Well here in New Zealand it’s the summer solstice - our longest day. So much is ripening and ready in the garden. I’ve picked gooseberries and popped in the freezer - and as many raspberries, boysenberries and strawberries as I could before leaving them. Off away for Christmas. My favourite new potato has produced beautifully in time for Christmas dinner ( Cliffe Kidney) and the garlic is ready for  harvesting. 

In a dry day, loosen the soil around your cloves and lift. Shake off dirt and leave to dry in the sun.  You will know they are ready as the tops start to dry off. Dry well and plait up to hang for storage.

Keep up the watering for tomatoes and any other growing vegetables. When I get home I’ll be sowing more autumn/ winter brassicas and lettuce to ensure continuous supply. No tomatoes ready in my garden yet but there will be plenty once they all mature! 

Enjoy your harvest and have a lovely Christmas. 

November has raced up out of the blur that has been 2025 and now here it is.  The roses will be out this month, the bearded irises are bursting forth, the perennials are preparing to go off – and the weeds are clamoring to make their presence known as well.  This time last year I was talking about how to avoid overwhelm in the garden. I have to remind myself every year as, like many of you, I am busy at work and don’t always get out into the garden and the weeds can get away on me.

October is probably one of the busiest months of the year for the garden especially towards the end of the month with Labour weekend being the great traditional NZ planting weekend. If you are into sowing seeds then most things can be sown this month provided you have a warm place to start off the more tender ones such as tomatoes etc.  As you sow your first lot of seeds, kick off your succession planting cycle by purchasing some punnets of well grown plants from your local garden centre or store and get them into the ground.   

Tips for getting started on planning your new season vegetable garden.

June has arrived and with it the beginning of winter proper.  This is the month of the winter solstice where we experience the shortest day/night around the 21st of the month. We call it mid-winter but it’s really only the beginning of the 3 main winter months here in the southern part of the globe of June, July and August.  Of course if you live on the other side of the equator it is the summer months.