Categories
Food Galleries Get Inspired Get Started Kitchen Gardens Plants Recipes Resources Sydney Local

What to Plant in April: 15 Autumn Vegetables & Herbs to Plant Now in Sydney (Temperate Zone)

It’s not quite winter yet, but there is a definite feel that it’s coming. The morning air is chilly and crisp, and it’s almost time to bring out the warm comforter blanket. What I love about Autumn and Winter seasons are those delicious opportunities for soups and stews. Given my Russian heritage, I would like to share this Bortsh (Борщ) recipe that makes frequent appearance in our household. It’s healthy, it’s in-season and it tastes great!

Borsch recipe
image by http://www.ayurvediclight.net

Ingredients (4 servings):

  • 1 beetroot
  • 2 carrots
  • 4 medium-sized potatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic (can put more!)
  • 1/2 head of cabbage (or silverbeet, as we have discovered)
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of tomato paste (can also add fresh tomatoes)
  • 2 table spoons of vinegar
  • 2 table spoons of olive oil for shimmering vegetables
  • dill, parsley, black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Peel and cut potatoes, set to boil in about 4 cups of water
  2. Peel and thinly slice beetroot and carrots. Heat up oil in the pan and shimmer beetroot and carrots on low heat for at least 10 minutes (or until tender). Add vinegar and lemon juice to the mix. This will release the deep red colour of the beets.
  3. Cut the onions and add them to the carrot & beetroot mix about 5 minutes before they are done
  4. When ready, transfer the carrot & beetroot mix to the pot with boiling potatoes
  5. Add salt, pepper, cabbage, tomato paste to broth and cook on medium heat for about 20 mins
  6. Now the secret ingredient: cut raw garlic, dill, and parsley into small pieces. Put in a cup and mix well. Let them sit together while the broth is boiling.
  7. When broth is almost ready, add the secret ingredient mix. It will add a lot of flavour to the soup, but don’t over-cook it! After 3 mins, turn off the pot and let it sit for 10-15 mins on the stove.

Serve with toast and sour cream for a truly Russian experience. Enjoy!

And now, on to the planting guide…

1. Beetroot

Harvesting Beetroot
Harvesting Beetroot by amortize

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from August

2. Brussels sprouts

brussels sprouts
brussels sprouts by rovingsprout

Where: grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Harvest: from September

3. Cabbage

Cabbage Patch
Cabbage Patch by Secret Tenerife

Where: grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Harvest: from August

4. Carrot

Carrots
Carrots by tinatinatinatinatina

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from September

5. Cauliflower

Cauliflower
Cauliflower by La Grande Farmers’ Market

Where: grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Harvest: from October

6. Chives

Chives
Chives by muora

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from August

7. Corn Salad (Lamb’s lettuce, Mache)

Easy instant garden beds
Easy instant garden beds by Sandy Austin

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from July

8. Garlic

Garlic
Garlic by sivandsivand

Where: plant cloves
Harvest: from October

9. Kale (also Borecole)

picking kale
picking kale by mo foods

Where: grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Harvest: from August

10. Leeks

Leeks
Leeks by vpickering

Where: grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Harvest: from September

11. Mizuna (Japanese Greens, Mitzuna, Mibuna)

MIZUNA
MIZUNA by viernullvier

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from July

12. Onion

onions
onions by prettywar-stl

Where: grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Harvest: from December

13. Peas

Peas
Peas by Chiot’s Run

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from August

14. Rocket (Arugula, Rucola)

Dandelion and Arugula (90/365)
Dandelion and Arugula (90/365) by essgee51

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from July

15. Silverbeet (Swiss Chard, Mangold)

swiss chard
swiss chard by artolog

Where: sow directly into the soil
Harvest: from August

This planting guide is based on the information from the wonderful Gardenate and CC photos from Flickr. Thank you!