All recent comments/discussion

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Showing 1501 - 1530 of 1601 comments
Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 11 Feb, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Sandra, have a look at this site www.bbc.co.uk/search/sweet_potato
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Marrow 09 Feb, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Mel, harvest will take about 12 - 16 weeks from seed sowing
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Leeks 30 Dec, Demeter (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Same. I think I planted them too late last summer and now have gone to seed and virtually inedible. Planting more now.
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 02 Dec, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Claire and Adam, The flower heads will drop off pollinated zucchini . Small zucchini rot because they are not pollinated. See earlier answers for info about hand pollination.
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Carrot 11 Nov, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Meeghan, Carrots and parsnips will take about 3/4 weeks before you see anything above ground. Carrots look a bit like blades of grass when they start. Tom, there's probably too much fertiliser in your soil. See the comment from Skip (02/11)
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Beans - dwarf (also French beans, Bush beans) 27 Oct, Liz (sent in by David) (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Dani, check www.hbci.com/~wenonah/min-def/beans.htm for mineral deficiencies. Are you using compost or chicken manure which hasn't completely matured? That can cause nitrogen deficiency and yellow leaves.
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Potato 27 Oct, nial (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
hiw long does it take a potato to grow
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Potato 09 Jan, Stephanie Easthope (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
HI Nial It depends on the variety. You can get 'early' or 'main' crops. Early varieties take about 90 days from planting to harvest, although I find I can get a good crop in just 60 days, but I am in Auckland so the temp may help. Main crops can be 120-190 days depending on the variety. If you do a google search on seed potato varieties, there are some nz websites that have tables showing the different types and how long they take to grow. Steph
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Potato 17 Jan, Sharron (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Hi. Do you ever grow 'early' potatoes late? ie just use them whenever you would like a quick crop of potatoes? And what is your favourite for flavour? I'm growing Arran Banner now. I just got a community garden plot in December and I found a bag for peanuts. They are doing well, planted mid December, but they are forming flowers already. Cheers
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Shallots (also Eschalots) 19 Oct, jenny V. (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Have flourishing shallots I bought at a supermarket. Do I wait until their foliage dies before I pull them out or can I use them now, as I want to do? Love shallots.
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Shallots (also Eschalots) 03 Jan, Wayne Jacobsen (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Yes. Wait till leaves start to die off - March or April. I 'tickle' a few a bit earlier if needed. In December/January, give the clumps a dose of general fertiliser or blood and bone - this boosts the developing bulbs.
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Yam/Oca (also Oka) 11 Oct, Valerie (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Yams are easy to grow - just save some from the fruit and vegetable depatment at the sumermarket. Cheaper that trying to get them from the sead supplier.
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Yam/Oca (also Oka) 07 Oct, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Di and Terry, A couple of earlier comments gave possible sources of yams. Good hunting
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22 Sep, dylan brown (New Zealand - temperate climate)
great website
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 09 Sep, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Mike, 4 x 4 blocks means plant in 4 short rows, 4 plants to a row, so that the plants are fairly close together to increase the chance of cross-fertilisation as the pollen is wind blown. Mark, putting 2 seeds in together is because there is a chance that one will fail to grow.
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Rutabaga (also Swedes) 02 Sep, Diane (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Peel and slice swede into 2cm thick slices and gently fry them in a little oil until browned on both sides. Absolutely yummy as a replacement for potato.
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Broccoli 30 Aug, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Iainie, you may be growing sprouting broccoli which will not produce a compact head but lots of loose ones. When the weather is hot and/or dry broccoli will flower quite quickly.
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Kale (also Borecole) 18 Aug, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Paea, you can buy kale seeds online from www. kingsseeds.co.nz or some garden shops sell their seeds.
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Kale (also Borecole) 18 Aug, Paea Haraki (New Zealand - temperate climate)
can u tell me where can i buy kale from in new zealand or seeds
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Asparagus Pea (also Winged pea) 08 Aug, Sandra (New Zealand - temperate climate)
You can buy asparagus peas with the scientific name of Tetragonolobus purpureus from King Seeds in New Zealand (www.kingseeds.co.nz). I assume this is the same thing? I ordered a bunch last week and they were here witnin 3 or 4 days.
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Broccoli 01 Aug, ian todd (New Zealand - temperate climate)
What's the best way to trim sprouting broccoli to keep the plant producing please?
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Asparagus 28 Jul, Valerie (New Zealand - temperate climate)
It's only the end of July and my asparagus is already sprouting. Should I pick it or leave it alone? It's in it's third year and I haven't picked any for the last two spring/summers
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Potato 20 Jul, Sarah (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Regarding the earlier comments about frost, i once flatted with a woman who forgot to harvest the container potatoes she was growing before the frosts arrived - and it can get down to -5 here, although -2 or -3 is more usual - and they came away again the next spring. i have no idea how the crop turned out, since i moved out before she dug them up, but it's worth bearing in mind that potatoes are the storage unit for the plant. if your plants get frosted, it just might mean that you have to wait until the next year for your crop.
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Potato 20 Jul, Sarah (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Ivan, if i remember rightly, your potatoes will be ready to be dug up once the leaves start turning yellow. for main crop potatoes - those that grow later in the season, you can wait until the tops die down completely before you dig, and this will help them to keep longer. if your spuds are earlys - growing early in the season, just start digging when the yellowing starts.
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Potato 20 Jul, Sarah (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Lisa, just leave your potatoes in the tyres for their entire growing season - i doubt they like being moved much since they are a root crop. you can increase the size of your crop by adding more tyres on top and filling with soil or potting mix, whatever you're currently using. leave a bit of green growth poking through though - say around 5cm or so. you could easily stack 4 or 5 tyres high.
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Parsnip 14 Jul, Arnie (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Pastinaca sativa
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Kale (also Borecole) 05 Jul, kirsty hewitt (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
How and what to grow for winter in a cold climate
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Garlic 21 Jun, gareth (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
somethings eating my garlic HELP PLEASE!!!
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Broccoli 26 May, James (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Trish, your broccoli plants need their leaves to grow good size heads. So keep trimming to a minimum. Certainly, you can eat the leaves but you might find them a bit tough.
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Peas 13 May, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Tony, we left peas off the tropical calendar because the climate is usually too hot for them. Have you tried asparagus peas? They can cope with warmer weather. You use the pod whole like sugar peas.
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Showing 1501 - 1530 of 1601 comments
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