What’s Growing in My New Temperate Winter Vegetable Garden -

Here in Australia June is the time to enjoy you winter vegetable garden. It’s also a good time to give the garden a good tidy up and take stock of what did and didn’t work last month.

For me that was taking a gamble on planting old seeds. They simply didn’t germinate, more than likely because the seeds were out of date. I didn’t overwater them and the temperature was pretty stable to encourage germination. But because of the failed pea seeds I gave myself a break and purchased some seedlings from the garden nursery. This helped me to not be too far behind schedule. I will also plant some new seeds directly in the vegetable garden to ensure succession planting.

But for now, this is an update and record of where my new vegetable garden is at in mid June. In Sydney Australia it is winter, and sadly, winter vegetable gardening never really excites me. The situation could certainly be a lot better, but it could also be worse, so lets focus on the wins.

June Winter Vegetable Garden Success

The lemongrass is thriving and I’ve been enjoying tea from it. Since this plant is thriving I took it as a message from mother nature that I need to be using it more. The distinct citrusy aroma and flavour is captivating so I decided to start drinking it as a tea and it is absolutely delicious.

I did some brief research about the benefits of lemongrass and I found out that lemongrass is traditionally used to aid digestion and soothe stomach aches. It may also help with issues like bloating and gas. It could be a placebo effect, but my tummy certainly feels calmer and my mind uplifted after a warm cup of lemongrass tea.

It’s pretty hard to beat being out in the winter vegetable garden while sipping a cup of lemongrass tea.

Thriving Lemongrass and dying tomato plant in June Winter Vegetable Garden

Tomato Plants in my June Temperate Winter Vegetable Garden

Up until a few days ago the tomato plants were still going strong. However, we’ve had a few cold days and even colder nights, and you can see all these spots on the tomatoes. Tomatoes like nights to consistently be above 10°C (50°F) and since last night dropped to 8°C and the forecast predicts more cold nights it’s time to say goodbye to tomatoes for a while. At least this will make space for other plants.

So I’m going to pull them out, and make Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall’s green tomato relish. You can find the recipe in his River Cottage Cook Book. I was going to say that I’ve been making this delicious condiment for a few years now. However, when I looked back at my blog to check the recipe I noted that I shared it back in 2011. Needless to say the recipes a winner. I will put the link to the blog post here for you if you want to make green tomato relish https://thebeachesfarmgirl.com/green-tomato-relish/

Seedlings Cheat

I cheated and purchased some seedlings from the garden center after the seeds I planted last month didn’t germinate. Please take this as permission to give yourself a break and just achieve what you can on your food growing journing!

I planted snow peas, snap peas, dill and baby spinach seedlings from the nursery, and I plan to sow seeds in the next few days.

My family and I love picking peas from the garden and eating them whilst standing out in the sunshine. Peas don’t need much effort for reward which I love. They do need a trellis to grow up though, and my favourite option is a transformable trellis that can adjust for the plants you are growing and pack flat in the garden shed when not needed. You can get yours by clicking this link.

Dill prefers cold weather so it’s great to plant in the winter vegetable garden. It’s feathery foliage also adds interest to the vegetable garden. I will be adding it to our potatoes and eggs for flavour, and the health benefits that haven’t been proven by scientific studies 😛

Baby spinach is a super quick turnaround that you can keep picking and they keep producing. They also don’t mind a bit of a shade which is great if you don’t have lots of sun, like on a baulcony. My kids have been asking to add it raw to their sandwiches which is great. My tummy prefers things cooked and I also love spinach in my eggs.

Peas, dill and baby spinach seedlings in the June temperate winter vegetable garden

So that’s where things are at right now. I hope this post has given you an idea of what to plant, and acted as a reminder to go easy on yourself. Gardening is a never ending journey.

The Beaches Farm Girl Shortcuts

For a shortcut home click here.

To see what is growing in my backyard farm click the link.

Want to read about parenting, click the link.

For restaurant reviews click the link.

Tips and tricks for sustainable living.

See what we’re up to over at YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@the_beaches_farm_girl

The Beaches Farm Girl reviews products independently and is supported by you, our audience. We may earn (but often don’t) an affiliate commission from products you purchase by the links on this page. Please remember to shop pre-loved, small and local when it’s an option. For books, visit your local library.