All recent comments/discussion

Showing 3781 - 3810 of 13822 comments
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 07 Feb, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thanks Darren for the reply.Yes I have been covering some plants with cheap bird netting but not beans. The moths can easily lay eggs on the netting if veggies are touching the netting. Also when I lift off the netting grasshoppers do hurry in...The yellow (huge horse bucket) is in the patch now. Just hope no good insects land in the drink...!!! We have peacocks,turkeys ,wild brush turkeys and goats free ranging,so all our veggie patches have to to be well meshed and chicken wired everywhere. Blessings to you and thanks a ton for info..
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 05 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Maybe time to cover with some bird netting. Make a frame and cover with bird netting. Easy to lift on and off. Or try some wire netting with shade cloth over the top. Like an inverted U. I'm about to do this for dwarf beans - to stop the bean fly in Autumn.
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 07 Feb, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thanks Mike for your tips. Can you cover climbing beans using inverted U method? Also, do the bees need to pollinate bean flowers? I am interested in making the cover for dwarf beans,so can you explain a little more on how to make cover.(as I am not very good with making things).Blessings to you and thank you for the handy ideas.
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 13 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
To make a U cover (better description is an n shape) for climbing beans would be quite a job and probably expensive if you don't have the materials around the yard now. We had climbing bean at the Men's Shed over 8' tall. Beans don't need bees. For dwarf beans you could go to Bunnings and buy a roll of wire netting (dog mesh or similar) - I think they do 5 M rolls. 1200mm or 1500 mm high would be better. Make a shape like a small n - 1200 mm 400 up each side and 400 across the top. With the 1500 mm 500 up each side and 500 across the top. Cover with 50 or 70% shade cloth - ($5/mtr Bunnings). Shade cloth is 1800mm wide - so put that over the top and lay some wood posts or what ever along the cloth on the ground - also put a piece of tin or wood on the end to stop them going in that way. My plants are growing pretty good - will be interesting to see if they flower soon. My tunnel is a little small.
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 17 Jun, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Mike thanks for pointing out that beans don't need bees. I'm a fairly inexperienced gardener - try and try again, this time I seem to be a little more successful - and what I have found (in my previous attempts at vegue growing) is that just as I think I'm home and hosed, something happens: grasshoppers turn up - party time - something gets my tomatoes, tomatoes get what I have learned us blossom rot, leaves turn yellow - and so on= kaput! I also am never sure as to whether I am giving too little or too much water. At times the soil on top looks well-watered but if I check I find the soil is not so moist underneath. Any advise/suggestions appreciated.
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 03 Mar, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I took the tunnel and shade cloth off about 2 weeks ago as the plants were a little spindly. The have grown well and are now flowering. The bean fly hasn't attacked them -- yet ???. When I plant beans now (seedlings - March) they are always attacked by bean fly.
Eggplant (also Aubergine) 02 Feb, Frances Pegrem (Australia - temperate climate)
I am not sure when to pick my eggplants. They are yellow, some are bigish and others growing. Some of the first ones to go yellow went spotty but some of the later ones are larger.
Eggplant (also Aubergine) 05 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It takes about 15 weeks to grow. Pick one and cut it open - if it has lots of seeds in it, it has gone too far but you can eat it. Keep doing this until you work out when to pick. Try and pick when only a few seeds. Not too big - not too small.
Potato 01 Feb, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Spuds are shooting in pantry. . .does that mean I can plant them now in North Central Victoria?
Potato 05 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A good indicator if shooting.
Potato 26 Sep, Irene (Australia - tropical climate)
Just wondering, though ... wouldn't your 'climatic conditions' be different in your pantry than in your 'outdoors'? Just because the 'climate' (temp etc) was ok in the pantry, would that necessarily mean the climate/soil temp etc would be suitable? Secondly, what are other's thoughts on planting potatoes chitted in the dark of a pantry .. wouldn't the sprouts be 'leggy' (light starved) and weak?
Cucumber 01 Feb, Margaret (Australia - temperate climate)
My apple cucumbers have flowers but no cucumbers there are lots of lady Beatles on them do not like to use a chemical spray could that be the reason?
Cucumber 05 Feb, Darren (Australia - arid climate)
By lady beetles, I assume you mean ladybugs. They are a beneficial insect so I wouldn't recommend spraying them. I am having the same problem; apparently it has something to do with the extreme heat.
Cucumber 05 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Check to see you have female and male flowers. There can be up to 7 times more male than female flowers. Usually on the vines come male flowers first and then produces female flowers. The female may only be open for 1 day. Do some hand pollinating. Look up the internet for a youtube video.
Pumpkin 31 Jan, Karen hoye (Australia - temperate climate)
When to plant gourd seeds in Newcastle NSW first attempts Cheers Karen
Pumpkin 02 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It says it grows like pumpkin, so plant it now.
Beetroot (also Beets) 29 Jan, Mick (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it best to plant beetroot late summer or early spring ? we get frost here in Bathurst
Beetroot (also Beets) 30 Jan, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Do both.
Beetroot (also Beets) 31 Jan, Katie (Australia - temperate climate)
Beetroot don't seem to mind a frost although in my area we only get a few days of severe frost. Most are light. Due to our hot Summers they only really grow well in Winter here so consider how hot your Summers are if planting in Spring! If you are likely to get temps over 40 degrees before harvesting they probably will struggle
Potato 29 Jan, Ava (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live in emerald area and want to plant potato in a raised garden on concrete and was wondering if they will go well in the ground if planted now
Potato 31 Jan, Katie (Australia - arid climate)
They will grow better in Winter
Potato 02 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A commercial grower in Bundaberg (about a 6 hr drive south of Emerald) plants in May. Emerald would be a drier place than Bundy and colder in winter. In Bundy they grow two crops sometimes, an Autumn and a Spring crop. Sweet potatoes are grown all year here also.
Potato 30 Jan, Mike (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You talk about a raised bed and then say plant in the ground. Leave it until March April.
Radish 28 Jan, Alice (Australia - temperate climate)
You mentioned that Radishes are best planted at three times the seed's diameter. Could you suggest a specific depth for a variety such as a Cherry Radish?
Radish 02 Feb, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I received some cherry radish in the mail yesterday and it says 10mm deep.
Radish 30 Jan, Mike (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Just run the rake handle in the soil to make a small furrow 4-6mm deep. Shake a few seeds into one hand and then pick up a few with the other hand and drop along the furrow. When finished cover the seeds with 4-6mm of soil. Water them morning and night. You could put a piece of shade cloth over the top of them until they germinate.
Pumpkin 28 Jan, Shelley O'Brien (Australia - arid climate)
What are the best varieties of butternuts, and pumpkins to plant in dry areas of western NSW?
Pumpkin 30 Jan, Mike (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Go to a seed company like Boondie Seeds and read about different pumpkins. Doesn't matter what kind of pumpkin you grow it will need a fair amount of watering.
Cucumber 28 Jan, JOHN schofield (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Help I got such nice fruit but they get stung and I cut off the worst part deep cut and eat rest taste great so my question what do I do as I don’t spray and they grow against a wall ,
Cucumber 30 Jan, Mike (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I take it you mean they are stung by some insect. Try and find an organic spray on the internet. Try and work out what the insect is.
Showing 3781 - 3810 of 13822 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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