The Star: October 11, 2018

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36 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday October 11 2018 Gardening Editorial supplied by The Star www.gardener.kiwi • By Rachel Vogan IT’S THAT time of year again, tomato time. Each year when I come to share my tips and tricks on my favourite crop I come across things I didn’t know. Like, did you know that the first tomatoes in Europe were yellow varieties? Over time breeders crosspollinated tomatoes to breed red cultivars. Anyway, now that most of the frosts have packed up, and the days and nights are considerably warmer, tomatoes can be planted. If you live in a pocket where the odd late frost can appear this month, hold off planting yours for a few weeks – unless they are going into pots or tubs, then you can tuck them somewhere warm if need be. Garden centres are jam-packed with plants in all shapes and sizes. Small seedlings are in punnets, priced up between $4 and $5 each, or there are plenty as individual plants, varying in price depending on size and whether or not they have been grafted. A grafted tomato has a phenomenal growth rate and generally produces a larger plant, therefore more tomatoes. You don’t need to plant as many grafted tomatoes because they produce more fruit. THE BASICS Sun, sun & more sun If you cannot find a spot in full sun away from blustery winds, you can forget about growing a decent crop. All-day sun will produce the best crop; a few hours in the shade is okay, but they need at least half a day in full sun. SOIL MATTERS When planting in the ground, blend in compost or tomato mix first. This enables the soil to hold on to more moisture. At this time I blend in my tomato fertiliser, too, then water the soil well. If you can, do this a week before you put the plants in the ground. FOOD FIRST Tomatoes are greedy beggars; Time of year to think tomatoes TANGY: Make sure to give your tomatoes plenty of support. they just love food, particularly tomato food which is blended to promote healthy roots, strong flower formation and fruit development. This specialty fertiliser is like a multi-vitamin for tomatoes and does not contain as much nitrogen as general fertilisers do. Too much nitrogen in the soil promotes more leaves as opposed to flowers, which is not what we want in tomatoes or other fruit crops such as chillies, eggplants or zucchini. A bag of tomato food will last you a season or two. TUBS, TROUGHS & PLANTERS Tomatoes are a good option for growing in pots and containers. Big is best when it comes to the size of container, as they suck up water and nutrients at rate of knots. Therefore, the plant needs to be able to develop a large root system to supports its growth habit. The potting mix needs to be top notch, too, with plenty of fertiliser and an ability to hold onto ample amounts of water. Suppliers make it easy and make specific tomato mixes, which you’ll find easily in the shops. If you wanted to make your own, blend equal parts of compost, well-rotted manure and grit for the base, then work in tomato fertiliser prior to planting. The risk with homemade mixes are weeds and the potential that they can ‘heat up’ if the compost or manure isn’t fully mature. SUPPORT Most tomatoes require staking to support the stem, which will carry the weight of the crop as it develops. Staking also helps keep the fruit off the ground. New dwarf and ground-covering varieties don’t need this extra support, however. Choose a big fat stake or use a couple of bamboo canes. HOW TO GROW TOMATOES IN A STRAW BALE This season, as I have a limited amount of soil space in which to grow tomatoes, I have decided to grow a few in pea-straw bales. A couple of gardening friends do it and they suggested I try it. So far so good. 1. Select your sunny tomotogrowing spot, bearing in mind that once the bales become wet they are not that easy to move. 2. Hydrate the bale of straw. This takes about a week of watering it once a day. 3. Sit the bale on its side and remove about 10 handfuls of straw from the centre of the bale to make a hole, leaving the sides intact. Combine tomato mix and tomato fertiliser and put this into the hole you have created. 4. Water and leave overnight to dry out. 5. The following morning, plant your tomato – and, if you like, some companions such as parsley and calendula. Mine has been growing for a month now, tucked up next to the barn in which I live. It looks healthy and is forming flowers and setting fruit, so fingers crossed it works. I am going to try growing pumpkins using this method, too! CROP FAILURE When things go wrong you can normally attribute it with a few main things: Stress, through a lack of hydration, is the cause of most of the problems with tomatoes. Once plants wilt and begin to collapse numerous pests and diseases can and will attack a weak plant. Hence water is a lifeline for tomatoes. The trick is to water them deeply once or twice a week, rather than a little every day, especially when planted in the ground. In pots and containers, they will dry out quicker, but in the ground, you want to encourage the roots to bury themselves deeply into the cooler earth where water is more available. Shallow or light watering only encourages the feeder roots to stay near the surface where they often get burnt when the soil heats up in the sun. Poor plant nutrient is the other main cause of problems. If you expect your tomatoes to be athletes in the garden, and perform at their best, you need to feed them on a regular basis, especially when they are being grown in tubs and containers. Garden need a spruce up before the hols? We’ve got your back! • Garden plans • Garden makeovers • Garden maintenance • Delivery and planting of trees and shrubs • Great advice Call in and check out the great selection of trees and shrubs Great discounts offered on trees and shrubs! Allwood Trees, 366 Halswell Junction Road, Halswell, Christchurch 8025 Phone: (03) 349 9240 allwood.co.nz allwoodtrees
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday October 11 2018 37 Local News Now Fire rages, homes at risk QUESTION GARDENING ADVICE with I use kaffir lime leaves a lot in Thai cooking but my plant’s leaves have become quite yellow and speckly looking. How can I help it? Today’s winning question came from Amy sinclair. Congratulations! ANSWER Yellowing leaves on your kaffir lime is very typical of many citrus trees at this time of the year. It is symptomatic of a nutrient deficiency, especially nitrogen. As ‘gross feeders’, citrus respond very well to regular applications of citrus fertiliser. Apply Daltons Goldcote Fruit & Citrus Fertiliser out to the drip line every 4-6 weeks from early October as soil and air temperatures rise, through till Christmas. Recommence applications from late February through to mid- April which will help avoid this problem occurring again next season. Adding fresh Daltons Garden Time Compost around the base of your tree during the growing season will also improve the organic content of your soil and help with nutrient retention in the soil. For more gardening advice and tips, check out our How to Grow Citrus guide at www.daltons.co.nz/how-to-guides You can never go wrong growing your own juicy tomatoes. Whether you prefer heirloom, cherry, beefsteak or low acidic, there is a variety to suit your tastes and garden. We have a Daltons Tomato Care Pack to give away which have everything you need to grow tasty tomatoes. Each pack is valued at $80 and contains: • 2 x Garden Time Tomato Mix • Garden Time Tomato Fertiliser 1.5kg • Daltons Organic Bio-Fungicide Granules • Besgrow Coir Mulch 60L • PLUS a pair of comfortable, versatile Red Back gardening gloves from Omni Products (www.omniproducts.co.nz) BE IN TO WIN! Send us your gardening question to be in to win! $80 PRIZE PACK! Email your question and glove size to: chchstar@daltons.co.nz Entries must be received by 17th October 2018 Tips to simplify your garden WITH THE warmer weather comes the awareness that Christmas is really not that far away. Unfortunately, most of us wait until the last minute to work on our gardens, just before the big day arrives. Often we find the task either too big or too difficult, hence a lot of us leave it incomplete or even worse, don’t start at all. Well, here are some simple tips to improve your outdoor living areas. 1: If your garden is too much to handle then simplify it. Look at what plants you have. Your likes and dislikes. Too big or too small? Leaf droppers or sun blockers? The list goes on. Ascertain what has to go and get rid of them. You may be surprised at how simple things make a big difference. 2: Remember, often less is best. At this stage you may need to seek some professional advice to help keep in mind the picture you want to create. 3: If your garden and plant maintenance is high and you’re finding it hard to cope, then weed out the problem. For example, it just maybe time to realise that the roses are no longer suitable. Remember you can always substitute them with an alternative plant. 4: Consider building raised gardens with timber or garden sleepers. Besides adding a point of interest, you have the added benefits of a well drained garden that is easier to maintain. You may even consider split level gardens which will add an aesthetic value to your piece of paradise. oN sAle Now! Now only $35.80 Plus $5 P&H per copy AvAilAble from stAr mediA: Level One, 359 Lincoln Road Addington, Christchurch Phone 379 7100
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