In the garden with Nell Carr

August 2017 | Nell Carr

DELORAINE MARKET is a treasure trove for gardeners.

The accompanying picture illustrates the point.  The two very old copper jardinieres plus one smaller one from the second hand stall, were $20.00 for the three.  On the same stall a washboard was $55.00!  Surely a distortion of true values of these items.

At the plant stall, the pot of miniature Narcissus (pictured in the larger container) was just $5.00, and the unusual Echeveria purpurea in the other one $9.50.  These treasures were all from the July Market.

Vegetables

August is a busy month in the vegetable garden, with the sowing of crops for harvesting from late summer through to winter including: cabbages, carrots, onions, parsnips, silver beet, peas, swedes and turnips.

It could be difficult to find well-drained friable soil after the copious falls over July.

Parsnips and carrots particularly, like a friable, open soil and good drainage.  Carrots will rot if their roots encounter too much moisture in heavy soils, and manure or compost at time of sowing will cause forking.  Parsnips may be sown thickly, as they do not germinate well.  If necessary, they can be thinned out with the first weeding.

Photo | image supplied