What we grow and how we grow it
These are some of the plants that we grow at our garden. This is not meant to be a comprehensive growing guide. It doesn't necessarily provide details about soil preparation, fertilising or how to deal with pests.
Rather, we want to share some of our preferred plant varieties as well as some of the growing techniques that we've found effective. What works for us may not work for you. And what worked for us last year may not work for us this year!
You may be able to plant some of these crops all year round in Sydney, but we've listed them in the season where we've had the most success growing them. For example, we've found that most greens (like lettuce, Asian greens and kale) grow better in autumn/winter, but crops like beetroot grow better in spring.
Transplanting Seedlings
When we transplant seedlings, we like to soak them in seaweed solution before planting them in the bed because it is beneficial for root development. If the seedlings are in a tray, we usually fill the tray's solid base with seaweed solution and leave the upper tray to soak it in for a few minutes. If the seedlings are in tube stock pots or other plant pots, we soak the entire tube or pot in a bucket of seaweed solution before removing the seedlings from the container.
We often pour a bit of the seaweed solution into the planting holes before adding the plant - and water the seedlings with some more seaweed solution once they are planted.
Removing plants from tube stock pots - the 'Knee tap' method
We used to remove plants from tube stock pots by gently supporting the plant between two fingers, squeezing the sides of the tube to loosen the roots/soil, turning the pot upside-down and then tapping the underside so the plant would (hopefully) slide out of the tube. One of the problems with this method is that it can break the plastic at the bottom of the pot, so that the pot can no longer be used.
Then one of our members (with a lot of tree planting experience) taught us the 'Knee Tap' method, which is similar but less likely to damage the tube stock pot. You still support the plant between two fingers before turning the pot upside-down. But then you firmly 'tap' the back of that hand against your knee (with the pot held perpendicular to the ground). This works best if your knee is bent at about a 90 degree angle with your foot firmly on the ground, so you have enough support to give the pot a sharp, firm 'tap'. You might have to give it a second tap if the plant doesn't slide out the first time.
Spring/summer crops
Basil Varieties
Most of the basil we grow is sweet basil. We also like to have one or two Thai basil plants. We've grown the small-leafed Greek basil as well, but most of our members prefer the larger leafed sweet basil variety.
When And How to SOW Seeds
Basil likes warmer weather, so we usually don't start planting it until mid to late September. We like to broadcast seeds in one of our Vegtrug beds or another small container, like one of the old worm farms that we've converted to seedling starters. We cover the seeds with something fine, like coir or vermiculite, and keep them well watered. When the seedlings are big enough, we transplant some of them to other beds. We like to use them as companions to tomatoes and eggplants. But we also leave a lot of the plants to grow in the Vegtrug bed.
Pinching the Tops
We pinch off (and harvest) the tops of basil plants to create a bushier plant. Basil starts to lose flavour when it flowers, and pinching also helps delay the plant from flowering. When a branch does start to flower, the flowers should also be pinched off. This website has some good tips about how and when to pinch basil. It also explains which leaves are best to harvest if you need more than you get from pinching the plants.
Seed Saving
At the end of the season, we like to leave some of the basil to flower so that we can save some of the seeds. The bees also love the flowers!
Bush Bean Varieties
We've experimented with planting many different varieties of bush beans - both flat and round ones. We've had more success with the round ones, with Gourmet Delight being one of the tastiest and most productive. We also like to plant different coloured beans, like Cherokee Wax, which are yellow, and Royal Burgundy.
When And How to SOW
Although the seed packets say to direct sow, we prefer to start our bean seeds in trays. This way we can start the seedlings before the garden bed is ready (maximising the use of bed space). We can also plant more seeds than we need, so it doesn't matter if some don't germinate - and we can choose the healthiest seedlings to transplant. We use tube stock pots to sow the seeds, because bean seeds like to be planted quite deep. They also give the roots plenty of space to grow.
Bean seed packets also advise you to water well once after sowing seeds and then not water again until seedlings appear. We generally follow this advice when planting in pots, though if the soil is looking really dry we give it a bit of water. We usually start planting bush beans as early as mid August and start transplanting them to garden beds about 3 weeks later.
Transplanting Seedlings
Before transplanting the seedlings, we soak them in a bucket of seaweed solution. We plant the seedlings about 15cm apart. We dig holes that are much deeper than the height of the pot, because we want the soil to come to the base of the leaves when the seedling is transplanted - so that the part of the stem without leaves is underground. This gives the plant much more stability and wind resistance. This is especially important for bush beans since they are not staked, so have no external support.
Even when the seedlings are planted deep, there are always a few that will break at the base as they start to get bigger. You need to be really careful handling the plants when watering and harvesting. It can also be helpful to plant the seedlings in trenches and to mound some extra soil around the base of the plant as they grow.
Harvesting
Beans, like peas, need to be picked regularly to encourage more fruiting. It's important to hold onto the plant with one hand while you pinch off the bean with the other hand. Otherwise you can end up pulling out or breaking the plant!
Watch our video about growing bush beans.
Climbing Bean Varieties
Our go to climbing bean variety is Blue Lake.
When and how to SOW
Although the seed packets say to direct sow, we prefer to start our bean seeds in trays. This way we can start the seedlings before the garden bed is ready (maximising the use of bed space). We can also plant more seeds than we need, so it doesn't matter if some don't germinate - and we can choose the healthiest seedlings to transplant. We use tube stock pots to sow the seeds, because bean seeds like to be planted quite deep. They also give the roots plenty of space to grow.
Bean seed packets also advise you to water well once after sowing seed and then not water again until seedlings appear. We generally follow this advice when planting in pots, though if the soil is looking really dry we give it a bit of water. We usually start planting climbing beans as early as mid August and start transplanting them to garden beds about 3 weeks later.
Transplanting Seedlings
Before transplanting the seedlings, we soak them in a bucket of seaweed solution. We plant the seedlings about 15 to 20cm apart. We dig holes that are much deeper than the height of the pot, because we want the soil to come to the base of the bottom leaves when the seedling is transplanted - so that at least 5cm of stem is underground. This gives the plant much more stability and wind resistance, and should alleviate the need to mound the plants, which is what is recommended when seeds are planted directly in the ground.
Where to plant
Climbing beans need some sort of trellis or climbing structure to grow up. We plant ours up a teepee, with vertical strings attached that the bean vines can wind around, or by a climbing structure with wire mesh panels for the beans to climb up.
Harvesting
Beans, like peas, need to be picked regularly to encourage more fruiting. It's important to hold onto the plant with one hand while you pinch off the bean with the other hand. Otherwise you can end up pulling out the plant!
Snake Bean Variety
We usually plant purple snake beans. One year one of our members brought some seedlings that his friend had started and they thrived in the conditions at our garden. We've also tried planting Red Dragon, a variety of green snake beans that has red seeds, but we didn't like them as much.
When and How to SOW
We start our snake bean seeds in trays. This way we can start the seedlings before the garden bed is ready (maximising the use of bed space). We can also plant more seeds than we need, so it doesn't matter if some don't germinate - and we can choose the healthiest seedlings to transplant. We use tube stock pots to sow the seeds, because bean seeds like to be planted quite deep. They also give the roots plenty of space to grow.
Bean seed packets advise you to water well once after sowing seed and then not water again until seedlings appear. We generally follow this advice when planting in pots, though if the soil is looking really dry we give it a bit of water. We usually start planting snake bean seeds in early October, which is a bit later than our bush and other climbing beans, because we've found that snake beans thrive in hotter temperatures. They're ready to transplant about 2 weeks later.
Transplanting Seedlings
Before transplanting the seedlings, we soak them in a bucket of seaweed solution. We plant the seedlings about 15 to 20cm apart. We dig holes that are much deeper than the height of the pot, because we want the soil to come to the base of the bottom leaves when the seedling is transplanted - so that at least 5cm of stem is underground. This gives the plant much more stability and wind resistance.
Where To PLant
Snake beans need a tall trellis or climbing structure to grow up. We plant ours up a teepee, with vertical strings attached that the bean vines can wind around. The teepee is over 3m tall and the beans have grown over the top of it!
Harvesting
Snake bean are prolific and you need to pick the beans very regularly or they get too big too quickly. The beans are best picked when they are still tender. Once the beans start forming, you can still pick the beans and use the seeds in cooking, but discard the shells. You can also leave the beans on the vine and save them for seeds - but there's a limit to the number of seeds you need to save! The harvest season is long - usually the plants are still producing beans in April.
Beetroot Varieties
We've planted numerous varieties with varied success, including Bull's Blood, Cylindra, Chioggia, Detroit, Golden Detroit and Early Wonder.
When and How to SOW
Because they have a very hard seed coat, we soak beetroot seeds overnight before planting them, to soften them and encourage germination. Although the seed packet will recommend planting the seeds directly in the soil, we sometimes start them in trays and transplant them to beds, being careful not to disturb the roots too much.
When planting directly in beds, we like to dig small holes for the seeds and fill them with coir (coco peat). Then we plant the seeds in the coir. This means we know where to expect the seedling to emerge and lets our watering team know that seeds have been planted and need to be watered! It also means that the seeds won't encounter any large pieces of compost or soil that prevent them from emerging.
Fun Fact
Do you know that beetroot seeds are actually pods of multiple seeds? That's why you often get two or more plants emerging when you plant a single 'seed'. For the beetroot to develop properly, you should leave the healthiest seedling and remove the others.
Harvesting
We harvest the leaves as well as the beetroot. We've often had too much leaf growth, to the detriment of the root growth, which may mean that the beetroot have more nitrogen than they need.
Growing Chilli Pepper
We like to plant jalapenos and whatever other varieties we can find that aren't too hot! We've had varied success starting chilli peppers from seed, so sometimes we end up purchasing plants.
Cucumber Varieties
One of our favourite cucumber varieties is Suyu Long. The skin has a few prickles but can be eaten, as it's rarely bitter. It also survives the heat better than other varieties we've grown. We also like to plant Mini Whites, Crystal Apples and Lebanese Munchers. We've tried growing other varieties, but haven't been as impressed with them.
When and How to SOW
We start cucumbers in trays in late August or early September - to be transplanted into beds about 4 to 5 weeks later. Usually we transplant them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before transplanting them to the beds.
Training & Harvesting cucumber Plants
We grow our cucumbers vertically! This gives them better air circulation, which helps prevent fungal diseases. It also saves space in the garden. We used to create a trellis by attaching vertical strings along horizontal strings between stakes that were on either end of the bed. However, a couple of years ago we started to grow them on arched trellises made with wire mesh and find this works much better.
Like most plants, it's important to hold the plant when you remove the cucumbers, so you don't damage the plant. Using secateurs or plant snips is also a good idea if the cucumber doesn't come off easily.
Eggplant Varieties
Some of the eggplant varieties we've planted are Black Beauty, Listada de Gandia, Italian Long Purple, Ping Tung Long Purple, Little Fingers and Tsakoniki.
When And How to SOW
Eggplant seeds need warm temperatures to germinate and we find that the seedlings take quite a long time before they're big enough to transplant into garden beds. We used to start our seeds in a heated seedling propagator in early August - planting 2 seeds per cell, in hopes that at least one would emerge. However, we've found it's less work and just as effective to wait until the weather warms up so the seeds can be planted without the heated propagator.
Transplanting Seedlings
Once the seedlings have at least two true leaves, we transplant them into small pots and care for them until they're big enough to plant them in the beds - usually some time in October or even November. We soak the pots in seaweed solution before planting the seedling into the prepared hole.
Pruning and Staking Plants
In theory, eggplants should only have two to three main stems, though usually ours have a many more than this. Pruning eggplants improves airflow, reducing the risk of fungal disease, and increases fruit production, since more energy can go into the fruits instead of the leaves.
Some sources suggest that you should wait until your plant is established and already borne some fruit before pruning. The two primary stems that divide the plant should be kept - as well as one other strong stem below the divide. All other stems should be cut off - as close to the main stem as possible. Suckers should be cut off regularly (like tomatoes) - or pinched off with your fingers, if they're small enough. Old leaves from the bottom of the plant should also be removed - cutting these as close to the stem as well. All cuttings should be discarded (not chopped and dropped) to prevent diseases and pests from spreading, and secateurs should be disinfected before and after using them.
We don't always bother with a lot of pruning, but do try to make sure that no leaves or stems are touching the ground.
We haven't found an ideal way to stake eggplants and sometimes don't bother staking them at all, which can result in branches breaking off. If stakes are used, it's a good idea to add them when the seedlings are still small, so that you don't risk damaging the plant's roots.
Fertilising, Pollinating and Harvesting
From mid-summer on, we try to remember to fertilise eggplants with a liquid fertiliser every few weeks.
Eggplants are self-pollinating plants because all the flowers contain both the male and female organs needed for pollination. In theory, all that is needed for the flowers to pollinate is some wind or pollinators, like bees or butterflies, to shake the pollen from the anthers and move it onto the stigma. However, this doesn't always seem to be enough for eggplants , so we hand pollinate them on a regular basis.
You can use a soft bristled brush to move the pollen but we usually just use our fingers, and that seems to do the trick. We go from flower to flower, so that some pollen stays on our fingers and transfers to the next flower, which can also be beneficial. Apparently, once you've pollinated an eggplant flower, you shouldn't remove or disturb the pollen again - but this can be a bit hard to keep track of at a community garden. Another method of encouraging pollination is to firmly tap the base of the flower three to five times to help move the pollen. It doesn't seem to matter if you repeat this a few times on the same flower, but we're afraid that the tapping could make the flower fall off.
Eggplants that are over - or under - ripe will taste somewhat bitter. An eggplant is ready to harvest when it is firm, but not hard, and the skin is smooth and glossy, with a vibrant colour. You need to use sharp secateurs to cut the fruit from the plant. Don't try pulling it off or you may damage the plant.
Green Manure Varieties
We grow green manure crops to build organic matter and improve nitrogen levels in the soil. We prefer to use the warm season green manure kit that contains Cow Pea (a legume) and Japanese Millet (a grass), that Green Harvest sells. We've sometimes been disappointed with green manure kits bought elsewhere.
We've also planted Black Mustard green manure crops. When dug into the soil, the Black Mustard is meant to work as a natural biofumigant for soil pathogens and nematodes.
When And How to SOW Seeds
Warm season green manure crops can be sown from about mid-September. But we're usually only ready to plant ours by late spring or summer. When planting the crop in a large in ground area, we usually rake the area first, to form some grooves in the soil. Then we add the seeds as evenly as possible, and lightly cover them with some soil and mulch.
When planting in beds, we usually make rows of holes to plant the legume seeds in. Then we make shallow trenches between the rows and columns of holes, where we evenly distribute the grass seeds. Finally, we cover the seeds up with some soil and a thin layer of sugarcane mulch.
Cutting and digging IN THE CROP
Green manure crops need to be cut down just as the plants begin to flower. Otherwise the nitrogen content is reduced and there's a risk of the plants setting seed in the bed. This usually takes about 8 weeks. When the green manure crop is planted in a raised bed, we use garden shears to chop it down - starting from the top of the plant and making multiple cuts, so that the plant is cut into smaller pieces. In a larger area, we sometimes use an electric hedge trimmer to do the same thing.
After cutting the plants, we dig the crop into the soil, where it will take about 6 weeks for it to decompose. The active composting process can have a negative impact on seeds or seedlings, so we wait until the plants have decomposed before planting.
Watch our video about Green Manure crops.
Luffa Variety
The seed packets we've bought have just said 'Luffa'. After the first year, we mainly ended up using seeds we saved from the previous harvest.
Even if we didn't always get a big crop, we still tried growing luffas for years, because they're a fun and unusual crop - and such a great replacement for synthetic sponges! But in the spring of 2024, we decided to grow passionfruit instead, since our success with the luffas had been decreasing.
WHen And How to SOW Seeds
We sowed luffa seeds in trays in mid-September, to be transplanted into beds 4 or more weeks later. Sometimes we transplanted them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before transplanting them to the beds.
Harvesting
When grown to be used as sponges, luffa require a long, hot growing season - and we've found that Sydney probably doesn't have the ideal climate. Ideally, the luffa should turn brown and dry out on the vine. However, when our luffa turned brown, it often meanst that they were already a bit brown and rotten inside, rather than dry.
So we would often have to pick them when they were still green, but had started to soften and, preferably, the skin had started to loosen. As long as the fibres have already formed, this is ok. It's just a lot more work to peel off the skin and there's a lot more gummy sap that needs to be washed out. A lot of the seeds will come out when rinsing the luffas, but there will still be more to shake out after they're dry! The seeds need to have turned black if you want to save them for planting.
Click here for more good tips about growing luffa!
What are they?
Mexican Sour Gherkins are also known as Mouse Melons or Cucamelons. They are grape-sized fruits with a flavour similar to cucumbers but with a tangy citrus twist. Older fruits have a more sour flavour.
WHen And How to SOW Seeds
We often try to plant seeds in seedling trays in early October. However we don't necessarily have much success getting them to germinate. Once you've grown them in the past, you'll find that, sometime in October, a mass of them will start emerging in the bed they were last planted in. Then you can simply transplant them to their new bed.
Growing up a trellis
Mexican Sour Gherkins are a vigorous climbing vine so have to be grown up a trellis. We often plant them in one of our smaller square beds and make a teepee structure for them to climb up.
Pumpkin Varieties
We usually plant Kent (Jap) and Waltham Butternut pumpkins. We tried growing a lot of other varieties but haven't had much success with them.
How And When to SOW Seeds
We sow pumpkin seeds in trays in late August or early September and transplant them into garden beds about 4 to 6 weeks later. We transplant them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before planting them in the garden beds.
Pollinating
Have you ever grown pumpkins or zucchinis and found that the small fruits that form on the plants shrivel up and die instead of growing bigger? The reason this happens is because the flower has not been pollinated. To increase the productivity of our pumpkin and zucchini crops, we hand pollinate them on a regular basis. Check out our our video on pollinating to see how we do this.
Growing pumpkins vertically
The leaves of our pumpkin and zucchini plants often get powdery mildew, which is a fungal disease. Spraying the foliage with a milk or seaweed solution is supposed to help combat this problem. We have experimented with growing pumpkin vertically - training them to grow up a climbing structure. This way the leaves can stay drier because they're off the ground and it's easier not to wet them when watering the plants. However, we find that the plants are probably more successful when growing on the ground.
Radish Varieties
We've planted a few varieties of radishes, but the one of our favourites is the Watermelon Radish - partly because it's so pretty and unique! We also plant Sparkler radishes, which are a more traditional, smaller variety.
When and How to SOW
Radishes can be grown in spring, autumn and winter. We find they grow best in autumn and spring. We plant the seeds directly in the beds, as root crops don't usually transplant very well. We often plant radishes in the middle of a bed - before planting a second crop (e.g. snow peas) along either sides. The radishes grow quickly and are often ready to harvest by the time the other crop is big enough to interfere with their growth.
When planting directly in beds, we like to dig small holes for the seeds and fill them with coir (coco peat). Then we plant the seeds in the coir. This means we know where to expect the seedling to emerge and lets our watering team know that seeds have been planted and need to be watered! It also means that the seeds won't encounter any large pieces of compost or soil that prevent them from emerging.
Squash Varieties
We used to grow spaghetti squash because it's fun and unusual. In case you've never tried it, when cooked, you can use a fork to shred its flesh into long spaghetti-like strands.
When And How to SOW
We sowed squash seeds in trays in late August or early September and transplanted them into garden beds about 4 to 6 weeks later. We transplanted them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before transplanting them to the beds.
Growing Squash Vertically
We liked to grow spaghetti squash up a trellis. It's a good way to keep the fruit off the ground (where they're more likely to rot) and to reduce the risk of leaves getting powdery mildew.
Harvesting
Like all squash and pumpkins, spaghetti squash needs to ripen on the vine. There are a few signs that you can look for to tell if it's ripe enough to pick. It should be a dull, golden yellow colour and the skin should be dry and hard to penetrate with your fingernail. Also, the leaves and stems of the plant will be turning brown. Once ripe, spaghetti squash will start to rot if left on the vine. However, they'll last at least a couple of months in picked and stored in a cool, dry place.
Sweet Potato Varieties
We've usually used organically grown sweet potatoes to grow planting slips. From the looks of them, we're guessing they're the Beauregard variety. But we've also grown Japanese sweet potatoes.
When TO SOW and How to Propagate
Apparently sweet potatoes can be grown all year round in Sydney, but we've always planted them in spring - sometime in September or October.
Sweet potatoes are usually grown by planting slips, which are sprouts that grow on the sweet potatoes. Slips can be grown by suspending a sweet potato in a jar of water. They can also be grown by placing the potatoes in a perforated tray of soil. You probably have to wait at least 4 to 6 weeks for the slips to grow. When they're about 12 to 15cm long, it's a good idea to remove them and place them in a jar of water until roots form before planting them out.
You can also plant cuttings, taken from runners of an existing plant. You cut a piece around 30cm long and remove all but the two small leaves at the end. The cutting is planted horizontally and covered with a few centimetres of soil. Roots (which means sweet potato tubers) can form at all of the nodes where the leaves have been removed. We usually have sweet potato vines in our banana circle that grows without any help from us, which gives us easy access to runners.
In the past, we have also had success planting pieces of (unsprouted) sweet potato, though this is not a method most people tend to recommend.
The easiest way to plant sweet potatoes is to transplant sweet potatoes that start to sprout in the patch where they were planted the previous year! There are always quite a few small ones that don't get harvested.
Preparing the ground for planting
It's a good idea to dig cow manure and/or compost into the soil before planting. You don't want anything too too high in nitrogen, as that will promote leaf, not tuber growth. As the plants grow, it's a good idea to regularly water them with seaweed solution, as it promotes root development.
planting - Slips, self sprouted Tubers and Pieces
You are generally advised to plant sweet potatoes (slips, cuttings or pieces) in mounds - so that there's more depth for the tubers to grow, with the troughs providing better drainage. We've done this is the past. However, unless the mounds are very wide, there is the risk of too much water draining away so the plants are too dry. The soil can also start to erode, exposing the plants' roots. So we have stopped using mounds when planting.
Slips & Self Sprouted Tubers:
Once the slips have developed roots, they can be transplanted. All but the top two leaves should be removed. The stem and roots should all be covered with soil. Slips can be planted about 40cm apart, in rows that are about 60cm apart. Leftover tubers from last year's crop that have started to grow can be dug up and usually transplant well without removing excess leaves.
Sweet Potato Pieces
We cut the sweet potatoes into pieces and let them dry out for about a week before planting them in holes about 3 to 5cm deep. The pieces can be planted about 40cm apart, in rows that are about 60cm apart.
Harvesting
Sweet potatoes are usually ready to harvest when the vines have started turning yellow and dying back. In theory, they should be ready to harvest in 4 to 6 months, but we usually find that ours take much longer than this.
Since sweet potatoes are root tubers, they can grow wherever the vine has put down roots. We like to have a bit of a dig around with our hands before using a small fork or trowel to loosen the soil around the cluster of sweet potatoes, being careful not to damage them.
You can also harvest and eat the leaves, which we've recently started to do. To facilitate harvesting of leaves, the plants can even be grown up a trellis.
Tomato Varieties
We've tried growing many different varieties of tomatoes of varying sizes. We prefer to grow cherry or smaller sized varieties because they don't stay on the plant as long, so the pests have less time to find them! They're also easier to share between our members.
Whatever the variety, we generally have a bit of a problem with pests and, despite practicing crop rotation, fungal diseases (most likely verticillium wilt).
How and When to SOW Seeds
We sow tomato seeds in trays in late August or early September and transplant them into small pots about four weeks later. After two to three weeks in pots, they're usually big enough to transplant into a garden bed.
Transplanting Seedlings
Once the seedlings have at least two true leaves, we transplant them into small pots. They grow very quickly after that and are usually ready to plant out in the garden beds after two to three weeks. We soak the pots in seaweed solution before planting the seedling into a prepared hole in the bed. Recently we've started adding potash to the soil to promote fruit development.
We've planted up to 10 tomato plants in a 2.7m x 1.2m raised bed, which we've come to realise is too many. Now we generally plant 6 to 8 per bed, often with some basil in the middle.
Check out our video about transplanting tomatoes into pots.
Pruning
Most of the tomato varieties that we plant are indeterminate - which means they are vining plants that continue to grow (and produce suckers) throughout the growing season. Because of this, not only do they require staking, but they also need to be pruned if you don't want them getting out of control. Most sources suggest keeping a maximum of four stems. Some sources suggest just keeping just one or two. Others say you don't need to do any pruning at all!
Apparently a single stemmed tomato plant will produce larger fruits and will start producing fruit earlier - and a plant with multiple stems will produce more but smaller fruits, produced increasingly later in the season. An important thing to remember when removing suckers is not to prune off the growing tip. It is very easy to do this by mistake, so it's best to avoid pruning the top 10-15cm.
We've experimented with diligent pruning, but found it was lot of work and didn't make much difference to the health or productivity of the plants. So now we mostly focus on pruning the bottom branches and leaves - so they don't touch the soil. We also do some pruning to ensure there's enough airflow.
Pruning, Training, and supporting Tomatoes Fact Sheet
The Pruning, Training, and Supporting Tomatoes Fact Sheet from The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has some excellent information. Three rules that they suggest are:
1. Keep tomato plants off the ground.
2. Give plants plenty of room.
3. Avoid pruning or tying plants when the leaves are wet.
With regards to deciding which suckers to keep for a multi-stem plant, they suggest:
"The farther up on the plant a sucker develops, the weaker it is, because the sugar concentration gets lower as you move up the plant. On the other hand, side stems arising from below the first flower cluster, although stronger, compromise the strength of the main stem. For a multi-stemmed plant, your aim is to have all stems roughly the same size, although the main stem should always be stronger, because it has to feed the entire plant for the next two months.
For a multi-stemmed plant, let a second stem grow from the first node above the first fruit. Allow a third stem to develop from the second node above the first set fruit, and so forth. Try to keep the branching as close to the first fruit as possible so that side stems will be vigorous but will not overpower the main stem."
With regards to supporting a tomato plant, they suggest:
"To encourage a strong stem, trim all suckers and don't tie plants to their supports until the first flowers appear."
What are tromboncino?
Tromboncino are often referred to as zucchini. However, botanically, they are actually squash or pumpkin, from the same species as the butternut pumpkin.
When picked young and pale green, they are tender and can be eaten like a zucchini. However, if left on the vine long enough, the outer skin can turn orange or sometimes dark green, as which stage the tromboncino should be used like a squash or pumpkin.
How and When to SOW Seeds
We start tromboncino seedlings in the same way as pumpkins and zucchini. We also pollinate them by hand in the same manner.
Growing tromboncino vertically
We've grown tromboncino both on the ground and up a climbing structure and prefer the latter. With a trellis it's much easier to manage the vines and the plant gets a lot more airflow. It's also reduces the amount of powdery mildew, as it's easier to avoid watering the leaves.
When hanging from the trellis, the tromboncino will be straight and can grow up to 1 metre long! If they aren't hanging, the tromboncino are curved, which is why they are also known as Serpentine Squash.
Watermelon Varieties
We've had mixed luck growing watermelons. We've tried planting Sugar Baby, Golden Midget, Bush Jubilee, Mickylee and various others. Most years we seem to try something new.
When and how to SOW
We usually start sowing watermelon seeds in trays in September and transplant them into garden beds sometime in November, as they seem to prefer the warmer temperatures. We transplant them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before transplanting them to the beds.
We've experimented with growing watermelons vertically up a climbing structure, to try to reduce fungal diseases on the leaves. However, we've found that we have more success when they're grown on the ground.
GROWING AND Harvesting
It's recommended to pinch out the growing tips when the vines are 1-2m long and have started to flower. This encourages the plant to put more of its energy into the existing fruit. Watering should be reduced a few weeks before the fruit is ready to harvest, as this will result in a sweeter fruit.
It's important to pick the watermelon when they're fully ripened, as they don't continue to ripen off the vine. But too ripe and they become mushy! Watermelons are ready to harvest when the bottom starts to turn yellow, they sound hollow when tapped and the tendril closest to the fruit is brown and dry.
Zucchini Varieties
We like to plant zucchini varieties that you're less likely to find at the grocery store. The varieties we've grown most often are Golden, Grey and Cocozelle - probably our favourite. Recently, we've had less success with the Golden zucchinis, so no longer plan to plant them. And we've decided to plant some black zucchinis, even though they are more common.
How and When to SOW Seeds
We usualy sow zucchini seeds in trays in late August or early September and transplant them into garden beds about 4 to 6 weeks later. We transplant them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before planting them in the garden beds.
Growing zucchini vertically
The past few years we've been growing zucchini plants vertically - adding a stake or two close to the seedling when its first planted and training the vine up the stake. This has the potential to work really well, since it keeps the leaves off the ground and helps reduce powdery mildew from forming. However, you need to be careful when training them as the stems may end up breaking.
Pruning Zucchini
Zucchinis need their leaves both for photosynthesis (to feed the plant) as well as to create some shade for the fruit, so you don't want to remove too many. Most sources say you can prune off any leaves that are below the lowest growing fruit.
We tend to prune leaves that have a lot of powdery mildew or have died. We use secateurs to cut the leaf close to the main stem of the plant, so that the hollow leaf stem is removed. If the hollow stems are left, they collect water and can harbour disease and bugs.
Autumn/Winter crops
Asian green Varieties
We've planted a variety of Asian Greens, including Bok Choy, Tatsoi, Kailaan and Komatsuna. However, our current favourite is Shanghai Bok Choy.
When and How to SOW Seeds
We prefer growing Asian Greens in autumn and winter and we find that the plants bolt during the warmer temperatures.
We used to start seeds in trays. However, we discovered that, at least for Shanghai Bok Choy, it works really well to broadcast seeds directly in a bed and cover them with a thin layer of coir. If these are kept well watered, it's not long before a lot of seedlings will emerge. When they are large enough, they can be transplanted to another part of the bed so they have room to grow.
Harvesting Asian Greens
For Asian Greens like Tatsoi and Komatsuna, we like to harvest the larger, outside leaves - pinching the leaf and its stalk at the base of the plant. This leaves the plant neat and healthy. Be sure not to overpick.
In the past, we sometimes used the same Cut and Come Back method that we use for lettuce when harvesting Bok Choy . You cut off the entire plant a few cms from its base and allow it to re-shoot. However, with our recent success at growing Bok Choy, we have been harvesting them whole, cutting them just above soil level.
How we grow beetroot
Click on BEETROOT in the SPRING/SUMMER CROPS section for our planting tips. We find they grow best when planted in spring and early autumn.
Broad bean Variety
We always grew Aquadulce Broad Beans. They had a good germination rate for us and usually had a good yield. We recently decided to stop growing broad beans because of all the aphids they attracted, the amount of water they required and because the plants were prone to fall over during heavy winds.
When to SOW Broad beans
We planted broad bean seeds at the end of April, with the harvest completed and plants ready to be pulled out by late October or some time in November.
How to SOW Seeds
We planted seeds directly in the bed and watered them in well after planting. We didn't water them again until they started to emerge - though we couldn't stop it from raining! We usually had to replant a few seeds where no seedlings emerged.
Staking the plants
We added stakes around the bed and, when the plants started getting tall, we tied twine between the stakes (around the entire bed) to prevent the plants from falling over. We kept adding more twine as the plants grew taller.
Pruning the Growing Tips
When the pods start to grow on the lower part of the plants, it's time to pinch out the growing tip. This allows the plant to focus on fruit production and decreases the severity of aphid attacks - as they tend to prefer the tender tips. The growing tips can then be steamed and eaten!
Harvesting
If harvested when young, broad beans can be eaten with their shells. However, we usually harvested them when the seeds were bigger, but still soft. At this stage, the individual beans are removed and eaten.
Carrot Varieties
We've planted many varieties of carrots, including Mixed Colour, Baby Amsterdam, Mercado de Paris, Solar Yellow and All Seasons. It's fun to plant varieties you don't see in the supermarket.
When and How to SOW Seeds
We sow carrots seeds directly into the ground. We often plant them in a row or in pockets of coir about 5cm apart. Sometimes we broadcast the seeds and cover the area with a thin layer of coir. Since the soil needs to be kept moist, and we don't water the garden daily, it can sometimes be difficult to get the seeds to germinate and we may have to replant them a few times.
Harvesting
Carrots are best if they're harvested before they get too big. Apparently they're even sweeter if they're harvested after the first frost - but that's not too likely to happen in Sydney!
Growing Celery
We haven't had much luck starting celery from seeds, so it's one of the few plants where we usually end up buying seedlings. We often buy a punnet of small seedlings that we transplant into small pots. We wait until they're a bit bigger before planting them out at the garden, which is usually by late March or early April.
Unfortunately, our celery is often a bit dry and stringy, which likely means it isn't getting enough water. So for the time being we are taking a break from growing it.
CHIcory Varieties
We've planted Red Ball Chicory for quite a few years. More recently, on the recommendation of one of our Italian members, we've also planted Catalogna Chicory.
Harvesting Chicory
The loose, outer leaves of Red Ball Chicory can be cut off at the base. Once the small head has formed, the entire plant can be cut just above soil level.
Check out our video to learn about two simple ways to use Red Ball Chicory.
We harvest Catalogna Chicory the same way we harvest silverbeet - picking the outer leaves, making sure to remove the entire stalk.
Growing Coriander
We generally avoid growing coriander in the weather months as it tends to bolt right away. If we do, we plant it somewhere in the shade. We gently crush the seeds before scattering the seeds in the garden bed or planting them in rows of coir. Then we cover them with some fine soil or coir.
Growing Daikon
We plant Daikon seeds directly in the garden - usually in early spring and in late summer/early autumn. We usually dig small holes (about 15cm apart) for the seeds and fill them with coir (coco peat). Then we plant the seeds in the coir. This means we know where to expect the seedling to emerge and lets our watering team know that seeds have been planted and need to be watered! It also means that the seeds won't encounter any large pieces of compost or soil that prevent them from emerging. After a week or so, we'll add another seed in the holes where seedlings haven't emerged.
Garlic Varieties
We've tried planting many varieties of garlic, including Monaro Purple, Italian Late, Italian White, Glen Large, Australian Red, Mexican White, Peruvian White, Spanish Violet Spring and Griffith Italian Violette.
When and How to SOW Garlic
We plant garlic cloves direct in beds in late March or early April. We plant them in holes about 5cm deep, placing them flat end down (pointy end up) in the hole and pushing the clove down so that there will be about 5cm of soil above it when covered. We don't cover the planting spot with mulch. That way we know where each clove has been planted and can replant any that don't emerge.
We used to space the planting holes about 15cm apart. However, given the problems we had with rust developing on the leaves, we were advised to leave at least 20cm between holes with rows about 25cm apart.
Once the garlic cloves are planted, we water the holes well with a combination of seaweed solution and liquid fertiliser. Then we don't water them again until the plants start to emerge.
Garlic challenges
We generally haven't had any pests on the garlic. However, we have had a big problem with rust. This is understandable in rainy weather, but we also had a rust problem during a winter that was quite dry. To try to combat the problem we attempted to cut off the worst effected leaves. We ended up harvesting most of the garlic as young garlic (before the cloves were formed).
With all the rain in 2022, a lot of the garlic ended up rotting. The following year we experimented with planting the cloves farther apart to see if that would help. Unfortunately, the plants still ended up getting rust so for the time being we have decided not to plant garlic.
Watering Garlic
Apparently garlic does not want to be watered daily. It is better to water it heavily once a week and leave it to dry out in between. There is no need to water it if it's been raining!
We were advised to water the garlic with nutrients every fortnight or so. We alternated between seaweed solution and liquid Dynamic Lifter. This can probably stop when the weather starts to turn warmer. It's also a good idea to top dress the bed with something like Blood & Bone in late winter.
Once the garlic starts to bulge (probably around October) you should hold out on the watering - so long as the bed is never bone dry. It is best not to be too wet.
Harvesting Garlic
Don't wait too long to harvest! Once the lower leaves start to die off (about half of the total leaves) it is time to harvest. The bulbs need to form inside and the layers of skin need to dry out. And don't wash the garlic after harvesting, just shake off the extra dirt or the moisture can cause the garlic to rot. Hang and cure the garlic for at least a week if you want it to last longer.
Green Manure Varieties
We grow green manure crops to build organic matter and improve nitrogen levels in the soil. We prefer to use the cool season green manure kit that contains Woolly Pod Vetch (a legume) and Oats (a grass), that Green Harvest sells. We've sometimes been disappointed with green manure kits bought elsewhere.
We've also planted Black Mustard green manure crops. When dug into the soil, the Black Mustard is meant to work as a natural biofumigant for soil pathogens and nematodes.
When And How to SOW Seeds
Cool season green manure crops are best sown in autumn. When planting the crop in a large in ground area, we usually rake the area first, to form some grooves in the soil. Then we add the seeds as evenly as possible, and lightly cover them with some soil and mulch.
When planting in beds, we usually make rows of holes to plant the legume seeds in. Then we make shallow trenches between the rows and columns of holes, where we evenly distribute the grass seeds. Finally, we cover the seeds up with some soil and a thin layer of sugarcane mulch.
Cutting and digging IN THE CROP
Green manure crops need to be cut down just as the plants begin to flower. Otherwise the nitrogen content is reduced and there's a risk of the plants setting seed in the bed. This usually takes about 8 weeks. When the green manure crop is planted in a raised bed, we use garden shears to chop it down - starting from the top of the plant and making multiple cuts, so that the plant is cut into smaller pieces. In a larger area, we sometimes use an electric hedge trimmer to do the same thing.
After cutting the plants, we dig the crop into the soil, where it will take about 6 weeks for it to decompose. The active composting process can have a negative impact on seeds or seedlings, so we wait until the plants have decomposed before planting.
Watch our video about Green Manure crops.
Kale Varieties
We usually grow three varieties, each quite different to the others - Siberian, Red Russian and Toscana. We also used to grow Dwarf Blue Curled, but found that because if was so curled, it was harder to detect and wash off pests like aphids. The Siberian is similar, but not so curly.
WHEN AND How to SOW Seeds
We usually plant kale seeds in trays in late February - to be transplanted into beds about 4 to 5 weeks later. We like to transplant them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before transplanting them to the beds - especially if they're getting too big and the garden bed isn't ready yet. Some of the plants may last well into spring.
Pests on Kale
At some stage, all three varieties of kale will get aphids. This tends to get worse towards the end of the season and as the weather warms up. We generally avoid any sprays, because even many of the natural ones are detrimental to beneficial insects. We often try to spray them off with water or, if there aren't too many, just have people wash them off at home. If a plant is really infested, we will carefully remove it - holding a large bucket or tub under the leaves as we cut them off, to prevent the aphids from dropping down into the soil.
The Cabbage White Butterfly also likes to lay eggs on brassicas, including kale. When we see holes in the leaves, we try to find the caterpillars and squish them!
Harvesting Kale
To keep kale plants healthy and productive, kale should be harvested one leaf at a time. Pick the largest and lowest leaves from the outermost layer and work your way in. These should be broken off (or carefully cut) at the main stem of the plant. If the entire leaf stem isn't cut off, they can rot and the plant becomes more vulnerable to pests, disease and mould.
Kale should not be over harvested and you need to the centre leaves for the plant to continue growing.
Kohlrabi Varieties
We plant Purple Vienna kohlrabi.
How and When to SOW Seeds
We usually plant kohlrabi seeds in trays from mid-February - to be transplanted into beds about 4 to 6 weeks later. We've also had success planting them in early spring. We've tried planting seeds directly in the beds, but in a community garden it's hard to give them the attention they need.
Harvesting
This variety of kohlrabi is supposed to be picked when it's small - about the size of a golf balll. Otherwise they become too fibrous. However, we have waited until they're larger and they were still ok. A favourite way to use it is in this Kohlrabi, Apple and Mint Slaw recipe by Martha Stewart.
Leek Varieties
We've planted many different varieties of leeks. At first we just planted Musselburgh and kept planting seeds that we'd saved. After a couple of years they weren't growing that well so we decided to try some different kinds. Our favourites right now are Giant Carentan, Bulgarian Giant and American Flag.
When and How to SOW Seeds
We start planting leek seeds in about mid-February, depending on the recommended planting time on the seed package. We plant them in rows in an old worm farm or other container filled with seedling mix to a depth of about 6-8cm. The germination rate isn't always great and we often find we have to replant seeds. It usually takes at least 8 weeks before they're big enough to transplant.
Transplanting leek Seedlings
We've tried a few planting methods to try to increase the blanched length of the leeks. We've planted seedlings in trenches - which had to be dug quite far apart, decreasing the number of leeks in the bed - and tended to collapse too soon. We've tried mounding them with soil, which was a bit time consuming and tricky, as you don't want the soil going between the leaves. We've also tried fitting a toilet or kitchen roll "collar" around them, to prevent exposure to sunlight.
The easiest and most effective planting method we discovered was to make planting holes about 18 - 25cm apart (we make about 12 rows of 5 or 6 holes in a bed that's 110cm x 270cm). We use a piece of bamboo about the size of a broom stick to make holes about 20cm deep. Then we drop the leek seedlings (which are about 25-30cm long) into the holes and gently water them in with seaweed solution, to wash a little soil over the roots. As the leeks grow, rain and watering slowly fill up the hole.
Harvesting
Leeks can be harvested when they are large enough - which we find is often about 5 months after planting them in the beds. It is important to harvest leeks BEFORE they start to flower. Once they flower, a thick woody stock develops in the centre of the leek. Cutting off the flowers does NOT prevent the stock from growing, so if you see a flower developing, harvest the leek.
Depending on the variety and how deep the leek has been planted, they can be quite difficult to harvest. Often you can't just pull them out and you risk breaking the stem. We usually dig deep around the outside of the leek, being careful not to cut the stem. The roots can be very deep and can make it hard work to pull out the plants!
Lettuce Varieties
We use a colourful lettuce mix of 'cut and come again' leaf lettuces that may include 'Marvel of Four Seasons', 'Freckles', 'Salad Bowl Red', 'Salad Bowl Green', 'Buttercrunch', 'Royal Oakleaf', 'Brown Romaine', 'Green Mignonette', 'Lollo Rossa' and 'Parris Island Cos'.
When to SOW Lettuce
According to seasonal planting charts, lettuce can be grown all year round in Sydney. However, we have the most success growing it in autumn and winter, as it tends to bolt (go to flower/seed) too quickly in summer because of the heat. When planting lettuce in summer, we try to provide some shade by either planting it between taller plants or by using a shade cloth.
How to SOW Seeds
We sow lettuce seeds in an old worm farm filled with homemade potting mix. The worm farm is kept outside at the garden.
We sprinkle the lettuce seeds on the soil. Then we cover them with a thin layer of coir, vermiculite or perlite - something fine enough to allow the light to get in, because lettuce seeds need light to germinate! It is also important to keep the soil well watered.
Transplanting Seedlings
Once the seedlings are big enough, we carefully remove one seedling at a time and transplant them into a garden bed. We use a spoon (or our fingers!) and try to keep as much soil around the roots as possible so we don't disturb them too much.
Before removing the seedling, we dig a hole that is big enough to fit the roots. Especially if the soil is a bit dry, we like to water in the hole with seaweed solution. We also water in the transplanted seedling with seaweed solution, as it promotes healthy root development.
We only transplant as many seedlings as we need, leaving the rest to plant at a later stage. And we add new seeds as required, so that we usually have a constant supply of seedlings.
Cut and Come Again Harvesting
We use the 'cut and come again' (or 'cut and come back') method to harvest our leaf lettuce. This involves choosing a well developed lettuce (though it also works for baby lettuce), gathering the leaves together and using a knife to cut it about 3cm from the base. The lettuce will then grow back! You can usually do this a few times before the lettuce will finally bolt. Once it has bolted (developed a central stem), you'll want to pull it out, as it will start tasting bitter.
Check out our video on Growing Lettuce.
Mesclun Salad Greens
We bought a Mesclun Salad Greens mix that may include lettuce, rocket, spinach, dandelion, Asian greens (e.g. tatsoi or mizuna), kale, sorrel, endive or mustard greens.
When and How to SOW Seeds
Like lettuce, we have the most success growing salad greens in autumn and winter, as the plants tend to bolt (go to flower/seed) too quickly in summer because of the heat. When planting them in summer, we try to provide some shade by using a shade cloth.
We sprinkle the lettuce seeds directly in the bed. Then we cover them with a thin layer of coir, which is fine enough to allow the light to get in, because some of the seeds need light to germinate. It is also important to keep the soil well watered.
Cut and Come Again Harvesting
Mesclun Salad Greens are baby leaf greens. We harvest them by cutting leaves as they reach about 10 to 15cm in length, using scissors to snip them off just above the growing crowns – about 2.5 cm above the soil level. It doesn't take long before they've grown enough to harvest them again.
Onion Varieties
We've planted a few varieties of onions without consistent results. A variety that germinated and grew well one year might not germinate at all the next.
When and how to SOW seeds
We start onion seedlings the same way we start leeks - planting seeds in rows in an old worm farm or other container filled with seedling mix to a depth of about 10cm. The germination rate isn't always great, so we often have to replant seeds. We usually start planting the seeds from mid-February, depending on the recommended planting time on the seed package. Seedlings generally take at least 8 weeks before they're ready to transplant to garden beds.
Transplanting Seedlings
Once the onion seedlings are large enough to survive being transplanted, we plant them about 20cm apart. There are 12 rows of 5 onions in a bed that measures about 110cm x 270cm. Unlike leeks, onions are NOT planted deep.
Onion Challenges
Like leeks and garlic, onions don't like too much wet weather. Too much water makes the plants susceptible to fungal or bacterial diseases. Given the abundance of rain in 2022, our onion bulbs did not develop properly. The leaves became diseased, some of the bulbs started to rot and most plants started to bolt. So we had to pull out them out early and used them like bunching onions. The next couple of years were even worse so, for the time being we have decided not to plant onions.
Harvesting Onions
Onion bulbs should sit on the surface and should not be mounded like onions. Once the tops start to dry and fall over, the onions are ready to harvest. Just like leeks, onions develop a hard inner core once they flower, so you want to harvest them before this happens!
Bunching/spring onion Varieties
We used to plant Red Beard Bunching Onions, but more recently we've been planting Ishikura Spring Onions.
How to SOW Seeds
We plant the seeds directly in the bed - in a row of coir (coco peat). We've started planting the seeds quite close together to try to keep the greens from becoming too big.
Harvesting
We like to use a 'cut and come back' method to harvest bunching onions. You cut individual stems a few cm above the level of the soil and the onion will grow back.
Parsley Varieties
Our preferred variety is Italian, though we have also planted Triple Curled parsley.
How to SOW Seeds
We plant parsley seeds directly in the garden beds - either scattering the seeds or planting them in rows of coir. Then we cover them with some fine soil or coir. At the end of the season, we often let the parsley plants bolt so that we can save the seeds.
Potato Varieties
We usually plant Dutch Cream potatoes. We used to buy organically grown potatoes that we cut in pieces and allowed to dry out before planting. Then we decided to try using certified seed potatoes and discovered that the germination rate is much better.
WHEN AND HOW TO SOW POTATOES
We usually start planting potatoes in late July or early August. We like to plant potatoes in succession over about 4 weeks, to prolong the harvest time. We prefer to plant them in trenches because it's an easy way to lengthen the underground portion of the stem, which increases the yield.
We dig north to south trenches that are about 15 to 20cm deep, with 60 to 70cm between trenches. We mound the excavated soil between the trenches and storing any excess close by. We use chitted (pre-sprouted) potatoes, with larger potatoes cut into two or more pieces and allowed to dry out for at least a couple of weeks. We dig holes about 10cm deep and 35cm apart in the trench. We place a small stake by each hole so we know where to expect the plants to emerge and can plant another piece if the first one doesn't grow. The chitted potato pieces (eyes/sprouts facing up) are placed in the holes and covered with soil. Then we sprinkle on some Blood and Bone and water them.
We usually start planting on the west side of the bed, digging and planting out another trench each week. Six weeks after the potatoes have been sown, we feed them with a liquid fertilizer.
Growing potatoes in bags
We have also tried growing potatoes in a hessian sack. We add about 15cm of soil mixed with compost to the bag, place the potato on the soil (eyes/sprouts facing up), cover it with about 10cm more of the soil/compost mix, sprinkle on some Blood and Bone and water it. We roll down the edges of the sack to keep it neat. As the plant grows, we unroll the edges as we add more soil.
The yield in the bags might not be as good as in the ground, but it's a fun and easy way to grow them - especially if a person doesn't have any garden beds to plant in!
Backfilling the trenches / Mounding potatoes
When the potato plants are about 20cm tall we start mounding them - using the soil that was excavated when the trenches were built to fill in the trench. After a few weeks of mounding, the trench will be filled. If we have enough soil, we may continue to mound the soil a bit higher. Apparently, indeterminate potatoes (which Dutch Cream are) can produce potatoes along a length of stem about 30 to 40cm long. Determinate varieties don't need to be mounded.
Harvesting
Once the plants start dying, that usually means it's time to start harvesting the potatoes. This is usually about about 3 to 4 months after the first potatoes were planted. When harvesting, be careful not to pierce the potatoes with the fork (or spade) you're digging with. It's best not to start digging too close to the plant and use the fork to gently loosen the soil. If the soil is loose enough, the safest way to avoid damaging the potatoes is to use your hands to find them!
Growing Radishes
Click on RADISH in the SPRING/SUMMER CROPS section for our planting tips. We find they grow best when planted in spring and early autumn.
When and How to SOW Rocket Seeds
We plant rocket directly in the garden beds. We usually make a shallow trench and fill it with coir (coco peat). We make a shallow indent in the centre of the coir and sprinkle a line of seeds along it. Then we cover the seeds with the coir.
This lets our watering team know that seeds have been planted and need to be watered! It also means that the seeds won't encounter any large pieces of compost or soil that prevent them from emerging.
Harvesting Rocket
To keep keep plants healthy and have a continuous supply of rocket, we usually only harvest the bigger, outer leaves instead of cutting the entire plant. Cut or pinch the leaves off at the base of the plant - don't leave the stems. And don't over harvest! You need to leave at least 6 leaves for the plant to keep growing and remain productive. However, it also works to use the cut and come back method when harvesting rocket.
Silverbeet Varieties
We like to plant Rainbow Mix Silverbeet - that have colourful stems of bright red through to pink, white and orange. We also plant Fordhook and Large White Ribbed Silverbeet.
When and How to SOW Seeds
We start planting silverbeet seeds in trays in February - to be transplanted into beds about 4 to 6 weeks later. We transplant them into small pots first and let them get a bit bigger before transplanting them to the beds - especially if they're getting too big and the garden bed isn't ready yet. Some of the plants may last well into spring or even through summer.
Harvesting Silverbeet
To keep plants healthy and productive, silverbeet should be harvested one leaf at a time. Harvest the OUTER leaves first. These should be broken off at the BASE of the plant. If the entire leaf stem isn't cut off, it will rot and the plant becomes more vulnerable to pests, disease and mould.
Plants should NOT be over harvested. You should leave at least 4 or 5 leaves for the plant to keep growing and remain productive.
Snow and Snap Pea Varieties
We plant Melting Mammoth Snow Peas to grow up our tallest climbing structures, since the vines grow to 2m long. We usually grow Oregon Sugar Pod and Oregon Giant Snow Peas, which grow to 90cm, on our shorter trellises.
We've planted both Cascadia and Sugar Bon Sugar Snap Peas, but have had better luck with the Cascadia. We find that the snow peas are more successful than the sugar snap peas.
When and How to SOW Seeds
Although the seed packets say to direct sow, we prefer to start our snow and snap pea seeds in trays. This way we can start the seedlings before the garden bed is ready (maximising the use of bed space). We can also plant more seeds than we need, so it doesn't matter if some don't germinate - and we can choose the healthiest seedlings to transplant. We use tube stock pots to sow the seeds because they give the roots plenty of space to grow and make it easy to transplant the seedlings.
We usually start planting snow and snap peas from late January and start transplanting them to garden beds about 3 weeks later. Although many seed packets suggest that, in Sydney's climate, snow and snap pea seeds can be sown between February and August, we have greater success with crops that are sown between February and April.
Transplanting Seedlings
Before transplanting the seedlings, we soak them in a bucket of seaweed solution. We plant the seedlings about 15cm apart. We dig holes that are a bit deeper than the height of the pot, because we want the soil to come to the base of the bottom leaves when the seedling is transplanted to give the plant more stability and wind resistance.
Harvesting
Just like beans, snow and snap peas should be harvested frequently to encourage more pods. Hold onto the plant with one hand and either use snips or pinch off the pea using the thumb and forefinger of your other hand.
Spinach Varieties
In April 2020 we planted Baby/English Spinach. The germination rate was excellent and the spinach crop was amazing. However, we had no luck planting the same variety in both 2021 and 2022. So in 2022 we also tried another variety, English Medania, but had no luck with it either. Since then, we've tried many different varieties, but the germination rate has been poor and the leaves aren't as tender as baby spinach should be. We continue our search for a successful variety.
When And How to SOW Seeds
Spinach prefers the cooler temperatures so we generally wait until autumn to start planting it. We had great success planting it directly in the garden bed in 2020. Since then we've tried both direct planting and starting seedlings in trays, both with limited success.
Harvesting Spinach
Just like rocket, to keep plants healthy and have a continuous supply of spinach, only harvest the bigger, outer leaves instead of cutting the entire plant. Cut or pinch the leaves off at the base of the plant - don't leave the stems. And don't over harvest! You need to leave at least 6 leaves for the plant to keep growing and remain productive.
Perennial crops
Growing Asparagus
In the winter of 2018, we planted 2 rows or bare root asparagus - 4 Sweet Purple and 4 Mary Washington. It's supposed to take 2 to 3 years for asparagus plants to mature. Apparently, the first year, no spears should be harvested. The second year you can harvest up to half of them and, as the plant matures, you'll be able to harvest up to 80% of the spears.
In May 2022 someone decided that the asparagus was overcrowded, so much of it was dug up, with the crowns washed, thinned out and replanted. We've never managed to get a huge crop, but what we have harvested has been so delicious that it doesn't require any cooking!
HARVESTING ASPARAGUS
Spears that are large enough to harvest should be cut at or just below the soil surface. The harvest period is probably about 10 weeks. Prolonging the harvest period can stress the plants and potentially decrease the yield the following year. At the end of the season, the spears should be left to produce ferns that should be cut back in winter after they've turned quite yellow.
Where to grow and Choko Care
We used to have two choko vines planted on the east side of one of our garden sheds. By the time it was summer, the shed was enveloped in choko vines! They are self pollinating so you don't need to have more than one vine. We didn't give them much care at all - except for providing them with something to grow on - and they always thrived. At the end of the season, we cut the vines right back and they'd start to grow again in spring. Unfortunately, the vine died when we got our new shed. We eventually replaced the vine, but it is yet to thrive like the original.
Check out our video about how to grow Chokos.
When THey Fruit
Chokos tend to need warm nights before they start to flower and fruit. It's usually about March when we start getting some fruit.
How to propagate
If you want to plant a choko vine, pick one of the large chokos, leave it in a warm, dry place and wait for it to sprout. Then plant the choko in the ground!
Harvesting
If you pick chokos when they're smaller (6 to 7cm long) you can eat the peel and they are more tender. Larger chokos need to be peeled and have a hard core.
Choko vines are extremely prolific. Pick fruit regularly to promote more flowering and fruiting. We used to have so many that we left some out for visitors to our garden to take!
Growing Malabar Spinach
Sometime in late 2022, somebody dropped off a few cuttings of Malabar Spinach at the garden. We forgot about them for a week or so and then planted them in an empty bed. Without giving them much attention at all, they started to grow voraciously. A few months later, they were a big tangle of vines. So we did our best to untangle them and trained them up a trellis that we added to the bed.
By April the vines started to flower and fruit. Apparently this makes the leaves taste a bit bitter. We cut back the vines and by October new spinach shoots appeared in the bed, as the plant easily self-sows.The spinach can be used raw or cooked and has a fairly mild flavour. The best part is that it can survive summer temperatures without bolting right away.
After a couple of years we decided to pull out the vines, as they were flowering too quickly and we didn't like them as much as some of our other greens.
Perennial vs 'Normal' Leeks
In theory perennial leeks propagate by producing "baby leeks" around the base of the plant - so that when you harvest them, there are a few new ones ready to plant.
However, we've found that our perennial leeks are more likely to sprout new seedlings from flower heads before the leeks are harvested.
The sprouted flower heads are really cool but, unfortunately, it means that the "mama" leek is no longer good to eat. We've also had some non-perennial leeks produce babies around their bases, so aren't really sure what the difference is between the varieties.
Transplanting Seedlings
When baby leeks are produced around the base of the plant, they already have established roots. So these leeks can be planted in the same way we plant normal leeks - dropped into a 20cm deep hole.
However, the seedlings that sprout from the flower head don't have roots yet. So we plant these in clumps of 5 or 6 (in case some die), maybe a centimetre or so deep. Often many of them take root and survive. Once they've grown bigger, we transplant them so that there's only one per hole.
Harvesting
Like normal leeks, perennial leeks need to be harvested before they start to flower and form a hard inner core. Unfortunately, we often forget about them until the flowers have started to sprout. So we have plenty of new seedlings to transplant without having eaten any/many of the mature leeks!
Growing Rhubarb
We grow rhubarb in our in ground beds, not a raised bed. We started by planting some clumps of rhubarb that we were given. After about 4 years, the clumps were big enough to divide so we could plant a second row of rhubarb. Besides occasionally adding some compost and mulch, and removing old leaves, we don't give the rhubarb a lot of special care but it's still healthy and productive.
Harvesting Rhubarb
Harvest rhubarb stalks by breaking them off at the base of the plant. You shouldn't need a knife for this, if you just pull and twist the stalk it should come off. We cut off the rhubarb leaves immediately after harvesting and dispose of them in our biointensive compost pile because rhubarb leaves are poisonous and we don't want anyone mistaking them for an edible leafy green.
What we Don't Grow and Why Not
We only have so much space at the garden so, unfortunately, we can't grow everything. Before deciding what to plant, we survey our members to help decide which plants and how much of each to grow. We also think about:
The Brussels sprouts plants grew very well to begin with but, despite netting, caterpillars were a problem. And as the sprouts grew, they became infested with aphids! Lots of work for little to no yield!
We've tried growing standard broccoli as well as sprouting broccoli. Both mostly produced leaves - and were full of caterpillars and/or aphids, so too much work for little to no yield. And, while successful sprouting broccoli would be easy enough to share amongst garden members, a standard broccoli head is difficult to share.
Our attempts to grow cabbage resulted in more caterpillars and pests than cabbage - so too much work for little to no yield.
When we've attempted to grow capsicums we didn't get a lot of fruit and there was a huge problem with fruit flies.
Our attempts to grow cauliflower resulted in more caterpillars and pests than cabbage - so too much work for little to no yield.
Rockmelon Varieties
We've tried planting Hale's Best, Honeydew and Ananas, but have had limited or no success growing rockmelons that were planted intentionally. However, some self-seeded rockmelons from the compost have grown quite well!
We were very excited about growing sweet corn and attempted to grow it for three years, planting a different variety each time. before finally giving up. The pollination rate was very poor (despite having planted the corn in a block) so there were almost no kernels on the few cobs that we got. The final year that we tried growing corn, the plants started out really well but started to flower when they were about a third of their expected height.