Winter Gardening in Strathalbyn: What to Grow and How

June 19, 2024

I'm a bit of a gardening nut. Since moving back to Strathalbyn I have been chasing the same thing, which is a vegetable garden that produces all year round rather than going quiet for half of it, so let's talk about winter.

The cold does make you want to stay inside. What I like is walking out on a cold morning and picking something for dinner that was still in the ground twenty minutes earlier. So let's dive into how you get the most out of a winter garden.

What a South Australian winter actually does to a garden

Our winter is mild compared with most of the world and it still wants planning. The temperatures drop and the days get short, and the frosts turn up now and again, which slows everything down. That slowdown is not all bad, because it is also a break from the heat, and there is a whole list of vegetables and herbs that would rather grow now than in January.

Choosing what to grow

Not everything wants to grow in the cold, so the choosing matters more in winter than it does in summer.

Leafy greens. Spinach, rocket, lettuce and kale are hardy and they will wear a frost without complaining, and they keep handing you leaves right through the season. I do not like kale and I will still tell you it grows extremely well here, because it was one of the first things I ever got right.

Root vegetables. Carrots and beetroot both develop better flavour in the cold and they will sit in the ground until you want them. Radishes are the fastest thing you can plant if you want something to happen quickly.

Brassicas. Broccoli and cauliflower do well through winter, and Brussels sprouts will too, and every one of them wants more room than people give them. Purple sprouting broccoli is worth a look and it wants to go in around early May.

Herbs. Parsley and coriander come into their own in the cold, and thyme just keeps going regardless. I love growing herbs. They are low maintenance and they are the gift that keeps on giving.

Getting the beds ready

Soil. Compost and well rotted manure through the bed before you plant, which puts the nutrients back and fixes the structure at the same time.

Mulch. A thick layer holds the moisture in and keeps the soil temperature steadier, and it keeps the weeds down, because weeds do not take the winter off.

Frost protection. Clear tarpaulins, row covers or frost blankets over anything tender. I move my garden from the summer shade house into the winter greenhouse, and I am always surprised how much better the plants do with that bit of cover on them.

Layout. Winter days are short, so put your beds where they will catch what sun there is. It sounds obvious and it is the thing people get wrong.

Planting and looking after it

Timing. Get winter crops in early if you can, so they have a head start before the coldest part of it. Late autumn is about right.

Watering. Water less often than you would in summer and keep the soil evenly damp. Overwatering in the cold is how you rot the roots off something.

Pests. Aphids and slugs are still awake, and the slugs especially will find anything young you have just put in. Have a look under the leaves every week or so.

Harvesting. Pick regularly, because that is what keeps leafy greens and herbs producing. Root vegetables come out when they are the size you want them.

The community bit

You will find the Grow Free carts around town, which is people leaving what they have spare for whoever wants it. Gardening in a town this size does more than fill the fridge. You end up knowing the people you live near, and the climate here makes it easy on top of that.

Shop related products

D.T. Brown Spinach English Medaniat Seed. The leafy green I plant the most of over winter.
D.T. Brown Carrot All Season Seed. Sows right through and sweetens up in the cold.
D.T. Brown Beetroot Forono Seed. A long cylindrical beetroot that sits happily in the ground.
D.T. Brown Rocket Seed. Cut and come again, and it never seems to stop.
D.T. Brown Coriander Seed. Bolts in the heat, so winter is when it behaves.
Brunnings Garden Compost with Seaweed 25L. Through the bed before anything goes in.

Did you know we also stock tarpaulins and shade cloth in the shop, which is what most people around here end up using for frost cover. They are not listed on the website, so give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 to check what is on the shelf.

Seeds, mulch and the rest of it are in the garden centre. If you are not sure what to put in, come and ask me, because that is a two minute conversation and a lot less work than reading about it for an hour.