NB - position - no hot sun, no wind. Part shade, morning sun, protection from midday rays...
slightly acid soil (pH of 6 – 6.5), with a shed-load of compost, some well-rotted poo (worm and cow is good) and a lovely thick mulch layer. Whack them into a slightly raised bed (about 15 – 20cm) or a suitable pot, keeping about 20 – 30cm between plants. This will give them space to grow, nice air circulation and room to run. Mulch well in between plants with a lovely straw to prevent fungal diseases, and reduce weed invasion.
Feeding:
Weak manure tea at about week three, then a full strength slug of seaweed tea when they start flowering. This will give them a good feed, and the seaweed solution does wonders in preventing fungal infections. Ever bear strawbs need a bit more nitrogen than other varieties.
If you are growing strawbs in pots, fertilise them at half the strength but up the frequency.
Watering:
They like it moist (but not soaking) and hate water on their fruits and foliage (it causes bad things like fungus to happen). They need regular watering and, due to their shallow roots, can dry out pretty quickly, so keep a close eye on it and water when necessary. It’s not a bad idea to ease up on the watering when you see the first wee fruits – this will significantly improve their flavour.
Propagating runners:
Use runners with healthy white roots, removing any crusty old roots and leaves from the crown. Dig some nice wide holes, and, in the centre, pop a little pile of soil. Then, gently place the crown on the soil, fanning out the roots over the mound, like lava running down a volcano (or chocolate topping on ice-cream).. Back fill the hole with soil and firm, making sure the crown is kept at ground level and not buried. Water in well and mulch, avoiding the sensitive stems. Use either a straw mulch or collected pine needles! Too easy!
Issues:
Worst is a suite of viruses that can, over-time, build up and destroy your plants. One tell-tale sign of virus is yellow stripes appearing through the leaves. Plants displaying this virus should be yanked out of the ground and either bagged, or burned.
Crop rotation NB - it is recommended that strawberries move to a new bed, with fresh soil, every three years. Strawberries shouldn’t be planted where tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums or chillis have been for at least three years as, being a caring, sharing lot, they have a tendency to pass on a strawberry slaying disease.
Mould and fungus can be an issue, especially when the air is cold and there is water hanging around on the foliage. Best way to prevent these issues is to avoid overhead watering, and give them a great straw mulch (they are called “straw”berries after all!).
Keep an eye on slugs and snails in the strawberry patch... Mabe some beer traps, coffe grounds, etc.
And a nice net or cage covering for the BIRDS!
Sunday, 30 August 2009
garden calendar - September
It's still raining heaps now, not too late to work out ways to catch some water...
Prepare your vegetable garden beds for spring planting. Dig in green manure (only top 10-20cm, or incorporating plenty of organic matter including compost and well rotted manure. Mulch the beds after planting to help suppress weeds and conserve water.
Green manure crops like faba beans, barley, lupin, wheat or field peas are good to go now... improve that dormant vegie patch!
September is still a good time to plant Rhubarb and Asparagus as seedlings and Potatoes.
Sow seeds or plant seedlings of leeks, onions, cabbage, parsley, parsnips, cauliflower, peas, radish, silverbeet, lettuce, swedes and turnips. Many herb seeds can be sown now.
Many seedlings can be raised now but keep cold tender seedlings under glass or clear plastic, or in propagation boxes, such as: capsicum, cucumber, eggplant, pumpkin, tomatoes and zucchini. There is plenty of time yet before they need to go into the soil outside.
Passionfruit: Cut away the main bulk of leaves and small branches. They are heavy feeders, so lots of chicken manure (or the pelletised version, such as Dynamic Lifter), with some added potash (for fruit formation) watered in well should reward you with lots of gorgeous flowers and late summer fruit. You could also use Fruit & Citrus Food.
Citrus need feeding up now. Their yellowing leaves are a sign that they are seeking more food after their winter production. You can feed them with old manures, blood'n'bone, enriched mulches or Fruit & Citrus food. Always water in before and after feeding. You can also prune old citrus trees now by removing all old, twiggy growth.
Strawberries will be needing a pick-me-up after winter. A regular application of a weak liquid manure around strawberries is better than a whole lot all at once. Mulch well also to keep developing fruit off the soil. You might also like to fashion some netting over plants to stop any birds getting to the fruit before you do.
This is the start of the main feeding regime for most plants. Go organic, do it lightly and regularly, even every 3 weeks from now until the start of autumn. Your fruiting and ornamental trees, shrubs and annuals will appreciate this more than irregular and heavy doses.
Aphids: Now that spring is here keep a close eye out for aphids on soft, young growth. Numbers can increase rapidly if left undetected.
Citrus: Citrus trees can be affected by citrus gall wasp at this time of year. This small wasp lays its eggs in soft stems in spring. The larvae then tunnel through the stem forming a lumpy looking growth. Cut off any stems with galls and burn them immediately. There is no chemical control. Yellow sticky traps may be hung in the tree to trap adult wasps.
Prepare your vegetable garden beds for spring planting. Dig in green manure (only top 10-20cm, or incorporating plenty of organic matter including compost and well rotted manure. Mulch the beds after planting to help suppress weeds and conserve water.
Green manure crops like faba beans, barley, lupin, wheat or field peas are good to go now... improve that dormant vegie patch!
September is still a good time to plant Rhubarb and Asparagus as seedlings and Potatoes.
Sow seeds or plant seedlings of leeks, onions, cabbage, parsley, parsnips, cauliflower, peas, radish, silverbeet, lettuce, swedes and turnips. Many herb seeds can be sown now.
Many seedlings can be raised now but keep cold tender seedlings under glass or clear plastic, or in propagation boxes, such as: capsicum, cucumber, eggplant, pumpkin, tomatoes and zucchini. There is plenty of time yet before they need to go into the soil outside.
Passionfruit: Cut away the main bulk of leaves and small branches. They are heavy feeders, so lots of chicken manure (or the pelletised version, such as Dynamic Lifter), with some added potash (for fruit formation) watered in well should reward you with lots of gorgeous flowers and late summer fruit. You could also use Fruit & Citrus Food.
Citrus need feeding up now. Their yellowing leaves are a sign that they are seeking more food after their winter production. You can feed them with old manures, blood'n'bone, enriched mulches or Fruit & Citrus food. Always water in before and after feeding. You can also prune old citrus trees now by removing all old, twiggy growth.
Strawberries will be needing a pick-me-up after winter. A regular application of a weak liquid manure around strawberries is better than a whole lot all at once. Mulch well also to keep developing fruit off the soil. You might also like to fashion some netting over plants to stop any birds getting to the fruit before you do.
This is the start of the main feeding regime for most plants. Go organic, do it lightly and regularly, even every 3 weeks from now until the start of autumn. Your fruiting and ornamental trees, shrubs and annuals will appreciate this more than irregular and heavy doses.
Aphids: Now that spring is here keep a close eye out for aphids on soft, young growth. Numbers can increase rapidly if left undetected.
Citrus: Citrus trees can be affected by citrus gall wasp at this time of year. This small wasp lays its eggs in soft stems in spring. The larvae then tunnel through the stem forming a lumpy looking growth. Cut off any stems with galls and burn them immediately. There is no chemical control. Yellow sticky traps may be hung in the tree to trap adult wasps.
garden calendar - August
Plant your seed Potatoes, Asparagus and Rhubarb. Potatoes can be grown in a variety of ways, such as in old tyres, on unwanted lawn or in the traditional method. Use only seed potatoes to avoid introducing diseases into the soil. Asparagus will last for years and years so choose an area where it won't need to be disturbed. Rhubarb is another perennial which will do well left undisturbed so prepare the soil well before planting with loads of goodness.
In the vegetable garden it's time to plant seed or seedlings of Onions, Carrots, Parsley, Cabbage, Parsnip, Rocket, Silverbeet, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Rocket, Lettuce, Kale, Leek, Asian greens, Radish, Beetroot, Celery, Parsnip and Peas.
It's the start of the season to plant Globe Artichokes, Strawberries, Turnips, Chicory, Fennel, Sunflowers and your last chance to plant Jerusalem Artichokes and Spinach by seed.
Put down some rich compost or well aged manure around the drip lines of your fruit trees.
Prepare other beds for your summer vegetables by incorporating organic matter such as well-rotted compost, blood and bone and animal manures. Green manure crops should be dug in now before their stems become too woody.
For glasshouses / hothouses or similar - try getting an early start with sowing seeds of tomatoes, chillis and eggplants. The seeds can also be germinated on a sunny windowsill indoors. Plant seedlings of basil and early, more cold tolerant tomatoes in your greenhouse. Early tomato seedling varieties are Apollo, Rouge de Marmande, Ky1 and Roma.
Mulch the whole garden now, before the soil dries out. Mulches should be 7.5cm deep, and a variety of open materials may be used. Research indicates that chunky mulches work best. Top up any mulch layers that have thinned over winter.
In the vegetable garden it's time to plant seed or seedlings of Onions, Carrots, Parsley, Cabbage, Parsnip, Rocket, Silverbeet, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Rocket, Lettuce, Kale, Leek, Asian greens, Radish, Beetroot, Celery, Parsnip and Peas.
It's the start of the season to plant Globe Artichokes, Strawberries, Turnips, Chicory, Fennel, Sunflowers and your last chance to plant Jerusalem Artichokes and Spinach by seed.
Put down some rich compost or well aged manure around the drip lines of your fruit trees.
Prepare other beds for your summer vegetables by incorporating organic matter such as well-rotted compost, blood and bone and animal manures. Green manure crops should be dug in now before their stems become too woody.
For glasshouses / hothouses or similar - try getting an early start with sowing seeds of tomatoes, chillis and eggplants. The seeds can also be germinated on a sunny windowsill indoors. Plant seedlings of basil and early, more cold tolerant tomatoes in your greenhouse. Early tomato seedling varieties are Apollo, Rouge de Marmande, Ky1 and Roma.
Mulch the whole garden now, before the soil dries out. Mulches should be 7.5cm deep, and a variety of open materials may be used. Research indicates that chunky mulches work best. Top up any mulch layers that have thinned over winter.
secateur care
wiping your secateurs with some methylated spirits between pruning each plant. This simple hygiene habit means that if you happen to prune a plant with a disease, you won't spread it around the rest of the garden.
Scrub - fine steel wool, rag soaked in vinegar
Dry - thoroughly using a soft cloth.
Oil - olive oil/cooking oil (empty out last drops in cans into a special bottle for this job)
Sharpen - Once a month. Simply rub a secateur sharpening stone over the blades (keeping the angle the same as the cutting edge - about 30degrees apparently...)
Scrub - fine steel wool, rag soaked in vinegar
Dry - thoroughly using a soft cloth.
Oil - olive oil/cooking oil (empty out last drops in cans into a special bottle for this job)
Sharpen - Once a month. Simply rub a secateur sharpening stone over the blades (keeping the angle the same as the cutting edge - about 30degrees apparently...)
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