Gardening and DIY: Soup season

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This is the time for hearty soups made from winter root vegetables. Jerusalem artichokes, kohlrabi, swedes, yams and parsnips are now in season. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are fresh and just dying to be covered with cheese sauce.?

Whilst we are in the depths of winter there is not a lot to do in the garden. A much better option to numb hands and muddy gumboots is to snuggle up inside and plan for spring.

I love using this time of the year to salivate over plant and seed catalogues. Dreaming about what to grow or plant in spring. Check out these online nurseries and get planning on what to order and plant:
www.ediblegarden.co.nz, www.ediblegardens.co.nz, ?www.kingsseeds.co.nz?, www.egmontseeds.co.nz?, www.ecoseeds.co.nz

This is a good time to weed established beds of asparagus. I cut down any dry stalks and then fence my chooks in the area for a week to lightly till and weed the area.
If you are planning on planting some asparagus crowns soon dig some 30cm deep trenches and leave these exposed to the sunshine and any frosts.

This will ready the area for planting later. It is possible to keep sowing broad beans. Sow main season onions. Home grown onions are worth the effort. They are sweet and pungent.

Keep sowing seedlings of broccoli, spinach, cabbages and cauliflowers in the warmer areas of your garden.

Herbs
Aloe Vera:
This succulent, drought-resistant evergreen plant is great to have in the garden. Use the sap from cut leaves to relieve minor burns, sunburn and insect stings.

This plant requires a sunny, frost-free, arid area to grow well. It thrives on neglect.

Thrift (Armeria maritime):
This is a wonderful little plant and a great alternative to boring old Mondo. It is evergreen and clump forming with narrow grass-like leaves around 15 cm long. In early summer if produces white or pink flowers that look like miniature pom poms. These smell like honey. Use this plant as an edging plant for paths or pots. Butterflies love it.