Lunar Planting Notes - 23rd February 2014 - There is nowhere better in the world to grow cauliflowers than Tasmania. And there is no better time to plant them out than now. They still have many weeks of warm growing weather to develop a strong framework. The best heads are formed in cool weather, so you will have excellent caulies in late autumn and winter. Varieties have been developed that do best in our climate conditions. For best results cauliflower seedlings must be transplanted while they are small and growing steadily. If they are hardened off by spending to long in the punnet they get a setback from which they will never recover. This is what u see, unfortunately all too often in garden centres. Seedlings that are tall and leggy and the leaves old and purplish, instead of small and bright green. DONT touch these. They are likely to develop small, useless curds a few weeks after transplanting. So buy only small, green and healthy plants. Lessen the transplant shock by soaking them in diluted seaweed solution. Do you ever stop to think about the miracle that takes place within a seed to make it grow into a plant. What is the magic that can transform a tiny seed into a large plant with beautiful flowers? We know that there has to be the right conditions for it to happen. Proper proportions of moisture, air, heat and, for most seeds, darkness. Most seeds prefer a temperature between 20 and 30 degrees for germination, but seeds of radishes, peas and lettuce for example will germinate readily at 10 degrees. The characteristics of seeds vary greatly. Some are ready to germinate right after they are produced and others need a period of dormancy or cold before they will grow. Certain tropical and desert seeds have an inhibitor in the seed coat and must rest until weather conditions develop, which break down the inhibitor. This is why a desert can suddenly become a sea of flowers when rain ends a year of drought. Different vegetable seeds are viable for differing lengths of time. For instance onion, leek, parsnip,salsify and corn seed are usually viable for one year, whereas pea, bean,cabbage and cauliflower seed is good for three years. While these rules can vary, you will always get the best results from fresh seeds. DAPHNE Sweet scented Daphne is one of the joys of spring. No garden should be without a bush. Why is it then, that some gardeners have trouble growing it? There should be no problems growing if a few rules are followed. Daphne likes well drained soil with plenty of compost. If the soil is heavy, plenty of organic matter should be mixed in to keep the roots moist but not wet. The Ph should be a little on the acid side, but this is not as important as the position. Morning sun and afternoon shade is what they like. Dont use artificial fertiliser on Daphne. Some blood and bone is alright. Mulch the plant with compost or well rotted manure.this should be applied after it has finished flowering, dont apply anymore until the new growth has ripened and set its flowered buds. After flowering has finished, prune lightly to shape the bush, although picking the flowers usually takes care of this. Daphne bushes should be sheltered from the wind as well. They will grow well in large tubs on a porch or veranda. Daphne can be propagated by taking cutting in December or January from the current seasons growth. These are shoots that have grown but havent flowered.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 08:32:34 +0000
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