All recent comments/discussion

Showing 241 - 270 of 19913 comments

Asparagus 09 Apr, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I would suggest you don't. Asparagus need their own area to grow in "full sunlight". They will be there for 20+ years and they spread a bit as the crown grows. You pick the new asparagus shoots (they need full sun then) for about 10-12 weeks and then let the ferns grow (they reach about 4').
Reply
Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers) 29 Mar, Gavin Mutimer (Australia - temperate climate): Keep getting a maggot like larva in my chillies I know it's been infected when I see a little hole been bored in the fruit I do not know if it is a fruit fly or something else no one can tell have asked many people hard to treat if don't know what it is
Reply
Rosemary 27 Mar, Joseph L. Roberts (USA - Zone 7a climate): What rosemary variety is best in 7a (Seymour Texas)
Reply
Onion 27 Mar, Peter (Australia - temperate climate): Last year I had quite a few of my small Onions and Parsley cut off at the base. I suspect the culprit is a Blue Tongue Lizard, i have noticed full grown and baby Blue Tongues in the garden. While I dont want to hurt the Blue tongues, I want my crop to grow. I saw somewhere that Lizards dislike Vinegar. I am going to spray a row of Onions with Vinegar and see if this keeps the Beasties away. Has anyone tried this, or any similar way to deter Blue Tongues. Cheers. Pete.
Reply
Onion 25 Oct, Nadege (Australia - temperate climate): I imagine the best way would be to cover the plants with some wire bird netting, it can be easily bent into shape and onions and parsley will be able to grow through it but I'm not sure the lizards will climb the wire. the other alternative could be to have a dedicated feeding spot where you could provide small amounts of green waste for the lizards so they don't come after your plants.
Reply
Yacon (also Sunroot) 27 Mar, (Australia - temperate climate): My yakons still have some leaves on them and new shoots growing already, it is the start of April in a temperate climate, Australia. When should I harvest them, do I have to let the plant die back, what happens to the new shoots. Regards Maureen
Reply
Asparagus 26 Mar, Rod Ferguson (Canada - Zone 4b Temperate Warm Summer climate): I live in Midland, 50 miles north of our largest harvesting area Allison. Asparagus is my favourite vegetable but Ontario seems to have a season of only a month or so. How does asparagus from Mexico or Peru be available year round? If asparagus was planted in northern Ontario—such as in the agricultural belt near New Liskeard—would our harvesting time be correspondingly extended?
Reply
Horseradish 26 Mar, Margie Lourens (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): Hi, I would also like to know where I can buy. Online if possible Thank you
Reply
Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 25 Mar, Peter (New Zealand - temperate climate): Planted 10 kumera slips in October 2023.... Harvested 50% of them 5 in March 2024....massive green foliage but sadly 6small (very small) finger sized harvest kumera is the only result...starting to get cooler but leaves still dark green....do I leave them in till the weather of leaves change. ( Auckland grower)
Reply
Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 07 Apr, Marc (New Zealand - temperate climate): leave Kumara in the ground at least until mid April. Leaves start to die off or in Auckland slow down in growth. Make sure the edges of the bed are well mulched, this will keep the moisture in the ground and the top soil cool (cooler). I harvest the orange (Beaumont) ones first, followed by the red, then purple and gold as last. there is about a week between harvests. Allow the kumara to dry before storage other wise they will rot. Keep them well protected from rats, my first red kumara harvest was approx 20kg until the rats consumed them in 4 nights to 2 kg.
Reply
Sweet Potato (also Kumara) 29 Mar, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate): Harvest once about HALF of the leaves start to fall over and die off (turn yellow) -- HOWEVER I'm not sure if you planted at the being of October or the end. Given good growing conditions it should take about 120 days -- if you planted at the end October then that is about 120 days.... but it could take longer -- and since the leaves have not fallen over, then I would say, it will take more time. If you planted at the beginning of October, then you are taking a lot of days -- and it could be that the growing conditions have not been optimal for the whole time.... and I would still wait for leaves to fall over... but I would start to wonder if perhaps for some reason all the conditions that your plant needs to have met in order to set tubers have not been met (nutrition, soil type/ph, water, sun light, temperatures etc.). Same rule for potatoes, harvest once the leaves started falling over and turning yellow. That is to say: as long as the leaves are a upright and green they are still collecting light and storing energy (making tubers - and making them larger)
Reply
Carrot 24 Mar, Peter (Australia - temperate climate): I have been planting Carrots, Beetroot and Parsley. When the small shoots appear, I suspect they are being eaten by Blue Tongue Lizards. Does anyone know a humane way to deter the lizards. I love them dearly but they are driving me crazy. Cheers Pete.
Reply
Carrot 25 Mar, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): You need some kind of protective barrier. A frame work with some insect netting maybe.
Reply
Spring onions (also Scallions, Bunching onions, Welsh onion) 23 Mar, Dot (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): If you grow spring onion in a container inside, can you grow them earlier?
Reply
Rosella (also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) 23 Mar, Michael (Australia - temperate climate): What other plants can you grow with this plant to maximise the ground space.
Reply
Rosella (also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) 25 Mar, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): They need their space and nutrient from that space to produce a good crop.
Reply
Tomato 21 Mar, Louise Shaw (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Can I grow tomatoes all year round and do they reproduce
Reply
Tomato 05 Apr, (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Read the notes here for cool mountain areas. Plant spring 8-17 until harvest and then pick for a few months ??? Tomatoes left on the ground will self germinate when the soil temperature is right for germination.
Reply
Potato 21 Mar, Pete (Australia - temperate climate): Its late March and I am on the NSW Central Coast. My seed potatoes from last year have well and truly sprouted. I have planted a dozen or so, and realising that it is very early, I am curious to see what sort of yeild I will get. Anyone have any advice, or experience with planting spuds so early? Cheers Pete.
Reply
Potato 29 Mar, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate): When I harvest potatoes, if I don't get all the potatoes up properly -- then potatoes will grow the following year -- and we get temperatures down to about -10c overnight in the winter here -- and lots of rain in fall..... I actually find it difficult to rid an area of potatoes (in case I want to grow something else there) --- so to me, planting a bit early should not be an issue at all.
Reply
Potato 25 Mar, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): They should produce a good crop if looked after properly. All seasons vary to some degrees -late maybe early.
Reply
Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 21 Mar, (New Zealand - temperate climate): Try the local organic stop
Reply
Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) 20 Mar, Lesley rankin (Australia - sub-tropical climate): My new silverbeet leaves are coming up dry and brittle.
Reply
Cardoon 19 Mar, (USA - Zone 4a climate): Are there cardoon seeds/plants that are perennial in zone 4
Reply
Cucumber 19 Mar, Donna (Australia - sub-tropical climate): My organic cuc’s got smashed with pests this season, I do have 4 more coming on (March) but I’d there a variety that will fruit In SE QLD (Fraser Coast) winter? TIA
Reply
Cucumber 25 Mar, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): When there is rain there are pests. Plants generally do not grow well out of season.
Reply
Tomato 19 Mar, warren (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate): i would like to grow tomatos over winter in a glass house..any tips on what type
Reply
Tomato 02 Apr, faith Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate): Of course there are lots of factors (soil watering etc.), I\ll point out a few you may have issues with. I'm a little concerned about your night time temperatures harming the growth or steady growth of your tomatoes -- in addition Blossom drop will occur in if daytime temperatures are warm but night temps drop below 55 F. (13 C.) -- a condition that can easily occur in a greenhouse in winter. When you look at days to harvest for tomatoes -- they are assuming spring/summer growing -- which means the NUMBER of daylight hours is HIGHER. Your area may drop from 12 hours of daylight in summer to 9 in winter.... that's a big difference. Additionally the INTENSITY of the sun is not as great in winter as it is in summer. This means the plant is not collecting as much light. I would GUESTIMATE you need to at double the DAYS to harvest to account for your growing conditions. If you decide to go forward I would opt for varieties that tend to grow well in colder climates that NATURALLY have less intense sun and shorter days (or install lighting if you don't have it and perhaps some heat). REMEMBER your soil temp needs to stay at about 16c -- so if your pots are on the ground or if you are planting directly into the soil, the cold may creep into the soil from below. There are specific tomato varietals bred for cold hardiness which will tolerate conditions at or below 55 degrees F. (13 C.). The best choices for colder climates are short to mid-season tomatoes. These tomatoes set fruit not only in cooler temps, but also reach maturity in the shortest number of days; around 52-70 days. I would look to some indeterminate cherry or plum size tomatoes (so small tomatoes) with very low days to harvest. I have never grow this tomato -- but -- Originally developed for cool rainy nights, Quedlinburger Frühe Liebe (or as I like to say, QFL) is a German heirloom tomato variety that’s ready for harvest in just 40 days after transplanting (!!!) and keeps producing until killed by a freeze. This makes it quite an amazing all-season plant and a real keeper in the garden if you’re prone to cold snaps. QFL is sweet and flavorful with small, juicy red fruits ==> tomatofest (internet site in the USA) says : Old German potato-leaf variety means "Early love of Qued Linburg". Small spindly vines produce 1 1/2-inch, round, 4-lobed fruit in clusters of 4. These tomatoes have great flavor with good acidity. Developed for cool rainy nights. Prolific even during colder summers. **** you really need to review the conditions in your green house -- day and night time temps, hours of sunlight --and you need to choose your variety wisely -- and even then, this might be difficult -- a lot depends on your greenhouse.
Reply
Eggplant (also Aubergine) 18 Mar, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Our aubergine never grow more than about 300mm tall and the leaves are purple if they produce fruit it is very small about size of a bantam egg. Any ideas?
Reply
Eggplant (also Aubergine) 05 Apr, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): try growing long skinny long eggplant...i found my packet of seeds in a Asian food shop. the brand name is( known you ), under eggplant ........i live gold coast qld and they are the best ....
Reply

Showing 241 - 270 of 19913 comments

Gardenate

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

All recent comments/discussion

Gardenate

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

All recent comments/discussion

Become A Supporter!

Planting Reminders