2. Winter Vegetables in
Coffs Harbour
• There’s nothing like a bountiful
winter vegetable harvest.
• Good range
• Pest free (relatively)
• Lots of healthy colour and fibre
• My personal favourites include
• Cauliflowers
• Broccoli
• Broccolini
• Beetroot
• Zucchinis
• But there are many other
vegetables that do well in our
warm winter climate.
3. The Summer Party Is
Over
• The summer vegetables are
all gone, and the weeds are
taking over.
• There’s an unsightly mess
of spent vegetable matter
in amongst a few moth
eaten tomatoes.
• Time to get to work!
4. Preparing the Winter Beds
• Remove all spent growth, but leave
any fibrous material such as surface
mulch
• Get the garden fork all the way in and
turn over the entire bed
• Break up any clods with the back of
the fork
• You can add soil at this stage
• Correct any “shrinkage”
• Did you know that Total Gardens sells
bulk Super Soil for $4 per 20 litre bucket?
5. Preparing the Winter Beds
• Add an all purpose fertiliser such as
Searles 5 in one
• $14.50 at Total Gardens per 30 litre bag
• Spread a quarter bag per M2
• Dynamic Lifter is just as good, but it’s
a bit hard on the bugle
• Add any well rotted compost you may
have, or the tailings from your worm
farm if you have one.
• Rake any/all of the above evenly over
your vegetable patch
6. Preparing the Winter Beds
• Use a hoe to dig in the fertiliser
and composted materials
• Break up any remaining clods
• Use a heavy metal rake to help
bring the light, fibrous material
to the surface
• Give the entire area a good
soaking, whilst you enjoy a
frosty cold beer
7. Preparing the Winter Beds
• Your garden bed should now
look good enough to eat.
• Let the bed lay fallow for at least
two weeks, and continue to give
it the occasional soak.
• Give it a final hoe and rake over
just prior to planting.
8. What and When to Plant
• Broccoli, Cauliflowers and Brussel
Sprouts are best grown from
seedlings, and prefer a fertile soil
that is slightly acidic.
• Don’t plant too early. I always
plant my winter seedlings on
ANZAC Day.
• Crop rotation should be
religiously followed, as Broccoli
and Cauliflower is susceptible to
a root borne problem called club
root.
• Don’t go back to the same bed
for at least three years
9. Other Planting Options
• Root vegetables such as Parsnips
and Beetroot do well over winter.
• I also favour growing some Spuds
and Rocket.
• Leeks do well, but are very slow
growing
• Runner or Dwarf Beans generally
do well, though pollination can
be an issue
• Zucchinis are a must, but only if
you have the space. Remember
to help the pollination process
10. What To Watch Out For
• Broccoli and Cauliflowers suffer
from the same pests and
diseases as cabbage.
• Watch out for the grubs of
cabbage moths and butterflies.
• Yates Success, an organically
derived caterpillar control, is
the best solution for these
pests.
• Manage snails and slugs with
Baysol or Blitzem.
• Use Confidor if you spot aphids.
• You can use Yates copper based
Fungus Fighter is you have
mildew leaf problems