19/07/2013 - Research for the month of November

Actual Temperature
11degrees Celsius
Humidity : 75%
Rainfall : 0.4mm
Wind : Lighty Wind

Moisture and Mulching 

November is a generally warm month throughout the entire country. The chance of frost even in the coldest parts of the country has almost passed and a wide range of vegetables can be planted and sown. Add plenty of compost, well-rooted sawdust, spent coffee grounds, seaweed and even a light dressing of lawn clippings, to the soil surface to help converse moisture as the weather becomes dry. Make sure that the soil is well watered before applying a mulch or much of the benefit will be lost. 

Getting Ready

A general garden fertiliser  applied at rate of two good handfuls per square metre, well worked into the soil, will encourage crops to develop quickly. Lettuces and other salad vegetables grow rapidly and are more succulent if they are fed regularly with liquid fertiliser. Home made liquid fertiliser is easily made by dissolving cow, chicken, or horse manure in water which can be poured round the root zone from a water can. The liquid should be diluted to the colour of weak tea before applying. Take care to avoid splashes on the foliage for hygiene reasons. If in doubt, use a commercial liquid fertiliser.

Herb teas are another method of improving the health and vigour of the garden. Nettle, dandelion, sage, chamomile, hypericum, yarrow and valerian, teas can be used to great advantage. Teas are a good way to transfer beneficial essences from one plant to another. Dandelion exudes a substance that inhibits the growth of neighbouring plant yet, when made into a herb tea or used in the compost, has a beneficial influence on plant growth. Cover the herb with water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and cool for at least 20 minutes. You can use the tea directly on your plants or dilute it with 3 parts of water. Use immediately after preparation.

Frost-prone Areas 

Choose to sow only as much as you think you might need from the garden. Planting hundreds of beetroot and pumpkins will see much of the crop go to waste unless you have a ready market. A sprinkling of seed sown every four or five weeks is usually enough to ensure a succession of plants. Cucumber, eggplant, melons, capsicum, chilli and pumpkins are susceptible to small changes in temperature and should only be planted outdoors where warm conditions are certain.

Frost-free Areas

Almost any seed sown now will germinate as long as it kept moist. Seedlings are susceptible to the slightest change in moisture levels. Water young seedlings when you transplant them. This gets them off to a good start and it also helps to firm the soil around the small, fine roots. Ensure that the vegetable  garden remains free of weeds as the temperatures warm and the garden rushes into life.