After the dry, hot summer most of us have had, it feels a little strange writing about autumn and winter vege just yet. 

But as many a gardener knows - preparation is the key to the success of any vege patch. So, if you want to enjoy plenty of vege from your garden in the cooler months, you really need to get started now.

First, start by clearing out any old plants that have passed their time. I’ll be pulling out old tomato stalks, dried up courgette plants and many herbs that have gone to seed.

Give your soil a good turning over and remove any clumpy roots and debris. Try to break down the larger lumps in the soil that your plants may struggle to grow roots through. Top up with compost, sheep pellets, topsoil and a give a good feed of general fertiliser.

For plants, I’m going to focus on my greens as they will go well in autumn and right now I feel like greens will help balance out my ‘indulgent’ summer! These include cauliflower, silverbeet, cabbage and broccoli. You can buy these vege seedlings online from Awapuni Nurseries and have them delivered direct to your door.

If you want a variation on plain broccoli, try broccoflower. It has a milder and slightly sweeter taste to cauliflower- and looks like a lime green cauliflower. Or Italian (romanesco) broccoli, with its light green clusters of heads that resemble sea coral. The unusual tip of each spear is conical rather than round, looking like the ‘royal’ version. It tastes more like true broccoli but at its very best!

Also available at Awapuni Nurseries is the newest (and trendiest) member of the broccoli family, broccolini (tasty stems); a hybrid between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It’s slightly sweeter than normal broccoli. You can compare its taste to asparagus, and it’s ideal for stir-fries.

And now to plant your broccoli. Firstly, they like a free-draining and sunny spot, and to be planted in a new place each year. This crop rotation will ensure premium growth and quality. When you’ve found your perfect place to plant, dig holes roughly twice the size of the seedling, around 35-50cm apart. Place inside and firmly press the soil down with your hands.

These brassicas will all take a while to mature, so consider popping in faster-growing plants between each seedling – this is called companion planting. Pak Choy, beetroot, radish, spring onions and spinach are all fast-growing veges you can poke in between your larger brassicas, and harvest before the brassicas are ready.

Lastly, apply mulch. This will help keep the weeds down and retain moisture. Pea straw and bark mulch are popular choices, but pine needles, wet newspaper strips and even wool packing from your ‘My Food Bag’ will do the trick.

When it comes to harvesting your broccoli heads, cut them off diagonally. This will encourage new mini-heads to grow, giving you a long cropping season. And, if you suddenly find all your broccoli is ready at once and you don’t quite have the stomach for it, remember it freezes really well. Simply place in a snap-lock bag, and it will keep nicely for a few months.