Underground action
Look in the garden shops at this time of year
and you’ll see packets of roots or bulbs on sale.
These are always decorated with enticing
pictures of the end-result plants.
As well as many ornamental plants available in
this form, home vegetable growers will be
pleased to find some popular edibles on sale.
Rhubarb, shallots, garlic, strawberries,
asparagus and berries are typical examples.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb crowns (clusters of roots) are planted
now. Rhubarb hates wet feet, so choose a
sunny spot with good drainage. Mix in some
well-aged manure and Dynamic Lifter pellets
before planting. Don’t begin harvesting the
leaves until the plant’s well established – at
least the second year. Keep some copper-
based Yates Fungus Fighter on hand to treat
rots and mildews as soon as they appear.
Shallots and garlic
True shallots are small, brown-skinned bulblets
with a mild onion flavour that are ideal for stews
and casseroles. Bulbs are planted in mid winter
and the crop harvested in mid summer.
Homegrown garlic’s creamy flavour adds a
special touch to many dishes. Plant the cloves
and, after the leaves appear, begin feeding with
a liquid plant food such as Yates Thrive or
Aquasol. Watch out for aphids on the leaves –
control with Nature’s Way Natrasoap, which has
no withholding period – and water evenly
throughout the growing season. Pull up the
plants – bulbs and all – after the leaves yellow
off in mid-summer and harden them in the sun
for a few days before hanging them to store in a
dry, airy place.
Asparagus
Asparagus plants last for years, which is why
growing asparagus is a long-term commitment.
Pre-planting preparation is especially important.
Mix some compost or well-aged manure into
the soil in a freely-draining spot. Then add a
complete plant food like Acticote or Dynamic
Lifter. Dig a shallow trench and plant the
asparagus crowns at the bottom. Then fill in
the trench as the shoots grow. Don’t harvest
until at least the second year and, even then,
do so lightly to allow the plants to establish.
Each winter give the plants another dressing
with fertiliser – Dynamic Lifter Fruit & Citrus
would be ideal.
Strawberries (pictured)
Strawberries grow well in pots. As well as
providing good drainage, pots help elevate the
fruit out of reach of hungry predators like snails
and slugs. A Yates Tuscan Edge pot, with its
self-watering feature, will keep the plants in
good condition. Use a good quality potting mix
(such as Yates Premium) and move the pot
around to capture maximum sunlight. Feed
strawberries with Acticote pellets and plan on
renewing the plants every three or four years.
Tasty roots
Jerusalem artichokes, Chinese artichokes and
horseradish – all valued for their underground
parts – can also be planted in the winter
months. Because these are all a bit more
difficult to buy, it’s often easier to beg some
from friends! Do that now, while the plants are
still dormant.
