Store saved seeds carefully

If you’ve gone to the trouble of saving your own seeds this year, you need to make sure you store them properly.

First, make sure your seeds are perfectly clean and dry. Remove all plant material and any debris clinging to them. Put seeds in the fridge for a few days to kill any bugs.

Next, make sure the seeds are completely dry. Any trace of moisture can spell disaster once they’re put away out of sight. Airtight jars are an excellent choice for storing seeds but can be bulky if space is at a premium.

Seed-saver envelopes are good for short-term storage as are resealable plastic bags. If you do use plastic, pop in one of those silica gel packets (the sort that come in vitamin bottles) to absorb any moisture build-up. Keep your saved seeds in a cool, dry, dark place in a tin or glass container so there’s no chance of rats or mice eating them up. Seeds can also be stored in the freezer.

These conditions will help keep seeds viable for a very long time.

Whichever method you choose, remember to label them with the variety and date you saved them.

GIVE YOUR GARDEN STREET APPEAL

Now the days are getting shorter, if you work long hours, chances are you only see your garden as you drive in and out of the garage . . . so why not make driveways and street frontages worth looking at? Well thought out plantings create a better first impression for passersby and visitors too.

Plant hedges, rather than installing walls. They are less likely to be tagged with graffiti (and if they are, you can prune it off).

Be brave with your potted colour choices in winter. Add some cheerful annuals around your letter box with daffodil bulbs planted underneath for a bright spring surprise. Or mass-plant both sides of your driveway with daffodils, tulips or freesias for spring or sunflowers in summer. Avoid anything prickly or sprawling that could scratch your car or trip up pedestrians.

Sow low-growing annuals, thyme or wildflowers down the centre strip of your driveway.

Street appeal isn’t just for city slickers. Rural driveways marked with a brave stand of red hot pokers or a carefully chosen group of deciduous and native trees giving year-round interest can be spectacular and make it easier for visitors to locate your place.

CHECK STORED ONIONS & GARLIC

Just like stored seeds, garlic and onions from last summer’s harvest can go bad if moisture gets into them. This can be caused by incorrect curing or storing them in less than ideal conditions.

Garlic and onions will keep for up to eight months if stored well and the optimum temperature for this is between 15 and 18°C.

High temperatures and humidity will lead to rot in no time. So, check your bulbs and move them if need be, ensuring they also have adequate air circulation.

Mesh onion bags are a cheap and effective way to store both garlic and onions. They use less space than drying racks and aren’t as fiddly as plaited strings (even if they are not as photogenic and Instagram worthy).

Simply suspend mesh bags from a beam in the shed or garage to keep them out of the way.

HARVEST RIPE CHESTNUTS

If you’ve never tried fresh chestnuts, give them a go.

They’re in season now

GET GROWING

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 and available at farmers’ markets.

When roasting chestnuts, use a sharp knife to score a cross in the shell of each nut to let out the steam as they cook (do not skip this step or they’ll explode).

It takes 15–20 minutes to roast them; the shells pop open when they’re done. Or try them steamed or boiled – the flesh is as tender as a par- boiled potato. Mash with olive oil and garlic, chicken stock and thyme, or – if you have a sweet tooth – whipped cream and chocolate. Tempted to plant your own chestnut tree? Order a pollinating pair of ‘1002’ and ‘1015’, or self-fertile ‘1005’ (it still prefers the company of ‘1002’). Don’t plant on the lawn or near a path. The prickly burrs can pierce sandshoes.

For more about growing and cooking chestnuts see Yotam Kay’s story in the April issue of NZ Gardener.