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Showing 5251 - 5280 of 13854 comments
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 16 Jan, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pick them to eat when they are big enough! if you want an early feed. They are great stuffed and roasted when they are small. Green 'bell' capsicums will continue to mature and become yellow, orange or red. Longer capsicums will normally change to a bright yellow or red. It's mostly a personal thing. Trust this helps.
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Potato 09 Jan, heather (Australia - temperate climate)
Could you kindly please advise me if seed potatoes can be planted up until the end of January, I know they recommend from August when danger of frost has passed but unsure whether January is still suitable. I thank you for your reply.
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Potato 17 Jan, sandra (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Heather, I am still planting and growing seed potatoes in the Adelaide hills. Growth atm is rampant, and yes I have bandicooted a few little ones also. I just plant in a 2 metre square, and cover with soil, throw what seedless weeds I have into the plot and then cover again with soil and straw. Not had a problem yet with January being too late in the year and been growing them like this for 3 years.
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Potato 16 Jan, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We seem to have potatoes coming up for most of the year. You should still be safe to plant now even if you only get 'new' potatoes. New potatoes are ready about a month after flowering has finished. The skins rub off easily on new potatoes but won't on old or fully ripe potatoes. Trust this helps
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Pumpkin 09 Jan, Joanne (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted pumpkins in early December & they are huge already & have long stalked male flowers not seen any female yet but am wondering if theirs still time for fruit to appear
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Pumpkin 17 Jan, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Pumpkins, for some reason, are often reluctant to produce female flowers early in the seson. They take from two and a half to four months to grow and ripen from flowerset.Turn them on their edge as soon as they are big enough to stop water pooling around the stalk. When the cold weather sets in and the tops die off, harvest the ripe ones and store them in a dry place. Unripe ones can be used to make pumpkin soup or shredded in recipe quantities as you would for zucchini muffins thenfrozen in recipe quaantities for later use instead of zucchini. Trust this helps
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Broad Beans (also Fava bean) 08 Jan, Liz (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted dwarf beans in Perth from March - May with success.
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 08 Jan, Liz (Australia - temperate climate)
You can let the silverbeet go to seed. The seeds will drop on the ground and you will get self seeded silverbeet. Self seeded silverbeet tastes great.
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Tomato 08 Jan, marcus peter rogers (Australia - temperate climate)
why have my tomato leaves crimpling up ? I cannot find any diseases .Thanks.
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Tomato 16 Jan, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
There are many viruses that can affect tomatoes. 'Wilt' viruses can be identified by cutting one of the main stems on a long diagonal cut. If there are brown lines in the 'veins' it is an indicator of wilt virus. The other important consideration in tomato growing (including potatoes, capsicums, egg plant,) is not to plant them in in the same location for 3 years to reduce the risk of soil born diseases. Trust this helps.
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Tomato 09 Jan, Joanne2167 (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes, mine are crimping too. They are also not producing much fruit and not very bushy at all. I am not very good at this and don't know what the problem is but these are the worst I have had.
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 08 Jan, Jo Holden (Australia - temperate climate)
Sowed the Blue Lake climbing beans and had success for number of years, it last 2 summers have problems with brown and sparse leaves. Small crop so far..bed was prepared, and have fed them also water from the top..any ideas or just too hot..have planted a second lot and they look alright?
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 09 Jan, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Climbing beans do not set well in hot weather. You can have a row of pods form on the flower spike then a few hot days and none will form, then a few cooler days and more beans will form. I can't say much about the brown leaves except it could be the heat. Trust this helps.
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Shallots (also Eschalots) 08 Jan, joyce (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted shallots from Diggers and just harvested them. They have divided but did not swell. I also had problems with the garlic which were tiny when harvested. Soil had compost and cow manure. Help please
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Garlic 29 Mar, Ken WIlson (Australia - temperate climate)
Heres an answer for garlic, I grow about 300 plants a year and get good results with about 90% of the cloves coming in at 5cm in diameter plus. Season. Garlic takes up to 9 months to mature. Plant in autumn, late March to May, harvest November to December. Clove selection. Plant only the largest cloves, at least the size of your top thumb joint, I have big hands so I plant cloves 2- 2.5 cm across. Its easy to eat the biggest and the best, its better to plant the biggest and the best. Spacing. I plant 15 - 18 cloves per square metre, 25cm apart in rows 25 cm apart. With 30 cm + paths between 4 rows. It's easy to crowd them, and the yield in terms of weight may be much the same, but bigger garlic are a lot more fun and much easier to use in the kitchen. Sunlight. Whilst garlic can tolerate low sun during the winter months it needs 8 hours direct sunlight during the early and late growth stages. So lots of clear sky when it's maturing, September onwards. If your nutrition is right, (and soil acidity is right) then water could be the problem. While not much water is needed in winter, the ground should be kept moist through the season, especially in spring. A shallow watering is best the roots don't go down more than 30 cm max. Once to twice week during the maturing season. We cant control the weather, but avoid flooding (and applications of nutirients) during the final few weeks to lessen the chance of fungus attacks and sprouting. Garlic likes a moderate amount of lime (dolomite), you can rely on the recommended amount at least two weeks before planting and once every three years. Maturity. Look for tops fading in colour, a weakening of the stem near the base and a flattening of the top of the bulb when (gently) exposed Thats a lot and there's a lot more. It's a labour of love and a lifetime. And I'm sure others will have other suggestions, this is just a framework of what has worked for me. Planting at the moment actually. Regarding shallots most of the above also applies but Im not much of an authority. Shorter season length, but most of the above applies. I plant under the same conditions as garlic but only a few dozen and get good results.
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Garlic 03 May, rod tuck (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Ken Thank you for your very informative post.Will definitely following your advice.Cheers Rod
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Tomato 07 Jan, Bill (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a few Tomato plants one is 1.5 Mtr but top half of tomatoes are flowering facing upwards is this a problem. Thanks
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Cucumber 07 Jan, Lynda Allan (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
My cucumbers have flowers and start to develop fruit and then when very small go yellow and die.
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Cucumber 12 Jan, Anna (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Your cucumbers havent been properly pollinated. I suggest you get a small paintbrush and pollinate them by taking some pollen from the male flower and applying it to the female flower.I use this method with pumpkins and watermelon too
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Cucumber 09 Jan, Joanne2167 (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have had the same problem and looked it up and decided it was they were not pollinating. Try hand pollination. There are plenty of web sites to help.
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Cucumber 09 Jan, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Usual reason is they haven't pollinated. Give them a bit more time and some more male flowers and you should get your rewards.
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Cucumber 07 Jan, Jeff (Australia - temperate climate)
I have picked crystal apple cue's in past seasons and they have been bitter i have a few that look like they are close, any tips on the best time to pick? nothing nicer than an apple cucumber sandwich :-)
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Cucumber 09 Jan, John (Australia - arid climate)
I have always eaten Crystal Apple when they are quite white. When they go creamy, then yellow they have always have been bitter for me. I don't grow them now for that reason.
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Rhubarb 07 Jan, norman john Chapman (Australia - temperate climate)
1st time Rhubarb grower;1 plant going strong 3mths from a seadling ; good red stalks. 1) when do I pick them? 2) do I break them off at the base as I do Silver Beat? 3) should I grow 2 or more to produse enough for a Apple & Rhubarb desert?
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Rhubarb 09 Jan, John (Australia - temperate climate)
To harvest rhubarb stalks pull them down and twist them away from the crown. You will get the idea when you try it. Two healthy well fed plants will produce a lot of stalks but it all depends on how much Apple and Rhubarb pie you like! Rhubarb also make3 a lovely sparkling brewed drink aas well, only takes a fw days in soft drink bottles.
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Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo) 06 Jan, Raj (Australia - temperate climate)
I am living in Melbourne and trying to grow okra from last few years But only five to six seedlings are growing from 30 seeds. Can I saw seeds directly in ground now or it's too late
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Yacon (also Sunroot) 05 Jan, russell bunce (Australia - temperate climate)
what are the health benefits from eating Yacon
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Lettuce 04 Jan, john shanahan (Australia - temperate climate)
Why is it that so many of vegetable plants go to seed before 'hearting'. Mainly lettuce?
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Lettuce 06 Jan, (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi John, not sure if your question is about your garden, or just seeding in general. I had total failure with my lettuce this year. I planted in November, and the Sydney summer was just too hot. In some areas classed as temperate climate you can plant all year, but this guide can't fit everyone. Where I live is generally 6 degrees hotter than Sydney CBD throughout summer, so trying lettuce at that time of year was stupid. Lesson learned. Regarding bolt in general, I think it's really just that plants will do anything to survive. I'm no botanist, so this is all my opinion only. If the conditions are perfect, the plant has the energy and nourishment to produce a harvest. As conditions move further away from ideal, the plants behaviour becomes less about producing a large crop (showing off), and more about survival. When conditions are untenable, the plant will abandon the crop, and put all available energy into producing seeds to try again next year. That's bolt as I understand it, I'm more than happy to be corrected.
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Lettuce 09 Jan, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Lettuces like cooler weather. Varieties like Iceberg, Imperial 847, Imperial Triumph will bolt to seed readily.Great Lakes, Penn Lake, Yatesdaale will tolerate warmer conditions but are a coarser leafed lettuce.
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Showing 5251 - 5280 of 13854 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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