GARDEN DIARY
July
June
With the shortest day in June, it is believed that the
Winter Solstice is the best day of the year to begin
a garden.
PREPARATION
Heat your compost bin by covering it with old carpet or plastic bags
Did over the ground where you plan to plant carrots
and other root vegetables, and cover in manure.
SOW
www.tuigarden.co.nz
In a sheltered spot of your garden, sow Brocolli,
Broad Beans, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower and
Lettuce seeds
HARVEST
Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Garlic, Parsnips, Rhubarb, Shallots, and Silver beet
Even if the weather is fine, it is wise to put off sowing until the weather, and the soil warms up. Instead,
make youself a nice warm cuppa and use this month
for planning!
PREPARATION
July is the time to look at your tool collection. Sharpen, clean, oil, repair and replace any bad tools. Have
a clean out in your garden shed and get rid of any
rubbish before spring
SOW
Plant garlic cloves now. Put them in the ground
(about 5 cm under the surface) with pointy tips poking
upwards. Early potatoes such as agria or desiree are
good to plant now, providing you live in a frost-free
environment. Plant them on a full moon.
HARVEST
Check for herbs that still have a few fresh leaves on
them. Harvest sprouts every week or so.
Source: recipefinder.msn.co.nz
RECIPE OF THE SEASON:
HEARTY WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP
INGREDIENTS: 1-2 tablespoons oil
or butter • 1 onion chopped • 1 clove
garlic, crushed (optional) • 300g
boneless meat or chicken or 4 bacon
rashers • 3 cups finely chopped firm
vegetables (eg, potato, sweet potato,
carrot, celery, turnip, parsnip, zucchini) • 1.5 litres (6 cups) stock (beef,
chicken, vegetable or fish • 1/3 cup
rice • red lentils, barley or 1 cup pasta
shapes • 1 cup chopped green vegetables (eg broccoli, spinach, green
beans, peas, canned vegetables) • salt
• pepper • herbs (eg, fresh or dried
basil flat-leaf parsley, oregano)
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METHOD:
1. Heat oil or butter in large pan, then
add onion and garlic.
2. For a meat, chicken or bacon-flavoured soup, add it now, thinly sliced
or finely chopped, and cook, stirring,
until browned. Add firm vegetables
stirring, until vegetables are just soft.
3. Add enough stock to cover the vegetable mixture in pan. Bring the stock
to the boil.
4. For a hearty soup, at this stage add
either rice, lentils, pearl barley or pasta, if desired. Simmer, uncovered, until
grains and vegetables are just tender.
Rice, pasta and red lentils take about
10 minutes to cook. Brown lentils and
pearl barley will take about 30 minutes
to cook.
5. When grains and vegetables are almost tender, add quick-cooking green
vegetables.
6. If you prefer a thick, smooth soup,
blend or process mixture to the desired consistency. For a thicker soup
blend only half of the soup.
7. Return the soup to pan, add water
or stock if necessary, stir until hot. If
using canned beans or lentils, drain,
rinse, then add them.
Season with salt, pepper and herbs.
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