Embrace the change of season, keep your food journey going and plant crops for the winter months! Many of us plan, plant and nurture our spring and summer gardens every year relatively confidently, but maybe struggle a little with our autumn into winter crops.
With Auckland’s subtropical climate and quality soil, autumn is actually a great time to grow. At Kelmarna we are able to keep our market gardens in production all year round so, with that in mind, we have been busy preparing for our first Autumn Seedling Sale on 11 April, 9.30am – 12.30pm.
Not only do we have a fantastic array of seedlings and bulbs for sale, we will also be sharing our knowledge and expertise in growing some of the crops that work well over the cooler months. Greens like perpetual spinach, parsley and sprouting broccoli and many other nutritious veggies are easy to grow, even in a small garden. If planted now they could provide a regular harvest to keep you and your whānau fed for the winter.
As well as selling individual seedlings, we’ll again be curating a mixed box of winter crops with our favourite selections for an easy start. Pre order your seedling box now, then collect anytime during Kelmarna Farm operating hours between Saturday, 11 April and Saturday, 18 April.
Small Box – $25 / 6 varieties
Perfect for beginner gardeners and/or those with small gardens or just a patio with some pots. These boxes will include the likes of: perpetual spinach, mizuna, spring onions, parsley, lettuce and coriander.
Large Box – $50 / 12 varieties
Great for larger gardens and/or experienced gardeners, and will include the likes of: perpetual spinach, mizuna, spring onions, parsley, lettuce and coriander, basil, broccoli, cornflower, rocket, globe artichoke, tatsoi.
Tips for autumn planting:
● It’s important to get things in the ground before it gets too cold, so earlier in autumn is better. Plants are then well established in size before sunshine hours reduce more.
● Don’t be afraid to clear summer crops as they near their end. The payoff for getting winter veggies established early will be worth it.
● Now is also a good time for direct sowing with things like carrot, radish and salad greens such as mizuna. Radishes especially are a great quick harvest crop. Less slug pressure now so direct sowings come up easier. Just keep them watered regularly.
To make things easier and take the guesswork out of getting started, we’ve also created a simple gardening guide available at the Seedling Sale (and downloadable from our website).
You can also add on an order of our very special Soil Factory Compost. Good soil is where it all begins, and our Soil Factory compost is dark, wormy, and alive with fungi, microbes and organic matter - everything new seedlings need to get a strong start. Choose between a 10L or 30L size bag.
More than a sale and learning space, the morning will be a full-on garden party with a bake sale, Kōkako coffee, delicious goodies from the Lophie Project, kids’ activities, live music and Kelmarna Community Farm magic.
So bring the kids, grab a coffee, take home something growing!
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