Tips for planting a vegetable garden in winter

The weather may be cooler but there’s no need to hang up the gardening gloves. Many crops can handle the chill and be ready for harvest during the coming months. Plant up beds or pots for your vegetable garden now and you’ll have a source of fresh, healthy and tasty food for you and your family.

Tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Best way to prepare your vegetable garden for seedlings

To prepare a patch for cool-season veges, start with a clean slate. First, pull out weeds and remove all the old stems and leaves from summer crops. Once clear, improve the soil by mixing in a rich source of organic matter such as compost, advises Gary Town of Yates.

“Adding organic material replenishes nutrients that were exhausted during summer, plus it unblocks the soil structure to let oxygen in and water out. This keeps your beneficial soil microorganisms in peak condition,” he says.

To make the most of the season, Gary advises kickstarting the patch with veges that take a few months to mature, such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Then plant a few quick-growing crops at the same time. “Sow loose-leaf lettuce, spring onions, choy sum, tatsoi, spinach and baby carrots,” advises Gary. “You can continue to sow these through winter every two weeks, to keep your harvest going into spring.”

Kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and silverbeet are some of garden blogger and author Anna Davies’ winter favourites. “I especially love spinach – I love that the leaves can be picked as needed and they grow back quickly,” she says. “Just don’t leave it too long as the baby leaves are tastier.”

Maximising space for vegetable garden growing

If you are a bit short on growing room, try ‘intercropping’, suggests Gary. “This is a cunning method to maximise space, soil health and pest resistance, by inter-planting compatible veges,” he explains. “Carrots and onions, broad beans and dwarf peas, or lettuce and cauliflower make great partners – they do better as a team.” Extend your growing opportunities further by cultivating microgreens indoors. These tiny, nutrient-packed seedlings can be grown on windowsills and are ready to harvest within a week or so. Snip them at the base and use them in sandwiches or salads.

How to use seed tapes and the most cost-effective seeds

For a regular supply of homegrown produce, stagger crop sowings throughout the season. If you are worried about spacing or want your seedlings to be in picture-perfect rows, consider seed tapes. “Seed tapes are all about convenience – they’re easy to handle so they make sowing a breeze,” says Gary. “They take care of the spacing for you, plus you won’t need to thin out any seedlings after they germinate.” Seeds are more cost-effective than punnets of seedlings: a $5 seed packet may contain up to 200 seeds – potentially 200 plants – while a $4 punnet may have four or six seedlings*.

Tips for watering and feeding your seedling crops

Regular feeding is key to a great harvest. “Plants need nutrients and over time the soil can get depleted if it’s not replenished,” says Anna. “I have found slow-release fertiliser pellets to be effective, as well as seaweed tonics.” In winter, soggy soil can be a real problem in some parts of the country where there is heavy rain. “To prevent waterlogging, I plant in well-draining soil and use raised beds,” says Anna. “Turning through organic matter such as compost can also help improve drainage.”

If you live in a cool or mountainous growing zone, take measures to help protect your crops from frosts. “Try grow tunnels and frost cloth or even old sheets to create a protective barrier over vulnerable plants during frosty nights,” says Anna. “Also, putting mulch or wool around the base of plants helps insulate the roots and keep them protected from the cold,” she adds.

What are the best homegrown vegetables for soups?

Here’s what to grow to cook up patch-to-plate soups this winter. And don’t forget parsley to garnish your bowls of comfort.

• Baby beetroot
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Broad beans
• Leeks
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Cauliflower

Keep in mind...

After applying fertiliser around edible plants, delay harvesting for a few days and rinse well before cooking and eating. Wear gloves and a mask when handling compost and mulch.

Planting seasons vary according to region; check with your local store.

Store all garden chemicals and products out of reach of children and pets.

After more winter gardening inspiration?

Check out our winter gardening planner to keep your green space in tip top shape.

Photo credit: Gap Photos/Maxine Adcock, Getty Images.