Now that soils are getting warmer, it is time for gardeners who want to grow their own vegetables to start preparing their garden beds.
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Vegetables generally need a rich source of food in order to grow rapidly, while also sustaining growth over several months. If these conditions are not met, the vegetables will become stunted and lack flavour.
Soil that has been used previously for vegetable or flower plantings should be replenished with good sources of organic material. These include well-rotted mushroom compost, cow manure and compost from garden sources.
Adding lime to the soil is beneficial for many vegetables, particularly those that produce quick, leafy crops. The lime is essential for healthy leaf margins. In addition, lime will assist in the prevention of blossom end rot in tomatoes. In fact, the addition of trace elements to the soil before planting will help prevent a number of diseases that result from a lack of certain elements.
This is particularly important in clay-based soils, such as those found in many local areas, as these soils are often lacking in essential elements. Trace elements are available as complete units from gardening centres.
Vegetable crops require certain levels of consistent warmth in soil temperatures for satisfactory growth. Day time temperatures above 20°C and night-time temperatures that are no lower than 10°C are generally required.
While seedlings of many varieties and types of vegetables are now available, it can be more cost-efficient for the home gardener to grow plants from seed. This will ensure the gardener grows the varieties they prefer.
The selection of vegetables suitable for growing and planting out now is quite extensive, and includes beans, beetroot, capsicum, chillies, cucumbers, eggplants, pumpkin, spring onions, silver beet, corn, tomatoes and zucchini.
Vegetables that are being grown from seed can be sown direct into their garden bed if the soil is warm enough. Otherwise, raising them in trays or punnets would be preferable.
Placing the containers near a warm window or in a greenhouse will help germination.
Plants grown in this manner should be gradually hardened off by putting the new plants into pots in an outdoors position before final placement in the selected garden bed.
Optimum conditions for seed germination include a good supply of air, moisture, warmth and sunlight.
The use of a specially prepared seed-raising mix will ensure good drainage.
Once the young plants have several true leaves they will need to be put into a soil that has been supplemented with a food source.
Some vegetables, however, will need to be planted directly into the garden bed in order to avoid stunted and unproductive plants. These include; carrots, peas and corn.
Little bottlers
Bottlebrushes are perhaps one of the best known Australian native plants. They are actually members of the callistemon genus of plants and often have flowers that are similar to some of the paperbark melaleucas. Their common name of bottlebrush is derived from the shape of their flower spikes, which actually consist of a large number of individual flowers grouped along a flowering stem.
Bottlebrushes are now in full bloom, making very colourful displays in gardens and parks, as well as beautifying roads, where they have been used for median strip planting.
Quite a number of plants are classified as callistemon. Their flower colours range from white, through pinks and reds to purples, with some varieties producing attractive and unusual green flowers.
Most bottlebrushes occur in the east and south-eastern parts of Australia, although some varieties grow in Western Australia and in Australia’s tropical north. They will grow quite successfully in a wide variety of soils and temperatures. Most species are frost-tolerant and will tolerate drought conditions and areas of limited maintenance. A position of full sun is preferred.
Spring, through to the summer months are their main flowering times. After flowering, each flower produces small woody fruits that cluster along the stem and contain hundreds of seeds. These are usually maintained on the plant for several years. The extreme heat of fire will cause the capsules to release the seeds.
In addition to producing an abundance of colourful flowers, bottlebrushes also display attractive foliage. This is particularly so in its early stages when the soft, new growth will have differing colours, including pinks, coppery hues and pale greens.
Bottlebrushes make excellent subject for inclusion in garden plans. According to the variety selected, they can range in height from 0.5metres through to four metres. Native birds and insects are attracted to the nectar-rich flowers.
Pruning of bottlebrush plants generally involves cutting back into the new season’s wood, usually just behind where the flowers have been produced. This type of pruning should be done immediately after flowering has finished. The new growth appears at the end of the flower stem.
MONTHLY MEETING
The monthly meeting of Maitland and District Garden Club will be held on Friday, October 26, in the Community Hall of Green Hills Retirement Village, Stronach Avenue, East Maitland at 7pm.
Visitors welcome.
