The exciting crop this week though is potatoes. I plant potatoes in August and February. The autumn ones planted this time of year do much better than the August planted spring ones. Potatoes originated in the high country of the Peru Bolivia border area. They like cooler temperatures, especially cooler nights, than we get here in summer.
It’s an in-between season for fruiting annual seed planting – too late now to put in more seed of eggplants or capsicums, too early for peas or broad beans.
I germinate everything in the shadehouse this time of year. Big seeds like beans and zucchini, I plant straight into individual pots. But small seeds like the leafy greens are all planted in a mixture of sand and mowed cow pats then transplanted at the two leaf stage into individual pots.
I’m planting carrots, parsnips, spring onions, and beetroot, all by my standard method. The floods really knocked all my root crops around so I’m keen to get a new round in. However my main job this week is to refresh the strawberry patch.
I usually make several compost piles through the summer, when ingredients are most available and they mature fastest.
I’m running out of room! Already! This Cavallo Nero is occupying the spot where I want to plant this baby button squash.
Leafy greens this time of year are hard.