April 2011

This is the time of the year when my head screams "oh no, summer is actually over," while my tummy says "wahoo, winter veges are just around the corner."

The end of daylight savings is the signal to me that now's the time to get planting if I want to enjoy good, hearty veges during the colder months.

It can seem a little crazy planting for July now, but some vegetables can take up to three months to mature so getting seedlings in early is important.

The trick is to plant just as the season is changing from summer to autumn. So if you're up north you may need to wait a little bit, but if you're down south you may need to get cracking right away.

I've said it before, but getting the kids involved is a great way of getting them over any vege aversions. You'd be surprised how planting, and then picking broccoli they grew themselves can make this oft disliked vege taste completely different!

So, get the whole family out in the garden and start by pulling out all your summer veges. With veges like cauliflower and broccoli - otherwise known as brassicas - it's important to plant them somewhere different to last year. This will prevent them getting club root.

If you're limited for space, just add some lime to the soil and this will also help prevent club root. In fact, adding lime to the soil is a good idea for wherever you plant. I'd also add some nitrophoska blue or garden galore to give the soil a good kick-start.

Lastly, dig in some compost and you're ready to plant.

So, get down to your local supermarket, Bunnings, or the Warehouse and grab a Pop'n'Grow pot or Traditional Value bundle of cauliflower or broccoli today. Alternatively,head to our online store and get the plants delivered right to your door.

Simply dig a hole (approximately 3cms deep), place your seedling inside and cover the roots with soil. Space each seedling 35 to 50cms apart.

This will ensure the seedlings have room to expand and grow. As brassicas can take a long time to mature, during the earlier weeks you can plant other seedlings that mature quickly, like spinach, in the spaces between each brasscia seedling. This type of planting is otherwise known as companion planting and is a great way to get maximum use of your space. Your spinach should be ready in about four weeks - depending on the weather in your area - but make sure you harvest the leaves before it goes to seed.

If the area where you live is prone to frosts, fold the leaves of the cauliflowers over so they don't get frost damage.

Depending on the weather conditions in your area, your broccoli and cauliflower should be ready for harvest in six to 10 weeks. If the weather gets really cold, it may take a bit longer.

Both broccoli and cauliflower need to be harvested before they flower, as once they flower, the plants will die.

Use a knife to diagonally cut off the heads of brocolli and cauli you have selected. Harvesting your brascias this way encourages new heads to grow and will also ensure a long cropping season.

Remember, if you harvest too much broccoli or cauliflower just chuck the excess in the freezer. They will keep for two to three months.

For a tasty cauliflower and blue cheese soup melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot. Add one cauliflower with the leaves removed and cut into small florettes, 250gms of peeled and cubed potatoes and one onion, peeled and chopped. Gently stir fry the vegetables for around five minutes without browning. Stir in ½ tps of dry mustard and add two to three cups of chicken (or vegetable) stock.

Cover with lid and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the cauliflower is very soft. Puree the soup in a food processor. Place the soup back into the pot and add one cup of milk and simmer four three to four minutes. Add ½ cup of cream just before serving. Pour into bowls and add as much crumbled blue cheese as you would like. Add homemade croutons or toasted almonds to garnish.

Tod Palenski