February Planting Guide for south of Hobart

Here is a general planting guide for areas generally 150m asl or below south of Hobart. Much also depends on your gardens aspect and locality to frosts etc and winter sun.

February Vegetable Plantings

Endive

lettuce (endless varieties - I like royal oak)

English spinach

Broccoli

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Kale

Silverbeet (early in the month)

Cabbage

Cauliflower (Feb 1^st – plant diff varieties, can grow earlier but they need lots of attention)

Kohlrabi

Swedes (to mid month)

Turnip

Beetroot

Carrot (to mid month – do double size planting to last winter)

radish

Coriander (monthly sowings till March)

Asian Greens ie:(Mizuna/Mibuna/Cabbage)

Spring Onion

I personally found that earlier Feb was better than the end to get most of the above in. This is so the plants can have enough leaf size before winter arrives to ensure plants maximise the low light levels and continue to grow mid winter. If you plant towards the end of the month I would get seedlings into the ground rather than direct sowing of seed. But if we have a warm autumn you may get away with seeding till late Feb. People in Hobart probably have two further weeks up their sleeve than us.

Also start planning which beds will be vacant if you plan to grow green manure crops. I use tic beans for green manure as I am on heavier soils. One of the biggest challenges we all face is leaving beds free for the winter plantings, yet still getting some beds free for winter green manure. The green manure beds are the healthiest beds next season and I often get the Tomato and Corn into these beds. This year I backed off the summer plantings due to the dry weather to allow more beds to go under green manure.

Winter Carrots and Beetroot at top, Potato close to harvest