Icon Landscaping tips for vegetable patches in the month of May
May the Force Be With Your Vegetable Patch Melbourne!
Low temperatures for extended periods of time (most of Victoria) means that the following tips can help your vegetable patches Melbournians.
– Bare rooted fruit tree time is almost upon us, so start preparing beds for these guys now. Lots of lovely rich organic matter, a bit of moisture and some mulch will see the soil gorgeous by the time your trees are ready to go in!
– Give broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts a go this month. Plant some sage with these, not forgetting that it’s a natural caterpillar and moth repelling companion. Peas, beans, radish, turnips and spinach, spring onions- all good for going in the veggie patch in the month of May. Set aside space for artichoke! They look amazing and taste pretty good too!
– Add some colour and movement to the patch, adding in dianthus, cornflower, pansy, viola, verbena and lupins. Having these around your veggies will give some interest to the patch and act as beneficial insect attractors!
– Top up mulch on your vegetable patches, herb gardens and ornamental beds, especially important for weed suppression at this time of year. A tip is to mulch after watering the patch, to a depth of about 7cm. Keep mulch clear of plant stems, especially for young seedlings. Choose a low environmental impact mulch, one that will enrich your soil as it breaks down.
– Green manure crops, including oats, wheat, faba beans and field peas are good to go now- improve that dormant vegetable patch, and get ready for next seasons heavy feeding plants!
– Plants need a feed this time of year. A seaweed tea, liquid fertiliser which is perfect for seedlings you’ve just popped in. Apply to the soil early in the morning and in the concentrations mentioned on the packet.
– Weeding is good to do this time of year. Cut down on the competition between your tasty treats and these space invaders, whilst you tidy up your patch. It’s worth doing!!
– Watering this time of year depends on the rainfall- check soil moisture before watering and don’t waste water and your time if mother nature has done all the work for you.
– The month of May can possibly bring damaging effects of frost. Shade cloth cut offs and a few stakes to hold them up, may help protect your vegetables.
Enjoy your winter vegetable delights!!
