December 2021
How wonderful to have lush green gardens coming into December, 2021. I have heard a few people say “please stop we’ve had enough rain for the minute.” I do sympathise with those who are enduring flood damage and those who were hoping to harvest crops. There is always a lot of damage due to the power of fast moving water. Not to mention the muddy mess to clear up.
I come from the Mallee in South Australia and when growing up, there was never enough rain, ever, let alone any in the Spring or Summer months or any in Autumn or Winter for that matter! So, I marvel at the rain at this time of the year.
Jobs to do in December:
Dead heading roses, edging lawn periodically as in this weather, it will escape into garden beds and become a weed, check veg and flowers for pests and diseases.
I have a magnificent number of white fly at present. White fly are sap suckers, chomping their way through plants. Use a three pronged approach to making them exit your garden.
1) Use a small vacuum to suck up as many as possible early in the morning, while they are still slow to move.
2) Thin out leaves on your plants and feed to the chooks as the White fly larvae may continue to grow and repeat the life cycle if they go in the compost.Also, by removing leaves there will be more air flow around your plants discouraging the fly to land to breed as they like a sheltered humid environment to live in.
3) Spray with pyrethrum 100ml to 5 lt of water. If you have previously removed several layers of leaves the organic spray is easier to apply and hit the target!
Pick Zucchini’s when they are 15-20cm long and check leaves for powdery mildew. Spray with Mancozeb and a Miteicide and repeat as needed.
What to plant now:
Vegetables: Artichoke, Bean: French /Climb, Bean:Snake, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Capsicum/Chilli, Carrot, Cucumber, Eggplant, Fennel/Florence, Ginger, Herbs/Mediterranean, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Melon, Parsnip, Pumpkin, Raddish, Silverbeet, Sweetcorn, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Zucchini and Squash
Flowers: Ageratum, Amaranthus, Alyssum Aster, Bedding Begonia, Californian Poppy, Carnation, Celosia, Coleus, Cosmos, Dahlia, Dianthus, Globe Amaranth, Marigold, Nasturtium, Petunia, Phlox, Portulaca, Salvia, Snapdragon, Sunflower, Verbena and Zinnia
