ON THE PLOT
Strategies for highveld winter veg
S
mallholders trying to live
sustainably will be
thinking about their
winter vegetable gardens now.
While a cold, dry Highveld
winter makes it impossible to
grow certain species in winter
~ at least outdoors without
considerable frost protection,
especially in the Easter and
southern areas of Gauteng,
there are a number of
vegetables that can be grown
From page 27
the rest or dormant period
that plants from the summer
rainfall areas have in the dry
winter months. Watering
them in this period often
stimulates them into a growth
phase, and the plant becomes
more susceptible to the cold.
Do not prune or cut back
cold sensitive plants just
before or during winter. Also,
resist the temptation to cut
year-round, and which will
provide something fresh and
nutritious for the table even in
the dead of winter.
In Gauteng we are able to
grow beetroot, brassicas such
as cabbage, cauliflower and
broccoli, broad beans, carrots,
dwarf spinach, garlic,
kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce,
onions, parsnips, peas,
potatoes, radishes, Swiss
chard and turnips during
winter.
Choose the cultivar that suits
the climate in your area. Such
cultivars should also be in
demand locally.
The site you choose for your
food garden will contribute
greatly to its success. The
amount of sunshine it
receives, the soil type and
other factors need to be
factored in.
When deciding where to set
back plants that have suffered
frost damage, no matter how
bad they look ] H [YK