Sowing the SEEDS of success
Nothing is more satisfying than growing your food from seed, says Ginny Clark.
GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD is one of the most satisfying things one can do. What’s more, it is not as hard as you think. Growing from seed is especially rewarding. It is nearly time to get seeds sown. As the soil is still quite cool in the garden it is best to get seeds started in trays or under some protection and then plant them out in four to six weeks. Probably the hardest thing is choosing what to plant.
Our garden gurus have carried out trials and sought advice from seed experts in New Zealand and internationally, to find a range of the very best vegetable seeds in New Zealand which have been selected for:
■ Superior taste
■ Improved pest and disease resistance
■ Increased vigour and yield
The range of seeds includes beans, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, corn, courgettes and more. All great for the everyday meal!
Decide what you want to eat, select the seeds, some seed raising mix and seed raising trays or jiffy pallets, a mini greenhouse and away you go.
Ensure you read the instructions on the packets for depth of sowing and spacing. Once sown, keep the trays damp (but not wet) and in a warm dry shaded place. To prevent them drying out you may wish to cover the tray with glass or plastic, which you remove for watering and once the seedlings are coming away nicely. Before you plant them out into the garden you will need to harden them off. This means putting them outside during the day and bringing them in at night, so they have a chance to acclimatise.
When the seedlings are big and strong enough to handle (similar in size to what you see in our punnets at Decor) they can be transplanted into your well-prepared garden.
If you sow straight into the garden at this time of the year, it would be a good idea to protect the little emerging seedlings with a cloche or frost cloth.
That way the birds will not have a feast, the cats hopefully won’t dig them up and pesky snails won’t get in and they will stay warmer.
Remember seedlings will need to be fed. Use Ican Liquid Fast Food or Ican Ocean Grow all-purpose fish fertiliser regularly.
So, get growing and enjoy your own home grown food. It is good for you!