day length

The further your garden is from the Equator, the greater the seasonal variation in day length. For example, during winter, gardeners in Tasmania and the southern parts of New Zealand experience very short days and long, dark nights. In the depth of winter, the sun might not rise until 8.00am and then set by 4.30pm. During the summer period, however, it may remain light until 9.30pm, with a relatively short period of darkness, followed by an early sunrise.

The closer you are to the Equator, the less the seasonal variation in day length. For example, gardeners in northern Queensland experience only a slight difference in day length from summer to winter. In tropical climates, there are about 12 hours of daylight and darkness, regardless of the season.

Short-day plants

Some plants, such as Jerusalem artichokes, flower when the days become shorter and they are exposed to longer periods of darkness. These are called short-day plants. Tuber development and flowering occur with the onset of autumn and winter as the days become shorter and the nights longer.

Long-day plants

Some plants mature when the days become longer and they are exposed to shorter periods of darkness. These plants are called long-day plants. For example, onions are long-day vegetables that are planted during the cooler months while the days are short and the nights are long, but are initiated into forming their bulbous base and flowers as the summer days become longer and the nights become shorter. Onions rarely produce flowers or seeds in tropical climates because to do so they require exposure to more than twelve hours of daylight.

Day-neutral plants

Some plants, such as tomatoes, flower regardless of the amount of light and darkness to which they are exposed. These are called day-neutral plants. Growth, flower formation and fruit development in day-neutral plants are determined more by temperature than the amount of daylight or darkness.

PLANTING GUIDES

The following charts provide a guide to planting times for vegetables in different climatic regions. Early in the season it may be preferable to establish plants from seed; whereas later in the season it may be better to plant vegetables as seedlings. For more information, consult the individual plant profiles in chapter 11.

(If you would like to download and save a printable PDF of the following Planting Guides, click here.)

Tropical climate planting guide

You are likely to live in a tropical zone if your climate has:

•Distinct wet and dry seasons

•Rainfall of up to 4000mm per year, mostly falling during summer

•An average winter daytime temperature of 30°C

•An average summer daytime temperature of 32°C

•Equal hours of daylight and darkness, regardless of the season.

Plant seeds early during the planting season and seedlings towards the end of the season unless otherwise indicated in the plant profile in chapter 11.

seed

seedling

cutting

bulb/tuber

Subtropical and warm temperate climates planting guide

You are likely to live in a subtropical or warm temperate zone if your climate has:

•Some distinct seasonal changes

•Rainfall of up to 1200mm per year, mostly during summer

•An average winter daytime temperature of 10–20°C

•An average summer daytime temperature of 20–30°C

•Mid-winter day length minimum of 9.5 hours (14.5 hours of darkness).

Plant seeds early during the planting season and seedlings towards the end of the season unless otherwise indicated in the plant profile in chapter 11.

seed

seedling

cutting

bulb/tuber

Semi-arid and arid climates planting guide

You are likely to live in a semi-arid or arid zone if your climate has:

•Hot days in summer and cold nights in winter

•Rainfall of more than 250–500mm per year, mostly falling during summer

•An average winter daytime temperature of 20–33°C

•An average summer daytime temperature of 34°C

•Mid-winter day length of 10.5 hours (13.5 hours of darkness).

Plant seeds early during the planting season and seedlings towards the end of the season unless otherwise indicated in the plant profile in chapter 11.

seed

seedling

cutting

bulb/tuber

Dry temperate (Mediterranean) climate planting guide

You are likely to live in a dry temperate zone if your climate has:

•Hot, dry summers

•Rainfall of 600–800mm per year, mostly falling in winter

•An average winter daytime temperature of 15–18°C

•An average summer daytime temperature of 30–33°C

•Mid-winter day length of 10.5 hours (13.5 hours of darkness).

Plant seeds early during the planting season and seedlings towards the end of the season unless otherwise indicated in the plant profile in chapter 11.

seed

seedling

cutting

bulb/tuber

Temperate and cool climates planting guide

You are likely to live in a temperate or cool zone if your climate has:

•Winter frost and/or significant snowfall possible in some regions

•Rainfall of 600–1000mm, depending on latitude and distance from the coast

•An average winter daytime temperature between 5° and 13°C

•An average summer daytime temperature between 16° and 26°C

•Mid-winter day length of 8.5 hours (15.5 hours of darkness).

Plant seeds early during the planting season and seedlings towards the end of the season unless otherwise indicated in the plant profile in chapter 11.

seed

seedling

cutting

bulb/tuber

3Getting started

PLANNING YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN

Planning your organic garden is the same as planning any good garden; it is just more productive and sustainable. A well designed garden combines both function — how well the garden works — and aesthetics — how the garden looks and feels.

Function

Take a leaf from permaculture gardeners and imagine your garden as a series of zones or concentric circles. By placing the most frequently used plants and related items, like worm farms and seedraising areas, closest to your house, you use your energy efficiently. How often do you see a neglected vegetable garden located in a distant back corner of a garden? Your herbs and vegetables should be located close to the house so that you will harvest them efficiently and adequately care for them. In the area closest to your house, you should consider placing:

•Vegetables and herbs

•Worm farm

•Water to attract birds and beneficial insects

•Trellis plants to utilise vertical space

•Potted lemon, bay, lemon myrtle or kaffir lime tree

•Rainwater tank to collect water from the house for the garden

•Glasshouse or seed-raising area.

Other strategies for increasing efficiency and functionality include:

•grouping related activities together, such as the vegetable garden and the seed-raising area;

•selecting plant varieties adapted to your climate, thereby minimising maintenance and maximising yield;

•practising on-site recycling such as composting; and

•emphasising diversity by growing plants that provide habitat for birds and beneficial insects, lots of flowers and a variety of vegetables.

Aesthetics

Great gardens don’t appear overnight. Do not be in too much of a hurry to put in permanent paths and edges. The best design solutions often take place after much contemplation. Once laid, concrete and rocks are very permanent. If your garden looks all higgledy-piggledy, add a functional, unifying element. This could be an edging plant that defines different areas, a harvestable hedge species, or a common path or mulch material.

Front gardens filled with decorative lawns and flowers may look good, but how often do you use them? What if this is the only sunny spot in your garden that is suitable for growing vegetables? Gardens need a certain degree of privacy or we don’t feel comfortable working or relaxing in them. This is one of the reasons why people rarely use their front garden. Create a sense of enclosure by developing a series of smaller, more private spaces within your front garden — possibly even including some herbs, vegetables or a lemon tree. You will feel more comfortable planting and tending the garden.

Consider the ornamental appeal of a circular vegetable garden or a traditional ‘potager’ garden containing a mixture of vegetables, herbs and flowers set out in an ornamental pattern. Pathways should link points of interest or activity. To create a sense of arrival and for ease of access, widen the path around such areas. Paths may link activities centred around the herb garden, seating areas, the compost and the clothesline. Grow plants in a style that mimics the way they grow in nature, without straight edges or bare earth and with natural boundaries created by rocks, stone and wood.

You can make a combined worm farm and potting bench by recycling a laundry sink.

Perfect positioning

A north to north-easterly aspect is traditionally favoured for growing vegetables, since this aspect receives the most sun for the longest period throughout the year. The colder the climate, the more critical it is that gardens receive sunlight throughout the day. In warmer climates, sunlight is still important, but vegetables grown in summer can become heat-stressed by midday, and often grow better if provided with dappled sunlight in the afternoon.

Putting worms to work

Worms eat waste and convert it into compost known as worm castings. You can purchase a worm farm or make one yourself. To make a worm farm out of a recycled laundry sink, spread a bucket of coarse gravel into the base of the sink and cover with a piece of shade cloth that has been cut to fit. Place your worms and a food source such as kitchen waste or animal manure on top. Cover with wet hessian or newspaper to exclude light and prevent the worms drying out. Place a piece of marine ply or other waterproof material over the top of the sink to exclude vermin and rainfall.

Replenish the food supplied to your worms once or twice each week. All food should be consumed within a few days. To retrieve worm castings, remove the hessian or newspaper to expose the worms to light. As the worms retreat to the darkness below, you can collect the worm castings from the top. Worm castings can be used in the same way as other compost.

To make liquid worm castings, pour water into the sink and use a bucket to collect the liquid that drips through the drainage hole. Liquid worm castings are an excellent plant tonic. To avoid burning plants, dilute the liquid to the colour of weak tea. The nutrients contained in worm castings and liquid collected from a worm farm vary depending on what the worms eat.

As gardens become smaller, we sometimes have to settle for less than ideal situations in which to grow vegetables. Neighbouring buildings may shade your garden, or you may be an apartment dweller who only has space on a hot, west-facing balcony. Fortunately, vegetables are adaptable, and it is possible to create microclimates in your garden to improve your success rate. If parts of your garden are shaded, try growing leeks, silver beet or spinach. If your garden is very hot and sunny, try heat-lovers such as capsicum, chilli, fennel or asparagus.

When you only have room for a small garden, you need to plant vegetables that are very quick-growing, occupy little space and produce an abundant harvest over a prolonged period.

In a small garden you can achieve maximum growing area by taking advantage of vertical space. For example, climbing beans will produce a much greater harvest per garden area occupied than dwarf-growing, bush cultivars. Tomatoes and cucumbers can be trained vertically, while snow peas can cascade over the edges of a hanging basket.

While most vegetables are grown as short-lived annuals, others will continue to grow, provided they receive adequate nutrition in suitable climatic conditions. These perennial vegetables can live on for many years, are more tolerant of neglect, can act as a back-up in case an annual crop fails, and are often readily reproduced simply by dividing sections from the parent plant. Vegetables that can be grown as perennial crops include arrowroot, asparagus, bunching onions, celery stem taro, chilli, choko, garden sorrel, hibiscus spinach, perennial capsicum and multiplier leeks.

Use plants to divide your garden into smaller, private spaces that are linked by pathways.

DIGGING A VEGETABLE GARDEN

Traditional methods of bed preparation involve digging the soil over to at least one spade depth and incorporating plenty of organic material. If this sounds too energetic, water the ground well the night before and take the easier option of working it over with a garden fork, but make sure the soil is aerated to the full depth of the fork. Start small and be generous with the amount of compost you add to the soil — at least one full barrow per square metre.

Top tips for starting out

•Start small and expand your garden as your experience grows.

•Arrange a labour exchange with a more experienced