All recent comments/discussion

Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
Showing 9721 - 9750 of 20216 comments
Angelica 19 Dec, Rhonda Crisp (Australia - temperate climate)
Could you tell me where to be able to buy candied angelica - it used to be available in health food shops and used for decorating cakes? I live in southern Queensland but would purchase online.
Reply
Beetroot (also Beets) 19 Dec, Mike Chester (New Zealand - temperate climate)
What is eating my beets? The bulb is gnawed through from the side often leaving the plant top on the soil and the underground part of the beetroot flush with the soil. Rabbits? Can't be possums because they have been exterminated in Miramar, Wellington. Please advise.
Reply
Beetroot (also Beets) 24 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
If it is a rabbit or rats you would see soil disturbance around the plants. It could be grubs such as cutworms in the soil. Mix up a Bt spray such as Yates 'Natures Way' and water it along both sides of your row around the beets. This is a sfe insecticide and only affects chewing pests. Birds could eaat the grubs after with no effect. Trust this helps.
Reply
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 18 Dec, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I'm just wondering whether capsicum plant can survive over winter?
Reply
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 08 Jan, Bob Bradley (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a capsicum plant that is now 3 years old and producing a bumper crop so they certainly can withstand an Adelaide winter. Cheers.
Reply
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 20 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Capsicums, like tomatoes, are perennial and will last over winter in a frost free area. We mostly treat them as an annual for convenience. they can get untidy into their second year. if you have healthy plants and no frost there is no reason why you can't cut the plants back or remove the 'leggy' bits and let them keep growing. The other reason we normally treat them as annuals is so we can plant them each year in fresh soil and reduce the effect of any soil-born diseases. Trust this helps.
Reply
Cauliflower 17 Dec, Agnes Lynn (Australia - temperate climate)
OOPs. i bought the seedlings from Masters and planted them. I dont think i will get any but i will keep watering.
Reply
Cauliflower 20 Mar, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Cauli is a winter crop - try planting now, March. I don't plant anything from August to Feb over summer - too hot (lots of watering and chance of lots of rain and wind). My soil is generally too rich and I just grow a big plant with no cauli head developing. I gave up trying to grow caulies 20 yrs ago. I fallow my ground during summer adding plant residue and grass clippings and turning it over a few times. Have pretty good soil when I plant in Feb/March. Plants just boom. Last year I had Savoy cabbage with leaves the size of a tennis racket in July/August - no head developed - other cabbage did head up though.
Reply
Cauliflower 20 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Cauliflower is the same species as cabbage. If your plants don't form heads you can use the leaves in coleslaw, soup or stir fries. Unless you need the space for something else let them keep growing.
Reply
Asparagus 17 Dec, Mike Hattingh (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Can you please assist me with a list of suppliers from whom I can source asparagus crowns?
Reply
Asparagus 24 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
In Australia asparagus crowns are normally available from nurseries in winter. Thet are sold 'bare rooted, ssometimes loose and sometimes in damp sawdust. Other plants that are sold the saame way include - strawberries bramble berries, currants and fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots and plums. You could also grow them from seed but would have to wait another seaaon before harvesting those delicious spers. Trust this helps.
Reply
Beetroot (also Beets) 17 Dec, kansiime bosco (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Thanks for the teaching above, QN, which disease attack beetroot and how can the problem be prevented Does beetroot need a lot of water while in the garden? * can we plant the seeds direct or they should go thru the nursery bed *at what age should be transplanted??
Reply
Beetroot (also Beets) 24 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Beetroot is relatively disease free. Beetroot is much better sown direct into the ground than transplanted from a seed bed. Try and space the seeds out or buy seeds prespaced on seed tapes. It germinates fairly esily and needs consistent water to get get good sized beets that are not tough and stringy. If you have sown the seed direct you can always use thinings as 'baby' beets. Trust this helps.
Reply
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 17 Dec, Denise (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Can I grow capsicum in the same soil that I grew tomato's in last year.
Reply
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 20 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Capsicums belong to the Solanum family which also includes - potatoes, tomatoes and egg plant (aubergine). They are all susceptible to the same diseases with varying degrees so it is better to plant them in a new location. This is called crop rotation and prevents the build up of soil born diseases and pests. If you have no alternative, replenish the soil with good compost and use a liquid amendment like Seasol to ensure strong healtrhy plants. it's worth a try. Trust this helps.
Reply
Ginger 15 Dec, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
is December to late to plant ginger on the Gold Coast.
Reply
Ginger 20 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
December should still be OK in your area. Don't plant it too deep and make sure that drainage is good to avoid the rhyzome from rotting. Trust this helps.
Reply
Rhubarb 15 Dec, Carol (Australia - temperate climate)
My rhubarb is young only 6 months and they are in plastic pots with lids under the pots. Is this ideal or should I remove them as I water daily as we have extreme heat in Perth, They are under a shaded area I have built so not in direct sun
Reply
Rhubarb 20 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
It is really better to grow rhubarb in the ground as you don't want the roots to 'cook'. If the tub is large and not exposed to direct heat it should grow OK. When potting up any vegetable in tubs it is a good idea to line the bottom of the tub with nespaper, old jeans or other cotton clothing. Baby nappies with the elastic, etc trimmed off are also ideal as the crystals will hold a lot of water as a reservoir for your plants. Rhubarb likes a lot of manure so a generous amount of pelletised organic fertiliser, cow manure or blood and bone is beneficial. Mulch the plants with lawn clippings or something similar as this will help retain moisture. trust this helps.
Reply
Rocket (also Arugula/Rucola) 14 Dec, Ann Leckning (Australia - temperate climate)
How do you stop rocket from flowering and if it does do you remove the flower heads to prolong the plant ? I'm a complete novice so any information will be greatly appreciated. Thank you Regards Ann.
Reply
Rocket (also Arugula/Rucola) 20 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Rocket is an annual and will naturally go to seed in one season. you can delay this for a while by removing the flower stalks. The best thing to do is let some flower and go to seed. The resultant seedlings that emerge will be prolific and delectable. this is one vegetable that happily regrows. Trust this helps.
Reply
Rhubarb 14 Dec, Rod Rix (Australia - temperate climate)
When is the rhubarb ripe for harvesting--- Is it when the whole stalk is red OR only partially red?
Reply
Rhubarb 20 Dec, Nola (Australia - temperate climate)
There are both red and green stemmed rhubarb plants. The green stems will always be green and taste just as good. My red rhubarb stems are red from the beginning so harvesting is just a matter of pulling the stem off when I want to use it. Sometimes the stems are thin, but during mid to late spring are usually thicker. The plants are gross feeders so keep the compost up to them and water well in summer. I chop the leaves from the stems and leave them around the base of the plant.
Reply
NZ Spinach (also Warrigal greens) 13 Dec, Lisa Williams (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I soaked my seeds in water with a little liquid aloe vera fertiliser and got 100% germination too.
Reply
Garlic 12 Dec, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, I was wanting to grow garlic on the Atherton Tablelands, some 800m above sea level, in the tropics. We have a subtropical to temperate climate. Which garlic would be best suited to our conditions? Thanks
Reply
Rhubarb 12 Dec, Margaret (Australia - temperate climate)
We have a very old healthy rhubarb plant in a pot. Very prolific but for the last year it has only thin stalks. The stalks used to be much thicker. Can I do anything to make the stalks thicker? Still delicious thoug.
Reply
Rhubarb 13 Dec, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Rhubarb likes plenty of manure/compost as well as water. Dig out some of the soil with a trowel and add blood & bone, pelletised manure, etc. this should help to give it a push along. Plants growing in pots are entirely dependant on what we provide for them so adding some extra nutrients will help. Make this one of your winter jobs when the plants are more or less dormant and you can divide the plants, if needed, at the same time. Rhubarb is a very productive plant and if you sweeten it to taste with stevia (a natural non calorie sweetener) after it is cooked you get all the flavour minus the calories. Trust this helps.
Reply
Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 11 Dec, Paul (Australia - temperate climate)
Why are the leaves on my choko vine turning yellow? I water every day & give it flourish once a week. Hope you can help, Thanks Paul.
Reply
Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 14 Dec, Bret Hemberg (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Paul, Given that choko have little problem with diseases there could be 2 reasons for the yellow leaves. The first is that the soil pH is wrong for it. If the plant has a pH soil outside the range of 6.0 to 6.8, it will not be able to take up the nutrients present in the soil. Which brings me to the second reason; chokos like sandy loamy soil, so while they need good water, it has to be in a medium where the soil doesn't get soggy otherwise it can kill your plant. Your plant may wilt during the day from the heat (through transpiration) but that is not necessarily a bad thing and doesn't mean they are dry, and they will pick up again in the evening. To see if there is a problem with this you can check the soil up to 12 inches from the base of plant. Hope that helps Bret
Reply
Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 29 Dec, Paul (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks Bret, i think it's my soil, i will have to add some nutrients. Thanks again for your help. Cheers Paul.
Reply
Showing 9721 - 9750 of 20216 comments
Gardenate App

Put GardenGrow in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use GardenGrow and subscribe to the free GardenGrow planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About GardenGrow | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.