Tag: vegetables

Leafy greens time now

Leafy greens time now

In our garden in Auckland NZ, the open ground is too cold for much success sowing seeds and planting there. It’s a good time to put a plastic tunnel over a piece of ground to warm it up for sowing leafy seeds soon.

Sow seeds for leafy greens now if you have

  • a hot-house,
  • tunnel-house,
  • conservatory or
  • warm, bright window

7-100_7144

Best times for planting seeds of greens?

After the new moon on Saturday 11th August 2018 [which always gives the possibility of a new beginning] is the best week to plant for lush leafy greens.

The best days are Tuesday 14th through to Friday 17th July 2018 [here in New Zealand].

 

In Auckland the weather is cold and the ground is cold and wet.

If you already have leafy greens growing, do keep in mind that snails and slugs love tender greens! Check your growing crops and protect them from these beasties which can devastate tender plants.

We surround seedlings with a protective barrier where possible. These ones have been reused over and over so I am happy with them. We also use an assortment of cut-down plastic containers to surround seedlings.

20171021_120356

 

They also do better when protected from too much rain – a plastic house or cover really helps.

20180709_115243

20171010_172138

 

20171010_172131

[And – why do self-seeded ones prefer to grow in the path rather than the garden bed! ]

20180423_171705

 

May you and your garden flourish!
Heather

PS

For more ideas about what to sow and when in NZ, have a look at  http://gardenate.com

 

PPS

For more about planting by the  moon phases,

If you like experiments about when to plant for best results, a great one is to plant the same seeds in rows right beside each other [so all other conditions are identical], and label the rows with the date of planting. Then sow seeds from 1 packet at weekly intervals, each week in a new row.

This way you can see how the recommendations for best/worst seed sowing outcomes from moon-planting guides work for you. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t.

I enjoy experimenting with such ideas – and if only I can rescue the rows from the snails and black-birds, I might even get some results to share!

Here’s a post I wrote about planting by the moon phases if you like more information and reflections on it.

Moon planting guides remind me to plant SOMETHING, plan a little, and help me have a continuous supply!

—

Take time out from sowing seeds until after the 11th August

Take time out from sowing seeds until after the 11th August

Take time out from sowing seeds from Sunday 5th August until after the dark of the moon on Saturday 11th August 2018. 

As the moon nears its smallest visible ‘dark of the moon’ phase, this time is associated with spindly, weak growth – wait a week or so [and when the ground is warm!].

Maybe give some protection to anything still growing which likes some shelter from frost, or wind and rain.

Also,

  • Maybe give some protection to anything which likes shelter from frost, wind or rain. Some bamboo canes, poly-pipe, plastic sheet and bird-netting to hold it all together in strong winds works well. We peg the netting down to the ground with weed-mat wire pegs or loop it round nails in raised bed edges.
  • read up on this next season and seed types to plant for success – they all have their favorite times.
  • prepare beds to grow GREAT crops of your favorite veg or fruit when the time is right.
  • Plan your next seed sowing, your garden layout, or crop rotation to minimize pest and diseases.

May you and your garden flourish
Heather

PS

For more ideas about what to sow and when in NZ, have a look at http://gardenate.com

PPS:

For more about planting by the  moon phases,

If you like experiments about when to plant for best results, a great one is to plant the same seeds in rows right beside each other [so all other conditions are identical], and label the rows with the date of planting. Then sow seeds from 1 packet at weekly intervals, each week in a new row.

This way you can see how the recommendations for best/worst seed sowing outcomes from moon-planting guides work for you. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t.

I enjoy experimenting with such ideas – and if only I can rescue the rows from the snails and black-birds, I might even get some results to share!

Here’s a post I wrote about planting by the moon phases if you like more information and reflections on it.

Moon planting guides remind me to plant SOMETHING, plan a little, and help me have a continuous supply!

 —

Sow seeds for fruits and flowers this week

Sow seeds for fruits and flowers this week

It’s time to sow seeds for fruits and flowers this week – if you have a warm place!

Especially good days include Saturday 21st July, Sunday 22nd, Wednesday 25th  through to Friday 27th July 2018 

Until the full moon on Saturday 28th July 2018. [here in New Zealand]

Here in New Zealand, the weather is cool/cold. The ground is cold. This is a time to plan more and sow less until the ground warms up. Or sow under shelter, in hot-houses, tunnel-houses, conservatories, or inside somewhere light. A heat-pad [often sold at pet stores to keep pets warm] gives bottom heat needed by some seeds to germinate.

 

May you and your garden flourish
Heather

PS

For more ideas about what to sow and when in NZ, have a look at  http://gardenate.com

 

PPS

For more about planting by the  moon phases,

If you like experiments about when to plant for best results, a great one is to plant the same seeds in rows right beside each other [so all other conditions are identical], and label the rows with the date of planting. Then sow seeds from 1 packet at weekly intervals, each week in a new row.

This way you can see how the recommendations for best/worst seed sowing outcomes from moon-planting guides work for you. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t.

I enjoy experimenting with such ideas – and if only I can rescue the rows from the snails and black-birds, I might even get some results to share!

Here’s a post I wrote about planting by the moon phases if you like more information and reflections on it.

Moon planting guides remind me to plant SOMETHING [even just sprouts on the window-sill], plan a little, and help me have a continuous supply!

—

Leafy greens time now

Leafy greens time now

In our garden in Auckland NZ, the open ground is too cold for much success sowing seeds and planting there.

Sow seeds for leafy greens if you have

  • a hot-house,
  • tunnel-house,
  • conservatory or
  • warm, bright window

7-100_7144

Best times for planting seeds of greens?

After the new moon on Friday 13th July 2018 [which always gives the possibility of a new beginning] is the best week to plant for lush leafy greens.

The best days are Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th July 2018 [here in New Zealand].

 

In Auckland the weather is cold and the ground is cold and wet.

This is a time I

Grow micro-greens or sprouts instead now.

Alfalfa sprouts in jar 20170520
Sprouts from top left to right – soybeans x2, lentils, mung beans; then below are more lentils [I use different varieties] and alfalfa
Red clover sprouts a few days old 20161102

For more about our experiments with sprouts and micro-greens, go here.

 

If you already have leafy greens growing, do keep in mind that snails and slugs love tender greens! Check your growing crops and protect them from these beasties which can devastate tender plants.

We surround seedlings with a protective barrier where possible. These ones have been reused over and over so I am happy with them. We also use an assortment of cut-down plastic containers to surround seedlings.

20171021_120356

May you and your garden flourish
Heather

PS

For more ideas about what to sow and when in NZ, have a look at  http://gardenate.com

 

PPS

For more about planting by the  moon phases,

If you like experiments about when to plant for best results, a great one is to plant the same seeds in rows right beside each other [so all other conditions are identical], and label the rows with the date of planting. Then sow seeds from 1 packet at weekly intervals, each week in a new row.

This way you can see how the recommendations for best/worst seed sowing outcomes from moon-planting guides work for you. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t.

I enjoy experimenting with such ideas – and if only I can rescue the rows from the snails and black-birds, I might even get some results to share!

Here’s a post I wrote about planting by the moon phases if you like more information and reflections on it.

Moon planting guides remind me to plant SOMETHING, plan a little, and help me have a continuous supply!

—

Take time out from sowing seeds until after the 13th July

Take time out from sowing seeds until after the 13th July

Take time out from sowing seeds from Friday 6th July until after the dark of the moon on Friday 13th July 2018. 

As the moon nears its smallest visible ‘dark of the moon’ phase, this time is associated with spindly, weak growth – wait a week or so.

Take this time to wander around and really LOOK at:

  • what is doing well,
  • what isn’t,
  • what is ready for harvesting,
  • where you will soon have space for new plantings,
  • where you would like more screening from un-wanted sights,
  • where your lovely views are being covered by previous plantings,
  • where the cold/hot winds usually come from so you can screen, diffuse and moderate them

Then

  • read up on this next season and seed types to plant for success – they all have their favorite times.
  • learn more about the optimum conditions to grow GREAT crops of your favorite veg or fruit
  • Plan your next seed sowing, your garden layout, or crop rotation to minimize pest and diseases.

Even maybe plan to visit Auckland Tree Crops Annual Tree and Plant Sale

Saturday 14 July 2018   9 am to 1 pm   Wet or Fine

 Auckland Botanic Gardens, Courtyard

Everyone welcome:  gardeners, lifestyle and small block holders, farmers, nurseries. Buy and sell, look, talk trees and ask questions.

Trees and plants suitable for Auckland, Common and Unusual fruit trees,

Subtropicals, Pip and Stone Fruit and items for your garden.

Local experts to answer your questions about growing fruit.

Workshops by Sheryn Clothier: “Growing with Nature to Produce Nutrient-dense food.”

And the Compost Collective.

 

May you and your garden flourish
Heather

PS

For more ideas about what to sow and when in NZ, have a look at http://gardenate.com

PPS:

For more about planting by the  moon phases,

If you like experiments about when to plant for best results, a great one is to plant the same seeds in rows right beside each other [so all other conditions are identical], and label the rows with the date of planting. Then sow seeds from 1 packet at weekly intervals, each week in a new row.

This way you can see how the recommendations for best/worst seed sowing outcomes from moon-planting guides work for you. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t.

I enjoy experimenting with such ideas – and if only I can rescue the rows from the snails and black-birds, I might even get some results to share!

Here’s a post I wrote about planting by the moon phases if you like more information and reflections on it.

Moon planting guides remind me to plant SOMETHING, plan a little, and help me have a continuous supply!

 —

Sow seeds for fruits and flowers this week

Sow seeds for fruits and flowers this week

It’s time to sow seeds for fruits and flowers this week until the full moon on Thursday 28th June 2018.

Especially good days include Thursday 21st June through to Monday 25th June 2018 [here in New Zealand] – if you have a warm place!

Here in New Zealand, the weather is cool/cold. Less day-light round the shortest day means the ground is also cool. This is a time to plan more and sow less until the ground warms up. Or sow under shelter, such as a hot-house or tunnel-house.

The ground is cold and seed sowing really only gives results in hot-houses, tunnel-houses, conservatories, or inside somewhere light. A heat-pad [often sold at pet stores to keep pets warm] gives bottom heat needed by some seeds to germinate.

 

Solstice!

Wednesday 20th June 2018

A-n-d from now onward, each day has a little bit more light. Woo hoo!

After the shortest day it is so nice to find more and more light coming back to warm and nourish our gardens and us. When there is not enough hours of sunlight, plants can’t create what they need to grow. So they sit. Light is so important to them.

Now, even though the ground is cold, it is time to look towards the new season and work out what to plant where in spring.

 

May you and your garden flourish
Heather

PS

For more ideas about what to sow and when in NZ, have a look at  http://gardenate.com

 

PPS

For more about planting by the  moon phases,

If you like experiments about when to plant for best results, a great one is to plant the same seeds in rows right beside each other [so all other conditions are identical], and label the rows with the date of planting. Then sow seeds from 1 packet at weekly intervals, each week in a new row.

This way you can see how the recommendations for best/worst seed sowing outcomes from moon-planting guides work for you. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t.

I enjoy experimenting with such ideas – and if only I can rescue the rows from the snails and black-birds, I might even get some results to share!

Here’s a post I wrote about planting by the moon phases if you like more information and reflections on it.

Moon planting guides remind me to plant SOMETHING [even just sprouts on the window-sill], plan a little, and help me have a continuous supply!

—

Leafy greens time now

Leafy greens time now

Leafy greens love cooler weather.

A-n-d snails and slugs love tender greens!

We surround seedlings with a protective barrier where possible. These ones have been reused over and over so I am happy with them. We also use an assortment of cut-down plastic containers to surround seedlings.

20171021_120356

 

Endive, miners lettuce [not really a lettuce], gotu kola, parsley, rocket, chervil, coriander, lettuce, etc. There are so many varieties we can enjoy. The ground is getting very cool for successful germination now so I hope your previous plantings are doing well.

 

Soil temperature: too cold  and seeds take ages to start to grow.

Try an experiment some time and go out at mid-afternoon and put your hand flat onto soil in full sun and notice how cold/hot it is. Now feel soil in a shaded place. Then choose where best to sow/plant for your crops. If at all until Spring.

Best times for planting seeds of greens?

After the new moon on Thursday 14th June 2018 is the best week to plant for lush leafy greens.

The best days are Friday 15th and Saturday 16th 2018. 

 

May you and your garden flourish
Heather

PS

For more ideas about what to sow and when in NZ, have a look at  http://gardenate.com

 

PPS

For more about planting by the  moon phases,

If you like experiments about when to plant for best results, a great one is to plant the same seeds in rows right beside each other [so all other conditions are identical], and label the rows with the date of planting. Then sow seeds from 1 packet at weekly intervals, each week in a new row.

This way you can see how the recommendations for best/worst seed sowing outcomes from moon-planting guides work for you. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t.

I enjoy experimenting with such ideas – and if only I can rescue the rows from the snails and black-birds, I might even get some results to share!

Here’s a post I wrote about planting by the moon phases if you like more information and reflections on it.

Moon planting guides remind me to plant SOMETHING, plan a little, and help me have a continuous supply!

—