It’s a great time to get planting
centres and online seed stores including Italian Seeds Pronto and Kings Seeds.
HAVE A GO AT COMPANION PLANTING
Just like humans, plants don’t always get along. While some make excellent partnerships, others can hinder growth and potentially compromise the quality of the resulting harvest.
Companion planting means choosing plants and flowers that complement each other, act as a deterrent for pests or diseases, enhance the soil and/or don’t occupy the same growing space as their neighbours.
For example, potatoes, carrots and parsnips are all root crops, so it makes sense not to grow these together which will only force them to compete for room.
Flowers like marigolds, are beneficial to many other plants because they can help to keep insect pests at bay. The French marigold (Tagetes patula) as well as Mexican marigold (Tagetes lemmonii) exude compounds from their roots which help to control nematodes (it hinders their ability to reproduce). This makes them fantastic companion plants for potatoes. Flowers like Cleome spinosa and sunflowers are great at attracting pests – like green vege bugs – away from wanted crops such as beans, tomatoes and sweetcorn. Nasturtiums are said to repel aphids and I heard a tip that recently that said if you want to keep slugs off your hostas, plant lettuce and Chinese cabbages nearby to lure them away.
PROTECT YOUR LETTUCE FROM THE BIRDS
This time of year, as your crops are starting to get properly underway, the birds are keeping close watch on proceedings and you can bet they’re keeping their eyes peeled for any breaches in your defences. That’s what happened this week when I left my netting-covered raised bed with an unsecured edge following an early-morning harvest for salad greens. As you can see,
the birds found the gap and quickly began pecking the soft, uncovered leaves of all the plants lining the edge of the bed. So annoying, but it’s a good reminder to keep your netting pegged down properly!
GROW ONIONS IN CONTAINERS
It’s not worth the time and effort growing onions in pots, but mini onions are another story! These pretty little alliums grow into perfect miniature bulbs and are a delight to eat. Simply sow seeds in This column is adapted from the weekly e-zine, get growing, from New Zealand Gardener magazine. For gardening advice delivered to your inbox every Friday, sign up for Get Growing at: getgrowing.co.nz a container of good-quality potting mix, and thin the seedlings out to 2-3cm apart. Try ‘Pearl Drop’ and ‘Purplette’ from Kings Seeds.
FEED TOMATOES
Keep your tomatoes thriving by feeding with a liquid plant food every two weeks. We’re on the cusp of summer so from now on, pay close attention to watering as well.