Think mixed veges, and you'll probably conjure up an image of a frozen plastic bag brimming with peas, beans, carrots and corn - a favourite for many kids.
Although I certainly have nothing against the snap-frozen, bagged variety, our Awapuni mixed veges are a different kettle of fish altogether - bundles of complementary, fresh seedlings, designed to make sure you end up with enough of each vegetable type to feed your small family, rather than the whole neighbourhood.
Take our cabbage, cauliflower and silverbeet bundle, for example. Not only are these winter staples perfect for adding nutrition to hearty winter meals, they also enjoy the same conditions and grow well alongside each other.
Convinced? Simply grab an Awapuni Nurseries cabbage, cauliflower and silverbeet mixed vege pack from your local supermarket, Bunnings, or The Warehouse. Or head to our online store and have your seedlings delivered direct to your door. While you're there, check out our other mixed herb and vege bundles.
Once you've got your seedlings, it's time to find the perfect planting spot. Firstly, look for somewhere that gets its fair share of sun, and hasn't played home to any other members of the brassica genus (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc.) recently. This will prevent your plants getting club root - a disease, which stops the heads on your brassicas developing fully.
You'll also need plenty of space - cabbage and cauliflower seedlings should be planted about 30cm apart from each other. Your silverbeet seedlings, on the other hand, won't need quite as much room so I suggest planting them in between your rows of cabbage and cauli as they'll grow tall rather than out, and will be ready to harvest earlier.
Before you start digging little holes and inserting your seedlings, don't forget to add lime to the soil, which will also help prevent the club root I mentioned above. When it comes to your silverbeet, make sure your soil is well drained. If it's a bit sluggish, try building it up into mounds.
You may also need to fight off a snail or two. I recommend using quash or our tried and true beer bait. And it may pay to cover your plantings with a closure, such as fine netting from your local garden centre, to prevent white butterfly taking advantage of your hard work.
As with many good things, cabbages and cauliflowers take time to mature. Your silverbeet, on the other hand, is a bit quicker off the mark and should be ready to harvest in about eight to 12 weeks, depending on your soil condition. That's it; a bit of hard yakka (combined with patience) and you'll soon be serving up the very best kind of mixed veg - the type that's grown by your own fair hands. Enjoy.