How to Have Crops Ready for Harvest Year Round

We are lucky in Sydney to have a climate where veggies can grow and be harvested outdoors year round. However, many vegetables must be started from seeds the season before we want to harvest them. For example, capsicums, chillies and eggplants are started in August but not ready for harvest until January. Winter veg like leeks, brussel sprouts and cauliflowers are started in the heat of Summer and harvested in June or July. Of course there are also quick crops like radish, baby spinach, pea shoots, lettuce, rocket, pak choy and baby kale that are ready in just a few weeks. The most important thing is to plant some veggies every week and have a succession planting plan. 

What can go wrong?

The main challenge with having veg to harvest every week is weather. Heavy rain can cause mildew which kills off cucumbers, lettuce and rocket. Lack of sunlight means zucchini, cucumber, capsicums, eggplants and okra won't flower, and therefore fruit, as much. Tomatoes won't flower when temperatures are too high. Weather can also stress plants due to waterlogging or heat stress, making them more susceptible to pests. Fruit fly are in abundance after rain, and aphids are attracted to heat-stressed plants. 

Of course human error, or even staff absences can mean a crop is not planted in time, which can be irrevocable leading up to Winter when every day counts and daylight hours are decreasing quickly. 

Back-up Plans

Having a lot of quick-growing crops in the mix can fill any gaps left by crop losses. Storage crops are also a vital part of the plan. Potatoes, pumpkins, onions and garlic can all be stored and added to boxes when there is a gap. Growing extra is also recommended as it can always be sold to other markets. 

Still to come

Next time I will talk about the different roles and staffing on a vegetable farm. 

This week's recipe links

Eggplant Zucchini Pesto Involtini from Half-Baked Harvest. 

Eggplant Yoghurt from Foolproof Living. 

Best Vegan Stuffed Pumpkin from Vancouver with Love. 

Herby Rice from Domestic Gotthess. 

More info 

To read more about what's happening on our local organic farm this week as we grow and care for veggies for our box delivery, check out this week's newsletter here.