Mountain tops may be covered in white across Mzansi but with the winds of change always blowing, dare we say that spring is (almost) in the air? Spring is the most highly anticipated gardening season of the year. But exactly which veggies should you plant now?
Rest assured that there is plenty to plant this season, says plant advisor and creator of the Moonbloom planting calendar, Gaye Boshoff.
In fact, it’s highly recommended as nothing beats growing your own food. It’s a pleasure to watch your harvest mature but there are also health benefits, physically and for you and your family’s mental wellbeing.
“If we teach kids at a very young age to nurture the earth and to eat healthy, that is cultivating a brilliant upbringing for any child.
“When they grow into adulthood, I think they become wiser, more gentle and kinder. They have a different perspective compared to other people who don’t,” Boshoff says.
How do I know what to plant?
The first step is figuring out what to grow. The scale of your project is determined by:
- Whether you want to feed your family from the edible garden;
- or if you simply want to snip some fresh herbs from your balcony.
You are going to need to do some research on crops that do well in your location. “Johannesburgers will get a small, pitiful banana yield if they decide to plant banana in an area that does well with citrus and stone fruit,” she suggests.
To avoid being a slave to the whacky weather, Boshoff suggests you kickstart this season’s garden in trays. “The weather is so weird. One day it is sunny and then the next it is not, and there are still these cold fronts that are coming along the way. It is sometimes better just to protect your plants until they have at least two or three leaves and then plant them into your garden.”
What Mzansi can plant
The whole of the country has thumbs up to plant most herbs and greens, including coriander, dill, okra, turmeric, sunflower and spring onion.
Top tip: If you are planning on planting some hot chillies, rather wait for the warmer seasons. “Wait at least half a month, otherwise they won’t germinate.”
Also note that if you do buy ginger or turmeric from a shop, you need to make sure that you wash them first. Other than that, happy planting!
Plant now in the Eastern Cape:
Bush beans
Cabbage
Corn
Radish
Cucumber
Eggplant
Plant now in the Free State:
Bush beans
Climbing beans
Beetroot
Carrot
Celery
Corn
Cucumber
Lettuce
Melons
Parsnip
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Radish
Spinach
Watermelon
Tomato
Plant now in Gauteng:
Bush beans
Climbing beans
Beetroot
Carrot
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Lettuce
Melons
Parsnip
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Radish
Spinach
Watermelon
Tomato
Plant now in KwaZulu-Natal:
Bush beans
Climbing beans
Beetroot
Cabbage
Carrot
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Lettuce
Melons
Parsnip
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Radish
Spinach
Watermelon
Tomato
Plant now in Mpumalanga:
Bush beans
Climbing beans
Beetroot
Carrot
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Lettuce
Melons
Parsnip
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Radish
Spinach
Watermelon
Tomato
Plant now in North West:
Bush beans
Climbing beans
Beetroot
Carrot
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Lettuce
Melons
Parsnip
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Radish
Spinach
Watermelon
Tomato
Plant now in the Northern Cape:
Broad beans
Climbing beans
Beetroot
Cabbage
Carrot
Celery
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Onion
Parsnip
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radish
Spinach
Watermelon
Tomato
Plant now in the Western Cape:
Climbing beans
Beetroot
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Lettuce
Melon
Parsnip
Peppers
Parsnip
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radish
Watermelon
Tomato
