Carrots in containers – not a potty idea
preferably small-growing variety to make the most of the limited space. Keep them in a sunny spot, thin once established and water regularly. Avoid using terracotta pots as they dry out very quickly. Plastic pots work the best.
It has a delightfully nutty taste and soft leaves reminiscent of bok choy. It’s handy to have something like this coming on in the garden for when it’s still a bit too cold for lettuce. Corn salad is packed full of nutrients too and also contains loads of vitamins A, C and B6 as which makes it comparable with spinach – as far
as goodness goes. You can sow corn salad any time from now on and it will mature in around 60 days. Buy seeds from Kings Seeds or Yates.
PLANT THOSE STRAWBERRIES
After not growing strawberries last year, I vowed to get some in early – which I’ve now done. In my opinion, there are very few things that can beat the taste of a freshly-picked strawberry still warm from the sun. In fact, they’re so tasty and sweet eaten fresh, I rarely have any left for jam-making or cooking. Strawberry plants are available now at garden centres around the country. Many are already in flower, which means, if you plant them now, you’ll have even less time to wait until they’re ready to harvest.
Grow strawberries on mounds in fertile soil in full sun, spacing plants 20-30cm apart. Be careful not to completely bury the crown or it could rot. Strawberries also grow very well in containers, troughs and hanging baskets. Use good quality strawberry growing mix which has everything they need to get them off to a strong start. Whether planted in the ground or in pots, feed your plants fortnightly with liquid fertiliser and water regularly to maintain moisture levels – this is particularly important once fruit starts to set!
GIVE YOUR VEGE PLOT A TOPUP
This time of year can mean slim pickings in the garden. To get a 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 jumpstart on spring, grab punnets of seedlings from garden centres or nurseries and get them in the ground. To get an idea of what you can plant, just take a look around your local garden centre. They rarely stock anything that won’t survive. My local Kings Plant Barn has a sign above its tomato seedlings saying it’s still too early for growing them outdoors so they will need to be kept under cover (helpful advice!). Garden centres are a great source of information so don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure about what will grow well. They are there to help!