Peas can be planted as the soil begins to warm up. Photo: Supplied.
The first month of spring is usually the time to plant pea seeds, allium seedlings, and continue garden preparations for planting summer vegetables. The thought of fresh sweet corn blistering on the barbecue, salads rich in blood red tomatoes and crisp cucumbers is all the inspiration one needs to get to work.
Gardening in a transitional month, such as September, can be a bit unpredictable.
Higher-than-average rainfall is predicted for much of the ACT region and other nearby cold climate locations. Warmer-than-average nighttime temperatures for spring are likely for most of eastern Australia; however, in cool climate locations, there can still be the risk of frost.
If we receive sufficient spring sunlight and fewer overcast days, our September plantings of beetroot, silverbeet, onion, and spring onion seedlings should grow strongly.
Soil temperatures need to warm up somewhat for seed plantings, except for peas, which can go in at around 8 degrees. For the direct seeding of carrots, parsnips, radishes, and turnips, soil temperatures need to be 10 degrees or above.
At the moment, soil temperatures are still between 7 and 9 degrees, depending on your location. At this time of year, it is important to keep track of soil temperature. Soil thermometers are not expensive and are readily available at garden nurseries or larger hardware/garden retail outlets.
Seedling plantings of the chenopods silver beet (Swiss chard) and beetroot can continue through September.
If you enjoy beetroot raw or cooked for summer salads, plant at least two large plantings to ensure a plentiful supply over this and next season.
Chenopods are a group of plants known for their adaptability. Most of the group are smaller flowering shrubs, many of which also have edible leaves and seeds. They do feature prominently in our Australian landscape because they tolerate salinity, drought and waterlogging, all of which make them perfect to plant in the most turbulent month of the season. Beetroot seedlings and chard (silverbeet) seedlings planted now will stand up to September frosts, rainstorms and heat waves.
Beetroot grows well with or near any member of the onion family and lettuces, cabbage and radish. They can also tolerate fellow chenaopods such as chard/silverbeet.
Chard loves rich, well-drained soil, so lots of compost and a complete fertiliser to start, and lime/dolomite mix and blood and bone, each applied at about a half a cup per square metre. Make sure you plant in a sunny spot, although the plants will tolerate some partial shade. Given the predicted high rainfall this season, mulching is probably not necessary. However, if the higher rainfall doesn’t occur, mulching may well be needed later on. One great thing about the chard is that it is not prone to many insect pests or diseases. Mildew can be a problem, so make sure there is enough space between plants for good air circulation.
Chard is incredibly versatile in cooking, so if you have lots of it, add it to stews and soups, chop fine and slightly cook it in a bit of butter as a side dish, harvest the extra leaves, blanch and freeze for when you don’t want to be outside harvesting when the weather is cold and rainy.
Beetroot is as pest and disease-resistant as chard and just as easy to grow. Again, planting into a soil rich in organic matter with not too much added nitrogen-based fertiliser will be fine. Good sun and soil with good moisture-retaining qualities will ensure a good result. The faster beetroot grows, the more tender it remains, so growth-promoting treatment, such as regular doses of seaweed-based liquid fertiliser, is well justified.
Both beetroot and chard can bolt to seed quickly if very warm and very cool temperatures follow one another frequently in a short period of time. If this happens, the best cure is harvesting the plant. Both beetroot and chard can be eaten as young plants as well as when more mature, and chard leaves will grow back.
Early spring is a good time to plant onions, leeks and spring onions. All these members of the onion family are planted as seedlings, called fingerlings. Onion fingerlings can be planted with 2 or 3 fingerlings together in the one hole, leaving around 15cm between each set of fingerlings. Leeks are planted around 10cm to 15cm between each fingerling and spring onion fingerlings are planted in a clump of around 10 fingerlings.
Onions like soil that is high in organic matter, but not overly rich. A bed prepared with compost or aged sheep or cow manure is perfect. They also love a full sun position. These members of the allium family take up very little bed space. Leeks can be planted in the middle row of a garden bed with other veggies planted adjacent.
All types of garden peas – shelling, sugar snap and snow – can continue to be planted through spring, and of course, members of the Brassica family will do well too.
An early spring planting of cabbage, kale and kohlrabi will be a great addition to the kitchen in early summer.
Likewise, early spring is a great time to plant Asian greens. Celery can be planted now, but will need some frost protection, as will other September plantings. Spring can often be volatile, and with climate change, this volatility can be very dynamic.
Unpredictable spring frosts and unusually high temperatures can make for a challenging time for many plants. Using frost protection can help by reducing the impact of low temperatures, as well as mitigating the effects of high temperatures. Shade cloth thrown over the garden on very hot days following a frosty, cool period may help plants cope with these extremes.
Spring is all about the excitement of potential, of looking forward and new beginnings. But it is not summer. Do not plant out any summer vegetables until after the last frost!
Bronwyn Richards and Helen Lynch run Wynlen House Artisan Village Farm and Learning Centre, a small village organic market garden in Braidwood, NSW. Since 2006 they have grown and sold fresh vegetables, eggs, preserves and garlic, and teach others to do the same.
