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Showing 6841 - 6870 of 20174 comments
Cabbage 08 Jun, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Steve - I have great red soil (volcanic) with some grey sandy loan placed on it 18 years ago to make the garden bed. Over the years the grey sandy soil and red soil have mixed together. Over the years I have added plant residue and grass clippings in the summer when the bed is fallowed and turn it over several times. Then in March I added lime and fertiliser to it. I probably have too rich a soil. I have only ever tried caulies a few time and end up with huge plants 3'+ high and round. I planted them next to cabbage and broccoli. Broccoli 3'+ high and round. I know the ins and outs with fertiliser as I have farmed over the years. I have done a lot of reading the last 12mths and am fine tuning a lot of things in the garden. I also have a worm farm and use the castings (make a tea) for fert. I run my worm farm fairly dry so don't get much
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Cabbage 13 Jun, Steve Donovan (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Mike, A good tip with your compost is to mix 1 part of greens such as your plant residue & grass clippings (Nitrogen), with the same amount of brown material such as dried leaves, especially gum tree leaves & trigs (Carbon) mulched up in the mower, very important to have equal parts for a good balance, I rake up leaves & twigs around the parks & schools and around stormwater drains. Grass clippings & plant residue are great but full of nitrogen which will give you leafy caulis but no heads. Also, worm pee is very important, worm pee mixed with water @ 9:1 ratio & poured around the base of each plant every 3 weeks conditions the soil which releases the nutrients out of the soil for the roots to feed off, I start my worm pee after seedlings emerge in the seed trays, I keep my worm farm moist & I catch 1 litre a week, but next year I will be increasing that to 2 litres a week. I use my worm castings at planting time plus a side dressing every 2 months around my plants & use my worm pee as my tea. I have clay soil over here on the east coast and it took me years to get it friable but it paid off in the long run. Also, mulching around you plants is very important for moisture retention & worm activity, especially sandy soils. Dried gum leaves are so important in any soil as Carbon is a very important element for healthy growth. PS: Space your cabbages & Caulis & you will have great results. BR...….Steve
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Cabbage 15 Jun, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Steve - I read up heaps about worm leachate and tea (when I bought my worm farm) and about composting the last 12 mths. Owner of Kookaburra Worm Farm (Gin Gin QLD) told me the castings are far better than the leachate. I just take a heap of the worm castings /bedding (after it has been working for 2 mths) put it on some shade cloth over a 20 liter drum and hit it with the hose. I make about 15-20 liters. I then water this down 3 to 1 with water when putting it on. With the compost I read all about the cold and hot methods of doing it. I have read you can use anything from 50 to 95% brown (dry matter - carbon) to 50 to 5% green (green matter- nitrogen). I have used coffee grindings as my green matter. Making hot compost is a fair bit of work. Two neighbours collect their grass for me. I let it dry out. I then mix it with coffee grindings and wet it and turn it each 3-4 days. But I'm leaning to use dry matter now as a mulch and then turn it in when the crop has finished. During the summer fallow now I just build my compost heap on my garden and when near finished I just level the heap out and dig into the soil.
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Strawberries (from seeds) 04 Jun, Denise Heaven (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I actual now live in Samoa and want to grow strewberries. Im thinking of importing plant seedlings Our temperatures range from morning 19 - 23 degrees to heat of the day being between 27 - 34 degrees. Do you think it is possible to grow strawberries in this climate
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Strawberries (from seeds) 07 Jun, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Give it a try. Probably need to plant April?May and allow them some shade each day - morning or afternoon shade.
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Asparagus 04 Jun, Mark Hussey (Australia - arid climate)
Mindful that its a little early to cut back asparagus shoots, but when you do ,keep in mind that they are useful in getting rid of nematodes if you dig them through effected areas
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Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers) 03 Jun, jack mac (New Zealand - temperate climate)
will my chilli plants survive in a hot house all year on the hauraki plains
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Ginger 02 Jun, Soumya Chowdhury (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
We want to grow ginger in pot , what should be the ideal size of pot? How can we prepare the soil , what should be the mix and proportions of garden soil , compost and other manure ? What will be the best time ( months) to plant ginger in Canberra ? We will be happy to receive your valuable advice . Regards.
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Ginger 07 Jun, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It is a warm climate plant and you want to grow it in Canberra - cold.
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 02 Jun, Caroline (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
I have never grown eggplant before but successfully grew 6 plants this year outside in Invercargill. They produced well and have just started to die off now that we are getting frosts every night. I have harvested all the fruit but was wondering if it is worth leaving them in the ground for next year or just pulling them out and starting again next year.
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 13 Sep, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Read the notes at the bottom of the page.
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 04 Jun, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Your eggplants will probably die off completely during the winter, so it would be best to start again with new ones in Spring.
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 31 May, Margaret Dawson (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
I have little silverbeet plants in little pots in my glasshouse. It's now June, is it okay to plant them outside. I live in Taumarunui in the King Country. My glasshouse is quite small and I don't really have enough room for them to grow big in there. Thanks. Hope to hear from you soon Margaret
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 07 Jun, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sounds like you have no option but to try it. Or a far bigger green house.
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 06 Jun, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You can only give it a go.
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Pumpkin 31 May, Jill Western (Australia - temperate climate)
I would like to plant some butternut pumpkin in a warm sheltered area that has rich soil. Is it possible to plant now in June. Also should I use seeds or buy plants. Thankyou.
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Pumpkin 01 Jun, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A warm sheltered area in June July August is not warm at night. It says to plant in Sept to Dec for a reason - it is a summer growing crop.
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Shallots (also Eschalots) 30 May, Pam (New Zealand - temperate climate)
please can you tell me where I can purchase small round shallots seed in NZ
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Shallots (also Eschalots) 12 Sep, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Shallots are generally grown from bulbs. What is sold in supermarkets is spring onions. A lot of difference. (Shallots are available in some NZ supermarkets - intended for cooking - Ed:)
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Shallots (also Eschalots) 07 Feb, Terry (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Can I replant my new shallot bulbs straight away?
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Shallots (also Eschalots) 19 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
True shallots grow as a clump of up to 12-20 bulbs and when developed are purple skinned. If you keep some of these from one year to the next, all you need to do is plant 2-3 bulbs together and space them about 8-9
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Yam/Oca (also Oka) 29 May, Lee (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
So, I have some yams to plant. Earthing up means covering the plants with soil a few times with soil as they grow? O
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Yam/Oca (also Oka) 30 May, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Earthing up means to build the soil up around the plants as they grow. Don't cover the whole plant with soil. Dig a trench about 150mm deep - plant the yams. Then as they grow back fill the soil. Even hill it up when you have back filled to level soil.
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NZ Spinach (also Warrigal greens) 28 May, Ronnie Enis (USA - Zone 12b climate)
Where can i find Warigal spinich in the U S. I live in wisconsin.
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NZ Spinach (also Warrigal greens) 30 May, Mike L (Australia - temperate climate)
USA company is Sow No GMO on the net.
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NZ Spinach (also Warrigal greens) 30 May, Mike L (Australia - temperate climate)
I found some on Amazon - 30 seeds for $6.
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NZ Spinach (also Warrigal greens) 30 May, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Look up seed selling companies in the USA on the internet.
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 28 May, Chris braid (Australia - temperate climate)
Where do I buy a choko plant in Melbourne?
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 30 May, Mike L (Australia - temperate climate)
Normally you buy a choko and leave it in your pantry or window sill - when it starts to sprout/shoot and grow a vine then you plant it. In Melbourne that is December.
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 30 May, ME- Rachel McCracken (Australia - temperate climate)
You can just buy a choko, sit it in the laundry (or somewhere, on top of a cupboard worked for me) till it sprouts, then plant. You’re going to really struggle though, buddy. The best luck I had was when I bought a choko at a Farmer’s market in SEYMOUR from a grower around Ardmona. They were better acclimatised. It takes two years to start cropping. Best of luck!
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Showing 6841 - 6870 of 20174 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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