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Early Autumn
Kitchen Garden
To-Do List
(March in low frost, summer rainfall areas)
Print This Page and Use as Your Actual To-Do List
Planning and Recordkeeping
□ Now is the time to think about some
colour in the winter garden. Consider winter flowering bulbs and
Namaqualand daisies.
□ Consider sowing Calendula
officinalis for winter skin ointments.
□ Prepare strawberry beds now.
They do better in a slightly acid soil. Dig in plenty of
well-rotted manure and/or compost. Scatter a cupful of 3:1:5
per square meter.
□ Keep weekly gardening diary and records up to date.
□ Compare actual results and actions with plans and make
notes for next year where necessary.
Herb Propagation
Maintain the succession of seed sowing of:
□ Nasturtiums
□ Flat-leaf parsley
□ Chives
Start Sowing:
□ Coriander
□ Sage
Start taking cuttings of:
□ Lavender
□ Lemon Balm
□ Mint
□ Oregano
□ Rosemary
□ Thyme
Tip: When taking cuttings
select healthy growth and cut just below a node or leaf joint.
Remove the lower leaves. Many cuttings root better if the ends are
dipped into a root-forming hormone before inserting the cutting in
a rooting medium. Your local nursery will be able to advise.
Tip: If you have perennials such
as yarrow, bulbine, echinaceae and bergamot now is a good time
to divide them. Water the clumps the day before dividing. After
lifting, do not let the roots dry out. For replanting choose
healthy young growths from the outer edge of the clump.
Veggie
Propagation
Maintain the succession of seed sowing of:
□ Cabbage - last
month to sow cabbage
□ Spinach
□ Swiss
chard
□ Lettuce
□ Rocket
□ Carrots
□ Beetroot
□ Radishes
□ Peas Start sowing:
□ Green Beans See our recommended varieties.
Planting and Thinning Out
Tip:
If you don't like propagating your own herbs you can buy all herbs
on our recommended varieties list
and transplant into permanent beds or bigger containers. The same
goes for veggies. Buy seedlings from your local nurseries.
□
Thin out beetroots, carrots, lettuces to the desired distances.
Watering
□ Check garden and containers daily during hot spells, especially salad crops
and chili bushes.
□
Supplement rainfall (in summer rainfall areas) with thorough
waterings.
Fertilizing
□ Fertilize once with a liquid
fertilizer
□
Containers need a diluted feeding once a week.
Pruning
□ Give hedges a final clipping.
□ Expose the fruit of tomatoes to the sun by removing
the covering leaves.
□
Prune all herbs to keep them in shape.
Weeding
□ Remove weeds regularly as they appear. Don’t give them a chance to
flower and seed.
Pests and Disease
□ Note the occurrence of pest and
disease, measures taken (if any), and results.
□
Be on the lookout for aphids, caterpillars and red spider mite.
Harvesting
□
It is a good month to start harvesting seed. Especially coriander
and dill. Cut ripe seed heads and place in brown paper bags to dry
thoroughly.
□ Harvest perennials and start making
oils and vinegars.
□ Harvest herbs and veggies as required for daily use.
□
Harvest annuals as soon as they
come into full flower by cutting back by about two thirds. Dry,
freeze or preserve in oil or vinegar for winter use.
Clean-up
□
Remove unused chili fruit and either process
or discard.
□ Remove debris to the compost heap, or use as a mulch elsewhere in
the garden.
□
Dispose of any
insect or disease infested plant material. |
