10/07/2013 - Research for the Month of March

Actual Temperature
9 degrees Celsius
Humidity : 80%
Rainfall : 0.00mm
Wind : Calm

Insect Alert

March is the beginning of autumn proper throughout most of the country and suddenly a rush colour and vegetable bounty fills the garden as it begins to wind down for winter. Unfortunately, with all of this abundance, also comes aphids, caterpillars, cutworms, earwigs, slug and snails, as well as weeds and other pests.

Keep weeds under control and prevent them from seeding. Cutting off the flower heads is one simple way to limit the spread of weed seed. Keeping the soil well hoed when the weather is hot and dry will also ensure that, when autumn rains comes, there will be fewer weeds.

Getting Ready

Garden beds that have been stripped of late-summer crops should be throughly forked over and general fertiliser applied at a rate of two good handfuls per square metre. Heavy soil will benefit greatly from the addition of at least two handfuls of lime per square metre. Apply lime at least 6 - 8 weeks before the winter garden is planted. mix it in well and keep the soil moist. Organic gardeners may prefer to use dolomite or ground shell.  

Feed, feed and feed again if you want the best from end-of-season crops. Feeding even when the soil temperature begin to fall will help ensure that those last marrows, tomatoes and melons develop to their full potential. 

Frost-prone Areas

Where the days are warm, moist and settled, sow seeds of broccoli, beetroot, broad beans, carrot, cauliflowers, leek, winter lettuce, parsnip, peas, radish, silver beet, spinach, spring onion and turnip in trays for planting out later. In areas where the weather is beginning to cool down, especially in the evenings, it is time to plant seedlings of winter lettuce, cabbage, spinach, leek, parsley and spring onion. 

Before the first frost, pick any tomatoes that are beginning to show colour. They was ripen full indoors, especially if they are placed on a sunny windowsill. Anything greener can be used for any decay or rotting.

Frost-free Areas

Pull onions when the tops have fallen over and dried. Do this sunny, breezy days and leave them in the garden for a day or two to dry out throughly. If you want to store onions for any length of time, the neck must be throughly dry. This will usually take at least a fortnight.

Early-variety, well sprouted potatoes can be set out but only in frost-free areas. In areas where light frosts are experienced, use frost cloth covers at night.

Now it time to harvest kumara, pumpkins and any other vegetables, especially if they are intended for storage. Pumpkins will last well into winter if they are picked before the first frosts with a good strong stalk attached.