Anna's November Garden Journal

Wow the year is flying towards the end and summer is so nearly here. In Wānaka, where I live, everything looks lusciously green and the spring growth in the garden is amazing.

What I am harvesting and growing in my edible garden this Spring; 

I have just started harvesting the first of the divine leafy greens; pak choi, spinach, drunken woman lettuce, mizuna and mesclun. There is an abundance of fennel, thyme and mint. The first of the good ole “love it or loath it” coriander is ready. I am in the ‘love it’ camp and cook with it all the time. Another fave for salads, well on the way and in flower, are the snow peas.


This week, I have planted my first seedling courgettes, cucumbers and chillis.  And basil, one of my top three herbs to eat, grown from seedlings which I have been nurturing in the glasshouse, has gone into pots at the front door. 
 
Also in this issue:

  • Leggy runner or a dwarf like me? The bean scene and a few others that are good to plant this month
  • Busy time. You only turned your back for a minute and a few things have bolted.
  • The month to plant. Stagger, stagger, stagger the planting.

Edible Garden ideas on what to plant this month

The leggy runner or a dwarf like me?

Regardless of the space you have, green beans are such a versatile, handy green vege to have on hand and it is perfect timing to plant this month.
 
If you have space along a fence, then the leggy runner bean is for you and if you have some space among other plants or along the border of your garden, dwarf beans will be perfect.
 Runner Beans- great for planting in either a small or medium sized space

I plant my runners at the back of a raised bed and bamboo stake them as they grow. It’s also a good time to plant cucumbers, courgettes, lettuces, salad leaves and corn.
 
Rocket, coriander and salad greens will do well if planted in more shady areas at this time of year to help them avoid bolting to seed because of the heat.
 
November the month to plant. Stagger, stagger, stagger your planting.
 
Stagger, stagger, stagger your edible gardening planting for an endless summer supply.
I cannot recommend highly enough that you plant your edibles every 2 to 4 weeks. I used to get super excited and plant it all over one weekend. Invariably, the weeks they were ready for harvest were the weeks I was away.
 
To ensure you have veggies coming on in the garden all summer, then planting them in stages is really the key. It won’t take long, just a couple of plants at a time every few weeks or so and the rewards will be so worth it.
 
Busy time. You only turned your back for a minute and a few things have bolted.
 Gorgeous rocket flowers plonked in a vase.
November is a busy month with the festival season looming and often a month with many extra items in the calendar. It’s a month you may have less time for the garden. I also have had less time in the garden this month as I’ve been exhibiting Hiatt & Co at garden fetes in Canterbury and Marlborough.  Before I knew it, my early rocket plants and the chives had gone to flower. They both have such gorgeous flowers, so why not pick a bunch and pop it in a vase and add easy texture and colour by bringing nature inside?

Chives in flower, picked and popped into a vase  
Until next month, happy planting 
Anna xxx