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Showing 1231 - 1260 of 1601 comments
Pumpkin 03 Mar, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Pumpkins take about 3 and a 1/2 to 4 months to harvest from seed planting. This will give you an idea whether you will have ripe pumpkins before winter. They like lots of water and manure and often thrive from seeds in the compost. Water them at the roots to avoid mildew problems. If it is a running variety you can turn the vines back on themselves to contain them if you need to. Ripe pumpkins will have a dry stalk. Harvesting after the first frost (if you get them) will make them sweeter. Any unripe pumpkins are not likely to keep very long so you can make and freeze pumpkin soup or grate them into recipe sized quantities and freeze them to replace zucchinis in savoury muffins or slice. For your gardening helps and any questions don't hesitate to refer to this site or send us a line. Happy Gardening!
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Potato 28 Feb, Rex Peni (New Zealand - temperate climate)
1 acre how much seed do I need what's the best variety how much fertilizer give it a go
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Potato 28 Feb, John (Australia - temperate climate)
What variety you grow depends on wht you want to use them for eg. mashing, baking, chips, all rounder, etc. You could contact www.potatoes.co.nz for the most suitable variety to grow. They would also be able to guide you on fertilisers or other soil amendments.
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Potato 28 Feb, John (Australia - temperate climate)
The quantity of seed you would need depends on a number of things - how wide the rows are, how good the soil is, how you are going to cultivate them, etc. As a guide you would need 5-800 kg/acre. I would suggest you contact your local Primary Industries or Agriculture Department for a more accurate quantity. They will know your area and often have charts allowing for different row widths and planting densities to calculate quantities. Happy spud growing!
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 27 Feb, Mike Empson (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
For two years, we have grown scarlet runners on a 2Mtr high frame with pipe outers and wire netting. The plants grow very prolifically, and the harvest was good, but lately the bean pods are significantly reduced in number. They get well-watered, and we pick regularly (perhaps not as frequently as we should) but the beans are tough to eat and quite large. The plant is flourishing well, so is it advisable to trim the tops of the runners, or should we let them grow unrestricted? If we trim them, will the plant still develop? We live in Howick.
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 02 Mar, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Short pods on healthy plants could be caused by poor pollination due to heat. Beans are a warm season crop but pollination and bean set on climbers like Scarlet Runner can be reduced on very hot days. I have seen Scarlet Runner with some good pods then a gap on the flower spike where the beans didn't set pods then more pods. Beans are self pollinating and don't set on very hot days. I presume the plants are growing from a root that has been in the ground for a number of seasons. As you suggest, regularly picking is a must to stop beans going tough. Cutting back the tops of the runners will reduce your harvest in the short term but will encourage denser growth and may make the plants more manageable. I trust this helps. Maybe another reader has some ideas to solve your problem.
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Potato 26 Feb, Lorna Carter (New Zealand - temperate climate)
End of February can I plant potatos now? Position not a lot of sun and no frosts
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Potato 26 Feb, John (Australia - temperate climate)
If you've not got anything else to plant give them a go. I have grown potatoes on the east side of the house which is shaded by flats next door first off then the house after midday. You're not likely to get the yield that you would with a spring-planted crop but any potato is better than no potato! Trust this helps.
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Beans - dwarf (also French beans, Bush beans) 25 Feb, Prakash Chandra (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Which is the last month for planting snake beans in nz sub-tropical.
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 25 Feb, Van (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, for the first time I sowed eggplant saplings this Jan and now am getting the vege. Am so happy abt it. The tip I can suggest is water every day, put them in a good compost and in well sun positioned. If possible try feed them with vege protein liquid, I did just for once. Happy growing- all the best
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French tarragon 22 Feb, Martin Gillion (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Any idea where I can buy F Tarragon plants in Auckland - North Shore?
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French tarragon 23 Feb, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Plant Zero in Aucklnd list French Tarragon. There may be others. P: 0275197108
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Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 17 Feb, Deborah Wells (USA - Zone 7a climate)
I've been growing these for some years now and am a huge fan. Absolutely LOVE them. So do my chickens, turkeys, horses, sheep, cattle and dogs. All except dogs will eat tops and tubers. Dogs only eat the tubers. Cats don't much care for any part of them tho. Cooking tips: I like them best roasted. Cut into 1" x 1" (2cm x 2cm) or so, put on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive or coconut oil, salt, pepper maybe a little basil or rosemary. Roast at 350F (180C) for 25 - 40 min. They come out about the same consistency as roasted garlic - almost like a paste. Use on a nice cracker with a small slice of cream cheese. Side with a glass of a nice, oaky Chardonnay, a good movie and a sexy friend. I'm done. Night, night. Growing tips: don't do anything to them except give them water and some good manure. If you want to get fancy, cut off the flowers and put them in a vase in the kitchen. (Stripping the flowers puts more energy into the tuber production.) Ungrowing tips: If you want to get rid of them, mow them off once a week and don't water. Turn out pigs or chickens. They will dig up every living morsel and consume it. CAUTION! Do NOT use a rototiller on them. It cuts the tubers into microslices and only encourages them to propagate. Enjoy your sunchokes. They are a gift from the gods.
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Potato 17 Feb, David Reade (New Zealand - temperate climate)
If I planted seed potatoes now (Feb 17) is there any chance I'd get a crop before winter sets in?
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Potato 18 Feb, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)
Potatoes need about 3 months to harvest from planting for 'new' potatoes. That is about a month after flowering. If you can get 3 months before frosts give it a go or plant them in a frost-protected area. New potatoes are delicious but won't store like Old potatoes which are harvested after the tops die off. Trust this helps.
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Carrot 06 Feb, mark (New Zealand - temperate climate)
tried to grow carrots for 2 seasons now i doen take off. carrots only size of my small finger as the biggest of the crop.how can i fix it?
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Carrot 07 Feb, John (Australia - temperate climate)
There are a number of reasons why your carrots are small. Carrots like deep friable (loose and fine) soil so if it is only shallow try and dig it deeper and break it up. They also do not like too much nitrogen in the soil. If you have a lot of fresh manure they will grow big tops and small carrots. If your soil is shallow and has clay close to the surface plant the round varieties and eat them when they are golf ball size. Maybe they are not getting enough water. I suggest you think about all these things and also make sure to plant the right variety for the time of year. I'm sorry I can't help you more but trust these suggestions help. All the best for your next crop!
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 03 Feb, Judy Stephens (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My husband has a number of plants grown from seed planted in a sloping area shadowed by mature natives but gets around 4-5 hrs shady sun. No flowers yet but around 40cm high and been in the ground a at least 6 weeks...any hope?
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 05 Feb, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Lack of sunlight and maybe competition for water may be the problem. The other thing is that egg plants are often later to fruit than their cousins - tomatoes and capsicum. Trust this helps.
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Cucumber 02 Feb, Kiri baird (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Hi I have only had two cucumbers of my 3 plants is still early days?
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Brussels sprouts 02 Feb, Tony (New Zealand - temperate climate)
The only way to grow Brussels Sprouts is under fine mesh netting. This keeps off all the bugs and is true for all brassicas. Just drape the mesh over the crops and anchor the sides with stones or pegs. You will be amazed at how good your crops are. Mulch heavily so you don't need to remove the mesh to weed. You can buy this mesh at Mitre 10, it's called "quarantine mesh"
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Basil 26 Jan, Mary (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Please can you tell me if Basil will successfully freeze & still give off its aroma in cooking when use. Is there any special way of freezing it or just plain in a plastic bag? thanks
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Basil 01 Feb, anna (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Works well for me, but the leaves sometimes get a brown colour from freezing, mainly when thawed and refrozen. I perfer to freeze only some fresh and a lot of it already as a pesto in an icecube tray. the cubes are great for portioning.
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Rockmelon (also Canteloupe) 20 Jan, Ron Leggett (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I am trying manual pollination. Not a lot of success. Do I need to pinch out the leaders to promote more lateral growth and more flowers?
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Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 20 Jan, Jackie Klever (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I live in Ahipara, 90 Mile Beach. Where can I buy the seeds or seedlings? Cannot find any up here.
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Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 15 Feb, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I bought mine off the internet.
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Pumpkin 18 Jan, Ray (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Is late January too late to plant pumpkin in Tauranga?
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Pumpkin 03 Feb, Steve (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
A year or so ago I was up that way from Christchurch for a holiday it was April, we saw heaps of people growing pumpkins so I would say go for it but keep them well watered as they like lots of water. And harvest when the first frost hits. Foot Note: I would start them of in seed trays first, in a glasshouse if you have one but not always necessary. If you where down here I would say no?
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Chicory (also Witloof, Belgian endive) 18 Jan, Te Pi' (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, I had red lettuce seeds now it appears I actually have some type of dark-red leaved chicory, its very bitter as a lettuce lol, would anyone be able to give me an idea of what variety this might be? Can Chicory and lettuce cross breed at all? Does anyone want some seeds to try out if they germinate etc after harvest?
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Chicory (also Witloof, Belgian endive) 20 Jan, John (Australia - temperate climate)
It appears your 'red lettuce' is aactually Radicchio which has a hot peppery taste. It is generally loved by Italians and there are many recipes on the internet for its use. If it is grown fast with less light it is likely to be les bitter. Sorry I can't help you more. Trust this helps.
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Showing 1231 - 1260 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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