Gardening tips & Qs

Hi ladies
Since there seems to be a big movement back to people have vege gardens ( i've always had one) i though it might be a good idea to have a thread with tips and where you can ask questions. So here it is. Maybe we could get this made sticky

Ohh I would love advice on gardening, spring last year I decided to plant some tomatoes. They grew huge - looked more like pumpkins and have only just started ripening. They are a bit of a mess but once they are done I am trying to think of something new to plant over winter....?

I've got brocolli, cauli, peas, beans, silverbeet, spinach, leeks, lettuce and uhm I think thats it atm. I have cycles of vege so that they aren't all coming up at the same time. Means I've also got some too.

Oh yeah doh we have cabbages too!

Ooh I have an irish dish where you wrap cabbage leaves round mashed potato colcannon i think its called *wanders off to check*

I have just revived the garden that hasn't been used since before we bought this house, so far i've only planted potatos and carrots to see what the ground is like.

we have mostly brassicas in our garden now not much grows over the winter. I still have to pick the late apples and the grapes which are ripening now. we will dig up the spuds tomorrow and see what under them the frost damaged them a bit yesterday. We still have some tomatoes and a corgette in the glasshouse.

The depth for a raised bed can be whatever you like but i would reccomend around about 60cm you can go higher to say 90cm if you want to just remember though the higher you go the more soil/compost you will use filling it up and you may need to water it more often too as the drainage will be good. as to what to put in it in June i would reccomend firstly haveing alook at your local garden centre what they have avaliable and go from there. Seeing as you are in Auckland and you should be at least able to pop a few brassicas in eg. cabbage, brocolli etc. They may sit around for a while but oce the soil warms up they will be away.

Yup soft drink bottles are good for plant protectio. There are some bell jars that you can get too they are made of plastic and are made in different sizes you can get them from the company shed they are on the net.

we used neem granules this year around our roses, and most crops in the garden it worked wonders no more icky green caterpillars in our cabbages and no holes either. I know it worked because i have some that haven't had it regularly and they have holes throughout them. You need to apply it every month though but its worth it.

I've recently planted a vege patch and everythings growing well, except for something is eating my lettices and brocolli leaves! Have been using some non-toxic slug bate, but don't think it's working. Might look into what you suggested sweetpea.

i've planted lettice, cauli, brocc, silverbeet, carrots