IT'S a strange thing but we have just officially entered summer, yet, in three weeks' time, the hours of daylight will begin to get shorter and we'll be on the way back to winter.
To be honest, we hardly notice the difference for a couple of months at least, but our plants become aware of this dramatic change in light length, almost immediately.
It is a signal for some vegetables, such as winter-planted onions, to start maturing so the bulbs swell rapidly while the tops begin to die back.
It is also a sign for garlic plants and bulbs, (which should have been harvested by now), to start sending out new roots.
We don't want that to happen because it immediately weakens flavour and massively reduces storage time.
Use a fork to lift the garlic clumps and leave them lying on top of the soil.
It actually helps if any soil still clinging is hosed off.
They dry off more rapidly, usually within an hour at this time of the year.
After they have dried, collect the garlic and spread the plants out in the sun, preferably on a veranda or even a concrete path.
Definitely not a lawn because there will be too much moisture arising from the grass.
After a week, when the leaves have withered, string up the garlic after slicing off the roots.
Store in a dry, airy place, but out of the hot sun.
If any garlic plant has bolted into flower, don't worry about it.
This is no big deal and it is perfectly normal.
It is only when onions and leeks bolt that they become useless.
The soil is now superbly warm, even in cool districts.
It is a perfect time to plant seedlings of cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, eggplant, basil, tomatoes and watermelons.
It is best to sow the seed of root vegetables and sweetcorn.
Work the soil up and dig in well-rotted manure (except for carrots and parsnips - they don't need any).
Add a good sprinkling of blood and bone, rake the soil level and give the beds a slow, deep watering.
A day later start sowing and planting.
All warm weather plants will respond marvelously from now on.
It is also a terrific time to plant out seedlings of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and that great nutritious primitive cabbage we call kale.
I sowed the seed of several varieties a month ago and pricked the seedlings into punnets.
They are now ready for planting or giving away.
They can go in the ground now to grow through summer and will be perfect for autumn and winter eating.
That's the road to perfect health.
If you like a good regular feed of brussels sprouts in winter and spring, now is the time to sow the seed.
This is better than bought seedlings because we get a bigger choice of varieties, they grow better and the cost is only a few dollars.
The seedlings will be up in a week and big enough to be planted out in January.
By the time the cold weather arrives around the end of May, all brussels sprout plants will have formed big rosettes of leaves.
That means they can not only cope with winter's wet and cold - even thrive in it - but the first sprouts will have started to form.
The early ones are usually useless and fluffy.
I snap them off and chuck them into the compost heap.
It is the increasing cold of June and July that initiates those lovely tight buttons.
And once these start to appear, it is non-stop picking and glorious eating right through winter.
