We may be locked-down but gardens are starting to burst out all over the place.  Vegetable plants that were struggling to grow a month ago are now racing ahead as the days get longer and soil temperatures rise significantly. Now is the time to prepare for next month when we can safely plant many of our favourite summer vegetables

SEEDS TO SOW
Into pots, punnets and trays under cover in a glasshouse, sun porch or sunny window sill: tomatoes, capsicum, chillies, zucchini, cucumber, dwarf beans, butternut squash, basil, plus towards the end of the month, egg plant, melons and sweet corn. A trigger spray bottle is a good way to keep them watered without splashing and washing out the seeds.

Carrots, peas, radishes, beetroot, onions and parsnips can be sown directly into the garden. Covering seeds with a layer of seed-raising potting mix helps to prevent a hard crust that can hinder germination. I still prefer to sow cabbage, broccoli, perpetual spinach, cauliflower, and lettuce in pots to provide strong seedlings for planting later.
 
POTATOES
Nothing beats new potatoes fresh from the garden. I planted my first early potatoes in July and they are already 20cm high and have received their first ‘earthing-up’. This involves drawing soil up and around the plants until only the top of the foliage is showing. This provides protection from the weather and insect pests as well as preventing ‘greening’ of any exposed tubers. The same principal applies to potatoes in containers, just top up the growing mix as the plants grow. This early crop will be ready by late October. Time to plant a few more!

VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Garden centers will soon be full of tender vegetable plants and it can be a huge temptation to buy up large and plant your summer garden in early September. Unless you have very warm, sheltered garden, a glasshouse, tunnel house or some other kind of protection it really pays to wait until later in the month or postpone the planting tender crops until October if wet, cold conditions persist. Even if early plantings survive they are usually overtaken by crops that are planted into more favourable conditions.
Winter standbys such as cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions, snow peas and silver beet can still be planted but be prepared to provide white butterfly protection as your cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower mature in a couple of months time.

HERBS
Herbs can be expensive to buy but they are generally very easy to grow. It’s probably still a little too early for basil but everyday varieties such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, chives and coriander will grow away quickly if planted this month.

STRAWBERRIES
This is a good time to trim off old, diseased foliage as the new leaves appear. Also (if you can bear to do it) removing the first flower clusters will help to develop a bigger, stronger plant that will ultimately produce bigger, better berries.

Written by Chris Green, Project Generate Volunteer

There is no Crop Swap this Saturday (4 September) as we cannot run this under COVID Alert Level 3.  Our next Crop Swap is on Saturday 2 October, and we have something exciting planned!  

Already the days are lengthening and through August we will begin to think that spring has sprung but we’ll be mistaken. Unless you have a glasshouse or tunnel house it pays to be patient for at least the next six weeks or so before planting out any tender, heat-loving summer vegetables.

SEEDS TO SOW
Continue sowing onions, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, perpetual spinach and spring onions. I usually make this my last sowing of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli because later sow crops will need to be protected from Cabbage White butterflies. Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden. Florence, or Globe fennel prefers cooler temperatures so there is still time to raise some seedlings. Carrots and parsnip are best sown direct into the garden late in the month when soil temperatures start to rise. Always use fresh parsnip seed for best results. Mid-August is the time to start sowing early zucchini, tomato, capsicum, chilli, egg plant, dwarf bean and cucumber in trays and pots but only in a warm, sunny spot under cover.

POTATOES
Early potatoes can be planted now. The seed potatoes you purchase may have already formed shoots and mini root systems and can be planted straight from the bag. Otherwise, prepare seed potatoes before planting by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner.

VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Unless you have a glasshouse, August really is the month to exercise patience. Winter standbys such as cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions and silver beet can still be planted. Asparagus ‘crowns’ are usually available from garden shops for planting in July/August. Planting an asparagus bed is a long term project as it takes several years to produce significant crops but it can then go on cropping for twenty years or more.

​HERBS
Herbs are generally easy to grow and most can be planted this month. Thyme, parsley, coriander, sage, rosemary, lemon grass, chives and dill can be grown in pots or can be planted directly into the garden. Mint is best grown in a pot as it can easily take over a garden bed with its underground runners. 

​JULY VEGETABLE GARDEN
Apart from the last few days, June continued our run of great gardening weather with relatively warm temperatures and some good soaking rain.  No doubt we will have plenty of cold, wet conditions ahead so July is a good time to clean up old crops, check out the seed catalogues and get ready for Spring. There are, however still plenty of vegetables that can be grown right now.  
SEEDS TO SOW
Seeds sown directly into garden beds will be very slow to germinate this month but cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, perpetual spinach and spring onion can all be sown under cover in containers. A sunny windowsill can be used to germinate seeds but the seedlings can quickly become spindly and weak if left indoors for too long. Move them to a sheltered spot outside a couple of days after germination to ensure hardy, sturdy seedlings.
Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden but again they will do much better in containers filled with seed-raising potting mix. Florence, or Globe, fennel prefers cooler temperatures so now is a good time to raise some seedlings to plant out next month. Carrots are best sown direct into the garden in late August or early September when soil temperatures start to increase .
POTATOES
First early potatoes can be planted in a warm, sheltered spot from mid July onwards so , if you haven’t already done so, purchase and prepare seed potatoes by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner.
VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Garlic and shallots can still be planted this month along with our winter standbys cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions and silver beet. Asparagus ‘crowns’ are usually available from garden shops for planting in July/August. Planting an asparagus bed is a long term project as it takes several years to produce significant crops but it can then go on cropping for twenty years or more.
STRAWBERRIES
 Planting now allows the maximum time to produce a strong plant with a well developed root system that will support a large crop of succulent fruit. It also encourages early and prolonged cropping. If using bare-rooted strawberry plants that are dug straight out of the ground just be careful that the roots are never allowed to become dry before planting.
By Chris Green, Project Generate Volunteer

The mild conditions that persisted through May meant that winter crops got off to a great start. Even though mid-winter is only a few weeks away there is still plenty to do if we are to enjoy fresh vegetables year-round.
 
SEEDS TO SOW.
Only hardy varieties can be sown in June and I find I get the best result by sowing the seeds in containers and producing sturdy plants to plant out later. This gets them away to a good start as they deal with wintery conditions. Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, kohlrabi, perpetual spinach and spring onion all benefit from this method. Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden but I favour growing them in small pots before planting out.

POTATOES
First early potatoes can be planted in mid July so this is the time to prepare seed potatoes by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner.

VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Garlic, shallots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, rocket, spring onions, silver beet, kohlrabi and Florence fennel can all be planted this month.

GARLIC & SHALLOTS
Individual garlic cloves are usually planted point upwards approx 10cm apart with 15cm to 30cm between rows and covered with 2cm to 3cm of soil. Shallots are spaced 10cm apart with 20cm between rows with the base of the bulb pressed firmly into the soil but leaving the top half exposed.

HERBS
 Plant hardy herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley and coriander.  Mint is best kept in pots to prevent invasive roots and shoots from overpowering less vigorous plants.

STRAWBERRIES
Commercial strawberry growers like to get their beds planted as soon as possible in late autumn/early winter. Planting now allows the maximum time to produce a strong plant with a well developed root system that will support a large crop of succulent fruit. It also encourages early and prolonged cropping. If using bare-rooted strawberry plants that are dug straight out of the ground just be careful that the roots are never allowed to become dry before planting. Next summer, here we come.

​By Chris Green - Project Generate Volunteer

​

MAY VEGETABLE GARDEN
This is the change-over month where summer crops make way for vegetables that will mature in winter and early Spring.
SEEDS TO SOW
If conditions are still reasonably mild the first week of May we can try a late sowing of carrots, peas and snow peas direct into the garden. Covering carrot seed with a light dressing of seed-raising potting mix instead of topsoil will aid germination. With protection from the elements, onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, silver beet, spring onion, perpetual spinach and lettuce can also be sown in pots and punnets for later transplanting. Broad beans are cool weather vegetables and the seed can be sown direct into the garden now to provide a useful fresh crop in Spring and early Summer. Be prepared for the fact that broad beans grow tall and may require support.
BROAD MINDED
The world is divided into those who love broad beans and those who loathe them. If the only broad beans you have ever tasted were leather jackets swimming in a sea of tasteless white sauce why would you like them? In fact fresh, tender broad beans provide a gourmet delight that is rarely available in supermarkets. Grow your own and pick ‘em young. Delicious!
VEGETABLES TO PLANT
Plant seedlings of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower but there are still Cabbage White butterflies around so netting protection may be required. Beetroot, silver beet, lettuce can still be planted in sunny, sheltered spots.
GARLIC AND SHALLOTS
May, June and July are the best months for planting garlic and shallots. Both take six to seven months to mature so it’s a good idea to enrich the soil with plenty of compost and a general fertiliser prior to planting. Individual garlic cloves are planted just below the surface, pointy end upwards, approximately 10cm apart with 15cm to 30cm between rows. Shallots are spaced 10cm apart with 20cm between rows with the base of the bulbs pressed firmly into the soil but leaving the top half exposed.
 
 
STRAWBERRIES
Early planting allows the development of strong plants with vigorous root systems which. In turn, results in a bigger harvest over a longer fruiting season. Bare-rooted strawberry plants are usually available at the end of the month or early June so now’s the time to prepare the area by incorporating compost and fertiliser. Create raised beds if the drainage is poor and perhaps cover the area with weed mat to suppress weeds, conserve summer moisture and to keep the fruit clean. Where space is limited, strawberries can be grown in patio pots, large hanging baskets, troughs or herb planters filled 50/50 with good quality compost and potting mix.

​Contributed by Chris Green, Project Generate Volunteer.

I moved to Katikati from Wellington in 2012 and immediately felt at home in this wonderful community!  I have 3 boys, aged 11, 7, and 3, which keeps me very busy.  During the summer our life tends to revolve around Speedway, and then football in the winter.  I worked for AFS Intercultural Programmes about 15 years ago, and I am excited to once again be part of a volunteer based organisation that contributes hugely to the community. More recently I have been a Teacher Aide at Katikati Primary School, and I currently volunteer at BABS.  You'll usually find me in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and by all means pop in to say hi.  

Growing vegetables is not difficult but it does require some forward planning, patience, careful observation and stickability. Sowing seeds or planting seedlings are just the first steps of a commitment to care for our crops through to harvest. April is a great month to continue planting winter vegetables. Soil and air temperatures are still high enough to aid the rapid germination of seeds and establishment of transplanted seedlings.

​SEEDS TO SOW  
Sow a few broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and red cabbage every three or four weeks to give continuity of supply. I always start them in containers but they can be sown directly into a garden seedbed for transplanting later. Whichever method is used the seedlings must be protected from the voracious caterpillars of the Cabbage White butterfly. Because I don’t use chemical sprays on my food crops I prefer a simple frame to support a cover of Quarantine Cloth. This has the added advantage of providing light shade for the tender seedlings.
Spring onions, lettuce, silver beet and perpetual spinach can now be sown directly into the garden or, as I prefer, into containers to produce seedlings for transplanting later.
Carrots sown early in the month should germinate before temperatures start to fall and will be ready for picking in late winter/early spring.
Rocket, radish, beetroot and parsnips (always use fresh parsnip seed for best results) can be sown directly into the garden. Covering seeds with a layer of seed-raising potting mix helps to prevent soil from forming a hard crust that can hinder germination.
Peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas can all be sown directly into the garden but be sure to provide support for tall climbing varieties.
 
VEGETABLES TO PLANT
April provides a window of opportunity to plant winter vegetables before the weather deteriorates, temperatures fall and the days grow shorter. Seedlings of all the varieties listed in ‘Seeds to Sow’ can be planted now.
HERBS
Coriander prefers cool conditions so this is a good time to sow or plant. Parsley, chives, sage, rosemary and thyme can all be planted this month. Mint is best planted in pot to prevent it taking over the garden with its vigorous spreading habit.

​Contributed by Chris Green, Project Generate Volunteer.