Winter

Plants: Thyme / Turmeric / Orange / Ginger / Beetroot / Rainbow chard / Kale / Bok choy / English spinach / Cabbage

Recipes: Polenta chips with thyme aïoli / Turmeric flu shot / Spicy pickled rainbow chard / Beetroot and chilli sauce / Alcoholic ginger beer with honey from the hive / Cabbage and beetroot sauerkraut / Sticky ginger chai / Kale, lime and sesame crackers / Miso, orange and tahini sauce / Japanese-style bok choy salad / English spinach and chive pancakes / Chocolate, orange and pistachio salami / Upside-down blood orange and turmeric cake

When the cooler air creeps under our doors, we wrap ourselves up and dream of summer getaways. The deciduous trees have shed their leaves, and our teapot barely has the chance to cool down between brews. The garden is full of plants that developed during the warmer seasons and will be our food supply for the next few months. As the days begin to rapidly shorten towards the winter solstice, snuggly woollens make a welcome return.

In our household, winter sees an even greater focus on food. We spend more time indoors, and our bodies crave extra nourishment. Winter is not a doing time. It’s a thinking time and a planning time. We often find ourselves gazing at our garden, steaming hot coffee in hand, dreaming up new ideas for the coming seasons. What will we do differently? How can we improve the garden?

Towards the end of winter, we order our seeds and prepare our garden beds or pots for planting the seeds in spring. We harvest some of the herbaceous perennials, such as ginger and turmeric, to keep us lively and kicking on through the cooler months.

Winter is a great time to prune your deciduous fruit trees and vines. Pomegranate, fig and grape, for example, can be pruned if required to remove dead wood and crossing branches; this opens up the canopy to allow in more light and airflow, and promotes the growth of fruits where you want them to appear on the branches. Keeping your fruit trees and vines at a manageable shape and size is good horticultural practice. Pruning timing and techniques vary between species, so do some research before making any cuts.

Hopefully your garden is in sun at this time of year, as it’s delightful to be outside in the bracing air, harvesting goodies throughout winter. It’s slow growing in the garden, though, so take some time to relax and enjoy yourself, cook good meals and observe the wonders of the winter season.