How to make marinated lemon scallion dressingIt's so easy! Here's what you need:
1 bunch of scallions
1 small lemon
Kosher salt
Granulated sugar
Fresh black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Dried oregano
White wine vinegar 
Olive oil
1. Slice scallions – white and green parts both – thinly. 
2. Wash lemon well, remove the ends and slice in half lengthwise. Slice these halves into half-moons as thin as possible (you can use a mandolin for this).
3. Transfer the scallions and lemon to a jar. Sprinkle generously with a couple good pinches of salt and granulated sugar, five or six grindings of fresh black pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and about a tablespoon of dried oregano.  Toss to coat.
4. Press the scallions and lemons down in your jar to compress them and pour white wine vinegar over them to almost the top (some pieces will be poking up out of the vinegar).
5. Pour olive oil on top to about equal the amount of scallion/lemon/vinegar mixture (do this by eye, you'll adjust flavors later). Give a good stir or shake and let hang out covered at room temp for a minimum of 6 hours to overnight.  
The scallions and lemons should turn a bit translucent. Give the dressing a good stir or shake and taste, adjust the seasoning to your preference of salt, sweet, peppery or oregano. If you think it tastes too oily, add more vinegar. Too sharp? Add more oil.  
And you're ready to go! See you in the backyard!

​credit: myrecipes.com

​Early spring, as usual, has given us a roller-coaster ride with the weather. September gave us several balmy days with temperatures in the high teens and gentle breezes that had us thinking that summer is just around the corner but then it hit us with gale force winds and horizontal rain. That is why I resist the temptation to plant out tender summer vegetables until mid to late October but, in the meantime, I like to grow on potted seedlings in a warm, sheltered spot so that I have advanced plants to go in the garden when conditions have settled down.
SEEDS TO SOW
Into pots, punnets and trays under cover in a glasshouse, sun porch or sunny windowsill:
Tomatoes, capsicum, chillies, zucchini, cucumber, dwarf beans, climbing beans, butternut squash, basil, egg plant, melons, and sweet corn. A trigger spray bottle is a good way to keep them watered without splashing and washing out the seeds.
Carrots, peas, rocket, radishes, beetroot, onions, and parsnips can be sown directly into the garden. Covering seeds with a layer of seed-raising potting mix helps to prevent soil from forming a hard crust that can hinder germination. I prefer to sow perpetual spinach, spring onions, and lettuce in pots to provide strong seedlings for planting later.
 
POTATOES
With a bit of luck, potatoes planted in early October will provide plenty of new potatoes for Christmas dinner. Earth-up potatoes as they grow by drawing soil up and around the plants until only the top of the foliage is showing. This provides protection from the weather and insect pests as well as preventing ‘greening’ of any exposed tubers. The same principal applies to potatoes in containers, just top up the growing mix as the plants grow.
 
VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Labour Weekend is the traditional time to plant out summer varieties such as tomato, capsicum, egg plant, beans, pumpkin, squash, cucumber, kumara, sweet corn and zucchini. Any time from mid-October should be fine but if the weather is unsettled delay planting. Warmth and shelter from strong winds are necessary for success with these crops.                                                            Winter standbys such as cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions, snow peas and silver beet can still be planted though I choose not to grow cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower through the warmer months as, without protection, cabbage white caterpillars will ruin these crops and I prefer to fill the garden with seasonal summer vegetables.
HERBS
Most herbs can be planted this month. Thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary, lemon grass, chives and dill can be grown in pots or can be planted directly into the garden. Coriander likes cool conditions, so it prefers somewhere with a bit of shade in summer. Mint is best grown in a pot as it can easily take over a garden bed with its underground runners. Tarragon is a perennial herb that dies down in winter and pops up again in spring. There are two varieties, Russian, which is almost tasteless or French which is delicious. Make sure you get the right one.

We may be locked-down but gardens are starting to burst out all over the place.  Vegetable plants that were struggling to grow a month ago are now racing ahead as the days get longer and soil temperatures rise significantly. Now is the time to prepare for next month when we can safely plant many of our favourite summer vegetables

SEEDS TO SOW
Into pots, punnets and trays under cover in a glasshouse, sun porch or sunny window sill: tomatoes, capsicum, chillies, zucchini, cucumber, dwarf beans, butternut squash, basil, plus towards the end of the month, egg plant, melons and sweet corn. A trigger spray bottle is a good way to keep them watered without splashing and washing out the seeds.

Carrots, peas, radishes, beetroot, onions and parsnips can be sown directly into the garden. Covering seeds with a layer of seed-raising potting mix helps to prevent a hard crust that can hinder germination. I still prefer to sow cabbage, broccoli, perpetual spinach, cauliflower, and lettuce in pots to provide strong seedlings for planting later.
 
POTATOES
Nothing beats new potatoes fresh from the garden. I planted my first early potatoes in July and they are already 20cm high and have received their first ‘earthing-up’. This involves drawing soil up and around the plants until only the top of the foliage is showing. This provides protection from the weather and insect pests as well as preventing ‘greening’ of any exposed tubers. The same principal applies to potatoes in containers, just top up the growing mix as the plants grow. This early crop will be ready by late October. Time to plant a few more!

VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Garden centers will soon be full of tender vegetable plants and it can be a huge temptation to buy up large and plant your summer garden in early September. Unless you have very warm, sheltered garden, a glasshouse, tunnel house or some other kind of protection it really pays to wait until later in the month or postpone the planting tender crops until October if wet, cold conditions persist. Even if early plantings survive they are usually overtaken by crops that are planted into more favourable conditions.
Winter standbys such as cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions, snow peas and silver beet can still be planted but be prepared to provide white butterfly protection as your cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower mature in a couple of months time.

HERBS
Herbs can be expensive to buy but they are generally very easy to grow. It’s probably still a little too early for basil but everyday varieties such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, chives and coriander will grow away quickly if planted this month.

STRAWBERRIES
This is a good time to trim off old, diseased foliage as the new leaves appear. Also (if you can bear to do it) removing the first flower clusters will help to develop a bigger, stronger plant that will ultimately produce bigger, better berries.

Written by Chris Green, Project Generate Volunteer

There is no Crop Swap this Saturday (4 September) as we cannot run this under COVID Alert Level 3.  Our next Crop Swap is on Saturday 2 October, and we have something exciting planned!  

Already the days are lengthening and through August we will begin to think that spring has sprung but we’ll be mistaken. Unless you have a glasshouse or tunnel house it pays to be patient for at least the next six weeks or so before planting out any tender, heat-loving summer vegetables.

SEEDS TO SOW
Continue sowing onions, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, perpetual spinach and spring onions. I usually make this my last sowing of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli because later sow crops will need to be protected from Cabbage White butterflies. Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden. Florence, or Globe fennel prefers cooler temperatures so there is still time to raise some seedlings. Carrots and parsnip are best sown direct into the garden late in the month when soil temperatures start to rise. Always use fresh parsnip seed for best results. Mid-August is the time to start sowing early zucchini, tomato, capsicum, chilli, egg plant, dwarf bean and cucumber in trays and pots but only in a warm, sunny spot under cover.

POTATOES
Early potatoes can be planted now. The seed potatoes you purchase may have already formed shoots and mini root systems and can be planted straight from the bag. Otherwise, prepare seed potatoes before planting by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner.

VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Unless you have a glasshouse, August really is the month to exercise patience. Winter standbys such as cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions and silver beet can still be planted. Asparagus ‘crowns’ are usually available from garden shops for planting in July/August. Planting an asparagus bed is a long term project as it takes several years to produce significant crops but it can then go on cropping for twenty years or more.

​HERBS
Herbs are generally easy to grow and most can be planted this month. Thyme, parsley, coriander, sage, rosemary, lemon grass, chives and dill can be grown in pots or can be planted directly into the garden. Mint is best grown in a pot as it can easily take over a garden bed with its underground runners. 

​JULY VEGETABLE GARDEN
Apart from the last few days, June continued our run of great gardening weather with relatively warm temperatures and some good soaking rain.  No doubt we will have plenty of cold, wet conditions ahead so July is a good time to clean up old crops, check out the seed catalogues and get ready for Spring. There are, however still plenty of vegetables that can be grown right now.  
SEEDS TO SOW
Seeds sown directly into garden beds will be very slow to germinate this month but cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, perpetual spinach and spring onion can all be sown under cover in containers. A sunny windowsill can be used to germinate seeds but the seedlings can quickly become spindly and weak if left indoors for too long. Move them to a sheltered spot outside a couple of days after germination to ensure hardy, sturdy seedlings.
Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden but again they will do much better in containers filled with seed-raising potting mix. Florence, or Globe, fennel prefers cooler temperatures so now is a good time to raise some seedlings to plant out next month. Carrots are best sown direct into the garden in late August or early September when soil temperatures start to increase .
POTATOES
First early potatoes can be planted in a warm, sheltered spot from mid July onwards so , if you haven’t already done so, purchase and prepare seed potatoes by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner.
VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Garlic and shallots can still be planted this month along with our winter standbys cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions and silver beet. Asparagus ‘crowns’ are usually available from garden shops for planting in July/August. Planting an asparagus bed is a long term project as it takes several years to produce significant crops but it can then go on cropping for twenty years or more.
STRAWBERRIES
 Planting now allows the maximum time to produce a strong plant with a well developed root system that will support a large crop of succulent fruit. It also encourages early and prolonged cropping. If using bare-rooted strawberry plants that are dug straight out of the ground just be careful that the roots are never allowed to become dry before planting.
By Chris Green, Project Generate Volunteer

The mild conditions that persisted through May meant that winter crops got off to a great start. Even though mid-winter is only a few weeks away there is still plenty to do if we are to enjoy fresh vegetables year-round.
 
SEEDS TO SOW.
Only hardy varieties can be sown in June and I find I get the best result by sowing the seeds in containers and producing sturdy plants to plant out later. This gets them away to a good start as they deal with wintery conditions. Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, kohlrabi, perpetual spinach and spring onion all benefit from this method. Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden but I favour growing them in small pots before planting out.

POTATOES
First early potatoes can be planted in mid July so this is the time to prepare seed potatoes by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner.

VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Garlic, shallots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, rocket, spring onions, silver beet, kohlrabi and Florence fennel can all be planted this month.

GARLIC & SHALLOTS
Individual garlic cloves are usually planted point upwards approx 10cm apart with 15cm to 30cm between rows and covered with 2cm to 3cm of soil. Shallots are spaced 10cm apart with 20cm between rows with the base of the bulb pressed firmly into the soil but leaving the top half exposed.

HERBS
 Plant hardy herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley and coriander.  Mint is best kept in pots to prevent invasive roots and shoots from overpowering less vigorous plants.

STRAWBERRIES
Commercial strawberry growers like to get their beds planted as soon as possible in late autumn/early winter. Planting now allows the maximum time to produce a strong plant with a well developed root system that will support a large crop of succulent fruit. It also encourages early and prolonged cropping. If using bare-rooted strawberry plants that are dug straight out of the ground just be careful that the roots are never allowed to become dry before planting. Next summer, here we come.

​By Chris Green - Project Generate Volunteer

​

MAY VEGETABLE GARDEN
This is the change-over month where summer crops make way for vegetables that will mature in winter and early Spring.
SEEDS TO SOW
If conditions are still reasonably mild the first week of May we can try a late sowing of carrots, peas and snow peas direct into the garden. Covering carrot seed with a light dressing of seed-raising potting mix instead of topsoil will aid germination. With protection from the elements, onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, silver beet, spring onion, perpetual spinach and lettuce can also be sown in pots and punnets for later transplanting. Broad beans are cool weather vegetables and the seed can be sown direct into the garden now to provide a useful fresh crop in Spring and early Summer. Be prepared for the fact that broad beans grow tall and may require support.
BROAD MINDED
The world is divided into those who love broad beans and those who loathe them. If the only broad beans you have ever tasted were leather jackets swimming in a sea of tasteless white sauce why would you like them? In fact fresh, tender broad beans provide a gourmet delight that is rarely available in supermarkets. Grow your own and pick ‘em young. Delicious!
VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Plant seedlings of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower but there are still Cabbage White butterflies around so netting protection may be required. Beetroot, silver beet, lettuce can still be planted in sunny, sheltered spots.
GARLIC AND SHALLOTS
May, June and July are the best months for planting garlic and shallots. Both take six to seven months to mature so it’s a good idea to enrich the soil with plenty of compost and a general fertiliser prior to planting. Individual garlic cloves are planted just below the surface, pointy end upwards, approximately 10cm apart with 15cm to 30cm between rows. Shallots are spaced 10cm apart with 20cm between rows with the base of the bulbs pressed firmly into the soil but leaving the top half exposed.
 
 
STRAWBERRIES
Early planting allows the development of strong plants with vigorous root systems which. In turn, results in a bigger harvest over a longer fruiting season. Bare-rooted strawberry plants are usually available at the end of the month or early June so now’s the time to prepare the area by incorporating compost and fertiliser. Create raised beds if the drainage is poor and perhaps cover the area with weed mat to suppress weeds, conserve summer moisture and to keep the fruit clean. Where space is limited, strawberries can be grown in patio pots, large hanging baskets, troughs or herb planters filled 50/50 with good quality compost and potting mix.

​Contributed by Chris Green, Project Generate Volunteer.