This is the first day of winter and this is the first planting guide of the season. The following is a list of vegetables that you can plant in June in Sydney, a temperate zone (just click on the link for the growing guide for each vegetable).

• Beans
• Cabbage seedlings
• Garlic
• Kale seedlings
• Lettuce
• Mustard greens
• Onion
• Peas
• Radish
• Snow Peas
• Strawberry plants

Plant of the Month – Erica oatseii (winter fire)

Erica is a genus of about 857 species of flowering evergreen plants in the family Ericaceae, most being small shrubs from 20–150 cm high though some tree species are taller.

Of the genus, 690 of the species, Cape heaths, are found in South Africa. The rest are native to other parts of Africa, Madagascar, the Mediterranean, and Europe where they are often called heaths or heather. Australia has no native Ericas.

This lovely species Erica winter fire, is a hybrid between Erica mammosa and Erica oatesii and has a compact form with bright fire-red flowers in winter and spring.

The flowers of Erica winter fire are borne on terminal clusters and are made up of four petals fused into a tube with the tips retroflexed. The filaments with their anthers are contained within the tube with only the black stigma at the end of the stamen is visible.

The flowers are rich with nectar making them attractive to bees and birds and other pollinating insects.

They are usually outward or downward facing.

 Erica winter fire has an erect shape with tall stems covered in small, bright green needle-like leaves that are 2–15 millimetres long.

Following flowering, new growth begins with glowing yellow tips giving more colour from late autumn to early summer.

The new growth tips are a rich golden colour, before turning a darker green as they mature. This gives a vibrant glow to the plant.

Erica winter fire prefers an acidic, lime-free, humas rich moist deep soil with a pH of 5.6 – 6.0 .Some well rotted compost can be added when preparing the growing site but do not add manures.

If you have a  clay soil, planting in raised beds that are 45-50 cm above the original soil level is the easiest way to give Erica oetseii winter fire the conditions it needs. The soil must also be amended below the original soil level to a depth of 10 cm for optimum plant performance.

The planting site should be free draining and in full or part shade depending on the climate of your area. The plant is frost tender so some protection will be required.

Water moderately to ensure an even soil moisture especially during the heat of summer, restricting watering over winter, dependant on environmental weather patterns.

Use a good free draining potting soil suitable for acid loving plants if planting in pots, never allowing the pots to sit in saucers of water.

Keeping the plant trimmed after flowering will maintain its compact form and encourage more terminal growths for extra flowers in coming seasons.

Use a fertiliser suitable for Camelias and other acid pH loving plants.

Reaching a size of approximately 50cm high and 50cm wide, Erica oatseii winter fire is perfect for the garden individually or as a hedge with plants spaced 45-60 cm apart, or planted in pots.