NCH GOOD TASTE. Fresh as Fresh and Cancer Council selling fruit and vege boxes to families through schools. Box of fruit and veg at newcastle Markets16th July 2012 Picture Anita Jones
G rowing your own fruit and vegetables is not only beneficial for the environment but also keeps your wallet a little fuller during the week.
Looking after your vegie garden can be difficult during the colder months, but Yates has provided us with some eco-friendly and timely tips for getting the most out of your vegie garden this autumn.
● Sow some lettuce, radishes, spinach, turnips and leeks — most of these can be started in pots and then transplanted into the ground as the soil cools.
● If you grow tomatoes, after you pick them try drying them for later use — you can also try cooking pulped tomatoes or freeze them in ice cube trays to add to warm winter dishes.
● Only pick pumpkins after their stalks have shrivelled — leave them in a sunny, dry spot to harden off before storing.
● Lift and divide rhubarb clumps in early autumn, but wait until the middle of winter if you live in colder areas.
● In acidic soil districts, mix some lime or dolomite into the soil to sweeten it slightly, which is beneficial for most veggies.
● Try growing something different in your vegetable bed — Yates suggests some edible Kale which grows perfectly during frosty winters, Japanese turnip Hakurei which is a sweet-flavoured favourite which looks a bit like its European cousin.
● Watch for pests, especially if the weather stays warm — choose pesticides with care and make sure that they are suitable for your particular crop.
● Keep liquid feeding leafy vegetables and salad greens. Yates suggests using Uplift, Thrive or Aquasol.
● By keeping these few tips in mind you'll be growing your own environmentally-friendly veggie patch in no time.
Details: For more information and tips visit: yates.com.au