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Vege patches are back in style

28 May 2021
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Cropped Image Of Woman Holding Kale Against Yellow Background

Been spending a bit more time in the garden? Well, some veges thrive in cooler soil temperatures, which makes it a handy time to plant if you can get some seeds at the supermarket during lockdown, writes Shannon Hunt.

Step 1: Plant ‘Quick’ Radish
If the peppery snap of radish on your tongue makes you smile, then plant some seeds or seedlings in your prepared garden now. Water them well and be ready to pick, wash and eat these crunchy little bursts of flavour sooner than you may have thought.

Step 2: Plant Chard & Silver Beet
Red, yellow and pink-stemmed chard (‘Bright Lights’) is not only a delicious and nutrient-high addition to your autumn and winter meals, but the vibrant stems look like coloured lights in your garden. Green silver beet and spinach are also popular winter growers. If you can, feed these greens with lots of sheep pellets, compost and seaweed liquid for a perfect crop.

Step 3: Plant Orange, Purple, White & Round Carrots
Carrots can be grown all year round in New Zealand, but they will be sweeter
for having endured a frost or two. This is why Ohakune carrot growers are famous for producing sweeter carrots. This colourful crop should be ready to
eat as small to medium-sized carrots by around 12–14 weeks.

Orange, Purple, And Yellow Carrots

Step 4: Plant Kale & Tuscan Kale
While kale will grow in the hotter months, it is at its best grown over autumn and winter. You can pick the young, light green kale leaves to add to your winter salads or the larger leaves for ‘green’ smoothies or a ‘green’ pasta sauce.

Step 5: Plant Round, Cylindrical & Chioggia Beetroot
If green salads are to your taste during the cooler months, you can whip a few new leaves off your beetroot tops as they are growing without compromising the health of the beetroot below. And, if you like the sweetness of baby beetroot, you can harvest the root earlier when it is still small. The large roots are ideal to roast slowly with balsamic vinegar and oil.

Step 6: Artichoke – A Floral Delight & Buttery Morsel
You will have to wait until spring before you harvest your globe artichokes as it’s not a quick grower but do plant one or two seedlings now because the wait is worth it if you love to eat the petals steamed and drowned in butter. If you want a gorgeous centrepiece for your table, let one or two artichokes go to seed and harvest them at their brightest blue. They will sit perfectly on the table if you flatten the stem off underneath.

Step 7: Plant Endive for Your Winter Salads
Endive has a slightly bitter taste to it, so the addition of extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon dressing is recommended. Again, you can pick the leaves when young or leave them to mature. Endive can also be steamed, which removes the bitterness completely.

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