[holland]

Hi,

Anyone grow there own veg and want to offer some tips!!!

Went to our friends house last night who picked our dinner out of the garden including tomatoes, peppers and corgettes....

I fancy a bash!!!

Any tips? What can you plant now? Is there a specific veg that is easy to grow?? ( not known for my gardening skills)

Help!

J x

[Potato]

Hi,

Anyone grow there own veg and want to offer some tips!!!

Went to our friends house last night who picked our dinner out of the garden including tomatoes, peppers and corgettes....

I fancy a bash!!!

Any tips? What can you plant now? Is there a specific veg that is easy to grow?? ( not known for my gardening skills)

Help!

J x

I could go on...and on about growing veges.
You're lucky to be in Hawke's Bay, a very good growing climate in general. One thing to take into consideration is - do you get frosts?
Don't expect to plant tomatoes, peppers and courgettes now, they really need to be started in September on a heat pad and transplanted outside after Labour Day, then they will be producing throughout mid/late summer and into early autumn.

Gardening is always about planning ahead. You could plan for winter food. So the likes of leeks and onions. Cabbage is a classic. Don't restrict yourself to boring cabbages either, try something different- other great things to try are collards and kale, which produce abundantly and are very easy to grow and generally undemanding. They are also extremely nutritious.
Don't forget silverbeet too. :)
And carrots.

If you plant things now, you can take advantage of a few weeks of good warm weather to get them started. They will slow down a bit going into May (inevitable with shorter days and weaker sun- even if you do have days hitting 20C). And depending on the crop you could be eating things in late May and into the winter.

Are you doing container gardens or growing in a patch? Preparing a patch is a subject all to itself, suffice to say you may need a fair bit of compost depending on your needs and location.
If you are planning on planting carrots, do not compost the soil as it will interfere with their growth (they might grow out instead of down).

Just for starters, you could pick up a few pots, some potting mix and plant seeds of kale/cabbage, silverbeet and carrots in there. They all germinate pretty easily, just keep the soil moist and then watch out for pests (white butterfly = pure evil).
You can get good seeds from kingseeds.co.nz, koanga gardens and eco-seeds. All tend to sell seeds which are "heirloom" varieties, or organic, as opposed to those which are commercial hybrids and often have less disease resistance and poorer taste in the end product.

I started my "winter garden" in pots in early/mid Feb. My collards are looking extremely good as is the silverbeet. They are producing earlier than I expected. Only thing to watch out for in these cases is that if continued hot weather continues they may bolt to seed - this essentially means that they are no longer good for eating. I just need it to start cooling down by the end of april.
For you though, don't worry. This is a very good time for planting for the winter garden. I started a bit too early. Go for it :)

Good luck :)

[holland]

oooooooooo Potato...thanks for advice!

We are renting at the moment and the landlord plays for a gardener...the lawns/borders are pristine, so I am going to go and buy some pots! I haven't got a clue if we get frost here as this will be my first winter, we arrived here in November last year. How do you know when your carrots are ready if they are in the ground? Is that a really stupid question??:confused:

Do I need to get some sort of feed for the vege's?

J x

[Kate D]

Actually, growing my own veggies is something that really appeals to me too when I get out there. Can anyone advise - is there a "veggie growing for beginners" book or the equivalent?

I'm asking as it alway seems that people with allotments or patches have their veggie rows occasionally interpersed with certain flowers, presumably for ground nutrients and/or pollination. And I can't imagine that any veggie seed packet is going to tell you much about that.

Or are magazines like Cuisine or House and Garden useful sources of seasonal info for this kind of thing too? You see, I have my subscription list eyed up already:-)

Kate

[Potato]

oooooooooo Potato...thanks for advice!

We are renting at the moment and the landlord plays for a gardener...the lawns/borders are pristine, so I am going to go and buy some pots! I haven't got a clue if we get frost here as this will be my first winter, we arrived here in November last year. How do you know when your carrots are ready if they are in the ground? Is that a really stupid question??:confused:

Do I need to get some sort of feed for the vege's?

J x

Same situation as me, pretty much. Renting also and landlord doesn't have space (or the will?) for me to go planting.
If you're stingy (and I am), you can swap pots for $1 plastic buckets from Mitre 10, bore holes in the bottom with a screwdriver and you have a makeshift pot. This is really for those on a tight-ish budget though as they are not exactly going to last for years and years. :)
Pots in general are not ideal for roof vegetables, however, carrots do fine. Good question on when they are ready, use just general common sense in terms of knowing how long they take to mature (usually will say on the seed packet) and around that time, just have a loose dig around with your hands and you can tell pretty easily.
Hawke's Bay probably does get frost if you're inland, but not so much by the sea. Might be best to ask around the neighbours (if they're into gardening). However, it's not a big issues as everything that I mentioned in my first post can handle frost with ease. I raised the point because apparently things like kale taste better after frost.
For vege feed, I would being by buying some blood and bone mix from a gardening store and mixing that with the potting mix (maybe 10% b&b, the rest potting mix). You can supplement this with a layer of kelp on the surface, but only do this once your plants are a decent size, since kelp can "burn" the stems of plants if they touch it, so you always needs to keep a slight distance between your kelp and the stem anyway. But the blood and bone should keep them going easily anyway for a while. If you don't fancy the "risk" of kelp, you can buy some sort of "manure tea", which is made from sheep manure. You dilute it and pour it onto the soil just as a you're watering the plants.
There's heaps of options out there.
I tend to garden organically, and use Dalton's Organic Potting Mix. It apparently has an organic slow release fertiliser and something to hold back disease. Who knows.

[holland]

Thanks for the tip...I am extremely stingy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Potato]

Actually, growing my own veggies is something that really appeals to me too when I get out there. Can anyone advise - is there a "veggie growing for beginners" book or the equivalent?

I'm asking as it alway seems that people with allotments or patches have their veggie rows occasionally interpersed with certain flowers, presumably for ground nutrients and/or pollination. And I can't imagine that any veggie seed packet is going to tell you much about that.

Or are magazines like Cuisine or House and Garden useful sources of seasonal info for this kind of thing too? You see, I have my subscription list eyed up already:-)

Kate

Cuisine won't tell you much about growing. But it's a good magazine anyway if you like food (though for me some of the recipes are a bit fancy dan).
You can get Growing Today or Organic New Zealand (the latter is better, IMO) and I'm sure there are more aswell.
I have Terence Conran's "The chef's Garden", it's quite handy. I think anything that mixes love of food with gardening is off to a winner. IMO it's the best way to get a passion for gardening.
The flowers interspersed in patches are to aid pollination in some cases, and to fix nutrients in others, but also to help pest control. For example, the parasitic wasp is attracted to certain plants (like dill, I think) and they tend to prey on various nasties, so you plant dill among your crops to try and allow for natural control of the beasties eating your cabbages.

[Potato]

Thanks for the tip...I am extremely stingy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just be a bit gentle when boring holes at the bottom, I ruined two buckets this way! I tend to use a small screwdriver and make about 8 small holes. Having said that, I won't know until winter if this provides sufficient drainage! :uhoh

[willsken]

Don't forget silverbeet too.



Ahh Silverbeet! :eek:

Potato, I'd never seen them before we moved into our new home, complete with veggie garden. One Sunday I decided I was going to cook this slightly odd looking rhubarb and make a lovely crumble for tea. Chopped the stalks up, cooked them in sugar and added the crumble top. Thought it smelled a little funny but the taste was truly yuck! One very disappointed family!! Dug the things up and planted something we liked.

:laugh :laugh :laugh

[holland]

Willsken...do you grow a lot over here??

J

[Smiler]

^^ What Potato said..............

Brilliant post Potato - thanks! :nice1

Jade - start a herb pot too, you can always bring it indoors or under cover on the deck. It's great to have fresh herbs without buying a whole hydro irrigation grown thing from the supermarket.

We've grown lots from seed but you can also get starter seedlings from nurseries and Pak & Slave, I can't remember the name of the company though. They come wrapped in newspaper and supposedly a minimum of 30 plants, you get heaps more than that for your $2.50. :raebanana3 weeks ago I planted leeks like this, and they're coming along a treat. My red cabbages are being munched on by the white butterflies though, nothing is keeping them away. :mad:

It's great to wander out and pick something for tea and know where it's come from, even if like me you do buy local as much as you can. :nice1

[holland]

herb pot....sounds good....I am going to have a nosey this week, and hopefully set it all up next weekend.

[Smiler]

Ahh Silverbeet! :eek:

Potato, I'd never seen them before we moved into our new home, complete with veggie garden. One Sunday I decided I was going to cook this slightly odd looking rhubarb and make a lovely crumble for tea. Chopped the stalks up, cooked them in sugar and added the crumble top. Thought it smelled a little funny but the taste was truly yuck! One very disappointed family!! Dug the things up and planted something we liked.



Oh Nic that cracked me up! :laugh:laughSilverbeet crumble and custard............ :nice1

The young leaves are really good in stir fry's and salad though. Yum...

[willsken]

Potatoes, tomatoes, beetroot, runner beans, swede, broccoli, lettuce, spring onions, onions, melon, cauliflowers, cabbage (not successfully, little butterflies make sure of that!) radish, courgette, celery. I've probably forgotten something. I'm planning for winter now.

I let the whole thing go when I broke my leg in November but my lovely dad got me well and truly back on track in the 2 months he was here. I have to send him regular photos to prove that I'm doing the weeding! :uhoh

We have a lovely raised, waist high wooden bed running along the back of our garden. Saves all the bending down, it's great! Dad loved it so much he's pulled up his hedge so he can fit one into his garden in the UK, admittedly on a smaller scale. :)

[holland]

wow....that sounds fab Willsken....

I am going to have a bash...we'll see how it works out!

J x

[willsken]

The young leaves are really good in stir fry's and salad though. Yum...

No, I shall never forgive Silverbeet enough to plant him again.:roll (Please note he is a him!:yes )

[holland]

:laugh :laugh

[Potato]

Ahh Silverbeet! :eek:



Ah! You tried to make Silverbeet Crumble! :eek: :D
I just use it as a standard green, can't argue with it, IMO! Steam it, then eat it with plenty of butter and salt. God I love butter!

How about this:

http://www.regionalrecipes.com/article1160.html

I reckon you could eat *any* green if you cooked it like this ;)

[Potato]

So has no one figured out how to control white butterflies?
Seems everyone is having trouble. I really need a massive cold snap to kill the blighters! (Unlikely in Wellington though :( )
Edit to add: So far my only solution has been to go hunting for the caterpillars...they are quite good at hiding from me though.

[willsken]

So has no one figured out how to control white butterflies?
Seems everyone is having trouble. I really need a massive cold snap to kill the blighters! (Unlikely in Wellington though :( )

Dad put nets over the cabbages and they still got in. He was so funny, I watched him catch and squash them and put the bodies on top of the nets muttering "let that be a warning to you all" :D

Didn't work though! Not going to bother growing cabbages next year. :no

[holland]

muttering "let that be a warning to you all" :D

Didn't work though!


:D

[pinkpiggy]

The silverbeet and white butterfly tales are excellent. :laugh :laugh

Must keep an eye on this thread as I'm hoping to grow some veggies when we move in to our home at the end of April. Will it be too late to plant anything at that time? Would I be better off waiting until Spring?

[holland]

mmm, not an expert-AT ALL...hence the thread...but I think you will be ok with carrots, onions, potatoes....

Im sure someone will correct me if I am wrong!

J x

[Potato]

The silverbeet and white butterfly tales are excellent. :laugh :laugh

Must keep an eye on this thread as I'm hoping to grow some veggies when we move in to our home at the end of April. Will it be too late to plant anything at that time? Would I be better off waiting until Spring?

Don't see why not, you just may have to wait a bit longer before they're ready to eat that's all. Still you should definitely get something out of it by mid/late winter. And they will keep on producing through early Spring until they start going to seed.
Everything mentioned on this thread would be fine, apart from the courgettes and tomatoes :D .
If you're interested in garlic, the traditional time for planting is the shortest day- for harvest on the longest day.

[willsken]

We are also growing 300 trees at the moment. We have 2 building plots and they are bare 1 acre plots. Mature trees are expensive especially if you need a lot. We paid a $1 each for these tiny little things last year and now they are already taller than me! We keep them at the side of the house in plastic lined trays (big ones built for the purpose by OH) we keep filled with water. The more you water them the faster they grow. That's why we will keep them in our garden in bags because Hawke's Bay is so dry, if we planted them on the land they just won't grow fast enough. Something for those with building plots to consider doing to save loads of money!:clap :clap

[JandM]

What kind(s) of trees?

[willsken]

Oh, now there's a question. Will look at what we bought and reply tomorrow as I'm off to bed now. :D

[Potato]

This is pretty exciting, a tree that goes from a seedling to the size of a human in one year. It's not a dreaded leylandii is it?! ;)

[JandM]

We saw leylandii in the Northlands being used as windbreak hedges - trimmed up to the height of a house, and then there was about another forty feet above that! I took pictures as ammunition for any time I hear anyone whinge about a 12-foot barrier!

[willsken]

Ribbonwoods are a really fast growing tree. Also if the have huge amounts of water they will grow even quicker. They were 30 cm in height when we bought them and as I said they are now higher than me (5 ' 2). We planted some bigger ones in the garden as well. The were already about 2/3 feet high when they were planted. They are over 7 feet tall now! There trunks aren't that thick yet but that will come hopefully now, in their second year.

We also have some Pittospum trees but they haven't growns as quickly.

[KerryS]

I have really missed having a veggie garden this summer - I may well try out your bucket idea Potato and see if I can get some winter greens going. I currently have a big tub with various herbs in, which have done brilliantly all summer, although I had to separate out the mint as it went wild!
I can't wait to get some sort of order outside so I can work out how much room we have and where the best planting spots will be.

[JandM]

Now I'll have to Google and see what those trees look like.:)

[andrewandjane]

hi,

were growing, borccoli, turnip, onions, beetroot, beens, cabbage, cauli, squashes, pumpkin, carrots a few herbs,and probably a lot i've forgotten we went for organic heirloom varieties for something a bit different,
the growing season on waiheke is pretty good as theres no frost.

in terms of a good book for gardening i'd reccomend Bill Mollison 's books or any other permaculture books. ideal for the lazy gardner as once you do the hard work once thats it, your veggie patch should look after itself.

[willsken]

ideal for the lazy gardner as once you do the hard work once thats it, your veggie patch should look after itself.

Like the sound of that! :D

[holland]

Potato...I couldn't find the $1 buckets in mitre 10...and didn't want to ask because I felt stingy!!!

Was it a typing error?????

j x

[Smiler]

Potato...I couldn't find the $1 buckets in mitre 10...and didn't want to ask because I felt stingy!!!

Was it a typing error?????

j x

Our Mega Mitre 10 has them in those huge wooden bins by the checkout and by the cleaning materials - 89 cents! :clap

[Potato]

Potato...I couldn't find the $1 buckets in mitre 10...and didn't want to ask because I felt stingy!!!

Was it a typing error?????

j x

No, definitely $1. I found them in the "storage" section of the store. Here's my silverbeet growing in one:
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/7007/img9874zg5.th.jpg (http://img229.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img9874zg5.jpg)
(Not sure if they will get crowded out as time passes....perhaps one or two to a pot is a better idea....if not I'll just have to keep them under control by eating them :D ).

You can also get them in the Warehouse (I've only seen them in big stores though) and they may be a bit cheaper.

I would always give them a good wash before use.

Forgot to say that another classic winter crop is parsnips. Difficult to germinate though. They *should* be OK in a bucket...

[JandM]

Like the sound of that! :D


Yes, sounds excellent.:) And Willsken, I found pictures of the trees. Your place is going to look beautiful.

[willsken]

Yes, sounds excellent.:) And Willsken, I found pictures of the trees. Your place is going to look beautiful.

Thank you, we really hope so. I think when we build on the second plot it will be the last move we make. (Hopefully) Have to get it right, stop those itchy feet of mine! :)

[JandM]

Looking up your trees, I discovered in passing something I'd never realised before - that manuka is another name for tea tree. Also, that last year we'd taken pictures of, and taken back a sprig of, manuka, (from the shrubbery outside Crystal Mountain) thinking it was very pretty and wondering what it was. Busy living and learning.:) I use tea tree oil for all sorts of things - no wonder manuka honey is so good, too.

[Potato]

Looking up your trees, I discovered in passing something I'd never realised before - that manuka is another name for tea tree. Also, that last year we'd taken pictures of, and taken back a sprig of, manuka, (from the shrubbery outside Crystal Mountain) thinking it was very pretty and wondering what it was. Busy living and learning.:) I use tea tree oil for all sorts of things - no wonder manuka honey is so good, too.

The "standard" (ie common) tea tree is a different species I think, often it's an Australian one. Manuka apparently is much better for antibacterial properties.

[JandM]

I found details of the two sorts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptospermum_scoparium I'm all set up now to tell the difference! I've got a baby tea tree in the garden here, but I haven't yet been out to feel the leaves to find out which kind it is.

[holland]

Going on a hunt for $1 buckets today:D

Plan to buy all the stuff and plant...wish me luck!

J x

[KerryS]

I have my buckets, and am supposed to be outside planting them up now, before we head off for the weekend.
I've been distracted by a crazy show on tv about someone who eats only cheese!

[holland]

Well, what I discovered about NZ today, is that when its a bank holiday...it really is a bank holiday...nowhere open for buckets!

[Smiler]

Well, what I discovered about NZ today, is that when its a bank holiday...it really is a bank holiday...nowhere open for buckets!

I did wonder when you said it, Jade. I thought that maybe the shops had different Easter opening hours over in HB. :confused:


Still you get to go bucket shopping again tomorrow. :laugh Have you got a bucket list? ;)

[willsken]

Well, what I discovered about NZ today, is that when its a bank holiday...it really is a bank holiday...nowhere open for buckets!

Yes, I forgot this and I don't have any wine! :( Have to have a rummage and see if that old bottle of gin is still at the back of the cupboard! :roll :roll

[holland]

My bucket list consists of

Bucket
Cheap
Cheap
Cheap

Off to cricket, so buckets may have to wait until next weekend!

[holland]

I sound like an easter chick...cheap, cheap cheap:D

[JandM]

Or they might be crickets.:laugh

[holland]

Buckets purchased for 75c!:D

Bought silver beat, lettuce, broccili, celery and carrots. Will carrots grow in a bucket or do they need more space?

J x

[holland]

ok..tough! They are in 2 buckets! If I get overrun with carrots...she says optimistically....can I transfer them to another larger pot or not??

oooo...I can't wait to see my veg grow...or not!

J x

[Smiler]

ok..tough! They are in 2 buckets! If I get overrun with carrots...she says optimistically....can I transfer them to another larger pot or not??

oooo...I can't wait to see my veg grow...or not!

J x

*Doesn't want to ask how many you planted per bucket* :laugh

You can always start pull them as baby carrots, to thin them out if they start to look crowded. :D

[holland]

er...you wouldn't want to know....there was LOADS...oooops!

[holland]

ok...update, so I am sat proudly looking at my buckets the other evening, thinking, 'I am sure there is something I have forgotton to do????'. Bearing in mind that they had been there for 3 days, watered etc.....OOOOPPPSSSS, forgot to put holes in the bottom of the buckets:D ha ha, I told you I was no good at this type of stuff!!! Anyway...hubby and I got splattered with soily water whilst drilling the holes...served me right!!

BUT...my broccili is spruting..ha ha...Im so chuffed, they have been in less than a week!:)

J x

[Asli&Mark]

Hello J,

Although it might take couple or more attempts it worths having your own veggie.
Last year in April, we tried to grow carrots 3 months went by nothing was out then I tried to grow them in our (warehouse) wee green house. lots of them came out and transferred later on to my garden. it took long but while digging and de-weeding the garden I find carrots and then ofcourse run to the house wash them to eat as fresh as possible.
Since January I did not buy any tomatoes and trust me after sometime I am getting redder on the skin :)
I also would reccomend cougettes but don't think (like me) and grow so many as then you end up feeding all your work mates with them :laugh

Asli

[holland]

Hi Asli,

So funny you said that about corgettes...our friends keep bringing them around and they both practically look like corgettes they have grown that many!! ha ha

Interesting about you moving your carrots...where we rent, the landlord hires a gardener and he was laughing last night at my buckets with carrots in...as clearly, one bucket will only fit a couple in and I have planted loads...so I am thinking I may move them...do you think they will be ok, they have been in a week??? he was saying I would have to be careful as they have fine fibres running off them and I have to try not to break it when replanting...

any thoughts??

[JandM]

Why don't you dig out a few very carefully with your fingers and see how they look? If they haven't yet grown so many root hairs that they're all interconnecting, and you handle the compost/soil gently, I don't see why some of them shouldn't survive a transplanting. The longer you leave it, the less chance there is, anyway.

[Debbie]

The tomatoes that the birds got to are now self seeded and growing realy well all over my vegi patch. If I leave them in will they do anything?, it seem a shame to pull them out. If I'd tried to grow tomatoes from seed I would never have had that much success.

Also those cabbage white butterflies are driving me to distraction. I sit and pick yellow eggs of everything and still they munch their way through my broccoli.

Has anyone seed celeriac seeds? I know that I'm probably too late for this yr but I can't ever find it in the shops and I like it.

Thanks Debbie

[holland]

Can't help you sorry Debbie....

Just a quick update on my veg....its going well! carrots have been transferred to 2 HUGE pots and seem to be doing ok, and the rest of the veg is growing day by day!!:nice1

[Potato]

Growth has slowed noticeably here. Could be the shorter days, or maybe my buckets are cramping my brassica's style. :)
Sunday should be a good day, warm and wet, they'll love that.
Luckily the caterpillars got hit fairly hard by that cold snap last weekend and are less of a problem now.

[Asli&Mark]

My courgettes are dying now hence I have stopped watering them as well as tomatoes. I learned my lesson now will not try groving more than 3-4 tom plants and only two courgettes (instead of planting 10-15 toms and same amount of courgettes just in case)...

Previously I bought leeks as seedlings but it is taking so slow them to grow :(
I am losing faith in them.

Well we see what happens.

J,
How are the carrots doing then? I thought you would have transferred them to the garden as the croweded the buckets are the smaller carrots you would get.


Asli

[holland]

Hi,

Well most of our stuff is doing well...but the broccoli looks grim..in fact I am thinking I am going to have to disgard of it this weekend. I have transferred carrots into 2 huge pots...they started off really well, and now, they don't seems to have grown much...I am hoping all the growing is going on under the soil!:yes

A lot of my stuff has holes in it...being munched:(

[Asli&Mark]

I hated snails and slugs when in UK as they never let me have spinach. Now I have visitors at night (hedgehogs) and they eat snails and slugs so I am happy.

Debbie, I found celeriac seeds on trade me (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Outdoor-garden-conservatory/Seeds/Flowers-bulbs/auction-151369845.htm)

Hope it helps

[pinkpiggy]

How's everyone doing with their respective veggies? Have you eaten them all yet or have they been munched by critters?

[JandM]

Two hints I've heard lately for keeping slugs and snails off. One was to crush garlic cloves, and let them steep in water overnight, then to pour a line of the garlic water round the plants. The person saying this swore it works, as apparently the snails and slugs won't cross the strongly smelling trail. :confused: Someone else recommended breaking eggshells into jagged pieces and poking them into the earth round the plants so they stick up (like broken bottles on top of a wall for anti-burglars!).

I guess both of these would be rather labour-intensive for a serious vegetable garden, but might help save a cherished potful of whatever.

[dilanium]

For slugs and snails my grandmother used to always put out a tin of beer. Seems the little things were attracted to it and would then drown.

Worked well until she got a dog (who developed a taste for drunken slugs).

[Andy-Dee]

I think we should have an end of season horticultural show, with prizes for the pic's of the best, largest, smallest, funniest shaped veggie / fruit etc. :yes

Really impressed with all your endeavours. :cheers

[Moorf]

We've pretty much used all ours up now - just a few late-planted onions left in the patch along with the hardy herbs. Will probably put in some potatoes and root veg soon, and garlic mid-June, but it's just the lambs left now to eat :o

[holland]

Im eating my home grown lettuce most nights for tea...my cauliflowers are growing really well but have been munched, my carrots are just not growing...my silver beet and celery has grown fab!

[Debbie]

This weekend, I finally dug out the egg plant and the sugar snaps, I had tried a late sowing of the peas cause I love them so but they just weren't making any peas. One of my celery plants turned to mush and has gone to compost heaven but the others are doing well. Just got the last of the peppers and they will come out next week. Chilli still ripening. Pak choi just about ready for eating and Khol rabi (sp) doing well. I have the tiniest broccoli heads forming so I'm talking nicely to those. My leeks are growing but very slowly and the carrots are a waste of space.
I planted out my late onion seedling this weekend and my first row of garlic. Probably way to early for both but I had a space from the previously evicted plants and I don't like to waste what little space I have.
I've never grown onions or garlic before, anyone know how long they stay in for? I kinda figure garlic out mid summer and onions out from early summer onwards. Does that sound about right? (Or out when I've killed then!!)
Holland, my lettuce gave up months ago what variety are you planting?

Debbie

[shakyle2906]

HI

Can anyone offer some advise ?

Is it too late to plant some veggies this time of the year ? If not, what can i look at growing ?

Never tried before, so 'green' to it!


Sharon
x

[pinkpiggy]

HI

Can anyone offer some advise ?

Is it too late to plant some veggies this time of the year ? If not, what can i look at growing ?

Never tried before, so 'green' to it!


Sharon
x

Me too Sharon. Been trying to persuade OH to start planning now but think I'm falling on deaf ears. I think he likes it in theory but in practice... hmmm. :exit

[kanatakiwi]

hardy greens like spinach, silverbeet and romaine lettuce will do ok, as will peas and broad beens. I have also planted onions which I intend to harvest for green onions.

See my thread on " a good way to save money on veggies" which shows my little growing tunnel, (plastic over metal hoops) a kind of cloche like arrangements, but the veggies love it and are growing like topsy.

[Potato]

HI

Can anyone offer some advise ?

Is it too late to plant some veggies this time of the year ? If not, what can i look at growing ?

Never tried before, so 'green' to it!


Sharon
x

Bear in mind this is the darkest time of the year, and it's getting colder. You can get away with things like silverbeet, kales, collards, cabbages, maybe leeks. The "problem" is that they may mature very slowly given that it's winter, and so you may not get a crop until early Spring. That's still good, but it is hard to plant something in early winter and expect to get anything out of it during the winter months.
Radishes would be worth a go, it's hard to fail with those things!

In about two months you can start planning hardcore for Spring. Many things you plant now will probably bolt to seed as Spring progresses.

My plan is to get straight what I will want to plant in Spring and get them started as early as possible. I may try to germinate tomatoes indoors during August, and I have chilis ticking away already. Strawberries are another I will try, Alpine Strawberries in particular sound very good.