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Showing 1201 - 1230 of 13866 comments
Pumpkin 24 Jan, chris (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Planted a few grey pumpkin plants, but all seem to be coming on orange. Last season the first 2 on the vine ended up giant orange and the rest were grey. What do we need to do to get just the grey ones. Cheers.
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Ginger 23 Jan, YT (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
In Western Sydney, galangal is growing well. Does this indicate ginger could also grow well here as this place seems to be in a climate border zone between sub-tropical and temperate?
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Ginger 09 Feb, Jovi (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, Yes, I have been growing ginger from few years in western Sydney and I am not disappointed. Although, the yield is low and that could be due to nutrients deficiency but the taste is good. This year my growing space is 5Mx1.5m with approximately 60 plants. Also I have double the space allocated for turmeric and I m loving it. Cheers
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Ginger 25 Jan, (Australia - temperate climate)
Give it a try - the guide here is only a guide - local conditions come in to play.
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Rutabaga (also Swedes) 23 Jan, Tracey Bullen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I live in Hobart & have had great success with swedes & parsnips in separate beds. Can they be planted in the same bed? Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Rutabaga (also Swedes) 25 Jan, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Shouldn't be any problem.
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 23 Jan, Vickie (Australia - temperate climate)
First time growing mini yellow capsicum. There are heaps on the Bush mainly green going to orange. When do I pick them
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 25 Jan, (Australia - temperate climate)
You can pick, green, orange or wait until yellow.
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Horseradish 21 Jan, John (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted horseradish 2 months ago in November Which month should I dig up Also do I just take a root segment and replant
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Horseradish 22 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
It is in the notes here. Harvest time. Replant after winter I would assume.
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 20 Jan, lori (Australia - temperate climate)
it says ' prefers cooler weather
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Chinese cabbage (also Wong bok, wong nga pak, napa cabbage) 22 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
I personally would plant this autumn and harvest winter (not Sept as they suggest - way too hot by Oct/Nov). I'm sub tropical and have done this. Prefers cooler weather means grow it in the cooler months.
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Rosella (also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) 15 Jan, Rod Ward (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Rhonda, I live in Caboolture, not far from you. Just wondering could we catch up some time to exchange ideas about growing Rosella plants. Thanks in advance Rod
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Rosella (also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) 22 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
No Rhonda here in the last 50 comments. Start with good rich free draining soil. Add compost etc before planting. Plant at the recommended time. Water regularly - 3 times a week, longer waterings in summer.
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 15 Jan, My Quach (Australia - temperate climate)
Choko leaves become yellow Please advise how to save my choko.
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 18 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Water and fertiliser
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Rockmelon (also Canteloupe) 12 Jan, Anthony (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
how to hand pollination rock melon flowers and which flower has to be treated to start fruit to grow
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Rockmelon (also Canteloupe) 12 Jan, Liz (Australia - arid climate)
Hand pollination for melons with the male flower starts with carefully removing a male flower from the plant. Strip away the petals so that the stamen is left. Carefully insert the stamen into an open female flower and gently tap the stamen on the stigma (the sticky knob). Try to evenly coat the stigma with pollen. (From www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/melons/hand-pollinating-melons.htm) Female flowers have a tiny melon shaped bump behind the flower.
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Rhubarb 05 Jan, Josephine B (Australia - temperate climate)
I have tried to grow rhubarb over the years, but without success - don't know why it seems to die as I don't over-water it - I just keep testing soil with my fingers until soil is only lightly damp. So now, I have another 8 crowns bought last year (2020). When I bought them most of the crowns had lovely fat stalks, so I cooked them up - YUM, LOVELY. This year (now Jan 2021) they all have very thin spindly stalks, have read that I need to leave them for another year to grow being only young plants. I've also read that one should remove the dying off leaves which I have been doing. Is this the general practice as mine have many spindly leaves with still more still producing. I've also read that these new spindly stalks can be use or is it better to leave them to die off then remove them? LOVE my rhubarb and can hardly wait to cook more up rather than paying $6.00 for 5-6 stalks from the supermarket. Anxiously waiting for your reply. Thank you.
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Rhubarb 06 Jan, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Spindly thin leaves probably means lack of nutrient in the soil. Did you improve the soil with compost, manures, fertilisers before you planted the crowns. They probably need some regular fertilising, every 2-3 mths when growing. To buy crowns with big fat stalks doesn't sound right to me. They should have been left until production had slowed down like going into winter. The plant goes dormant in winter, so you plant crows in late winter early spring into good rich well drained soil. Any other people here with experience with rhubarb, I have never grown it.
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Pumpkin 05 Jan, Sue Bradshaw (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I inherited a large Kent pumpkin vine when we moved into our house a year ago on the Sunshine Coast. It came with a single substantial pumpkin. As I've learned more about the way they reproduce I've tried to hand pollinate with only one successful outcome. The vine currently has two pumpkins, one of which was made without any help from me. A couple of weeks ago (late December) the vine became full of tiny female flowers and the male flowers were in abundance too. I thought I'd have a great outcome and even saw a bee or two. But not all of the tiny females even reached the flowering stage, just withered where they grew. It has been pretty hot and humid here, with temps 30+ most days and night in the low 20s. I keep the water up to them but they really suffer during the mid day heat. Would shade cloth help? Is there anything I can add to the soil?
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Pumpkin 06 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Most veggies are grown as an annual. To have one 12mths old is a bit unusual. The vine would be very long now before the flowers appear, maybe the plant can't sustain that. Pumpkin zucchini and probably watermelons and rock melons etc When they flower they start with male flowers to start attracting the bees, then produce female flowers. The female flower is only open for one day generally and will be shut by lunch time. So it needs a few visits from bees in that 2-4 hrs to fertilise the female flower. Or needs hand pollination on that day. I live at Bundy and I grew pumpkin through last summer and it was 3-4 degrees hotter last summer than this year so far. I think you just have an old plant that has had it's day. After you pick this years crop think about planting next year in the spring, your vines will be well establish going into summer. It will also allow you to refresh the soil with compost, manures fertiliser etc.
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 04 Jan, Heather (Australia - temperate climate)
Since I planted the silver beet next to a rose tree that was doing really well.....the silverbeet are doing well but the roses flowers have shrunk considerably and some of the leaves are yellow. Is it because the silverbeet is taking up a lot of the nutrition in the soil and should I also water more now to allow for all of the plants to get enough hydration? We live in Melbourne and it is summer. thanks
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 05 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just my view but I don't mix plantings of things together. As far as I'm concerned a rose garden is a rose garden. A vegie garden is for vegies. They require slightly different fertiliser. If mixing plantings then more fertilisering and watering is required especially in hot summer.
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 06 Jan, Heather (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks good advice. I think i may try to transplant the silver beet somewhere else and see how it goes.Or i will leave them fertilise them more and water them more right now being summer.
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Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 03 Jan, Max Crichton (Australia - temperate climate)
As far as Aphids go I have a small thistle (don't know the name of it) with yellow flowers which if left to seed have a white fluffy seed nest. This plant attracts the Aphids which in turn leave my veggies alone. Every couple of days I will rub my hands along the stems and squash the little critters. I let this plant go to seed and the seeds come up where ever they want too. Also I have a home made Garlick spray which helps to deter quite a few bugs (however it will also deter bees). Try allowing some weeds grow around the plants, I have found that the pests get a little confused and go away. Keep control of the weeds and only have a thin layer. Do a little companion planting also helps. Other that this, I let the birds and lizards take care of the garden. Good luck.
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Corn Salad (also Lamb's lettuce or Mache) 31 Dec, Leonora Lloyd-Evans (Australia - temperate climate)
Where can i get corn lettuce (once pandemic is over!) I live in Qld and understand you need a cool climate to grow it in. Kind regards Leonora
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Corn Salad (also Lamb's lettuce or Mache) 05 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Go to Boondie Seeds on the internet.
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Sunflower 27 Dec, Tess (Australia - tropical climate)
I live on Horn Island on the tip of Cape York, is the best time to plant the seeds after the wet season in April?
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Sunflower 05 Jan, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Not too many plants like wet soggy soil. Read the notes here.
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Showing 1201 - 1230 of 13866 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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