I do love this quote by Patience Strong where she is perfectly describing this month.   Although it is still winter, the promise of spring is in the air.  The winter narcissi are flowering and the classic harbinger of spring, the daffodil will be out soon if not already depending on your micro climate.  There are lambs frolicking on the hills and you may find that with the occasional warm springlike days we will get this month your own sap will start rising and you want to get out there and garden!  But hold your horses for a bit longer.  Get excited of course but channel that into this list of “P” things to do this month. 

For those of you who are following along with the crop rotation poster, we are talking this month about what to do to care for and cultivate your little piece of backyard paradise.  We’ve done a round up of your main beds, we’ve covered the perennial crops in the outer beds, and this week we are going to talk about those small fruiting trees, shrubs and vines that make up the structure and variety in your bed.

What to flowers to sow or plant in the winter flower garden. (Check. your local climate)

For those of you who are gardening with the Crop Rotation Poster - here is what to do with your perennial plants in winter. Rhubarb, Asparagus, Strawberries and Herbs.

What to plant in the Vegetable garden in the winter month of July in the Southern Hemisphere or New Zealand /Australia

July is winter here in New Zealand. We’re not long past the shortest day, sometimes called Mid-Winters Day, on the 21st June, but don’t be fooled into thinking that its the middle of winter.  Winter is just kicking off as those currently experiencing heavy rain and snow will well know.  I grow in a cool temperate part of the South Island so tend to speak most about what applies here but I will include more warm temperate notes as well.

It’s Saturday morning and as I lay away early in the frosty dark I was thinking about what I was going to get up today. For a lot of us, the weekend it when we are mostly likely to get the chance to get into the garden for a couple of hours so keen to get out there myself. First thing will be to get a sourdough loaf started as it likes a good long rising period for all the good fermentation to take place so before too much gets done I’ll start that off. Some of you have kindly given me some good suggestions on how to get the best out of my culture so enjoying the opportunity  to try out some different techniques.

Well it feels like everything is still growing as I write this at the beginning of May. There has certainly been plenty of rain around the country - some of you in parts of New Zealand and Australia are getting more than your fair share! The lawnmower in the family has been complaining that he even the grass hasn’t let up.