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100% NEW ZEALAND OWNED AND OPERATED<br />
32<br />
Tuesday <strong>June</strong> <strong>21</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
Gardening<br />
The hero vegetable<br />
•From page 31<br />
Stir-fry with other Asian greens or lightly<br />
sautéed in butter on its own, and few will<br />
push this sweet and juicy vegetable to the<br />
side of the plate.<br />
Grilled on the barbecue it complements<br />
meat dishes and, with a rather robust<br />
texture, it doesn’t disintegrate on the<br />
hot plate like other leafy greens, such as<br />
spinach and silver beet.<br />
Growing tips<br />
If you want something for a pot or a tub,<br />
this has to be at the top of the list. Pak<br />
choi has a very shallow root system, which<br />
makes it ideal for planting under other<br />
plants.<br />
Three plants can easily grow in a small pot.<br />
If you jam a few more in, harvest the smaller<br />
ones when they are a little smaller and leave<br />
the rest to fatten up to be chunky monkeys.<br />
In the garden, blend in rich compost<br />
or a few handfuls of sheep pellets before<br />
planting. The more organic matter you get<br />
into the soil, the faster the crop will grow. If<br />
you have plenty of room, plant them troweldistance<br />
apart. Full sun will give you the best<br />
results, although they do cope with a little<br />
shade. Their main requirement is watering at<br />
least twice a week.<br />
Seeds germinate within a week or so and<br />
online catalogues have a great range. Seed<br />
can be sown directly into the ground or into<br />
trays; they quickly germinate if soil is moist,<br />
but not boggy.<br />
Plant six to 10 plants once a month, or more<br />
if you have plenty of mouths to feed. Slug and<br />
Slugs, snails and caterpillars love this<br />
juicy green too, so take precautionary<br />
action.<br />
snails like to hunt them down, so lay plenty of<br />
bait to keep them away. To harvest use a sharp<br />
knife and cut off just above soil level, cook<br />
or use as soon as possible. You can leave the<br />
stem and root in the ground, more shoots will<br />
appear and these are edible, too. They won’t<br />
get as big as the initial plant, but they do taste<br />
pretty similar.<br />
Delicious stir-fried, steamed by themselves<br />
or added to other vegetables or meat, stalks<br />
are best picked immediately after flowering<br />
starts. Leave three or four young leaves on<br />
the plant and successive stalks will then grow<br />
from the main stalk.<br />
Time to plant trees<br />
JUNE BRINGS the start<br />
of rain and cold weather,<br />
but there is still plenty<br />
to do in the garden such<br />
as pruning and planting<br />
trees.<br />
Here are some top<br />
tasks to keep you busy<br />
and warm.<br />
Now is the time to<br />
start planting any pip<br />
and stone fruit trees.<br />
New young trees are<br />
now available in garden<br />
centres; ensure you<br />
select healthy looking<br />
specimens. Consider<br />
your planting areas carefully,<br />
making sure your<br />
young tree has full<br />
exposure to the sun and<br />
is sheltered from strong<br />
prevailing winds.<br />
For existing pip and<br />
stone fruit trees, you can<br />
now begin pruning. Try<br />
to keep the tree height<br />
under three metres to<br />
allow for easier harvesting<br />
and netting of<br />
trees where birds are a<br />
problem.<br />
<strong>June</strong> is also a safe time<br />
to plant new ornamental<br />
trees and shrubs. Planting<br />
technique is important<br />
to allow new plants<br />
to thrive in both climatic<br />
extremes for example<br />
wet winters and hot dry<br />
summers. Also incorporate<br />
plenty of compost<br />
into the soil when<br />
planting new specimens.<br />
Spread compost around<br />
existing trees and shrubs<br />
to give them a boost.<br />
Continue to keep sowing<br />
and planting winter<br />
veges such as broccoli,<br />
cabbage cauliflower,<br />
peas and spinach to<br />
ensure a continuous<br />
supply.<br />
Protect empty garden<br />
beds by sowing green<br />
manure crops for example<br />
lupins. They protect<br />
the top soil from wind<br />
and water erosion and<br />
add organic matter back<br />
to the soil when dug in.<br />
SELWYN TIMES<br />
Wait till they are about<br />
15-20cm high then chop<br />
up with a spade as you<br />
dig them back into the<br />
soil.<br />
Prune roses when all<br />
the leaves have fallen<br />
and apply a winter clean<br />
up spray of copper<br />
oxychloride or lime<br />
sulphur after pruning.<br />
Remove and destroy<br />
any diseased wood after<br />
pruning. Replace any<br />
rose specimens that<br />
have not performed<br />
adequately or were heavily<br />
infected with black<br />
spot or rust during the<br />
growing season. Choose<br />
new varieties from catalogues<br />
or visit your local<br />
gardening centre.<br />
<strong>June</strong> is an excellent<br />
time to plan new<br />
gardens in your property<br />
in preparation for<br />
spring planting. It is a<br />
good idea to monitor<br />
future garden areas for<br />
cold winds and excessive<br />
moisture, as both<br />
conditions will influence<br />
what you can plant in<br />
that area.<br />
Plant new shelter belts<br />
and or hedges where<br />
they are required.<br />
Urban Section<br />
We’re for every gardener<br />
PLANT DOCTOR • FIVE-MINUTE GARDENING • TEXTURE & COLOUR • AUTUMN CROPS • THYME TALES<br />
For passionate gardeners and green-fingered beginners<br />
Issue 412 | April 2 – April 15, 2015 | www.weekendgardener.co.nz<br />
autumn planting • moon calendar • the lone pine • plant doctor<br />
We’re for every gardener<br />
mums<br />
all about<br />
FlAnders PoPPy<br />
Its significant story<br />
Grow show-stopping<br />
chrysanthemums<br />
100%<br />
What it means<br />
Issue 413 | April 16 – April 29, 2015<br />
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FLORENCE FENNEL<br />
From plot to plate<br />
PLANTS OF OUR PAST<br />
Honeywort’s connection<br />
to World War One<br />
EAT WHAT YOU<br />
GROW<br />
A mint apple jelly<br />
recipe<br />
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ISSN 1174-8656<br />
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