Gardening Pete

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Vegetable Garden

Spring is a busy time in the vegetable garden, but the reward of summer salads made from ingredients picked freshly from your own garden is worth a little effort. Prepare the area by digging it over, adding Fibre Earth Garden Mix. This will open the soil making it easier to plant into, while adding nutrients naturally. Apply Garden Lime at the rate of one handful per square metre. In September you can plant lettuce, parsley, spinach, silver beet, celery, rocket, peas, beans as well as cabbage and broccoli. Root vegetables such as radish, carrot and beetroot can also be grown in spring but are best grown from seed as they dislike being transplanted. Vegetables which need the ground to be a little warmer – such as pepper, tomato, egg plant, basil, chilli, cucumber and melons - are best left until October for planting out.

Pete

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Annual pots and hanging baskets

With summer comes outdoor entertainment, and a great way to furnish your outdoor living area is with pots and hanging baskets of flowering annuals to provide a spot of vibrant colour.  As you want this to be a feature be sure to use plenty of plant’s so your container is full without gaps. Use a quality potting mix, preferably containing a water storage product. Do not overfill the potting mix but allow a 5cm lip to the top of the container so water can be applied without overflowing. Feed every two weeks with a good liquid fertiliser and remove spent flowers to prolong the flowering season.

Pete

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Roses

Roses thrive in the warm, sunny summer days but suffer from drought conditions very easily. To protect the roots from summer heat and help keep moisture in the soil apply a mulch 55mm around the plants. This will also reduce the splashing of soil onto foliage reducing the likelihood of fungal diseases while feeding the plants naturally. Trim spent flowers from your roses as this will encourage a new flush of flowers on many varieties. It will also ensure spent flowers do not become an entry point for disease.

Pete

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Spring bulbs

Plant your spring bulbs once the autumn rain arrives (and before the end of June). For best results mix Fiber Earth 50/50 with your garden soil before planting. Bulbs should be planted twice as deep as the size of the bulb. Fiber Earth should be mixed down to this level.

Pete

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Herbaceous perennials

Plants like Dahlia, Chrysanthemum and Tuberous begonia grow up in spring, flower during summer and then die back to ground level in autumn. They provide stunning displays of colour but don’t need replanting each season like annuals do. When they die down, cover the area with a 55mm layer of Fiber Earth. This ensures you know where the dormant plant is (so you don’t plant something on top of it), helps control weeds and protects it from frost.

Pete

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Roses in summer

Roses are one of the best flowering plants in the garden but this abundance can put considerable stress on the plant during the summer heat. Put a 55mm thick layer of Fiber Earth around the plant to keep roots cool, control weeds, reduce the need to water, and supply nutrients naturally. Spent flowers should be removed to encourage the development of new flowers and extend the flowering season.

Pete

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Growing Hydrangea

It is possible to alter the colour of Hydrangea. To make them blue, use aluminium sulphate and lower the pH of the soil by mulching around the plant with Fiber Earth. To make Hydrangea pink, raise the pH of the soil by applying Dolomite Lime up to 4 times a year. Correct pruning is also important. Once the flowers have finished, cut these stems back. Do not trim stems which have not flowered as these will flower next year.

Pete

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How to prune citrus

Unlike apples, peaches, plums and nectarines where plant health, fruit yield and quality are improved by an annual prune, citrus do not require pruning. However, you may wish to prune them to control their size or remove some lower limbs to make easier access for a lawnmower under the tree. Avoid making heavy cuts into areas with no leaf growth and never remove all leaf cover from the top of the plant, particularly in frosty areas as this will expose the stems to weather damage.

Pete

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Brassica

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Brussel Sprouts are collectively known as Brassica and are great winter staples, as they will hold well in the garden during the cooler months, ready for you to harvest as you need them. However, it’s a good idea to get them in the garden during late summer so they can grow before the cool weather arrives. Prepare the area by mixing up to 50% Fiber Earth with the soil. Young plants should be protected with slug bait and remember to apply Derris Dust to protect plants from white butterfly caterpillar. Derris Dust is best applied in the morning so the dust sticks to the dew on the leaves. As Cauliflower heads begin to form bend some leaves over the head so it is not discoloured by the sun.

Pete

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Grapes

To get the best, largest and juiciest grapes for eating you will need to grow them where they get as much exposure to sunshine as possible. You will also need to “thin out” the bunches of grapes which form. This is removing – by pinching or cutting out – roughly every second grape within the bunch. This gives the remaining grapes room to develop fully and reduces each grape’s draw on available resources. Ensure plants are well watered as the grapes develop and apply a mulch 55mm thick of Fiber Earth around the plants to keep the roots moist and cool while supplying nutrients in a natural form. As fruit ripens cover the entire plant with a bird netting so you get to eat the fruit not the birds.

Pete

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Sweet Corn

Sweet corn fresh from the garden is a summer favourite. Easily grown from seed it is great value for money. Prepare the area by mixing Fiber Earth with the soil adding up to 50% Fiber Earth. Sow the seed in rows in a sunny position. Sweet corn is wind pollinated so plant 2 or 3 (or more) rows side by side so the pollen can be blown from one row to the other.

Pete

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Creepers

Many gardeners are reluctant to grow vegetable “creepers” such as melons, squash or cucumbers because they creep over the ground taking up “too much space”. There are two ways to tackle this:

1. Control the spread by taking the growing tip and winding it around so the plant grows in a circular “coil” rather than spreading out randomly.
2. Grow the plant as a vine on a frame. This is particularly effect with cucumber where the fruit does not weigh too much. For melons the fruit needs to be supported so it does not break off under its own weight as it matures.

Pete

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Pruning peaches and nectarines

There are two schools of thought as to when to prune peaches and nectarines –

1. as soon as they have finished fruiting in the warmer, drier months when the chances of fungal disease entering cuts is reduced.
2. In the more traditional winter months.

I suppose it depends how wet and humid the seasons are in your region. There is no argument on how to prune though. Firstly, remove all damaged and diseased wood. Then remove any inward growing branches. The aim is to end up with a vase shaped tree, as this allows sun into the centre to ripen fruit and for improved air circulation around the tree reducing the risk of fungal diseases. Both also fruit on last season’s growth – which supports the “pruning immediately after fruiting camp” as there will be a flush of late winter growth which will produce fruit next season. If the pruning is done in winter do not cut the tips of branches back too much as this will remove fruiting wood for the coming season. Be sure to treat any larger cuts – more than 5cm - with a good pruning paste to prevent disease entering the cut.

Pete

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Potatoes

Early crop varieties should already be in the ground but main crop varieties, such as Rua, Maris Anchor and Ilam Hardy, can still be planted. They will take approximately 3 to 4 months to mature, so in cooler areas you will want to have them planted to allow this time before the first frosts are likely to arrive. Prepare the area you will grow them in by digging deeply adding up to 50% Fiber Earth to the existing soil. This will give the area a soft soil into which the tubers can form easily. Mound up the soil in rows and plant tubers into these rows. For best results when storing the potatoes for future use allow the plant to flower and begin dying down before harvesting, or in frost free areas tubers can be left in the ground for future harvesting.

Pete

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Tomatoes

It is hard to beat sweet home grown, vine ripened tomatoes in summer salads. However, tomato plants can be prone to blight and mildew diseases. To reduce the risk of these problems, remove the lower leaves to improve ventilation around the plant. Also apply a mulch of Fiber Earth around 55mm deep – keeping it about 10mm from the stem – to reduce water splashing soil onto the plant. The Fiber Earth will also keep the roots cool and moist as well as supply the plant with nutrients naturally.

Pete

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Planting fruit trees

Plant fruit trees in July and August. Dig a hole twice the depth and twice the width of the bag the tree is in, and mix the soil 50/50 with Fiber Earth. Refill the hole so when the tree is set in the hole the top of the bag is level with the surrounding soil. Remove the bag, place the tree in the hole and fill with soil. Firm down with your heel. Ensure the tree is well-watered and well-stacked. Apply a 55mm layer of Fiber Earth to control weeds and help keep the tree moist.

Pete

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Herbs

Herbs are easy to grow and don’t require much attention. Some can be quite aggressive growers (such as Mint, Oregano and some Thymes) and are best grown in pots. Others are very happy anywhere they get full sun. Most herbs need to be kept trimmed back to encourage new growth and prevent them from going to seed or becoming woody. Keep them well-watered and feed regularly with seaweed or fish fertilisers. A mulch of Fiber Earth will also help keep the plant moist and promote strong growth. However, Fiber Earth should not be used in pots.

Pete

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Healthy vegetables?

If your vegetable plants are growing strongly with lots of healthy leaves but your lettuces will not produce a heart, or your zucchini and cucumber will not set, or your tomato plants produce very few tomatoes, your soil most likely has too much nitrogen. This is often caused by using too many sheep pellets, blood and bone or other fertilisers high in nitrogen, or a lot of compost. Applying a little Sulphate of Potash around the plants will help correct this problem.

Pete

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Dirt in your lettuce

Do you get dirt splashed into your lettuce, cabbage or other leaf vegetables? Apply a mulch of Fiber Earth 35 to 55mm thick around the plants (ensure it’s 10mm-15mm from the stem) to help prevent this problem.

Pete

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The power of Magnesium

After the stress of summer, the foliage on plants such as Gardenia, Camellia and Citrus will often show signs of yellowing due to a lack of magnesium. Correct this by applying Epsom Salts (Magnesium sulphate) around the plants. The autumn rain will take it down to the root zone and the leaves will return to their normal rich, green colour.

Pete

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Autumn Lawns

Lawns will have been stressed during summer and now is a great time to prepare them for the coming winter cold and wet. Start with a selective spray which will kill broad leaf weeds and not harm grasses, followed with a good lawn fertiliser. Ask your local garden retailer for advice on the best products for your lawn type and location. Finally use a lawn patching pack to establish new grass in areas which died off over summer.

Pete

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Add nutrients the natural way

Gardeners often use green crops to add nutrients (particularly nitrogen) to the soil. Green crops have the ability to ‘fix’ nitrogen from the air into root nodules. The most common are blue lupin and mustard seed. Sow these now in areas which will have no crops during winter. In spring, dig these crops into the soil to add nutrients and improve soil structure. If you add Garden Mix Plus at the same time you’ll get a double dose and set your garden up for bumper crops.

Pete

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Autumn leaves

These are a valuable resource in the garden. Create a rich compost by scooping up fallen leaves and adding a 5-10cm layer of Fiber Earth’s Garden Mix Plus on top. Or place the leaves under citrus, Camellia and Rhododendron with a 5-10cm layer of Garden Mix Plus on top to speed up the composting process and stop the leaves blowing away.

Pete

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Cyclamen

Cyclamen are often given as a Mother’s Day gift. But more compact varieties with prolific flowering have come on the market and are popular for mass garden planting or growing in containers. In the garden, prepare the area by mixing Garden Mix Plus 50/50 with existing soil to provide an ideal base for strong root growth. Pinch off older flowers as they die off to prolong flowering. Seeds from the spent flowers will often germinate to produce more plants next season. (Note: Garden Mix Plus should not be used in containers).

Pete

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Roses

Prepare roses for the winter cold. Stop applying fertiliser and stop removing spent flowers - this will prevent soft new growth developing and harden up the stems. Trim back (by about half) any long stems so they can withstand strong winds. Apply a 55mm thick layer of Garden Mix Plus around the base to reduce weed growth.

Pete

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Vege garden

Plant all those winter greens such as broccoli, spinach, celery, cabbage, leeks, cauliflower and broad beans while soil temperatures remain high, allowing the plants to get established before the winter cold and wet arrives. Prepare the area by mixing Garden Mix Plus 50/50 with the existing soil to provide an ideal base for strong root growth. Remember to protect plants from slugs and snails with bait and from white butterfly caterpillar with Derris Dust.

Pete

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Garlic

Plant garlic on the shortest day (June) and harvest on the longest day (December). Bulbs are normally on sale from mid-May. Autumn is the time to prepare the area you’ll be planting your garlic in. Dig over the area to a depth of 55mm mixing Garden Mix Plus 50/50 with existing soil. Then apply a 15-25mm layer of Garden Mix Plus on the surface to suppress weeds until planting time.

Pete