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The ongoing rain has meant we are now seasonally into the autumn planting period for vegetables although it is still February, writes Gareth Carter. Photo / Supplied

We have got off more lightly than many areas of the North Island from the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle, however there is still plenty of wind damage to trees and gardens.

The ongoing rain has meant we are now seasonally into the autumn planting period although it is still February.

Late summer and autumn is often one of the most rewarding times of the year for the vegetable gardener as the fruits of one’s labour are ripe for harvest. Tomatoes can be continued for a while longer. Regular feeding fortnightly with a fertiliser high in potash, combined with regular watering, will ensure your tomatoes continue to produce. For those where late blight is common, continue with preventative copper spray Grosafe Freeflo Copper if there are signs of it on your plants.

Spraying with Yates Mavrik or Yates Success Ultra will protect tomatoes, potatoes and tamarillos against psyllids as well as caterpillars and whitefly which often pillage the plant and fruit at this time of the season.

Zucchini plants continue to produce, as do beans. It is best if you do a regular “harvest” every second day to avoid some large marrows and beans which will become tough and stringy.

Potatoes planted in October and November will be coming ready now. If you want to store potatoes for use later in the year they can be dug as the tops die down and put in a paper bag in a dark cool place to store.

With autumn approaching, now is the time to get your winter vegetables planted out before cooler temperatures arrive and growth slows and later halts. Even if you have a small garden, there are good reasons to plant some winter vegetables; first, the freshness of the product and knowledge of what has been sprayed on them or not; second, cost - the cost of vegetables, especially heads of broccoli and cauliflower, skyrockets during the winter months. Plus there is fulfilment from harvesting and serving up plants from your own garden.

Leeks: Leeks are hardy vegetables and very few pests/diseases affect them. The bigger the leek, the more flavoured it is. Leeks are best planted in free-draining, organically rich soil. Apply generous amounts of lime to the soil a few weeks before planting, if possible. Dropping more than one leek per hole is fine, but the leeks will be smaller. Alternatively, the plants can be thinned as if growing carrots and the thinnings can be added to soups and salads. Keep leeks weed-free as they hate competing for light and moisture. Leeks can be safely left in the ground until needed.

Brussel sprouts: Brussel sprouts are one winter vegetable that needs to go in really early to get good height on the plants before the growth stops in cooler weather – the number of sprouts you get is almost 100 per cent determined by the length of the stem. Like its brassica cousins broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, brussel sprouts will perform best in rich fertile soil. They, like leeks, prefer alkaline soil so the addition of lime prior to planting is beneficial. The biggest pest to brussel sprouts is the white cabbage butterfly and caterpillar which can be easily treated by the use of Yates Mavrik or Yates success ultra. A non-spray alternative is to completely enclose the plants with a fine-meshed bug netting so the butterflies cannot reach the plants to lay eggs, thus preventing caterpillars from gaining access to the plants. Companion plants said to deter white cabbage butterfly and keep the caterpillars away from brassicas include oregano, mint, hyssop, thyme and rosemary. Planting sage and dill with your brassicas is said to improve their growth and growing with chamomile is said to improve the flavour.

Carrots and beetroot: It is time to make new sowings of carrots and beetroot for a tasty autumn/winter crop. I highly recommend the new Ican Chefs Best Seed Range. This is a range of 15 of the best vegetable seed categories. These varieties are where there has been a focus on breeding for superior taste, improved pest and disease resistance, increased vigour and yield. A number of the varieties are also more compact, and faster maturing, which results in a larger range from less space, and the ability to produce more crops through the season. Many are ideal for raised planter beds and container gardening.

The following carrots and beetroot are in the range:

Beetroot Red Lightning: Sweet and tender. Strong and vigorous early maturing, upright grower, producing uniform size deep red globe-shaped roots. The best variety available.

Carrot Europa: Strong, vigorous germination and rapid growth. Long straight carrot with good disease resistance and tolerance to “bolting”. This is the best home garden carrot yet developed.

When sowing seeds direct into the garden, ensure the ground is well dug over and broken down to a fine soil. Once germinated, thin out plants for a better crop and keep moist and weed free. Protect seedlings with slug bait and feed regularly with liquid fertiliser Ican Fast Food. Very few pest and disease problems are encountered when growing beetroot.

Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage: There are some important considerations when growing brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, etc). The areas of the vegetable garden, or plots, where brassicas are grown must be rotated from crop to crop to avoid clubroot and the spread of other soil diseases. Brassicas enjoy high levels of nitrogen and potash as it is the flower that is eaten in its immature form. Fertilisers such as Ican Vegetable Food give great results. Keeping plants well watered also encourages faster maturity. A problem with growing brassicas in late summer and autumn can be the prevalence of white butterflies and their hungry caterpillars. To give good protection you can use bug net to stop the butterflies from laying eggs on your plants. Otherwise, use one of a number of chemicals that are successful in controlling these voracious pests. Spraying bee-friendly Yates Mavrik is a highly effective method of control.

Other vegetables: It is time to plant all the winter greens including broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Successions of lettuce should be continued, and celery, spinach, silverbeet and rainbow beet, beetroot, carrots, swedes, turnips, radishes and peas can all be planted now.

The addition of well-rotted animal manures, mushroom compost or soil conditioners such as Yates Dynamic Lifter or Tui Sheep Pellets will do much to enhance the soil structure and fertility and you will have a good chance to harvest a decent crop.

Side dress with iCan Real Blood & Bone or iCan Organic Vegetable Food. If the growth is slow and plants need a boost, fertilise with liquid fertiliser such as Ican Fast Food once a week.

For more gardening information visit www.springvalegardencentre.co.nz

* Gareth Carter is general manager of Springvale Garden Centre.

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The council said they would keep community members informed on when it will be repaired.