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Showing 1141 - 1170 of 1601 comments
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 05 May, Gareth Lusty (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Here is a Giant White Radish (Raphanus sativus) https://duckduckgo.com/?q=daikon+radish+picture&t=h_&ia=images (Couldn't use your link, Gareth - Ed.)
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 03 May, Rosemary Jorgensen (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I also have grown trouble free Scarlet runner beans for years. Last year I had no beans at all. This year I had enough to feed us but none to give away. The culprit is the green vegetable bug or shield beetle. They suck and forming beans dry and then they do not develop. This last season, I examined them every day and squashed beetles. I still was scarcely winning the battle. It is hard to spray with anything because the plants are always in flower and we are eating them every day. I am also inundated with white fly. I sometimes have success water blasting them off, but they are far too persistent on the beans.
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 04 May, Sean (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Climbing beans, such as Scarlet Runner, often don't set if you have a run of hot weather. White fly are attracted to bright colours like yellow. Get a piece of bright yellow card or plastic sheet and smear it with petroleum jelly. Tie or nail this to a stake near your beans. The white fly will be attracted to the yellow and will stick to the greasy petroleum jelly.
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Celery 02 May, peter andrews (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
being on a pension now,i have taken a big interest in growing vegies,so I invested in a glass house ,I already have beetroot plants growing, very good ,also I have silver beet growing very good ex in fact .also I have broccoli growing good ,cabbage good ,and cauliflour now shooting up ,can I grow capsicums now ,?,,,,,,,and can I grow celery now,,?,,,,,,and can I grow chillie peppers now ?,,,,, its a great way to keep your mind going and its so nice when you see all the plants starting to get healthy and start growing .hope I am doing ok ? I will welcome any advice you can give me to help me master this art of growing ,kind regards peter
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Celery 10 May, Mem (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi you wont be able to grow chillies or capicums until mid spring-early summer,you can grow celery,broccoli,cauliflower,leeks,cabbage,spinach,silverbeet and peas without cover through winter provided you're in an area without frequent hard frosts and lettuce,radishes and beetroot etc in the glasshouse.
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Celery 03 May, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
In your area you would normally sow seed in march and April in your glass house ready for transplanting in May and June. You could also sow seed in August and September for October and November planting out. To avoid stringiness in your celery keep the water up to the plants. Well manured or composted soil will also help.
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Kale (also Borecole) 02 May, Alice (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Aphids over wintering on any curly leaved kale. Last year I grew a lot of leafy greens, the kale Nero was a great success, however the others grew really well but were infested with wooly aphids seeking shelter I assume. I'm not into chemical sprays, and getting the spray in all the curly leaves seems too time consuming, I can wash them off but it's almost pointless with the numbers per leaf. Have others found this? What can I try that's not too much of a hassle as I have a young family and don't really want to go out spraying with garlic spray for example after each time it rains.
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Kale (also Borecole) 25 Jan, Wihiria Mark (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, An organic gardener told me that broken egg shells keep any crawly grub away as they do not like the sharp edges of the egg. Good way to use egg shells as well. I found it did work with cabbage, cauliflower, hope this is useful to you as well.
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Kale (also Borecole) 22 May, hornz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
try companion planting with spring onions, shallots &/or garlic
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Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 02 May, Pou TeRongomau (New Zealand - temperate climate)
October and November best time to grow kumara in the Waikato Hamilton area.
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Spring onions (also Scallions, Bunching onions, Welsh onion) 29 Apr, Ben (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Why can't you plant near peas or beans? If they are growing upwards and spring onions are at the base but a bit off their root system would that help growing close or it just a i don't like growing with you kinda thing..
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Spring onions (also Scallions, Bunching onions, Welsh onion) 01 May, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Ben, Best to plant something else in between peas/beans and onions. Peas/beans have symbiotic bacteria amongst their roots which fix nitrogen into the soil, while the onion family are antibacterial - hence they fight one another's good points. If you put say a row of leafy greens between the two, then the argumentative roots of the two foes will be separated, and the leafy greens will benefit from both the extra nitrogen plus the extra pest protection of the onions. Win win win.
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 26 Apr, Maree (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Can you sucessfully grow zuchini plants in containers, and if so, how deep + wide should the container be for one plant please?
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 26 Apr, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes you can. I have done it but the biggest challenge is to keep them moist enough so you don't get any setbacks. I used 400 mm (16") diameter plastic tubs.
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Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 24 Apr, peter woods (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Can I grow the same wing bean bulb two years in a row or do I have to harvest from new seed every year ? We are in Tauranga. Thanks for your time.
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Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 25 Apr, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Winged beans are perennial and will regrow in the spring. To harvest the seed you need to wait until the pods are full ripe which will be late in the season. As they can be very strong growers some people pinch the tip out after about the 12th leaf. This will cause the plant to send out side shoots.
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Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 24 Apr, Awhi Kingi (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I think I have some Daikon radishes in the garden that sprouted from birdseed , they are getting quite large . no one I know can identify them . I was hoping you might be able to look at the photo's for me and see what you think ? I'm a very new gardener but loving it
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Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 30 May, Olwen Mason (New Zealand - temperate climate)
They came up in our lawn in Wellington from birdseed. They got very large and I was very surprised to see them when the lawn was mown after a long unmown time.
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Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 24 Apr, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Have you seen the photo on the daikon page of Gardenate ?
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 18 Apr, Nigel (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Is it possible to grow eggplant from cuttings?
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 19 Apr, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes it is. Take short tip cuttings in late Spring and into the Summer. If the leaves are large, reduce them with a pair of scissors. Put your cutting/s into a jar of water in a warm spot (not hot) and they will grow roots. Treat them as ordinary seedlings after planting out.
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 28 Apr, Chris (New Zealand - temperate climate)
A speedier way to propagate is to use an aquarium air pump to add extra oxygen to the water you have your cuttings in
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Celery 17 Apr, Yvette (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
My celery has been the biggest hit in my garden all Summer here in Taumarunui. Its starting to look past its best, rip it out now or wait for the frost to get it and continue to use it until then? I was under the impression you could sow celery for winter, this is obviously wrong and I should now wait till spring? :}
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Celery 15 Apr, Bob Bradley (New Zealand - temperate climate)
What diseases affect celery and what steps can one take to avoid attacks.
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Celery 15 Apr, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Celery is susceptible to various fungal diseases which cause the stems to go brown and rot so keep the beds weeded to allow good air circulation. Fungal problems can also be caused by overhead watering and heavy rain. You can't control the rain but ensure celery is planted in an open, sunny spot with good airflow, Good soil and balance in your garden planting to provide food sources for beneficial insects such as ladybirds, hover fly and damsel flies will control aphids, etc that turn up. Any 'daisy' type flowers are good beneficial host plants
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Onion 11 Apr, nik (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I planted 50 red onion seedling last year and they all split into 3 or 4 more like shallots, so after 6 months I gave up and pulled them out What went wrong ? there is no red shallot variety is there?
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Onion 11 Apr, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Onions are like daffodils and other bulbs in that they will grow extra bulbs as a form of multiplication. This can be caused by planting at the wrong time of the year for the variety. Check this on the seed packet and plant accordingly. Sadly nurseries sometimes sell 'out of season 'plants that look good. Tomatoes are a classic example with many plants sold after a few sunny days in late Winter or Early Spring. Trust this helps.
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Pumpkin 10 Apr, Raymond (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I am retired and live in Masterton and would like to grow pumpkins for a little extra income.My father grew triable variety in New Plymouth.Can they grow down here. Thanks
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Pumpkin 11 Apr, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You should be able to grow pumpkins successfully in Masterton. About four years ago a little chap (3) from Masterton won the biggest pumpkin competition run by Mitre 10. To get a good start plant the seeds in toilet paper cylinders filled with potting mix and kept on a sunny windowsill. You could start them in mid-October ready to plant out in early November. Plant the cylinder as well to save any root disturbance (it will rot). Triamble is a great old variety. If you can get seed of 'Queensland Blue' it will probably give you a higher net yield per plant at an average of 17 kg. Properly ripened pumpkins always sell well. Try pubs, restaurants, etc. All the best.
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Pumpkin 25 Apr, Raymond (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Many thanks for your helpful comments
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Showing 1141 - 1170 of 1601 comments
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