CITRUS FIRST AID

IT’S BASIL TIME

Heat-loving basil needs temperatures of around 20°C to germinate. Sow seed in trays and transplant when the seedlings are at least 5cm high. Or pick up seedlings at the garden centre. I love pesto so I’ve planted largeleaved ‘Sweet Genovese’ from Awapuni Nurseries. I start harvesting by pinching out the top leaves of each stem as soon as the plants are established. This encourages bushy plants, extra leaves and delays flowering. Don’t pick below the bottom set of leaves on a stem as it won’t resprout. Awapuni Nurseries’ bundle of mixed basil varieties I’m growing in a more decorative way. Small leafed ‘Greek Mini’ is very cute in containers. Purpleleafed ‘Red Rubin’, purpleflowered ‘Thai’ and ‘Cinnamon’ basil and white-flowered ‘Lemon’ basil are planted alongside dahlias in the flower border. I let these plants ramp away and don’t deadhead them. They flower prolifically and are magnets for bees. Brushing against the leaves releases a wonderful scent too.

– Barbara Smith

The yellowing leaves on my ‘Meyer’ lemon and lemonade tree are a cry for help. ‘Feed me, feed me’ the trees are saying in their nutrient-deficient state. Yellow leaves usually indicate that the plants are deficient in magnesium, zinc or iron. I’m going to green them up by dosing them with Yates Citrus Cure Zinc & Manganese Chelate. Citrus are heavy feeders so feed them little and often with a specialist citrus fertiliser every week from September until March. Mulch them right out to the tree’s drip