Gareth Carter: Shortest day of the year the right time for garlic and onion to be planted

Garlic and onion are two great options to get planted around the shortest day of the year, writes Gareth Carter. Photo / Supplied

Winter has well and truly arrived throughout the country and now the shortest day is upon us - Tuesday, June 21.

It is often said the coldest weather arrives after the shortest day.

The lower temperatures are needed by some plants to initiate flowering and fruiting while other plants regulate their growth cycles based on the day and night length. So as the days lengthen in the coming weeks many trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs will react in varying ways. Spring bulbs such as paper whites and early jonquils are flowering while daffodils are starting to come through the soil for flowering in August and September. Crocus is always one of the earliest of the spring bulbs to flower. It is said that crocus 'herald the coming of spring' as these tend to flower around late July and August.

Gardening is very much about working with the seasons and we have created 'traditional' planting times that help us to remember when to plant certain crops. So just as many people will always plant tomato plants at Labour weekend, many will always plant garlic bulbs on the shortest day and harvest it on the longest. Through the month of June is the main planting time for this frequently used culinary favourite. The window for planting and harvesting is in fact a lot longer, with plantings being able to be made from April through into July.

This health-giving food has become extremely popular in recent years as cooking shows and the like have shown the wide range of culinary dishes that garlic can be used in.

Garlic is easy to grow and suffers very few pest or disease problems - in fact, the presence of it in your vegetable garden can actually help other vegetables, with it showing to be beneficial when grown in close proximity to lettuce and cucumber plantings.

Garlic is generally sold as bulbs, which then should be broken up into individual cloves for planting. Garlic cloves should be spaced 10cm apart and approx 5cm deep. The soil should be loosened and dug over prior to planting. The soil should be fertile, with good drainage. The addition of compost, blood and bone or potato food is advantageous.

Harvest is made in December or January, when the tops start to fall over or brown off. At this time they should be pulled from the soil and allowed to dry in a sunny, well- ventilated position for one or two weeks. Then they should be placed in a dark, dry, well-ventilated location, where they will store for up to a year.

Shallots, too, are planted in a similar manner and should be planted now.

Another vegetable crop that is excellent for healthy living and should be sown now are onions. The bulb of an onion develops in response to day length, so for the best results following the correct sowing and planting times is important. They are not difficult to grow and take up little room. Before sowing the ground should be well worked, with all lumps of soil broken down and all weeds removed. Sprinkle the soil with general fertiliser and fork in. A shallow furrow should be made and seeds planted at 6mm deep and covered with seed raising mix or fine soil. Watch out for slugs and snails and protect seedlings with slug bait - they germinate within 10-14 days. Seeds and seedlings can be purchased from garden centres. Planted now they will be ready for harvest in mid-summer.

June is a busy month in the world of gardening and in garden centres. This first month of winter is the main season for receiving deliveries from production nurseries that specialise in 'field grown' plants. Plant lines that are field-grown are frequently only seasonally available in stores. The main plants that are field-grown in New Zealand include roses, deciduous trees and fruits.

Field-grown plants are those that, as the name suggests, are grown in rows out in a field until they reach the desired size for selling to home gardeners. These plants are 'lifted' and potted for delivery through garden centres during June and July. The timing is critical and matched to this time of year when plants are in a slower growth phase, or in fact dormant. The cooler temperatures, reduced sunshine hours and more frequent wet weather all conspire to minimise water loss from the plant. This is particularly important given that the plants' roots will have been cut during the lifting process and will be recovering from being transplanted.

So if you are looking for a rose, wanting to plant a home orchard, or trees for shade, shelter or show, then the next month or so is the best time to be searching garden stores. If you want a wide selection to choose from, get in quick. Numbers of many lines are limited.

Gareth Carter is General Manager of Springvale Garden Centre