All recent comments/discussion

Showing 2281 - 2310 of 13855 comments
Shallots (also Eschalots) 16 Sep, Geoffrey Page (Australia - tropical climate)
Q can I grow shallots using potting mix from Woolworths or do I need to make my potting mix fertilizer???
Shallots (also Eschalots) 17 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I would never recommend potting mix for growing vegetables. With the rising temperature going into spring and summer the attention to watering really increases. Lots of watering leaches out the nutrients from the potting mix. Just my opinion but the supermarket potting mix is pretty ordinary - yes maybe good for potting shrubs etc but not for vegies. If you're going to use it mix it with real soil - with 50% or more soil.
Shallots (also Eschalots) 20 Sep, Peter Devenny (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
hi anon, I live in a unit and grow all my vegies in Pots on the balcony with great success, however as you stated pots can dry out quickly and nutrients do leech out , i use seaweed mix once a fortnight and dynamic lifter (pelletised) once a month, i also diligently keep an eye on the moisture lvls, i have found using a good mulch about 3 cm deep on top helps with the moisture retention, Happy Gardening. Peter
Shallots (also Eschalots) 22 Apr, Meme (Australia - tropical climate)
Thanks for this info as I too will be growing a lot in containers as I am older and bending is not an option I have anymore as well as on my knees. Oh for the good ol' days when my body was more able. Regardless growing especially things you love is a great and satisfying project
Shallots (also Eschalots) 25 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I fertilise before I plant with straights (chemical fert) and water 3 times a week. My fert costs $1-1.5/kg compared to up to $15-20/kg for some of the small fancy stuff. I do take it that people in units have a very limited growing area. And as I said doing pots requires a lot more attention. I also use mulch around most of my plant. I do 12 pallet size raised garden beds half a year for a school. A 12m x 2m home garden 9 mths of the year. I am presently setting up (and will be the operator) 12 garden beds, each 4.8m x 2.5m for a disable group. I'm just finishing off a 6 bay composting system. They are each a pallet high, wide and deep. Cheers
Shallots (also Eschalots) 17 Sep, Peter Devenny (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
yes you can , however I personally would go with Searles brand, available in 30 or 60 ltr bags, depending on potting mix you might like to add some sharp sand for extra drainage and of course the cheaper potting mixes will require extra fertilizers before planting
Shallots (also Eschalots) 21 Sep, Peter Devenny (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I also add a 20ltr mushroom compost and a 1 in 3 mix of sharp sand to help with the drainage to the 60ltr searles premium potting mix, i also use self watering pots for the more susepitable vegies to drying out. happy gardening :)
Broccoli 15 Sep, Kathleen Foxwell (Australia - tropical climate)
I live in Hervey Bay. I have planted Broccoli seeds. They never form a head for me to harvest. They are just leaves. How can I get them to grow the edible broccoli head?
Broccoli 16 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Broccoli is best grow in your/my area, autumn into the winter - plant seedlings or seeds early March to May. DO NOT have super rich soil. SOIL high in N will just produce a lot of leaf. I had this problem last year with cabbage and broccoli coming out of winter into spring. I won't do that again. I have tried seeds the last 2 years. For broccoli I think the best is to just buy seedlings from Bunnings.
Shallots (also Eschalots) 15 Sep, Kathleen Foxwell (Australia - tropical climate)
I have planted shallot seeds. When they are due to be harvested they are only as thick as a piece of 8 ply wool. How do I make them grow bigger?
Shallots (also Eschalots) 16 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
For over 50 years my mother and I have always grown shallots from bulbs. Kept some bulbs from one year (from spring crop) for planting the next year - autumn into late winter. A lot of different people have different names for shallots. The way to have good thick stalks is to grow in full sun, plenty of fertiliser and water. If the leaves are a nice deep green colour all is right - if light green yellow - they need fertiliser.
Shallots (also Eschalots) 14 Sep, Greg O'Brien (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Anyone! We’re keen to try growing golden shallots and need to find a contact where we can buy a reasonably large amount of seed cloves. Anybody able to help?
Shallots (also Eschalots) 16 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Do you mean the little gold/brown shallot/onion. I grow what I call shallots - the cluster of bulbs - purple/brown colour when fully grown. You let the shallot fully grow and seed and then harvest the cluster of bulbs. I usually save some from one year for the next year. I had a lot this year and have a few left now. Usually by now they have dried out to nothing or when some humidity about they start shooting. I doubt I have enough for you but what I have left could be planted - have to be real soon though. I live Coral Cove - via Bundy.
Rhubarb 14 Sep, Yvonne Rule (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Do you know where nz can you buy terracotta rhubarb forcers Thanks Yvonne
Rhubarb 16 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try googling it.
Parsnip 14 Sep, Rob Taylor (Australia - temperate climate)
I have parsnips growing at Hervey Bay, they are growing well, but they appear to be all top. I have cut the top foliage back. Will this affect the root. best regards Rob
Parsnip 16 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Probably too much fertiliser especially N. More a crop to grow autumn into winter than in spring.
Tomato 14 Sep, Allan Clarke (Australia - temperate climate)
If you freeze tomatoes, then thaw them out, they go all soggy, I believe.
Onion 14 Sep, petre (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, Can I buy Onion sets in Australia ?. I live in Canungra Queensland. Thanks, Peter.
Onion 20 Jul, Peter Turner (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Don't buy sets to plant onions. Onions are a biennial crop meaning they flower and set seed in the second year. Onion sets are cold hardened to mimic over-wintering they will think they are in the second year and will go to flower and set seed. This comes at the expense of the bulb getting large.
Onion 16 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What do you mean by sets?. I don't grow onions but I would think most people grow from seeds or seedlings.
Tomatillo 13 Sep, Julie Elliott (Australia - temperate climate)
Bought one tomatillo at the green grocer near me. It was the 1st time I'd seen them selling tomatillo. I left it in the fruit bowl a few weeks and watched it shrivel up. Then I squished it open and left it another week or more to dry out and tonight I pricked out the seeds. Tomorrow I'll plant some seeds in a seed punnet and leave it on my north facing kitchen window sill to germinate. I'll do a punnet each week. The leftover seeds I'll keep for next year. Hopefully some will sprout. I travelled with a Mexican friend (from Mexico City) many years back and saw how she (and her maid) cooked them. I especially loved "drowned eggs". And I saw tomatillos growing wild in southern Mexico near the Guatemalan boarder. My memory is that it was a fairly lightly foliaged shrub like plant. Wish me luck.
Potato 12 Sep, Stephanie (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have potatoes growing in last years patch, from some left behind and unharvested. They look healthy, will they give a reasonable crop or should I pull them and put new seed potatoes in?
Potato 13 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Preferable to plant something different each year in the same bed. Let some grow and plant some new ones and compare what they produce. Gardening is about trying things.
Strawberry Plants 06 Sep, Chris sheppard (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live in Brisbane and have mine covered with shade cloth, should I keep watering the plants through non fruiting months, don't want to kill them .
Strawberry Plants 09 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Strawberries are shallow rooted so keep the water up to them. Check the soil to see if it is dry or wet. A good watering 3 times a week. Later in the year they will send out new runners.
Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 06 Sep, Kelly (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Green Harvest online store has Jerusalem artichokes in stock now.
Garlic 06 Sep, Suzanne Lee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have garlic growing for the first time, they are lovely and green but i don't want to over or under water them. Can you give me some guide lines please. I have a dripper system with these, but wonder if that is giving the required amount or what is the optimum system and how much water, for garlic. I have no idea if they are hard or soft necked garlic! They were purchased from an organic grower but i didn't ask what style they are.
Garlic 09 Sep, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Stick your finger in the soil, down about 3-4 cm
Carrot 04 Sep, Steve (Australia - temperate climate)
How long should you leave the board on? Most of my seeds have germinated but are becoming leggy to search for light. Thanks.
Showing 2281 - 2310 of 13855 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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