Those who have visited Granny Mouse Country House and Spa with its picture perfect gardens all year round will know that our team of garden minders definitely has green fingers!<\/p>\n
The passion of our gardening team coupled with the enthusiasm in our kitchens when presented with super fresh ingredients is the reason why we\u2019d like to inspire those of you with gardens to start growing some veggies.<\/p>\n
Take it from us \u2013 there\u2019s nothing better than watching your own food grow and enjoying the fruits of your labour at the dinner table.<\/p>\n
You might think that the colder months aren\u2019t great for growing veggies but, in South Africa, the time between April and the end of May is perfect for growing winter veggies \u2013 and, although much of this press produce may end up in a winter soup, there\u2019s a strong chance that you\u2019ll be enjoying home grown salad leaves and even fruit for months to come.<\/p>\n
A bonus for winter veggie growers is the fact that snails and other pests are much less of a problem during the cooler months \u2013 and you usually don\u2019t have to water as much as you do during the hot summer months when evaporation is high.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re sowing winter growing vegetables from seed, you may want to cover the ground with perforated polythene to encourage the seeds to germinate. Seedlings, on the other hand, should be able to\u00a0cope without protection.<\/p>\n
Here are some great winter veggies to consider this season:<\/p>\n
Although all onions are easy to grow over winter, shallots are probably the best money-saver as they\u2019re more expensive in the veggie shop than ordinary onions. Plant the mini bulbs, called sets, so that the tip just protrudes through the soil. Leave a space of 18cm between each one. A big tip while the shallots are growing is to make sure the soil drains well so they stay quite dry. Harvest in June after the leaves turn yellow. They\u2019re delicious when added to stews.<\/p>\n
Did you know that the head of a cauliflower is called the curd? Cauliflower is one of the best vegetables to grow in winter because you don\u2019t have to worry about caterpillars chomping away at your prize veggies when it\u2019s chilly! Seedlings must be planted about 60cm apart. Grow them in richly fertilised soil, taking care not to let the soil dry out. Sow at intervals so that you can have fresh cauliflower throughout the year. Also avoid planting cauliflower in direct sunlight as this causes discolouration. Tie the leaves closed with string to protect the curd.<\/p>\n
Autumn is the best time to sow delicious broad beans as established themselves in the still-warm soil and can be left over winter for an early taste of spring later in the year. Sow seeds into a rich, moist, well-drained soil at a depth of 5\u00a0to 10cm with about 15\u00a0to 20cm between plants. Pick to eat from August. Podded beans are best eaten young. You can also snip off the green tops after the first pods appear \u2013 they\u2019re delicious when saut\u00e9ed in a little butter. They grow best in direct sunlight but need to be sheltered from the wind.<\/p>\n
This hardy herb is low-growing so it makes great ground cover in a border or it can be planted in pots together with other evergreen herbs like rosemary. Water seedlings well. If you are cultivating thyme in a pot, plant slightly deeper than the plastic pot it came in and leave room for the plant to fill out as it grows. Thyme is so versatile and can be used to liven up meat, vegetables, soups and stuffings.<\/p>\n
Garlic is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in winter. Start it off in seedling trays so they take root before you transplant them outdoors. Break the bulbs into cloves, push each clove into the compost and put in a warm bright spot. Keep the soil moist until shoots form, then plant outdoors later in May.<\/p>\n
Your garlic\u00a0should be ready to harvest in September, but you can also snip the green garlic shoots and use them in recipes as you would chives.\u00a0<\/strong>Garlic does best in well-drained, well composted rich soil in a raised bed.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Mini sweet onions are easy and cheap to grow. Choose a variety that\u2019s hardy in winter and sow seeds from early autumn so they\u2019ll be ready to harvest in late winter to early spring. If you have spring onions you have bought from the store, replant these from the root, and within a few weeks snip off the stems to use again. Spring onions thrive in loose soil that\u2019s well-fertilised and drains well. They\u2019re great in salads.<\/p>\n This popular vegetable doesn\u2019t do so well in summer, preferring cooler autumn weather. The trick to good spinach is a good start. Keep it moist and cool and don\u2019t be shy about fertilising.<\/p>\n Sow spinach seeds thinly, 15mm deep in rows 30cm apart and, as long as the weather isn\u2019t really cold, they\u2019ll germinate in 5 to 9 days. Make successive sowings for a continuous supply. Harvest from July, picking smaller leaves for salads.<\/p>\n Most fruit trees, like apple and pear, should be planted any time from April through winter. You need to buy a small but established tree from your local nursery as this is way easier to grow then directly from seed. Plant now and harvest the fruit from late next summer. If you don\u2019t have much space, mini trees such as dwarf citrus trees thrive in pots.<\/p>\n6. Spring onions<\/h3>\n
7. Spinach<\/h3>\n
8. Fruit trees<\/h3>\n