Cabbage, cauliflower and silverbeet can still be planted to stand the winter. Ground from which potatoes have been lifted recently is ideal for these crops.
Sprinkle blood and bone (100g per square metre) on the ground, and rain in May and June will wash it into the soil. Compost can also be spread where these hardy vegetables are to be grown.
Cauliflower heads can be damaged by rain and cold conditions as winter nears. Those maturing soon should be regularly checked and the outside leaves turned in on the centres, the curds, to help protect them and keep them white.
Celery sometimes shows leaf-spot at this time of the year and can be treated with a copper spray applied every 10 to 14 days.
Because they like cool, moist conditions, leeks usually will keep growing until June.
If soil is drawn up around the stems of Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli as they grow, it will not only aid drainage for the plants during the winter, but also help prevent them being blown over in strong winds. — Star Garden Book
