Gardening Guides
Be a gardening legend with step-by-step instructions on how to grow a wide range of plants, what to plant when, how to combat pests and diseases, plus extra tips and tricks to get your garden flourishing.
Be a gardening legend with step-by-step instructions on how to grow a wide range of plants, what to plant when, how to combat pests and diseases, plus extra tips and tricks to get your garden flourishing.
Learning which plants to grow together can greatly increase your success in the garden, whether you want to cut down on spraying or watering, attract bees or scare off the neighbour's cat.
Companion planting - the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted next to, or close to one another - has been around for centuries and could be the making of your garden.
With our current fixation on all things organic and environment-friendly, companion planting is really growing in popularity. It's easy to do and it can help reduce the number of chemicals used in your garden.
Marigolds are a great example of a pest-deterring companion plant because they produce a strong smell which repels most insects. Their roots also contain a pesticidal chemical which kills nematodes (microscopic parasites living in the soil).
Marigolds should be planted everywhere. Plant them amongst tomatoes and roses to deter aphids, and with potatoes and other roots, crops to protect them from nematodes. They'll also keep white cabbage moths away from your brassicas. And, if you plant them around your deck and barbecue area, they'll deter flies and mosquitoes.
Companion planting is about more than just repelling pests. I recommend planting basil with tomatoes. The basil not only repels flying insects, but it can also help improve the growth and flavour of your tomatoes.
Companion planting can also be used to attract beneficial insects which are essential for cross-pollinating flowers and fruit trees.
Celery is the perfect companion for brassicas because they attract aphid-eating ladybugs. They also attract bees and butterflies, so they'll help your garden pollinate. Celery is easy to grow and they're adaptable.
Companion planting can also be used to conserve moisture in your vegetable garden. I suggest planting squash vines beneath your corn and beans.
They shade the ground and, in doing so, regulate the soil temperature and conserve soil moisture, sort of like a living mulch. They also have small, prickly spines along their stems which can help deter rats and rabbits.
For larger furry pests, I recommend planting rue, a small herb that you can plant around borders to keep cats and dogs off your garden beds.
Cats and dogs dislike the smell of rue, so it's great for discouraging them from digging and doing other things in your garden. However, it's not a good companion for cucumbers, cabbage or herbs.
When it comes to companion planting there is a lot to learn, but your first step should be to have a good look around your own garden to see what's working and what isn't. Chances are you're doing some of the right things already.
Treat yourself to a good book on the topic or spend some time on google. Your garden will reward you for your effort.
Cauliflower and broccoli
Enjoys oregano and peas as well as dill.
Cabbage
Enjoys fragrant herbs such a sage, rosemary, coriander. They also thrive next to peas, beetroot and potatoes.
Leeks and Carrots
Plant your leeks and carrots together. Leeks create a confusion of smells that repels the onion fly as well as the carrot fly. Planting these two together helps break up the soil which leads to stronger carrot roots as well as larger leek stems.
Sage
If you're a household of carnivores then sage is a very handy herb to have in the garden. Its leaves compliment all sorts of meats including chicken, fish and pork. And its complementary powers don't just start in the kitchen. Sage is said to protect cabbage from cabbage-moth and carrots from carrot-fly. It's also said to enhance the growth of both carrots and cabbage, and also strawberries and tomatoes.
Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums aren't a favourite of all gardeners but they're a great natural repellent against several pesky pests and in particular - aphids. These plant lice will be all over your garden at the moment and especially like the shoots on new roses. So if you want to try a natural repellent, plant orange coloured nasturtium around your roses.
They're also said to repel woolly aphids which are fans of apple trees. And if you grow them in amongst your vege patch they may attract and distract insects which would normally first feast on your brassica plants like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale.
Read full articleWe've compiled some tips for you to be able to get more fruits from your vege garden especially during harvest time.
Here are some gardening tips that will enable more fruiting!
1. SOIL MATTERS
Good quality potting mix is equipped with nutrients that will help your plants develop strong roots.
2. Feeding your plants with good fertilisers will boost their yields.
Some options are: Liquid Seaweed and Tomato Foods
3. Choice of plants
Look for plants that grow well within your region's climate. Warmer areas are great for tomatoes while brassicas and cabbages can thrive in cooler areas.
Plant based on what's in season. Use our planting calendar as your guide.
4. Spacing
Give your plants enough space to grow. Planting too close is a disease risk and inhibit proper growth.
5. COMPANION Planting
Companion plants are plants that support the growth of other species to promote their growth. For example, tomatoes love being planted with basil. Mixing flowers with veges help reduce pests and help attract pollinators. It's also helpful to diversify flowering plants, perennials and annuals. Choose blooms that are rich in nectar.
6. Keep picking.
The more you pick, the more the plant produces. Picking initiates more flowers and fruits.
7. WATER regularly.
Keep a schedule. Plants need regular, consistent watering. Irregular watering causes disease and can leave vegetables like lettuce bitter tasting. In hot months, better water early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
8. Watch out for weeds.
These weeds will try to consume the water and nutrients meant for your plants.
9. Let sunshine do its magic.
Veggies love a lot of sun, ideally about 8 hours a day.
10. Start with easy plants.
If you're a beginner, here are some easy-to-grow plants for your edible garden:
Radish, Herbs (Basil Sweet, Parsley), Lettuces, Broccoli, Sweet corn, Spring Onions
When I think of dragons, words like fiery, fierce and ferocious come to mind - definitely not friendly or companionable. So it can be hard to see the similarities between the fairytale monster and the similarly named flower - the snapdragon.
Antirrhinum, otherwise known as snapdragons, are so called because when you squeeze the flower it looks like a dragon. And that's where the comparisons end. While you might not ask the fire-breathing dragon to be your friend, the floral variety makes a great companion.
They come in a range of colours and are perfect for planting with your roses. At just the point when your roses are starting to look a little worse for wear, your snapdragons will start to come into their own.
They also go nicely with wallflowers and polyanthus as they all like the same conditions - sunny, well-drained and cold.
Once you found a spot in your garden or pot like this, simply dig a little hole and plant. Then wait for this ferocious sounding plant to light up your garden in about six to eight weeks.
Read full articleHaving a garden is like owning a pet. It needs to be fed, watered, cared for and tended to by an attentive owner.
And if treated properly it will grow, flourish and provide you long-lasting enjoyment.
But just like your faithful Fido, it can't always tell you when something is wrong.
"You have to look out for the signs," says gardening expert, Tod Palenski of Awapuni Nurseries.
In the same way Fido scratching his fur tells you he has fleas, plants will display symptoms to tell you they have some annoying little pests of their own.
As with any good cure, Tod says the first order of business should always be prevention.
"Companion planting is the easiest and most environmentally-friendly way of preventing pests," he says.
Companion planting is when you include plants in your garden which either lure beneficial insects or repel pests.
The most well known example of companion planting, which also happens to work well in the kitchen, is a mix of tomato and basil plants.
Tomatoes are very susceptible to white fly. But whiteflies don't like the flavour and scent of basil.
Marigolds and onions also combine well with vegetables. And lavender, garlic, parsley, and chives will help protect roses against aphids.
But if, like Fido, your garden has already shown signs of having some nasty invaders or infections, Tod has some organic tips for deciphering which pests you have, removing them and ensuring they stay away.
"For example, curled, distorted and yellow leaves, especially on roses, are a sure sign aphids are sucking the goodness out of your plants."
While leaves which look dull and are stippled with white dots most likely have spider mites.
"Spider mites love nice, warm, still spots. So they are usually found on plants, particularly rhododendrons and roses, next to the house or under the eves."
If the problem is mottled, yellow leaves, chances are you have white butterfly, white fly and leaf hopper feasting on your plants - especially if you're in the vegetable garden.
To rid your garden of all of the above, simply hose the pests off with a strong stream of water and spray the plant with neem.
Neem is oil extracted from the seed of the neem tree of India and can be found at Awapuni Nurseries.
"This will get rid of the bugs and stop them returning," says Tod.
Or try attracting ladybugs to your roses for an alternative to preventing aphids. One ladybird will eat about 400 aphids in a week.
Do you have a problem with small ragged holes in your vegetables? Then it is highly likely you will also have slugs, snails and caterpillars in your garden.
Simply hand pick and destroy the pests and apply Yates Quash (copper) around the base of the veges to prevent the bugs returning.
Lastly, have you had a bit of rain lately? Maybe some hot humid weather? And have you also noticed yellow or white powdery coating on the leaves of your roses?
No doubt you have rust or powdery mildew. These diseases love the water and, as a result, they often occur during humid or wet weather.
To free your plants of these unpleasant diseases, destroy the infected foliage, thin the plant to increase air circulation and spray with a fungicide.
So for a garden which is healthy, vibrant and as frisky as Fido, keep an eye out for any of infection and remember - prevention is often the best cure.
Mates, companions, pals or friends. Whatever you call it - marigolds, tomatoes, and lettuces like to hang in the same circles.
Mates, companions, pals or friends. Whatever you call it - marigolds, tomatoes, and lettuces like to hang in the same circles.
They also have certain advantages, or benefits, to offer each other. But like any good group of friends, there's usually one who tends to go the extra mile to help the others out.
In the world of plants - marigolds are that friend. And in my opinion you can't go wrong with adding marigolds to any vege garden.
Growing friends with benefits next to each other is known as companion planting, and marigolds are one of the most well known companions around.
Potatoes are a fan of marigolds because of the pesticidal chemical in their roots, which kills nematodes (microscopic parasites living in the soil). This is also one of the reasons tomatoes like to hang with marigolds. That, and that marigolds also help keep away whitefly - a pest with a particular fondness for tomatoes.
If orange isn't your thing - marigolds also come in cream, lemon and apricot colours.
So, now we've established these three plants are a match made in heaven, it's time to get planting.
First, grab some of Awapuni Nurseries seedlings from your local supermarket, Bunnings or the Warehouse.
Tired of eating iceberg lettuce? Why not try cos, buttercrunch, or French mesclun lettuce? Keen for a variety? Then grab a mixed bunch and sample several different types of lettuce.
Remember, if you order six or more items from our online store we'll also deliver for free to a non-rural address, or for just $4 to a rural address
Like to select your own seedlings for quality? We guarantee you'll be happy with the seedlings we send you. And, if for any reason you're not, we'll replace them - no questions asked.
Earlier I mentioned lettuces, tomatoes and marigolds all like to hang in the same circles. Well they also like to spend time at the same hangouts - anywhere that's sunny and sheltered from the wind.
So as long as the place you plan to plant them is sunny, you can grow these three pals wherever you like. The only thing to remember is to plant your tomatoes somewhere different to where you planted them last. This will decrease your chances of them getting nasty diseases like blight.
Once you've found the perfect spot, mix some general fertiliser (like nitrophoska blue) into the soil. The extra potassium in the fertiliser will help your tomatoes to produce fruit. If you're planting in a pot, a good potting mix will be all you need.
Then dig a hole, approximately 3cm deep, spacing each seedling around 10cm apart. Place your seedling inside and cover the roots with soil. You can mix the three lots of seedlings up with each other, or plant them in separate areas. Just remember, once your tomatoes get a bit bigger they'll require extra room for staking.
Staking will help stabilise the plants and protect them from strong winds. Take three stakes and place them in a group with the tomato plant in the middle. Tie the stakes together at the top with rope or string and, as your tomato plant grows, tie the main stem to the stake.
Just as all three friends like the same conditions, they all have distaste for overhead watering because it leaves them more susceptible to disease. So, layer newspaper around the plants and then cover the newspaper with pea straw. This mulch will help keep weeds away and lock moisture in between watering sessions.
In about four to six weeks your marigolds should start to flower. At this point they'll probably need a bit more watering than normal. To check how thirsty they are, just put your finger in the soil about 2cm deep. If it's dry they need a drink.
Remember, to keep picking off any deadheads - this will keep them flowering longer.
Your lettuces should be ready for salads and sandwiches in around six to eight weeks - depending on the temperature where you live. For a continuous supply over summer, plant new seedlings every couple of weeks and just harvest the leaves directly from the garden.
Tomatoes take a little bit longer to mature. But should be ready for harvesting in around 12 weeks. If you're patience doesn't extend that long, try planting the cherry tomato variety as they ripen faster.
Last but not least, watch out for those slippery pests otherwise known as slugs. You can get slug and snail bait from your local garden centre but I'm a big fan of the organic approach known as beer bait.
Read full articleMany gardeners suggest that companion planting flowers and vegetables in your garden helps boost yields, keeps crops healthy, attracts beneficial insects and repels pests.
On top of mixing perennials and annuals, it would be good to choose flowers that bloom around the same time your vegetables are flowering.
Plant a variety of flowers to ensure you have continuous blooms.
Nectar-loving birds love Kakabeak. Ozothamnus letpophylla also attracts birds and insects.
Adding flowers to your vegetable garden improves the overall diversity of your patch which brings in pollinators, birds and beneficial insects.
Checkout more of our companion planting tips here.
Happy gardening!
Read full articleA great way to naturally increase yield and make your vegetable plants stronger against pests is to plant them with herbs and/or other flowering plants that repel pests. This is companion planting.
Basil's strong fragrance repels unwanted pests. They are usually planted with tomatoes.
Chives are great against carrot flies.
Dill & fennel repels aphids.
Marigolds drives away many bugs, mites and unwanted insects.
Rosemary is great against cabbage moths & carrot flies.
Thyme keeps cabbage worms at bay.
You may get Awapuni Herb Seedlings here.
More planting guides here.
Read full articleThe 3 sisters planting method is a traditional planting method (American & Mexican) which involves growing corn, beans and squash together in groups.
1. Start with planting the corn. Followed by the beans & then the squash. *Squash is a plant in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). The main difference of squash with pumpkin is that pumpkins have hard & jagged stems while squash skin is smoother & they have an elongated shape. Some examples: pumpkin, zucchini, kamo kamo
2. Corn acts as trellis for the beans to climb.
3. Beans give nitrogen to the soil and provides strength to the corn stalks for wind protection.
4. Squash large leaves are great for keeping the soil moist and helping reduce weeds.
5. They have amazing taste when combined in many recipes.
6. Sunflowers can also be a substitute to corn.
7. Watermelon, cucumber, melon can also be part of this planting method.