Jul 10 Edition1 Nursery news
1st July, 2010
|
Betascapes nursery newsletter February 2009 |
Betascapes nursery newsletter February 2009
***NEW at Betascapes***
Eden Seeds and Select Organic have arrived!
Due to popular demand Betascapes will now stock the wonderful range of seeds from Eden and Select Organic (the finest certified organic seeds). They are sourced locally and grown bio-dynamically or organically, they have no hybrids or GMO and none are chemically treated. Give a packet a try to see and taste the difference.
"OUR AIM is to save and distribute old traditional open pollinated varieties of vegetable seed, preferably old Australian varieties and organically or bio-dynamically grown where possible.
We believe they are more nutritious and better tasting, hardy and easier to grow for the home gardener. Old varieties produce over an extended period. Home gardeners obtain relaxation, enjoyment and quality from a most rewarding hobby.
Our seeds are the old traditional open pollinated non-hybrid varieties and have no chemical treatment, and no genetic engineering."- Eden seeds www.edenseeds.com.au
What to plant in the coming months for Subtropical areas.
FEBRUARY
Lettuce can be planted from now until June; choose non-hearting types (Cos, Oakleaf, Saladbowl) until the weather cools down; Iceberg types (Ice King) do best through winter. Continue successive sowings of snake beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, Ceylon spinach, parsley (the flat leaf types e.g. ‘Giant of Italy' are hardier in humid areas and less prone to crown rot) and sweet corn. Tamarillo and pawpaw can be planted now. Seedlings of cabbage and broccoli can be raised in a shadehouse for planting in March/April when conditions will be more favourable.
MARCH
In frost-free areas beans, capsicum, cape gooseberries, cucumbers, eggplant, melon, pumpkin, okra, zucchini and tomatoes can be planted until the end of April. Brussels sprouts take at least 4 months to mature so have to be planted now. After mid-March plant seed or seedlings of broccoli, kale and collards, mustard, cabbage, cauliflower, parsley, rocket, spinach, silverbeet, beetroot, Florence fennel, the onion family (early and mid-season onions, shallots, spring onions, leek, garlic), celery, coriander, mizuna, tatsoi. Plant carrots, radish, parsnips, kohl rabi and turnips from seed only, root vegetables should not be transplanted. Potatoes can be planted into well-mulched beds, only use certified seed potatoes to avoid introducing damaging virus diseases to your garden. Strawberries can be planted from March to the end of April. Late March to mid-April is the best time in warmer areas to plant spring flower seedlings of lobelia, dianthus, stock, viola, cornflower, alyssum, pansy, clarkia, nemesia, phlox, lupin, alyssum, primula, dianthus, statice, verbena, poppy, nigella, snapdragon and calendula. Sweet peas are a delightful, easy to grow, fragrant flower that can be planted until the end of April. Soak the seeds in hot water and leave them overnight to improve germination. Check the soil pH and lime if necessary, as they dislike acid soil.
APRIL
This is the best time to sow peas, if you haven't tried Sugar Snap peas, now is your chance! Most of the brassica family can be planted now (Asian greens, broccoli, kale and collards, mustard, cabbage). Continue sowing root vegetables (beetroot, carrots, radish, parsnips, kohl rabi and turnips). Japanese turnips are sweeter than common turnips and very hardy. Continue sowing the onion family and greens including silverbeet, celery, rocket and spinach. Broad beans can be sown until May. Garlic can be planted until the end of April, planting after this date reduces the size of the bulbs. Best month to plant cool season green manures. Wait until April to plant heat tolerant bulbs such as babiana, ixia, freesia, autumn crocus, and sparaxis. Try not to be tempted by displays in supermarkets of tulips and hyacinths, as they are very unlikely to do well.
Tips for your garden
Seed Storage: The best place to store seed is in a sealed container in your fridge. Seed stored in a hot garden shed or garage that can reach temperatures greater than 40° in summer will simply die. Seed stored open to the air where it can take up moisture will lose viability.
Pest repellent herbs include wormwood, rue, pyrethrum, garlic chives, lavender, rosemary and garlic. Scatter these throughout the garden and plant in clumps amongst your fruit trees. You can dig marigolds into the soil to suppress a nematode problem but they are also beneficial planted at random throughout the garden.
SUMMER CITRUS CARE
Citrus are hungry feeders and many problems with poor fruit quality can be traced to poor nutrition. The poorer the soil is, the more often organic compost or fertiliser should be applied but the bare minimum is 3 times a year. November and February are both important months for fertilising citrus. A 1 yr-old tree will need 4-8 kg of well-rotted animal manure, a mature tree will need between 20-40 kg. A good alternative is to apply 750g per tree of organically certified Organic Garden Booster. Only apply fertiliser to moist ground then mulch well, keeping the mulch and manure well clear of the trunk, to avoid collar-rot. Never place fertiliser close to the trunk or in heaps; spread it as evenly as possible to just past the drip-line of the tree. Avoid fertilising during drought. During dry weather citrus need a consistent supply of moisture or fruit will be dry.
Check the pH and correct as required, add 300-400 g of lime to the m2 if the soil is acid (ph below 6).
Citrus trees have a high requirement for micro-nutrients; a regular monthly spray with Natrakelp seaweed fertiliser will supply these trace elements.
Citrus Leaf Miner causes ugly distorted leaves with silvery trails in the leaf tissue, Meyer lemons are particularly susceptible. Eco Oil is an organically certified control, spray when new growth is about 1 cm long, reapply every 2-3 weeks. January and February are crucial times to spray.
October and November are when Bronze Orange bugs (Stink bugs) appear on citrus trees. The young ones are small and greenish, the next stage are a bright orange and the adults look like large spiny cockroaches but they all cause damage to your citrus trees by sucking sap. Handpicking and dropping into a bucket of boiling water is possible on all but very large trees. Be very careful to protect your eyes and wear long sleeves to protect your arms, as the caustic fluid squirted by these insects can be very painful.
Don't forget to tune into Ken, Sarah and Neil on 4RO (990am radio) every Tuesday morning from 6am - 7am for the Betascapes gardening show
More grows in the garden than the gardener sows.
- Spanish proverb
*sourced from Eden seeds www.edenseeds .com.au and Green harvest www.greenharvest.com.au