Not a March can go by without revitalising, replanting and re-mulching the vegie garden. March is the peak month to be getting stuck into the edible garden. All winter producing plants can be replanted after the soil has been replenished. Early crops of broccoli and broccolini tend to be left alone by the Cabbage White Butterfly. Once the first florets early florets have been harvested, leave the plants in the ground and the side shoots even more abundant than the main crop.

It’s time to plant a legume crop, not only do you get a tasty crop of peas, snow peas or broad beans these clever plants increase the fertility of the soil by taking nitrogen from the atmosphere and fixing it in the soil for the next crop. Planting a crop rotation of legumes to benefit soil health is a strategy used in mainstream broad acre agriculture and even more crucial for the backyard vegie gardens where continual production of food is expected all year round.

Another way of improving the soil is by planting a green manure crop. Green manure crops are thickly sown crops of peas, oats or a specific green manure mix and dug back into the ground before they flower. The extra organic matter has a high in moisture content and will compost in the ground quickly resulting in a fertile soil suitable for planting a productive crop almost immediately.

For tasty garlic, its best planted before the end of this month. Improve the soil with sheep manure, compost or try Seasol Liquid Compost, the no-dig option and plant individual cloves about 2 cm under the surface at 10-15cm spacings. If space is limited garlic grows brilliantly in a large pot in the full sun.