As the leaves turn, backyard gardeners can usher in a productive autumn season with strategic planning and planting. Luke from Seedlings Organic has this expert advice for maximising yields in smaller spaces.
Bed preparation is key:
Prepare your beds for autumn, aerate the soil thoroughly and enrich it with compost or worm castings to boost fertility. Skip mulch in autumn vegetable gardens due to wet conditions and potential pest/disease issues. Instead, encourage low-growing, non-competitive ‘weeds’ like false dandelion, dandelion, bitterness, slender celery, winter grass, and shivery grass. These improve soil health. For flowering companions, consider heartsease or alyssum, which are also edible.
Focus on quick returns:
In limited spaces, prioritise vegetables that offer a fast turnaround. Instead of long-growing varieties, opt for quick-maturing crops. Consider mini-sugarloaf cabbage, small green cabbages or wonbok over traditional cabbages. Other excellent choices include silverbeet, pak choi, Asian greens, lettuce, kale, chard, and spinach.
Root vegetables and alliums:
Radishes and beetroot are ideal for autumn planting, with radishes offering harvests in just 4-6 weeks and beetroot turning around fairly quickly. Alliums like spring onions, onions, and leeks thrive in cooler weather. Direct seeding is beneficial for some vegetables, consider carrots, radishes, peas, and broad beans. Due to differing watering needs, Luke suggests pairing carrots with leeks rather than onions. While carrots require consistent moisture, leeks can tolerate it better than other alliums.
Herbs and longer-term crops:
Continue growing herbs like rosemary, parsley, coriander, and basil for a few more months. If you have extra space, now is the time to plant longer-term crops such as garlic, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage.
Pest control for brassicas:
Brassicas are susceptible to pests, so regular spraying is essential. Luke recommends using Dipel, an organic solution available at his shop. Mix ¼ teaspoon of Dipel with 20ml of eco or neem oil in 5 litres of water and spray your brassicas weekly until the end of May.
Seed and seedling expertise:
Luke is your go-to source for expert advice on seedlings and seeds. Many local organic farmers rely on Luke from Seedlings Organic for their planting needs.
Happy gardening this autumn!
You will find Seedlings Organic every Friday at Mullum Farmers Market from 7am to 11am at Mullum Showgrounds, Main Arm Road.
