organic vegetable gardening courses, growing tips and homegrown recipes.
My tomato plants are outside now, tucked into bottomless-pots to keep off the worst of the wind and to stop the birds scratching out the plants. I'll take the pots off when I put up strings to support them once the plants are established. I've put up bamboo canes onto which I'll tie the strings. Here are some more ideas on how to get the best from … [Read more...]
Some plants prefer to start life directly in the soil. Others are happy to be moved from being sown in pots. There are benefits and risks for both approaches. I start some beans and corn in pots over heat in September or October. When I transplant them into the garden, I plant them in a grid at about 30cm spacing in both directions. I sow some bean … [Read more...]
Cabbages, cauliflowers, kale, broccoli and other brassicas can be demolished in Summer by cabbage white butterfly caterpillars. You can opt to grow them only in the cooler months to avoid this problem. Or you can use a Dipel spray which is suitable for Certified Organic produce. This spray is effective if you are diligent in applying it but you … [Read more...]
Even if you think you can sow seeds successfully, coming to a workshop makes sure you actually get it done. I provide all the equipment and give you a whole range of seeds to choose from that you otherwise wouldn't try. You also get an easy system that sets you up for a full edible garden the whole summer. $29 per person for a 90 minute practical … [Read more...]
There's still plenty of time to plant potatoes in Wellington. If you're transforming a patch of lawn into vegetable garden, potatoes are an ideal way to start. Even if you've only got a bed 1.2 meters square, it's still worth growing your own potaotes. Here's my article on potato growing from Wellington's FishHead magazine. I'll demonstrate potato … [Read more...]
Pesto is usually made from basil and pinenuts but in spring when there are lemons and coriander about, I make this version. Mix it through mashed potato, spread it on a lamb steak before you wrap it in proscuitto and roast for about 20 minutes, use a tablespoon of it as a topping for a piece of fish or in pasta sauce. I spread it on sandwiches and … [Read more...]
Salad leaves can be colourful, spiky or bitter. Their taste, texture, shape, size and appearance are all important. There's much more to salad than lettuce and the best way to experience them all is to grow your own. Combined with some herbs and a great dressing you'd have the basis of a delicious lunch. Here's a selection of leaves you could grow … [Read more...]
Some seeds need steady, warm temperatures to germinate quickly. Daytime things may be fine, but at night they'll suffer if it's too cold in a greenhouse, outside or even on a draughty windowsill. The King Seeds catalogue gives very good information about the temperature seeds need to germinate. Tomato seeds and corn will germinate in less than a … [Read more...]
The apple and pear trees are in full blossom. It's time to sow seeds both inside and out. Beans, carrots, leeks, onions, lettuce, beetroot, turnips, radishes, fennel, herbs, silverbeet, spinach, zucchini, squash and cucumbers can all go in now. Or you can buy some seedlings at the garden centre or supermarket. Once they go out they'll need … [Read more...]
I will have tomato plants for sale again from King Seeds seeds. Here are the dozen varieties I've grown this year. They're $4 each or $20 for six. Tomatoes need a warm, sheltered spot, support from bamboo canes or something similar. They need regular feeding and watering in the summer - I use seaweed tea weekly and dig in plenty of compost … [Read more...]
