Gardening – Digging in for winter

Despite the arrival of winter with its colder conditions and shorter days, June is still a busy month in my garden. The region’s relatively mild conditions mean the growth does not completely shut down, the soil is still relatively warm and workable, and there is plenty to plant, tidy and prepare.

Garlic is one of the classic crops to plant now, traditionally going into the ground around the shortest day, although I prefer to plant in May to gain advantage from a longer growing season. This year I’m growing shallots and onions again, rather than leaving beds fallow over winter. These are all long-term crops, taking six months or more to mature to harvest stage, but they will be out in time for my second planting of summer crops such as tomatoes.

I’ve been sowing seed each fortnight to have a succession of broccoli, cabbage, spinach, radish, rocket, leeks, spring onions, coriander, peas and lettuces. As bed space isn’t in such demand, I can fill the gaps with seedlings of various flowers such as cornflower, calendula and violas to attract pollinators and suppress weeds. Broad beans, kale and silverbeet can also be grown now, providing a hardy crop for the months ahead, but as I don’t like eating any of these crops, they don’t find a home in my garden!

We found a couple of dozen old potatoes that had sprouted in the spud bin, so these have been planted into planter bags and placed on the sunny northern side of a black fence, where the extra heat will be most welcome over winter.

People often say that only seed potatoes should be used, but I’ve had many years of good success with ex-supermarket or saved spuds from the previous crop.

Citrus such as lemons, mandarins, limes and oranges are harvesting well through winter, and June is a good time to care for trees by clearing away fallen fruit (this helps reduce the population of guava moth larvae) and checking for pests like scale or aphids. Now is a good time to prune citrus also, as the borer beetles are less active.

Late autumn to early winter is also a great time to plant new subtropical trees such as citrus, macadamia, guava and avocado trees, allowing roots to settle before the heat of summer returns. Deciduous fruit trees and berry plants are also good to plant while they are dormant.

Maintenance is just as important as planting. Winter rain can leave soils heavy, so drainage matters. Adding compost helps improve soil structure, while mulch protects roots, suppresses weeds, and reduces nutrient loss. Slugs and snails are often more active in damp weather, so young leafy crops need regular checking. June is also ideal for tidying beds, dividing dormant rhubarb and other perennials, pruning deciduous trees, and planning spring gardens.

By planting winter vegetables, caring for fruit trees and improving the soil now, you build the foundation for a healthy and abundant garden in the warmer months ahead.