Rooting for your vegetable garden to make it through the cold? Follow these gardening tips from GARDENA and head into the winter months with confidence knowing that your efforts will be rewarded with a healthy bounty.
As winter approaches, many gardeners believe that the growing season has come to an end. Though winter is a time of rest for many plants, it’s also the best time for planting and growing several popular vegetables. Growing vegetables is relatively easy if you follow the correct planting and care practices. It’s a rewarding hobby that connects you with the earth in a very meaningful way.
Here are some of the top tips to get from plant to plate:
Spinach
Spinach is a fast-growing vegetable that thrives in cooler temperatures. For a steady spinach harvest throughout the winter months, ensure the soil is well composted and well loosened to a depth of at least 30cm before planting. Adequate water supply is important to ensure a desirable leaf size and leaf tenderness. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.
The GARDENA Micro-Drip-Irrigation Vegetable Bed/Flower Border Set offers adjustable extension pipes and two distinct, adjustable spray nozzles for precise and even watering. The functionality of this irrigation option is very useful for adjusting your watering to suit the changes in size and shape of your growing vegetables exactly as needed.
Onions
Onions should be planted in the autumn or early winter to allow for a long growing season. To ensure that your onions thrive in winter, it is best to grow them in well-prepared soil mixed with compost or well-rotted manure. It is essential to prepare the soil thoroughly beforehand, ensuring it is rich in nutrients and well drained to support healthy onion development. When sowing the seeds, maintain a spacing of 70mm between rows to provide adequate room for the onions to mature without overcrowding. The GARDENA Garden Hoe is a handy tool that allows you to create close-set planting rows and beds easily. Available in the combisystem unit or Natureline fixed unit, the Garden Hoe has a dual functionality to aerate or cultivate the soil.
Also recommended is using frost or row covers to protect the delicate onion plants from frost damage. By following these recommendations, gardeners can cultivate robust and flavourful onions throughout the winter months.
For all types of winter veggie harvesting, GARDENA has designed the MicroCutting range of tools that offer ease and convenience. Extremely durable, sharp blades for gentle harvesting, putting pure nature from garden to mouth.
Cabbage
Cabbage, one of the most popular vegetables in South Africa, has an impressive ability to grow in colder temperatures. In fact, cold weather can improve the taste of the leaves, making it sweeter. However, specific steps must be taken to ensure that your cabbage is a happy winter grower.
Proper soil preparation is essential. Cabbage flourishes in moist, nutrient-rich soil. Before planting, make sure the soil is thoroughly composted and deeply loosened to aid in the healthy growth of cabbage roots. GARDENA suggests preparing the soil thoroughly to a minimum depth of 30cm to allow enough space for the cabbage roots system to expand and absorb the necessary nutrients. The task of soil preparation for cabbage is made much easier with the GARDENA combisystem Grubber / Cultivator.
By following these expert tips from GARDENA, gardeners can enjoy a winter vegetable garden that keeps on giving, reaping the rewards of their gardening efforts even during the colder months.
Also see: Avoid these 5 mistakes while watering your garden
Source: bona.co.za
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