Call to arms to reap summer rewards
START SOWING OR TRANSPLANTING BEETROOT
Nothing says summer like hands stained red from homegrown beetroot. Beetroot takes at least eight weeks from seed to harvest, though you can knock a few weeks off that schedule with an early crop transplanted from punnets. Even though beetroot is a root crop, and supposedly does best when sown direct, I’ve never had an issue using punnets either.
When sowing beetroot direct, space the corky clusters of seeds 15-20cm apart, and thin out the weakest seedlings later on. You don’t have to thin, but if you want large round roots (for hamburgers or sandwiches) then it’s best to give them more room. For baby beets for roasting whole, however, it’s not an issue if they jostle with their neighbours a little.
There are at least a dozen different types of beetroot seed, from elongated ‘Cylindra’ to the standard ‘Detroit Red’ varieties. Heirloom beets come in a range of colours including white, orange, yellow and red-and-white ringed ‘Chioggia’. These tend to have an earthier flavour and are best dug young.
GET PUNNETS OF SEEDLINGS OFF TO A GOOD START
If you’re transplanting seedlings from punnets, be gentle. If your seedlings were grown in plain rectangular punnets (rather than moulded six-packs) squeeze all four sides gently, loosen any roots poking out of the base and then upend the punnet into your hand. Prise the roots apart so that each seedling has roughly the same amount of soil attached, and plant.
If you’ve bought six-packs, these can be slightly more difficult to dislodge without damaging the roots. Squeeze all the sides of each cell, then tap or shake the seedlings out. It’s generally easier to remove all six seedlings at once than to try to prick out one at a time. Whatever you do, don’t yank the seedlings out by their leafy tops as this is the quickest way to pull off all their roots! Give punnets of seedlings a good soak the night before you intend to plant them. Soaking them in a natural seaweed tonic also reputedly reduces transplant shock.
FEED GARLIC
For the biggest, plumpest garlic bulbs, feed your plants now. Garlic will gobble up all the organic fertiliser you can throw at it this month (and next), because that’s when all the action happens under the ground. The faster and healthier your plants are during this period of growth (and increasing day length), the better your crop will be. Be careful, however, not to pile compost and manure up against the stems as this can lead to problems with rot. Instead, side-dress, as digging in disturbs the shallow feeder roots.
PREPARE YOUR SOIL TO SOW CARROTS
What’s your must-grow vegetable? Mine is carrots – only because I amyet to grow onions successfully. We eat carrots most mealtimes, and that’s because it only takes two sowings – one in spring, and one in late summer – to keep us in carrots year-round, which is amazingly good value from a single packet of seeds. Carrots should always be sown direct. Don’t waste your cash buying seedlings in punnets as (a) they resent being transplanted and (b) it’s a waste of money when you consider that a packet of seed costs about the same as a punnet of seedlings, and you’ll get a couple of dozen in a punnet and several hundred from a pack of seed! 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
To prepare your soil for sowing, dig it over and loosen up any clods with a fork. Rake out any lumps and stones, as these cause forked roots. Avoid adding fresh compost, as this can also lead to misshapen roots. Create a seed bed 1-2cm deep and carefully space out the seeds 2-3cm apart, covering lightly with soil. Take your time sowing as it saves all the effort of thinning later in the season. Keep the seed trench moist until the seed sprouts. You may also want to cover it with netting against birds.