December is a wonderful month to spend more time in the garden! Through gardening, we constantly learn about new propagation or cultivation techniques, new plant varieties, nutritional benefits of vegetables and our native flora. However, time and time again, we are reminded of important values like self-sustainability, patience and persistence.
PLANNING, PLANTING AND MORE
Gisborne Herald
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December planting guide
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Stake your tomatoes early, ideally within a month after planting them or before they reach a height of 12 inches. Tomatoes are easy to grow but their growing stems are quite soft and sensitive to damage. Plus, they yield heavy crops so it's good to give them early support.
Do you sometimes see a brownish, leathery rot developing at the bottom part of your tomatoes? Many gardeners get disheartened when they see this brownish section start forming. Bloom end rot can happen in tomatoes, eggplants, melons, etc. Let's look at the possible reasons:
1. One of the main causes of blossom end rot is calcium deficiency. During the growth stage of a fruit, it requires a lot of calcium in order to form. Calcium is a vital nutrient in vegetable plants because it strengthens the cellular structure in the developing fruit.
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2. Another possible cause of blossom end rot is over-fertilisation (nitrogen). With too much nitrogen, the plant tends to not absorb its required levels of calcium.
3. Inconsistency of watering - during summer months, plants need to have regular water supply. Water your tomatoes from the base of the plant.
In order to give your plants the best chance against blossom end rot, give your plant calcium-rich fertilisers. Keep your plants well watered. Add mulch to keep the soil moist.
We're excited to see your garlic harvest. This recent winter, we noticed that many gardeners all over New Zealand invested in planting garlic. Summer is the best time to harvest garlic (end of December to early January). When the lower, outer leaves turn yellow or brown, it's time to harvest the garlic.
Loosen the soil around the plant and carefully pull them out. Timing is quite important. When garlic is harvested prematurely, it may not store well. Once harvested, you may eat the garlic right away although some people leave it on the ground for a few days to dry it up. If you intend to store it for a few days, tie the bundles together and keep them in a cool, dark, dry place with good air circulation.
Fresh salads and desserts should be a highlight this season. Adding basil is a great way to add flavour to your meals! Awapuni nurseries stock eight varieties of basil: lemon, bush, Thai, sweet, red Rubin, cinnamon, greek mini and mixed. We particularly recommend the basil lemon for a burst of unique, citrusy flavour. We definitely love the smell of fresh basil in the garden.
If you love pastas and pizzas, then fresh basil pesto might be a good idea. Simply mix olive oil, pine nuts, fresh basil, a bit of freshly squeezed lemon, salt to taste. One tip is to mix a couple of basil varieties together (basil sweet and basil lemon) and if you like, add some parmessan cheese!
Summer is a wonderful season in New Zealand — flower gardens are blooming. Fill up your gardens with foxgloves, lavender, impatiens, petunias, gazanias, zinnias, cosmos and poppies. If you wish to try something different, take a look at some lupins, delphiniums or celosia kimono mix. Taller flowering plants add height and create a layered garden look.
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Native trees thrive in New Zealand's unique climate and provide food and shelter for our native fauna.
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