We seem to have slipped gradually into summer this year, but with the official start of the wet season now begun, the question in the back of everyone’s mind concerns the weather. Will we get a repeat dose of January’s floods? The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting above average rainfall and below average maximum temperatures for summer, courtesy of a weak La Nina pattern, and the Queensland Government has reacted to the BOM outlook by releasing water from Wivenhoe Dam. USQ’s Professor Roger Stone suggests taking a “cautious approach” and being “very risk adverse”.
Considering the events of last summer, it’s excellent advice. But for vegie gardeners, Professor Stone’s suggestion is a tough pill to swallow. In our corner of the planet, the frost-free months from December to May are the most productive of the year for growing and harvesting food. We’re lucky enough to be able to grow lots during winter as well, but summer and autumn are seasons of abundance, and I’ll bet my house that nearly every vegie grower in Toowoomba and on the Downs will be sowing and tending and harvesting with abandon.
If the season does prove to be wetter than average, fungal disease will again become public enemy number one, just as it was last summer. Vulnerable plants, particularly those in the Solanaceae (tomato) and Cucurbitaceae (pumpkin) families, will benefit to some extent from fungicide sprays, but be wary of going overboard and always follow a couple of golden rules.
First, remember that fungicides work best as a preventative, so keep an eye on the weather outlook and apply them in advance of a wet spell. Second, use the least toxic chemical available to do the job. A simple spray made from one part full cream milk to five parts water will help control powdery mildew if applied every week. For other fungal diseases, spraying organically approved copper hydroxide or wettable sulphur is the best way to prevent infection. Be aware that any metal based product will persist in the soil, so use them wisely.
Besides keeping an eye out for fungus, the other issue that needs attention in a wet season is soil fertility. Heavy rain leaches nutrients from the soil, making them unavailable to plants. It’s up to gardeners, therefore, to replace what is lost from the soil so that vegetable plants can grow freely. The starting point for fertility in any season is compost. During wet weather, the black gold is even more important than usual because it adds nutrients, and by regulating fluctuations in moisture levels, keeps those nutrients in the soil. Compost also encourages beneficial fungi, which will help fight any soil borne diseases that may develop. So get composting! From a garden’s perspective, decomposed organic matter is the best Christmas present you can offer.
In addition to compost, you’ll probably need to throw around some fertiliser, and perhaps some minerals. As usual, my advice is to go for a fertiliser that not only feeds plants, but helps improve your soil. Pelletised chook manure, sold in brands such as Organic Xtra and Dynamic Lifter, is ideal. Rotted horse, sheep or cow manure is also good, but never use it fresh – a couple of months worth of decomposition is vital.
Lime any beds that need sweetening. Use dolomite on black soils, regular garden lime on red soils. Dolomite contains magnesium, but because red soils are often naturally high in magnesium, adding more will only make them stickier. And for a quick boost, give leafy greens a fortnightly application of liquid fish emulsion. Seaweed extract used every couple of weeks won’t go astray either, providing trace elements and helping plants better cope with stress.
The soil is now warm enough for all summer plants, even the real heat lovers like eggplants and watermelon. Tomatoes, capsicum, chillies, corn, bush beans, climbing beans, pumpkin, squash, zucchini, cucumber and basil, can all go in, along with most herbs and edible flowers. Leafy greens such as lettuce, pak choy, mizuna and rocket are also do-able, but might need some shade on the hottest days.
No doubt the big garden centres will be selling lots of seedlings out of season. My tip is to ignore their seasonless approach to gardening by growing vegies from seed. At this time of year germination is quick and reliable, plus you’ll save yourself a packet, by growing a packet…if you get my drift. Enjoy summer, fill the vegie garden, but don’t work too hard. Take some time with friends and family, and when the heat’s on (or the family gets under your skin), find a shady spot to have a kip, knock back a cold bevvy or two, and do nothing but watch the world drift by.
First published in the Toowoomba Chronicle 3rd December 2011. Photo by Justin Russell, scarlet runner beans, Summerfield, Cabarlah.
Don’t forget to visit our new site The Radish, edible gardening from roots to fruits!!
