January.

Weather to Expect: Typical temp range from 19 - 26'C. I2 days of rain bringing 103 mm rainfall 7 hours of sunshine with average soil temp 26'C

General: Walk through garden and look to assess plants - is there evidence of pest or disease, do they need water or fertiliser, is there crop to harvest, do plants need staking or pruning, or is the plant ready to remove? Check compost bins and turn to aerate and tend to supplements described below. Place Council Green Bin out to be emptied every second Tuesday evening and then return to garden. Remove gum leaves from beds. Weed paths if necessary.

Soil Management: Ensure soil is mulched to maintain moistureand to build organic matter.

Compost Management: Ensure ratio of carbon and nitrogen additions is 50:50. Coffee grounds from Shortlist Café can supplement nitrogen and egg cartons from Darling Thai Cafe and soft wood shavings from Enfield Produce can supplement carbon. Turn compost frequently with the compost spiral tool to promote an aerobic environment and to avoid a very smelly anaerobic environment which also slows down the production of compost. Add 1 cup dolomite lime weekly, 1/3 bucket manure fortnightly, a handful rock dust monthly and a handful of bentonite monthly. Shut down when bin is full, continue turning and use when temperature has fallen to av soil temp of beds.

Worm Farm Management: Add chopped greens to worms frequently and check worm farm is protected from direct sun. Check there is enough moisture in the worm farm to prevent spiders from choosing to nest in there. Worm tea can be collected in the jug under the tap of the worm farm. Dilute this tea 1:10 with water and use as a foliar feed to all plants as needed.

Planting: Consult Crop Rotation Planting Plan. African marigolds, French and climbing beans, beetroot, brassicas, capsicum, cucumber, eggplant, leek, lettuce, chard, sweet corn, spring onion and tomato, basil and lettuce are typical crops.

Fertilising: Apply blood and bone (40g/ sq m) to all parts of the garden in week one and give citrus Iron Sulphate (1 T/4.5 L water) at the drip line.

Harvesting: Typically tomatoes, eggplant, beans, spinach, kale, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, amaranth, passionfruit and rhubarb. To harvest leafy greens gently twist one leaf from the base of the plant taking only two or three leaves from one plant. To harvest basil use secateurs to clip just above two buds. To harvest rhubarb twist a stalk gently at its base. Only take two or three stalks from each plant.

Watering Regime: Ensure there is a watering roster four times a week to give all vegetables a deep water. Water citrus deeply once a week.

Pest Management: Check citrus for scale and treat with white oil if affected. Tomatoes need constant staking, shaping and checking for fruit fly. If detected remove tomato and place in green bin for council disposal. Do not place in compost bin.