Photos from Jenny’s garden

Soil & Health member Jenny Williamson shared some photos from her garden near Feilding, taken in February 2025.

We hope you enjoy this free article from OrganicNZ. Join us to access more, exclusive member-only content

Jenny Williamson’s favourite vegetable is beetroot, which grows extremely well in her garden. She grows two varieties: Detroit Dark Red (pictured) and Monorubra (a cylindrical variety).

The green leafy plant is Daubenton’s kale, a perennial plant that Jenny grew from a cutting planted in the spring. It’s growing well even in part shade. Read more about perennial brassicas here.

ABOVE: Left – Detroit dark red beetroot
Right – Daubenton’s kale, grown from a cutting

The silverbeet pictured is Rainbow Lights, and the pumpkins Jenny is growing this season are Queensland Blue and “just the usual supermarket grey”. Jenny saved seeds of both of these from the previous season.

“I have had tomato blight and have not been able to solve it, unfortunately,” says Jenny. “I’m not keen on spraying. I grew the tomatoes from saved seed from last year so I’m disappointed in this result. Others I got from a friend are looking all right, and of course the cherry tomatoes don’t seem to be bothered by anything.”

Sometimes success comes unexpectedly. “I have also had a great crop of bok choy (or maybe it’s pak choi) which I did not sow. It just came up and must have been in my compost, although I have not had this vegetable in my garden for several years!”