Ecoman Malcolm Rands shares his tips with Jack Tame, listen above!

Water and feed and weed then mulch, which is extra important now with the drought over much of NZ.

Feed seaweed and fish liquid fertilisers.

Stopping competition and trapping the water in give extra health benefits to your plants so you wont have to reach for the chemical spray can.

Harvest and save with bumper crops coming in now.

Wash cut and freeze. If you have the time and inclination, then old fashioned bottling works too.

You may still get one last harvest of dwarf beans and all your fast herbs like basil , coriander, rocket and parsley can be put out under the shade of your exiting big crops in the garden to handle the hot sun.

Plant for winter and spring.

What took me ages to learn is now is the time to plant your winter and spring crops. I use to wait too long and wonder why they never prospered

So that’s cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage , kale , silver beet . celery which will be eaten all winter and plant leeks for spring.

And if you are really on to it, you don’t harvest your most successful and healthy plants but let them go to seed

Collect this seed and over the years you will develop a special variety of these crops that suits your particular bio region and wont need bug or fungal sprays.