All recent comments/discussion

Showing 5881 - 5910 of 20139 comments
Pumpkin 15 Jan, Noel (Australia - temperate climate)
This year my pumpkins are quite robust, a good yield due to creating a beehive I reckon. But its very hot here in NE Victoria, the plants are struggling, despite 2 daily waterings and although the stems haven't dried off my instincts tell me to pick them before they get affected as well. Am I right or wrong?
Pumpkin 16 Jan, Graham Bower (Australia - temperate climate)
If the stems haven't dried off fruit will be immature and tasteless. They will not keep .Leave on the ground. Risk of rotting is slight and worth the risk. If you are unduly concerned you could always lift the fruit off the ground onto a piece of wood or similar. I rarely lift mine until May / June. Graham (berwick Vic)
Pumpkin 16 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Go by the guide here of 15-20 weeks. But a good indication is the stem holding the pumpkin to the vine is woody and hard. Pick one of the oldest ones and try it - judge from that when to pick the rest.
Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 15 Jan, Daniel Pawlenko (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I grow winged beans in brisbane and its all set up with drip lines .It's very hot here and dry at the moment and I'm exspiriencing hard dark green beans at the moment. Does anyone know if this is from hot temps or not enough water. Kind Regards Daniel
Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 16 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You will more likely have far better success planting in the early autumn to early spring. Trying to grow things in summer in S E Qld is a hard game in summer(HOT, WINDY, storms) - have a rest and work on building your soil up for March/April planting.
Cape Gooseberry (also Golden Berry, Inca Berry ) 14 Jan, Renee Chettle (Australia - tropical climate)
Available at Daley’s nursery, does online orders
Pumpkin 13 Jan, Jonie (USA - Zone 9b climate)
Hi. We live in Zone 9. We were able to get beautiful pumpkin plants and florets, but never produced a pumpkin this year. We know they can grow bc there is a pumpkin farm nearby that produces plenty. I thought that I had only males, but then female plants appeared and still no flower. We started them in Late July, I think. Any advice?
Eggplant (also Aubergine) 13 Jan, Sue (Australia - temperate climate)
They’re smaller than a ladybird. Blackish. They put tiny holes in leaves. Sometimes there’s almost no leaf left and the plant can die.
Eggplant (also Aubergine) 13 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Mine looked like a half sized bee.
Watermelon 13 Jan, Grahame B (Australia - tropical climate)
Water melons must have been invented for rank amateurs. I live in Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT and have zero gardening experience, but decided to plant some water melon seeds (in pots) at the end of October - build up time to our summer wet season. They germinated fast so out into the garden they went with a lot less ground preparation than there could have been. They grew, started producing flowers (male only for quite some time) so I kept watering them with the odd bit of general purpose soluble plant food. I haven't seen any diseases so they haven't been sprayed - apart from the termite man's overspray with he did my house's annual ant and spider treatment. Then, in early December, growth went up a few notches; I could see how far a vine had grown in a day. They started taking over the garden. Flowers appeared everywhere, as did tiny native bees to attend to pollination. Every few days a small watermelon appeared and quickly got bigger. At that point I sought some advice from a local garden shop on what I should be doing; they told me to keep watering and sold me some organic fertilizer pellets to feed them with. Now they've taken over the garden, have started climbing fences and keep on producing new melons. I'd never have imagined it could be that easy.
Watermelon 09 Dec, Linda (Australia - tropical climate)
Hi Grahame, can you tell me what type of seeds you used please where they from a packet or out of a fresh melon? Thanks
Watermelon 13 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have never been able to grow them. I really don't have the ground to do it. Watermelons like virgin soil. There is a lot of difference between a plant growing well and producing a good end crop. I have rock melons growing - huge - some would weigh 3-4 kg. First one I picked, tasteless - probably too much watering. Have cut back the watering. Over watering when the fruit has grown it's full size can make the melons split. Hope it keeps going well for you.
Watermelon 15 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Rock melon weighed 4.55 kgs
Watermelon 15 Jan, Grahame B (Australia - temperate climate)
Climate must be a big factor with water melons, Mike. We'll never get an overnight low of less than 24C in summer, and rarely get one under 18C in what we call winter, so I'm going to try growing them all year round. Evidently Darwin soils are very poor because nutrients get leached from them by the heavy rain during the wet season so I'm learning how to counter that. Having never been a gardener, the water melon experience has spurred me into action and today I'll be planting some papaya and guavas. I don't think the traditional favourites like plums and peaches can be grown up here but I'm looking into it. I do remember a particular plum from my childhood (50+ years ago!) called a greengage; they were green when ripe, and sweet. Has anyone on here ever grown them?
Watermelon 16 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They grow water melons here - Bundaberg - in the spring. Winter 10 to 24 degrees with some nights down to 3-4-5. Spring time it is warming to 16 to 30 and summer 20-24 to 30-34. Seedlings are started late winter and transplanted in Sept. They pick them from late Nov and can extend into Jan. We can buy them on the side of the road - 2 for $5 - weigh from 2-3 kgs to 8-10 kgs.
Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 12 Jan, Grom1t (Australia - tropical climate)
I suspend (toothpicks help) a sweet potato partially in a glass of water. After 2 weeks of so I pick off the 8inch sprouts and put them in water. I plant them once they have plenty root. First time I planted before the dry and had an excellent crop of big potatoes after at least 6 .months. it's hard to know when to harvest. .my plants never go yellow. Anyone any advice? I thought I'd try growing in pots as I had a nice if small harvest of purple fleshed ones from a pot this morning - again after 9 months I think. Magnetic Island
Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 13 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It does say harvest 15-17 weeks. Pick early if you want smaller size and pick later if you like the bigger ones.
Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 11 Jan, paul stanley wood (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
try natural spray a mix of onion garlic boil cool strain and spray that easy
Radish 11 Jan, paul stanley wood (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
why not try the white long asian type i find them better they last longer in the fridge crisper
Radish 14 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
That is a daikon radish . (More info here - www.gardenate.com/plant/Daikon?zone=3)
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 10 Jan, Cindy (Australia - tropical climate)
I'd like to grow daikon but live in tropical zone. Can you suggest any particular seed that is better suited to hot climate?
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 15 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I bought some from Boondie seeds on line.
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 14 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Grow in the autumn and winter is my tip.
Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 09 Jan, Lea (Australia - temperate climate)
How do I cook them and can anyone share a recipe. First time grower with Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 10 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Look on the internet.
Potato 09 Jan, Girdhari. C (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
I’m in south America , Suriname , I’m Looking for a type of potatoes Which can be grown in hot Tropical climate, Has any body an idea for me, Thanks a lot & happy gardening, Greetings Cg.
Potato 10 Jan, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)
Search around on the internet - growing potatoes in Suriname. From similar hot Australia plant 2nd month of Autumn.
Leeks 08 Jan, michelle (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi have just dug up leeks as they seemed to go woody and flower so quick this year. I found lots of bulbs underground are just like elephant garlic, some with babies. Do they behave like garlic? or am I just finding previous elephant garlic bulbs left behind that have sprouted or maybe none of them were the leek plants at all that I purchased ? confused Michelle
Leeks 10 Jan, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Sounds like you planted them late in the season. Look at the guide here - maybe plant seed March and transplant 4-6 weeks later. Then harvest 11-13 weeks later. They should look like a leek not garlic. Do some research on the internet - how to grow leeks.
Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 07 Jan, (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted sweet corn from commercial seed in Melbourne and the stems are growing well, but instead of corn heads of corn i have a grain sprig which I think is maize sprouts. What is happening?
Showing 5881 - 5910 of 20139 comments
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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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