June

With June comes the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. Many say that the winter solstice is the best day to begin a garden. This is a good month for planning and thinking about crop rotation for the coming spring plantings.

Special attention
Put old carpet or plastic bags over your compost bin to keep extra heat in over winter. The decomposition process will slow down in cold conditions.
Winter time is a good time for garden chores, like building a sheltered lean-to for seedlings, constructing a bird feeder, making compost, etc.
Return the crowns of rhubarb to the ground and mulch with Tui Pelletised Pea Straw Mulch.

The ground intended for carrots and other root vegetables should be dug over, manured and toiled. The soil needs to be well broken-up before planting.

Put a sheet of plastic over heavy ground for a couple of months to make light work of digging in the spring.

Sow
In sheltered areas, sow broccoli, broad beans, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cress, lettuce seeds and peas.

Transplant
Try planting cauliflower, celery, winter lettuce and silver beet in warm spots. Container gardening for these plants may be something a little different for your sunny balcony or deck area.

Protect
Give vegetables like broad beans, celery and potatoes a copper spray.
Protect seedlings from slugs and snails with Tui Quash.

Harvest
Harvest autumn-sown rocket, mustard, and mizuna through winter and well into spring. They will grow in a mild winter.
Don’t harvest Chinese or Jerusalem artichokes until you’re ready to eat them – they keep better in soil.
Check any stored vegetables for damage and rotting.
Harvest broccoli, cabbage, carrots, garlic, parsnips, rhubarb, shallots, and silver beet.