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Marrow 04 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Jane - blossom end rot, use 1-2 teaspoon of Epsom salts in 8-9l of water and apply to the soil. The yellow fruit - have they been pollinated and starting to grow the marrow. If the female flower of marrows, cuies, melons, pumpkin are not pollinated the little fruit will turn a different colour and shrivel up and die. The white spots could be a fungi or disease from damp conditions. Water in the morning so the plants and fruit dry out quick.
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Marrow 05 Sep, Jane (Australia - temperate climate): Mike - my apology. I don't know how I missed your reply post. Re: The small yellow fruit that came off was the beginning of a marrow (I think?).On second thought - upon rereading your post, I have just realised that small,bulbous-like 'fruit' was a female plant and that, as you point out, it was not pollinated! Aha! A light comes on. So yes, that's what happened. What a vast difference between knowing and learning. We are on tight water restrictions (fortunate to have a drop of water!). I was using tank water in the afternoon although I have stopped the late afternoon watering.The leaves have improved 99% and marrows are forming which is so exciting. My one concern, perhaps, is that they might be adversely affected if they grow on the ground i.e. the ground resting side might soft,go brown and invite bugs/rot or something when they (prayerfully) reach that stage. Not sure what to do to help them.Watching them. When I water in the mornings should I water the foliage or just the ground? And will it be better to use sugar cane mulch? I am using dry leaves and grass cuttings (from when drought had not hit so hard). Thankyou for your post.Appreciated.
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Marrow 07 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Do you have bees in your yard. If not read up about hand pollinating. Most of these vine crops have male and female flowers on the one plant. Put some mulch under the marrow if you are worried. Any thing will do. But marrow zucchini grow so quick you shouldn't have to worry. As much as possible water the soil. By watering in the morning the wind and sun will dry plants quickly.
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Cape Gooseberry (also Golden Berry, Inca Berry ) 02 Sep, Margaret Doro (Australia - temperate climate): You can buy cape gooseberry seed from www.edenseeds.com.au
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Basil 01 Sep, Pam Luxmoore (Australia - cool/mountain climate): I’m at my cousins place on Mt Tamborine. Magnificent views over Gold Coast. Can I plant basil seeds now for her and do they like full morning sun ( view of coast ) or afternoon sun the other side. Could easily grow inside or outside with partial shade etc. thanks Pam
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Basil 02 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Google it - basil full sun. 6-8 hrs of sunlight.
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 31 Aug, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I have some wombok growing at different stages. My biggest three have lage, widespread leaves but all the pics of wombok I can find show me long, compact vegies. Since I don't know what the wombok should look like I don't know if this is how it should be? Should I let them keep growing in hope that a long central core shapes itself?Or is this the way it's meant to look? To confuse things more, I googled wombok images/Chinese cabbage and found a host of different pics but not one that looks like mine. Thanx in advance.
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 18 Jan, Joanne (USA - Zone 9a climate): Mine is doing the same. Wide spread leaves not compact at all.
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 02 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): The seeds could be mixed up in the packet or wrong seeds sent. I bought bok choy and end up with Chinese cabbage from an internet seed seller. I have very rich soil (too much filter press applied) and the Chinese cabbage never really developed a head. Huge plants and leaves - no head.
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 07 Sep, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Thanks Mike. I'll have to google 'filter press'. I bought mine from an internet seller too - same thing!
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 10 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Filter press or mill mud is the last pieces/bits of fiber and dirt etc from the process of squashing the juice out of sugar cane. Now days at our local sugar mill they put the fire ash in with it. Very high in P. It doesn't seem much but it has something in it that gives gardens a big lift. It is becoming very expensive (cost of truck to deliver it) compared to fertilisers etc. $120 for a 10 tonne truck load. Down side is you can have a lot of weed seed in it.
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 11 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Should be very high in K.
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 26 Jun, Jane (Australia - tropical climate): Mike, on the off-chance that (3 yrs down the track) you'll read this. I've heard of mill mud. Can I get a smaller quantity and is it possible rid it of seed. Also, how do I use it? Do I dig it into the soil before I plant? Does it smell (mills sometimes do) ? Thnx
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Taro (also Dasheen, cocoyam) 29 Aug, Jean van der merwe (Australia - arid climate): I’m looking for the small furry variety with almost slimy feel under the skin , very tasty. They are dark brown.
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Taro (also Dasheen, cocoyam) 30 Aug, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I have never heard of it. Look on the internet for it.
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 29 Aug, Peter Isaac (Australia - temperate climate): Hi, we have just moved into new home on the Bellarine in Vic, having moved from up in Murray river area of Echuca. and now we have retired, so I have prepared two garden beds approx 2m x 3m x 4cm high on the south side of our home this area is very well protected about 4 weeks ago we put Chicken poo and x 4 bags a lot fertelizes but it was not heavy type, also the dirt was a sandy loom which will retain water, we are holding off planting perhaps start next week which is early September on some seeds, we are looking forward to this experiance as up North it was very hot and working made it hard to keep up, so hear we go looking forward to everything and anyones advices, thanks Peter
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 30 Aug, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Make sure you have 9-12
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 02 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Make sure you have a good depth of soil - 9-12 inches. If putting manures etc in the soil do it 4-6 weeks before planting. Wet it a few times and turn it over a couple of times also before planting - to mix it in the soil and help it break down. What is lot fertiliser??
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Garlic 29 Aug, Ruth Munro (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Can you still plant garlic in late August in castlemaine?. Its still freezing here minus 3 at night.
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Garlic 31 Aug, Sue (Australia - cool/mountain climate): You could give it a try but I doubt there will be time for the bulbs to develop as all the energy will go into leaf development. In Daylesford we plant in April/May and harvest around December. They also seem to like moist, cool weather and hopefully we are running out of that. Last year though, the cockies took all the tops off mine around this time so they had to grow new leaves and we still had good bulb development so you could give it a try. Let us know how you go.
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Garlic 30 Aug, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): It does suggest to plant April May - have a think about it.
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Broccoli 29 Aug, hayden (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate): i live in hanmer springs, i have grown broccoli under greenhouse to protect from harsh frosts we get here. they have grown all through winter and i harvested the heads few weeks ago, and have been eating the side shoots ever since. june july they stopped growing hibernated, but last month has seen warmish temps so evrything has shot away. greenhouses are great.
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Rhubarb 29 Aug, Judith Paul (Australia - sub-tropical climate): When growing rhubarb in sub tropics should I provide some shade for the plant.
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Rhubarb 30 Aug, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Read the notes again - it is there,
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Pumpkin 28 Aug, Judy (Australia - temperate climate): We live in maryborough Vic and would like to know when we should plant pumpkins. And do we need to have any other plants around for the bees to come
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Pumpkin 30 Aug, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): You found pumpkin and set your climate to temperate - check the monthly calendar planting/sowing guide. The big green capital P means when to plant. Try to notice if you have bees in your yard, if not look up on the internet - bee attracting flowers and plant some.
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Potato 28 Aug, Niresh (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): Which area is ideal for potato cultivation and where i can go for the cultivaton over 50acres of land
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Potato 30 Aug, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Try the internet for growing potatoes in NZ.
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Rhubarb 28 Aug, Cherrie (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I'm on the gold coast and I want to grow rhubarb in a big 65lt tub, is that tub too big? I'm not sure of the root ball size it will get to. Was thinking this size would prevent the pot from falling over as the plant got bigger? Thanks in advance for any replies xx
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Rhubarb 28 Aug, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): It says spacing of 90cm between plants - so a pot 60-90cm across would be good.
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