An Easy, Nourishing Winter Food Garden

Today is especially for those of you who dream of eating a fresh picked bowl of goodness, like this one – every day, but dont have much time to garden.

You can do it, if you focus on the most efficient crops – one’s that are highest nutrition for the least effort.

Here’s my nourishing winter collection for busy people: Broccoli shoots, quick leafy’s, long lived leafy’ and herbs + weeds. Throw in a potato or kumara and there’s a complete meal!

Broccoli Shoots

Broccoli is the easiest, quickest and most productive brassica to grow. Easier than cabbage, heaps faster than cauliflower, and waaaaay more productive than both on account of all the side shoots that come after the main head is cut.

• The main head is ready to harvest about 12 weeks after transplant.
• A bunch of quick leafy greens planted at the same time as the broccoli, will fill the harvest gap while you wait.

Quick Leafy’s

Bok choy is so easy and fast! In warmer weather, they’re ready about 6 weeks from transplant. Plant along the outside edge for easy harvest. They team well around broccoli plants – by time they are ready to harvest, the broccoli is filling the space. Pots are also viable for these small rooted crops.

Extend the harvest by slicing the leaves off when ready, leaving the root in and another lot of smaller leaves will follow. Plant all winter long as long as you don’t get snowed on.

There are loads of quick leafy’s out there – Pak Choi, Komatsuna, Gai Lan, Landcress, Mizuna, Rocket, Coriander or Corn Salad. Experiment and find ones you like to eat. Leave the ones that grow well for you, to go to seed for an easy continuity.

A mix of greens not only makes dinner interesting, but brings much needed variety to your gut biome – a simple way to keep you in peak performance. Get some greens into every meal and you’ll soon start to notice a skip in your step!

Long Lived Leafy’s

Perpetual Beet, Chard, Silverbeet, Cavalo Nero, NZ Spinach, Endive, Chicory and Kale’s – beneficent leafy greens! So easy to grow, so abundant and jamming with vitality and goodness. Grow a big variety and fit them into breakfast, lunch and tea.

As long as soil is good, plant without amendments though a little compost or vermicastings never goes astray. Mulch, goes without saying.

Plant where you can easily access for picking – they thrive when the biggest, outside leaves are picked regularly. Any leaves which are too ratty for the kitchen, simply pluck off and lay down as mulch, or feed the chooks, or add to the compost pile.

Plant in Autumn while its still warm and you’ll be harvesting in about 6 – 8 weeks, all through winter, spring and beyond.

Herbs + Weeds

Herbs are as good as a vitamin pill, maybe even better. Keep your cells strong and immunity high by eating and drinking homegrown herbs every day. Fresh picked is the business, because that way you capture the full nutrient load.

Parsley 

Parsley is humble I know, but the easiest, most nourishing, low maintenance, go-with-everything, herb. A garden essential. Plant this month and pick regularly for salads, pestos and on top every meal. I have at least 6 plants on the go at any one time. For long lived plants, it’s better to pick a little from each rather than a lot from one.

Nasturtium

Did you know that nasturtium flowers are a natural antibiotic?! They contain as much vitamin c as parsley and more benefits besides. They taste a little spicy and a little sweet. I love eating that bold colour! Pretty up your plates, or do as I do and, nibble as you walk on by.

Weeds

If you are lucky enough to have chickweed or dandelion, puha, purslane or nettle, let them flourish and harvest regularly for salads and sandwiches. Weeds are the ultimate in nourishment + zero maintenance – its a kind of madness that we hate on them and spray and ‘weed’ them out. They’re our helpers and our friends, bringing us the nutrition that’s so desperately lacking in modern food. Fall in love with edible weeds!