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Watermelon 22 Oct, Tracy smith (New Zealand - temperate climate): I have done watermelon seeds in September month & they have come up & r doing well so har. When is the best time to plant them in the ground they r about 1 inch high each I have 4 of them
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Watermelon 23 Oct, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate): When they have produced a good root system. Wait until they have several leaves. Important to keep as much soil in contact with the roots as possible when planting out. Try and protect them from the sun for the first week. In future plant in a little pot like a 500 gm margarine container with a few holes in the bottom to let water drain out. When they are about 3-4 weeks old plant out. If no frosts you can plant directly into the soil.
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Radish 22 Oct, Jean (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I grow radishes a few years ago and they were so hot and spicy and I wanted to have another go, but when I went to the shop they had three or four different type. I just want to know which ones are mild and I can grow here in Brisbane.
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Radish 06 Sep, Terry (Australia - temperate climate): Most of the heat is in the outer - red - skin. As a small child I'd peel that away (thumbnail worked well) and eat the white flesh inside, which is much milder. The leftover skin can be used in cooking, where they lose the peppery taste. Another way to use overly hot radishes is therefore to cut them into halves or quarters, coat in oil, and roast them in a hot oven (say 220C) until coloured and not too watery inside (30 mins or more).
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Radish 23 Oct, Mike (Australia - temperate climate): I have grown them for 40+ years and I think it has to do with watering and weather. Better grown into/in the winter - a more even growing conditions - smaller variation of temp and water in the soil. If grown in the hotter weather they can dry out a bit and I think this makes them hotter. Try and grow quickly. Pick as soon as they reach the required size. They will keep in the fridge for weeks.
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Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers) 19 Oct, wayne rub (Australia - tropical climate): is there any chilli plants that take full sun all day better than others
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Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers) 23 Oct, Mike (Australia - temperate climate): I don't know - but stick to the planting times and in the hot tropics use mulch around them and water often probably.
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 18 Oct, john ward (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): where can i get some orange kumara cuttings .Not easy to find im having problems trying to get them sprouting
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 23 Oct, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate): Ask around nurseries or produce/farming depots /supply companies or phone some of them.
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 18 Oct, Helen (New Zealand - temperate climate): Just bought an orange lunchbox capsicum. Should I pinch out the top leaves to promote a more bushy plant?
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 23 Oct, Mike (Australia - temperate climate): I don't know. If you had several plants you could try it on one. Fertilise and watering well should produce a good bushy plant.
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Cucumber 18 Oct, Steve (Australia - temperate climate): I planted some cucumber seedlings the other day and 3 of them have died I have kept the water up when it hasn’t rained any ideas why they died???
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Cucumber 22 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Probably too much water. When planting seedlings protect them from the sun (more so in the hotter months). I use a frame with shade cloth on it for a week or so. I also do this with seeds planted in the ground.
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Onion 18 Oct, Malcolm Langley (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I planted onions last season and thined out where necessary and had a reasonable crop.this season l did it a bit differently. I planted the seeds into pots and then replanted into the ground so that I didn't waste any by thinning out. The seeds used were the from the same suppliers and were brown onions as before. This season they are growing well but most of them have very thick stems and seed pods are formed. The onionbulb in lots of instances is not developing .am l doing something wrong? Mal.
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Onion 23 Oct, Mike (Australia - temperate climate): I had this problem this year. First time I had grown onions. I put it down to too rich a soil. Maybe less N applied. And probably back off the watering a bit when they have grown for say 4 mths.
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 17 Oct, Gill (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate): I have sown 2 sorts of courgette. The older seed (Italian) germinated as normal. The new seed purchased this spring has done nothing (the common yellow). At this stage seed pots are indoors
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 23 Oct, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate): Check to see if the seeds have rotted or not. Maybe they need a little sunlight to germinate.
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Pumpkin 17 Oct, Vincenzo gattellari (Australia - temperate climate): When the time for plants the grey pumpkin
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Pumpkin 21 Oct, Paul (Australia - temperate climate): Now
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Pumpkin 17 Oct, Mike (Australia - temperate climate): Most common is the Jarrahdale pumpkin - plant Sept to Dec and don't pick until vine starts dying - about 18-20 weeks from planting. Good fertile soil, lots of sun and plenty of water.
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Potato 17 Oct, Tony (Australia - temperate climate): As an expat Pom 52 years in South Australia, the only thing I still miss is is traditional "new" potatoes, with thin papery skins that can be removed with a fingernail.. They had a wonderful texture and tasted sensational. Only available in March/April, an annual treat. My question is, is threr a variety available here with these qualities and when would they be planted?
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Potato 20 Oct, Steve (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Hi Tony, Sadly no, there used to be a supplier in SA but I can not find any trace of them now. A couple of things to mention: Kipfler and Pink Fir Apple can be quite similar if grown quickly, secondly the traditional Jersey New and Jersey Mids were certainly grown with massive amounts of fertilizers so I am not sure if that sort of thing is acceptable these days even if they still grow them in Jersey. Cheers from another old Pom
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Potato 17 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I'd suggest you try and find the name of the potato you liked. Then look up potato varieties on the internet. I think most potatoes fresh out of the ground have a thin skin. If you are temperate climate plant Sept Oct and harvest 15-20 weeks later. Try seed selling companies.
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Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 16 Oct, Catherine (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate): In answer to those seeking advice about where to buy Jerusalem artichokes in Cape Town: I bought some Jerusalem artichokes at the Vineyard Deli, Kenridge, chopped them into small pieces and planted them in a large wooden container. The plants are now (October) about 50 cm high and not flowering yet, but looking extremely green and sturdy.
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Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 20 Oct, Stacey Robinson (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate): I also found Jerusalem Artichoke plants at Ferndale Nurseries in Constantia, Cape Town!
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Garlic 15 Oct, Susan harrer (USA - Zone 9b climate): Do you plant elephant garlic the same time and way as regular garlic ? Is elephant garlic is actually leeks ?
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Garlic 25 Oct, Silke Wolf (USA - Zone 8a climate): I have just tried planting elephant garlic, Oct 1. I have seen nothing sprouting as of yet. I did plant regular store bought garlic on sept 15th and that has jumped up and sprouted and grown like crazy within a week! So, Im a tad disappointed in the elephant garlic.
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Cowpeas (also Black eye peas, Southern peas) 15 Oct, Kathy J. (USA - Zone 8b climate): Cowpeas are a staple here in the south. The town of Emerson, Arkansas has an annual purplehull pea festival & has a website with information on purplehull peas & many recipes you can try. www.purplehull.com There is even one for jelly using the hulls (spoiler alert: tastes like a mild grape). Purplehulls are a cowpea. What we have always been told was that cow peas weren't considered edible by most people. They came on the boats with slaves & that's who first were eating them. They were also given to livestock. An elderly neighbor told me never plant purplehulls until you hear the whipperwill. For us (Arkansas/Louisiana line, zone 8) that's usually mid-April. They will keep producing as long as you keep picking them. My elderly grandfather said instead of parboiling to can or freeze, just shell the peas & stick them (unwashed) in an old (but clean) pillowcase. As you want to cook them, get what you want out, wash & prepare/cook like normal. Tastes like fresh picked no matter how long its been.
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 14 Oct, Rick (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Hi I live in Bundaberg and have a choko vine that was planted in the summer, during the winter we had so much good looking fruit we gave it away to our friends. We find our fruit is now growing deformed, we have cut back new growth to stop the vine from taking over the garden, it is very healthy, we have some ants around and what garden hasn't !! could you enlighten me as to what could be causing the deformity ?
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 15 Oct, Mike Logan (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I live coral cove. Hard to tell without looking at it. Maybe trace element deficient, some bug, disease ???? I'd suggest you may be better pulling it out and plant another one. Probably in a different position.
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