GROW WHAT YOU EAT – the message from Gary today as we often put plants in the garden but not on our plates.
Last month we created the garden and today is plant out time.
Gary suggests now is the time to plant, the rain has done its job, and even if the ground is water logged 2 days with a little sunshine and the water has found its way into the soil. Clay soil can be another matter with it acting like a giant sponge and it will take its time to sink in. Mushroom compost will hold the water so maybe let the rain settle before adding in this particular rainy time.
Winter vegies are ready to plant right now with bok choy, pak choy, broccoli, sugar loaf cabbage, asian greens and brazilian spinach just to name a few that are suitable for this area. The snow peas and red noodle beans are great to plant now but remember not to block the sun as winter is coming and any trellis plant will block the sun. The pineapple sage and tulsi basil will bring the bees and great for flavouring the family meals. If you have lots of flowers and seeds on the tulsi basil you can cut back by around 50 % and dry the seeds and flowers to use in your winter meals. Great to put in a paper bag and hang in the kitchen until its all dried and ready for storage.
Look for bottle gourd and loofa plants as they grow well in the wet and are not effected like the zucchini plants that tend to rot. If you pick the gourd and loofa when they are small, around 15 cm you would think you are eating zucchini.
Don’t water the seedlings in with all this rain about but a little diluted worm juice 1:10 will give them a real boost.
Potatoes can also go out soon, along with garlic on St Patrick’s Day – a good little reminder. Look for a reputable source for your garlic and Gary suggests you push the garlic into the ground and mulch and leave. Love that type of gardening!
If you are planting your beans and peas from the pod seed only, just push in the ground and leave – DON’T Water at this stage as there should be enough moisture in the ground.
If the heat hits, protect your plants with milk crates or the like to dapple the sun or use an upended black pot to give relief.
WATCH out for the bugs – the cabbage moth and cluster bugs are busy little buggers and before you realize they have taken over the plant. If they beat you – pull the whole plant out and feed to the chooks. Dipel is the spray to go for – its an organic spray and the box will fill you in on all the info you will need to treat your plants.
With colder nights, rainy days, hot muggy days the weather is confusing and this transfers to the plants- so don’t fret if the growth is slow. Following the moons cycles we are in the slow stage until the next cycle so enjoy the garden and watch out for the bugs!!
Step 3 in April takes us to kitchen – we will be picking the produce so join us on the 2 nd Tuesday @ 10 am
