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Grant Douglas's Garden Diary

Week 3: third week of January

Just as for a lot of people, summer is a time of fruit, everything from Strawberries to Capsicum, and winter is a time of Brassicas - Borecole, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts etc. The biggest problem for most people is getting them through to harvest time without them being demolished by white butterfly and moth caterpillars.

You can try planting specific plants to encourage beneficial insects into the garden but they may not do an adequate job. Help is at hand. I noticed in Mitre 10 the other day a Kiwicare products which contains Bacillus, a bacterial pesticide approved by Bio Gro NZ which up until now has only been available in expensive commercial packs. This will only kill caterpillars and in my experience is highly effective.

As some of you may know I sell vegetable plants and it is very pleasing to note that unlike other years people are getting the idea of planting a succession of crops so that they have a supply all year round, rather than just doing the Summer thing. Great!

Sowing or Planting this week:

Beetroot
Brocoflower
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (Red and Green)
Cauliflower (Frieda - Summer variety, Snowmarch - Winter variety (5 Mths). Sowing these two varieties at the same time will give a good succession.
Celeriac (for transplanting or direct)
Celery
Kale
Kohl Rabi
Leeks
Lettuce - Loose-leaf Fancy and Hearting (Webbs or Greatlakes)
Potatoes - quick maturing early Potatoes can still be planted such as Swift or Rocket
Silverbeet and Perpetual Spinach
Spinach (New Zealand)
Spring Onions
Sprouting Broccoli

Sow Direct:

Carrots - main crop varieties
Corn Salad
Corriander/Dill
Mescalin Mix
Rocket
Radish

 
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