Although winter is a long way off, most winter greens should be planted by the middle of January, although Brussels sprouts generally give better crops if planted before Christmas.
Cabbages, broccoli, kale, cauliflowers and silverbeet all need rich ground to give good crops and ground where early potatoes have been grown is generally suitable. A generous dressing of lime will help prevent club root. Avoid growing any members of the cabbage and turnip families in the same spot two years in a row to lower the risk of getting this soil-borne fungus.
Water seedlings well until they are established and hoe around them to prevent the soil caking. Grey aphids can be controlled by spraying with a solution of soap and water.
The bigger members of the Cucurbita family — marrows, pumpkins and cucumbers — should all be forming fruits. Limit the number by nipping the ends of growing shoots to reflect the plant’s capacity and, especially with pumpkins, keep in mind the size the mature fruit will reach when deciding how many to let grow. Baby varieties, such as "Jack-Be-Little or Peek A Boo", will produce six or seven little pumpkins per plant, while "Atlantic Giant", which can produce 200kg monsters, should be restricted to one pumpkin.
Flowers
Roses appreciate a mulch of compost around them at this time of year. This feeding will improve early autumn displays and a dressing of potash will help keep black spot at bay. Keep roses watered and be diligent with deadheading, cutting each faded bloom off just above the bud of the next five-fingered leaf. Prune ramblers as soon as flowering is over, removing old, weak growth.
Gladioli are summer-flowering plants, equally attractive in the vase or garden bed, whether in a mixed colour group or single variety. The Gladiolus genus, which originates from southern Africa and Europe, has more than 150 species.
Gladioli corms should be grown in groups of three to five in well-drained soil. Plant them about 8cm deep, putting corms on a layer of river sand if drainage is less than perfect. Keep watered once buds appear or they will not mature. After flowering, cut off the flowering stem but leave the foliage to grow into autumn so the corm is fed for next season. In autumn, when the foliage is yellowing, lift the gladioli and store in paper bags in a cool, dry spot. When they are completely dry, remove soil and dead foliage. Each corm will produce several offsets. Save these, plant in a corner of the garden next spring and in two years they will have reached flowering size.
Fruit
Raspberries send up suckers at this time of year. They often pop up some distance from the main plant and should be cut as far back as possible, taking care not to damage the parent plant. Check young apple, pear and plum trees put in last winter and cut any overly strong shoots to keep the trees’ growth balanced. Mature trees can have a light pruning to maintain their shape. Apply pruning paste to every cut to keep disease at bay. Double and triple-grafted fruit trees should be checked for even growth on each variety. If one looks weaker, remove all fruit so that leg puts all its energy into growing a strong stem, not into fruit production.
