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Showing 841 - 870 of 1601 comments
Rockmelon (also Canteloupe) 15 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just plant when they say so and try to protect them from the wind a bit. I didn't think they would grow in cold places.
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Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 12 Oct, Robbie (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, could I grow Psophocarpus tetragonolobus in Ashburton outdoors? if not should I grow them in the greenhouse? Thanks
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Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 15 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It is normally grown in hot humid areas so if you like try the green house.
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Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 18 Dec, Lauren (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
I grow them outdoors here in Dunedin they do really well, but the ones in my tunnel house are much faster
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 11 Oct, Katherine (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Other than basil is there anything else i can plant with capsicum like lettace and radishes, spring onion? As they are going to be in raised gardens im trying to maximise space
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 12 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just give them some area to grow - they could shade other plants which could stunt them a bit. Yep go ahead with your suggestions. If you can find shallot bulbs try them - quick and easy to grow. Or just try a succession of the smaller plants you are talking about. i try and plant taller plants in one end of my garden and smaller in the other end - swap next time I plant.
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Watermelon 11 Oct, Jo (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Planted watermelon seeds late last summer,didnt grow. Now they are sprouting but stem red colour after second leaf. Is this normal?
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Watermelon 12 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Best tasting melons are grown in the spring here. I don't know about the red stem stuff. They will start picking them here in about a months time. I LOVE EM.
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Yam/Oca (also Oka) 03 Oct, cheryl (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi I grew my yams in big bucket & deep wheel barrow but after harvest 50% went rotten< I left them out to cure in the sun under a roof covered @ night, I v been doing this for years with no problems, Why?? Second problem is I can "t grow parsnips I v tried pouring hot water over rows after planting, the board trick, no luck at all. I live in Southland but don"t hold that against me.
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Parsnip 12 Nov, Alison (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
With regard to the parsnips I would recommend you try germination before planting them. Lay the seed on paper hand towel or similar. Lay seeds onto paper and cover with another paper towel. Dampen paper and keep moist (I'm thinking a sprayer would be a good idea). After 3-4 weeks there should be tiny roots forming. Using tweezers to handle seeds, transfer them to the soil bed you have prepared. Now, I haven't done this (by some fluke my seeds germinated and I have three small rows at different stages!) but I will next year. Successful gardening!
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Parsnip 28 Jun, Mark Stentiford (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I have tried this last year with VERY good results (with three year old seeds as well), place in a container with a lid and you only need to water them once, you can also select the best of the crop to transplant with no failure. Good luck
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Yam/Oca (also Oka) 08 Oct, Mike (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Too much water probably or maybe some water lying in the top of the plant where it joins the yam - I had this problem with long white radish (Daikin or Japanese radish) in SE Qld this winter. Parsnips - read the notes here - attention to soil type, time to plant and most important keep the soil damp - water 2-3 times a day if hot.. I use a piece of shade cloth over my small seeds until they have germinated and grown a bit. If you have some spare timber make a little structure to nail/clip the shade cloth to. I have 2m x 2m frames that I have bird netting and vegie netting on to keep out birds and bugs. I put the shade cloth over them.
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Pumpkin 03 Oct, Jess (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
I see that I should avoid planting pumpkins with potatoes. But how far apart do they need to be? Is opposite ends of the same garden bed ok? Thanks.
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Pumpkin 08 Oct, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Depends how far apart you planted them - ends of a bed doesn't tell me much. Take into consideration how far the pumpkin plant will spread - could be 5-6-7m. Do you want them running through your potatoes. I would suggest planting any vine crop away from smaller crops.
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 02 Oct, Warren Leedes (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Firstly thanks for the web site I would like to grow the different coloured Kumara, how do I go about getting seeds please? Any advice would be gratefully received Kind regards Warren Leedes
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 04 Oct, Paul (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Plant the tubers that you want to grow but in a separate bed. They will sprout lots of shoots which will also have roots near the base. When the shoots are 40 to 50 cm long put a fork under the tuber and gently lift it out. Separate the shoots and plant them in the bed you have prepared for them as indicated in the article above. Last year, before I knew this, I planted several tubers where I wanted them to grow but after learning the right method I dug up three and planted out about 50 slips. The slips can be left in water while you are waiting to plant them out and in a few days mine put out prolific roots where the base was under water. You can also start the sprouting inside, cutting the tops off tubers and putting the cut down in shallow water, then planting them out when they start to sprout. Roots will also start growing but later than the shoots. Look for the eyes in the tubers as they are where the shoots come from.
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 08 Oct, Mike (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Also you can use 50-60cm sections of the growing plants 6-8 week old and plant them along the ground with the tip out of the soil. Roots will grow from where each leaf joins the vine.
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Ginger 26 Sep, Annette Kaye (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I have grown ginger successfully for 10 years now. I started when a piece from the supermarket sprouted and so I planted it in the garden. It does extremely well here - in fact it is a pest and grows wild. My question is, the ginger I grow is not as hot as the ginger I buy. It is very mild. Why is that?
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Ginger 13 Oct, John (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Your older dried ginger is not as spicy? or are you comparing young ginger which is mild compared to older dried ginger? In Thailand you get dishes with fresh young ginger stir fried as a vegetable as it is nice and mild and not fibrous.
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Ginger 08 Oct, Mike (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Never grown it but it might have something to do with the variety or maybe too much water, Do some research on the net about varieties.
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Brussels sprouts 26 Sep, Kelvin (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I planted in late May and now (early spring) the stems are 1-2 foot tall and small sprouts are forming but the tops are starting to flower. Should I leave them, pinch out the flowers or just pull out the whole plants?
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Brussels sprouts 08 Oct, Sudhakar Jha (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Same with my plant, what to do?
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Brussels sprouts 07 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If flowering the plant is coming to its end. Not enough fertiliser or the growing season is ending. It is a winter crop and for cool cold climates.
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 19 Sep, Eddy (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Can they grow on canterbury christchurch
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 06 Oct, denise (New Zealand - temperate climate)
i live in Kaiapoi and grow in tubs. the soil is warmer
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 21 Sep, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Did you read the notes here. I suggest you do and pay attention to when to plant.
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 19 Sep, Bess (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Is it advisable to pinch out the growing tips to stop the plants from getting too big? Thanks!
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 20 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
NO!!! The longer it grows the more zeeks you pick.
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 12 Oct, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have plants that are 5-6' long and still bearing zeeks. i want to pull them out but a fellow at the men's shed keeps hand pollinating them and they keep producing fruit. They are 5.5 months old.
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Sunflower 17 Sep, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Read the notes here about when to plant, how long it takes from planting to harvest. Probably can grow in most places. Animals if hungry will probably eat them. How big the flower grows will depend on how well the plant grows to some extent.( And the variety) If first attempt at growing you probably have little chance at producing flowers on a certain date.
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Showing 841 - 870 of 1601 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. GardenGrow 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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