Bridgeley Community Garden (Northam) in Northam, Western Australia | Gardener

Bridgeley Community Garden (Northam)

Locality: Northam, Western Australia

Phone: +61 8 9622 3981

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25.01.2022 How to grow tomatoes in containers or ground successfully with an enormous harvest and big sized tomatoes? Lets look into 10 really smart scientific tips, tric...ks and hacks to successfully grow healthy tomato plants to yield tons of tomatoes. In the end, a scientifically proven bonus tomato hack which acts an immune booster to tomato plants. Buy Links at http://www.gkvk.net/links See more

25.01.2022 Em tip for flies on plants.

25.01.2022 Unsuccessfully have grown one, but without fruit. Tried many times.

25.01.2022 This should be great!!! Cant wait

24.01.2022 Super idée au cas où vous auriez des poules

24.01.2022 From another site. "Always pick a tomato when it is ripe but leave the stem and they will hold firmness better longer Tomatoes that are near ripe will ripen much better with a length of stem attached also."

23.01.2022 Here are some quick and easy steps to check if you have lawn grubs in your lawn. Take control before they take over your lawn!

23.01.2022 #SaveTheBees #bees

22.01.2022 Hot composting is one of the fastest ways to break down food scraps and garden trimmings into an amazing fertilizer for your garden...but managing a compost pil...e can be tricky if youre a beginner. Here are the 5 "composting 101" mistakes I see most newbies make! TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 0:48 - 1. Not Turning 2:02 - 2. Wrong Ingredients or Amount 3:22 - 3. Too Wet or Dry 4:13 - 4. Not Enough Material 5:12 - 5. Not Considering Seeds 6:10 - Outro SHOP Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com Buy My Books: https://shop.epicgardening.com/collections/books LEARN MORE Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel: In-Depth Articles: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog Daily Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicgardening FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@epicgardening Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening SUBSCRIBE TO MY 2ND CHANNEL Epic Urban Homestead: https://www.youtube.com/c/epicurbanhomestead DONATE If youd like to directly support Epic Gardening, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening

22.01.2022 Love the labelled visuals!!!

21.01.2022 So colourful!!!

20.01.2022 This should be great!!! Can't wait

20.01.2022 Your practices please? Very interesting topic!

16.01.2022 Zucchini: Zucchini, like all squash, has its ancestry in the Americas, specifically Mesoamerica. However, the varieties of green, cylindrical squash harvested i...mmature and typically called "zucchini" were cultivated in northern Italy, as much as three centuries after the introduction of cucurbits from the Americas. It appears that this occurred in the second half of the 19th century, although the first description of the variety under the name zucchini occurs in a work published in Milan in 1901. The zucchini or courgette (Cucurbita pepo) is a summer squash, which can reach nearly 1 metre (40 inches) in length, but is usually harvested when still immature at about 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in). A zucchini is a thin-skinned cultivar of what in Britain and Ireland is referred to as a marrow.In South Africa, zucchini is known as baby marrow. The name courgette is a French loanword, the diminutive of courge gourd, marrow, and is commonly used in France, Belgium, and other Francophone areas, as well as in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Africa. Here in Australia we have followed the Italian name for it Zucchini When to plant: Warm climates: April September except for arid areas where September is the best. Temperate climates: September January Cool climates: October January In temperate and cool areas it is best to sow seeds in small pots indoors or in a greenhouse since they do not like cold weather. They usually germinate in 1 2 weeks and can be planted when there are several adult leaves. In warm areas, direct sow seeds. Note; In temperate climate be aware that we can still get a frost in September so if you are in a frost prone area I would wait until October to plant them in the garden. They need an area of a minimum of 1 square metre to grow and should get about 6 hours of sun preferably not the real hot afternoon sun, having large leaves they are partial shade lovers. They are quick glowering and easy to grow for beginners however they are some pitfalls that are easy to fall into which I will discuss further on. Zucchini are available in a range of shapes and colours, not just the familiar dark green long-shaped ones that are readily available in supermarkets, but yellow, striped in different shades of green and even curved or almost round. For example, Blackjack is a prolific bush variety with very dark-green long fruit, and Golden, is a yellow-skinned variety. A number of seed suppliers stock a variety of heirloom varieties that are worth investigating, including Crookneck Early Summer, which is very suited to those who arent able to harvest fruit as frequently, as they remain an edible size for much longer than other varieties. There are also more compact varieties, such as Cocozelle, which means you dont need to provide support or have a large garden space so do your research to make your needs and space. Planting them in well drained soil will give them a good start, of course mulching is also important so that your zucchinis are not laying directly on the soil. They are good feeders so ensure that you feed at the time of planting with a pelletised organic type fertiliser and then subsequent applications around them as they grow every few weeks. Since the fruit are very fleshy, zucchini need plenty of water irrigation 2 3 times per week or a thorough deep hand watering once per week. It is important to avoid watering the leaves, especially late in the season when mildew and other diseases can be a problem. Dont worry if the leaves wilt on very hot days they will recover as long as the roots zone is watered regularly. Mulching with sugar cane or something like whoflungdung a Neutrog product will help them enormously on the really hot days so I can emphasise enough how important it is to mulch your gardens not just where your zucchinis are planted. Zucchini have separate male and female flowers and, like most species, it is the females that product fruit. The male flower grows directly on the stem of the plant in the leaf axils (where leaf meets stem) on a long stalk, and they are slightly smaller than the female. Inside the flower, females have a rounded stigma whereas the male has a long stamen with pollen on the outside. This is important to recognise if you find that flowers are forming but they bloom and fade, with no fruit growing afterwards. It could be that your garden lacks pollinators especially in recent years when bee numbers have been declining. If this occurs, you could try hand pollination. Use a fine paint brush in the mornings and carefully brush it against the male stamen and transfer pollen to the female stigma. You can alternately remove some male flowers from the plant at tear off the petals exposing the male stamen and look for the female flowers and carefully inset the stamen onto the stigma of the female flower. The female flower will have a small zucchini behind the petals. Planting other flowering plants, especially nasturtiums, which are a good companion plant for zucchini, will help attract bees and other pollinators to assist in getting higher yields not only on your zucchinis but on your other edibles within your garden. Fruit usually appears 5 8 weeks after planting. Zucchinis need to be regularly harvested to encourage continuous cropping. They are usually harvested quite small as allowing them to continue growing results in fruit that is too big to be used as a vegetable and they can tend to go woody if you let them grow like this. So watch carefully since they can grow rapidly producing large unwieldy fruit. It is best to harvest when they are around 12 20 cm long. It never cease to amaze me when I go back to a plant that I think I have harvested completely a few days ago and come back to find a zucchini that is 50cm long that I have missed. Or straight after a summer rain they seem to suck up all the water and grow extremely fast so keep your eyes peeled. Below are a few of the popular varieties. Keep in mind that sometimes the availability of individual varieties can vary and nurseries may not have all of these in stock every season. Online see merchants are always a good source of seeds for the harder to get varieties. Black Beauty Early maturing bush variety with dark green cylindrical fruit. This is the typical green zucchini most commonly used in cooking and can be used grated fresh. Harvest regularly over long period. Blackjack A highly attractive prostrate plant. Very large, dark green leaves with silver markings and abundant, long, dark green fruits. Use stuffed, roasted or fried. Try growing as a ground cover under corn and beans. Check every few days for fruit once cropping commences. Costa Romanesque A distinctive Italian heirloom bush zucchini with prominently ribbed fruit. The skin is medium grey-green with pale green flecks. It is delicious raw or cooked with a nutty flavour. The male flower buds are also eaten. It stays tender even when very large. It is a favourite of the River Caf and Jamie Oliver. Golden Relatively compact plants with gold-skinned fruit. Fast-growing, abundant crop that continues non-stop until frost. Try growing them in large containers. The gold colour makes it tougher for fruit to hide beneath green leaves, which means youll have fewer baseball bat-sized zucchini. For best flavour, pick when theyre 25cm or shorter. Gold Rush Gold Rush is a high yielding variety with creamy-fleshed, yellow fruit. Use stuffed, roasted or fried. Try marinated, in pasta sauces, on pizzas, in casseroles, grated in rissoles or vegie burgers or in cakes. Lebanese A highly attractive prostrate plant with large, dark green leaves with silver markings. Abundant, short, thick, light green fruits. Mild and slightly sweet in flavour. Popular in Lebanese cooking, particularly stuffing. Roast, fry, marinate, grate into vegie burgers and cakes. Tromboncino A highly vigorous variety of zucchini, growing easily to a height and width of 1.5m. Train it up a trellis to make great use of vertical spaces. Huge yields, fruits for months. Very pale green skin and can have varied faint white stripes with an outstanding flavour. Best picked around 25-30cm. All the seeds form in the bulbous part at the end, which means youve got a whole long length of stem with no seeds. Companions: Borage, lovage, marjoram, nasturtium, sunflower, sweet corn, tansy. Pests/disease: There are very few pests that worry zucchini however, like all Cucurbits, they can be susceptible to a range of fungal diseases. In particular, powdery mildew, but this is easily eradicated using my home made general fungicide on page 196 of my book, Edible Gardens a practical guide. Keeping your plants free of yellowing, old or dead leaves will dramatically reduce its exposure to mildew and will extend its life, as will not watering the leaves particularly late in the day or evening. Another potential problem is blossom end rot, which isnt a contagious disease, but is caused by calcium deficiency, use black grit, or liquid calcium to correct it. Culinary: Baked, in pasta dishes, steamed, fries, stuffed, stir fried, crumbed, used as pasta, pickles, chutneys, curries, I even dehydrate them when I have an abundance of them for use later on in the year when they are n longer in season, The flowers are also edible this is a good way to use the occasional excesses of male flowers. They can be used in salads, as garnish, and even fried or stuffed with cheese, bacon, mushroom or tomato and baked. This information is included as one of the plant profiles in my eBook. Please share this post with other you think would enjoy this information. For more info on edible gardening you can obtain a copy of my book at https://craigcastree.com.au/shop or my NEW eBook of over 100+ Plant profiles that will take your edible garden to the next level. You can also book a online consultation tailored to meet your needs to help you understand how to better use your garden and maximise its production, at www.craigcastree.com.au

16.01.2022 In this episode, we will demonstrate 10 powerful tricks, Hacks and benefits of Baking soda in your garden like testing your soil PH using baking soda, the baking soda pesticide recipe and many more.

15.01.2022 If youre just getting started on your first garden, its important to have early success. These 5 groups of crops are extremely easy and fast to grow, so you c...an have your first successful harvest and build your gardening confidence. 1. Microgreens 2. Pea and Sunflower Shoots 3. Baby Lettuce 4. Baby Root Crops 5. Extra Greens LEARN MORE Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel. I have a website with 300+ gardening tutorials as well as a podcast where I release daily gardening tips in five minutes or less. Theres also a Facebook group with over 1,500 other gardeners sharing their tips. Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com Website: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/ PRODUCTS IN THIS VIDEO My Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2V7dAEn Signed Copies: https://bit.ly/epicgardeningbook DONATE If you like my videos, articles, or podcast episodes, please consider supporting on Patreon. For rewards, Ill answer gardening questions and make videos! https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening SOCIAL MEDIA Steemit: https://steemit.com/@halcyondaze Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/epicgardening Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening

14.01.2022 From other site- Excess zucchini. ?? ?? "I will grate my zucchini and store them in sandwich bags in the freezer so I have use all year round. "

13.01.2022 WA Gardening tips for Spring

12.01.2022 Extra beetroot. Besides baking them, what do you do with them? Another idea from another site - " Boil them in vinegar, sugar, salt , mustard seed, black pepper and ginger. Once you have cooked the beetroot, peel, chop then add to jar with above liquid!"

11.01.2022 In today’s episode we will try to identify some common leaf patterns of discoloration and distortion in various micro and macro nutrient deficiencies and Finally One single universal treatment or fertilizer to treat these problems.

11.01.2022 Long list of seeds/plants for planting now!!

11.01.2022 The best vegetable thing I have ever eaten! The words of a year 4 student this week after trying the roasted beetroot hummus. That is a pretty good testimonial to encourage families to try this recipe at home!

11.01.2022 From clever Mark on another site. "Well its about that time of the year again. Sweet spuds in Tubs! Find yourself a container (the largest you can handle as you will need to tip it over),add 10cm of soil mix and plant your slips. I had 5 slips in the smaller tub,80lt.... As the slips grow,cover them with compost,leaving around 5cm of growth each time. Repeat until the tub is full and then let the plants grow like normal. Keep the soil on the wetter side of moist and flood the tub every few days. Liquid fertilize once a month. Harvest when the plant dies down in Autumn or winter. " See more

11.01.2022 Spring is a great time to check out your compost bins especially if they have been neglected during the cooler season. Investigate the bottom of the heap where ...you may be surprised to find some wonderful compost ready to spread around the garden. By cleaning it out now, you can start again with a fresh batch of material. Use homemade compost in the vegie patch, flower gardens or mix it with soil when building new beds and your garden will thank you for it.

10.01.2022 If you leave your garden tools out and they build up rust, this is for you. Tool restoration is such an enjoyable process, the feeling you get when you restore ...it to brand new is absolutely amazing. 0:00 - Intro 0:44 - Salt & Vinegar Method 2:34 - Baking Soda Method 3:04 - Steel Wool 4:08 - Baking Soda After 6:07 - Salt & Vinegar After 7:30 - Oiling SPONSOR: 3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose Oil 3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose Oil is a versatile formula that cleans off grime, lubricates moving parts, penetrates rust, and protects tools and equipment. Its easy-to-use drip spout allows for quick and precise application with no overspray or splatter, making this multi-purpose oil a go-to solution for professional tradesmen and do-it-yourselfers alike. Learn more: https://www.3inone.com/products/multi-purpose-oil/ Available at Walmart: https://bit.ly/3jG8FVu For more tips, follow 3-IN-ONE Brand on https://www.facebook.com/pg/Original3INONEOil/posts/ and https://www.instagram.com/3inonebrand/ IN THIS VIDEO Corona Bypass Lopper: https://amzn.to/2YSCsm8 Corona Bypass Pruner: https://amzn.to/32PIcOJ Felco F2 Pruners: https://amzn.to/32JDGB3 SUPPORT EPIC GARDENING Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com Buy My Books: https://shop.epicgardening.com/collections/books Support Directly: https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening LEARN MORE Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel: Text Me: +1 (858) 264-3907 2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/epicurbanhomestead In-Depth Articles: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog Daily Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicgardening FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@epicgardening Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening

10.01.2022 Beneficial insects: dont forget while you are planting your spring and summer veg to plant herbs and flowers to bring good bugs into the garden, focus on flo...wers where the pollen is readily accessible. Compound (flower heads made up of many small flowers) and umbelliferous (compound flowers that look like umbrellas) flowers are great, such as those from the Apiaceae family. Members of the Asteraceae (daisy) family are generally hardy favourite food sources for beneficial insects in your garden. Insects are a natural part of our environment, no matter how we look at it. Launching a full frontal assault on your aphid infestation may stop them eating your tomato for that week, but it will only be a mere speed hump in the natural cycle of the species. Most people know that one of the benefits of companion planting is to attract bees which help pollinate fruiting plants. However, an equally vital benefit is attracting insects which will prey on and control pest insects such as aphids. Giving these beneficial insects an environment in which to thrive helps ensure a healthy balance in your garden and can dramatically reduce the need for sprays to control problem pests. Did you know? chemical sprays are non-selective, and will kill off any life forms in your garden, including any predatory bugs that would otherwise eat those pesky aphids for lunch, and those that pollinate our fruits and vegetables. Oh, and those chemicals dont just disappear in the next rain shower they become part of the makeup of the garden and reside in the soil, stored in plant cells and the run off goes into our water table. It ends up in the food we eat and the water we drink. At the end of the day, you are still going to get pests in the garden. Having said all of that it is really important to learn to include flowers and herbs that will attract and supply the predatory insects a reason to visit and attend your garden, and if you possibly can provide a habitat for them to stick around and become resident in your garden even better. So as mentioned earlier umbelliferous flowers or compound flowers do a great job to encourage these insects into your garden. An important strategy for organic gardeners is to enhance and maximise the natural biological controls already present in a garden ecosystem, so does your garden provide a nectar source for beneficial, pest-controlling insects? Flowers to attract beneficials including red clover, alyssum, cosmos, marigolds, Queen Annes Lace, buckwheat, lucerne, dill, caraway, coriander and phacelia, gypsophila. It blooms much of the year, providing nectar, pollen and habitat for wild and introduced beneficial insects, such as predatory mites and tiny micro wasps, ladybirds, lacewings, hoverflies, tachnid flies and predatory beetles. As for habitats for these beneficial beauties, you will need to either make an insect hotel or two or buy them they are readily available these days at your local nursery. They are a great way of providing for some of these beneficials a place to call home, hanging them on facing nth east will give them the best aspect that will suit the beneficials. If you continually plant nectar bearing compound flowers you will have more chance of having these little guys and gals stick around to help your garden out. I highly recommend giving it a go. My new eBook contains detailed companion plant lists for each plant profile making it easy for you to select the right plants to help your garden out. Please share this post with others you think would enjoy this information. For more info on edible gardening you can obtain a copy of my book at https://craigcastree.com.au/shop and the all NEW eBook of over a 100+ Plant profiles that will take your edible garden to the next level, or book a consultation tailored to meet your needs at www.craigcastree.com.au

10.01.2022 'The best vegetable thing I have ever eaten!' The words of a year 4 student this week after trying the roasted beetroot hummus. That is a pretty good testimonial to encourage families to try this recipe at home!

09.01.2022 Happy Monday, Green Lifers! Hope your garden enjoyed some Spring rain over the weekend. Between the rainy days were in for some sunshine - so time to get out there and garden! :-D Have a great day. x

08.01.2022 From another site. " Mulberries - a tip online to freeze them, - rinse berries, pat dry, then place in a single layer on a baking sheet on baking paper and place in the freezer. After 2 hours you can pack them in freezer bags. This trick stops them clumping together and the little stalk also snaps off."

07.01.2022 From clever Mark on another site. "Well it's about that time of the year again. Sweet spuds in Tubs! Find yourself a container (the largest you can handle as you will need to tip it over),add 10cm of soil mix and plant your slips. I had 5 slips in the smaller tub,80lt.... As the slips grow,cover them with compost,leaving around 5cm of growth each time. Repeat until the tub is full and then let the plants grow like normal. Keep the soil on the wetter side of moist and flood the tub every few days. Liquid fertilize once a month. Harvest when the plant dies down in Autumn or winter. " See more

06.01.2022 Tonight would have been the #preview night for my #featuregarden at the Royal Adelaide Show , with the show itself opening tomorrow. For the last 12 years (or m...ore as I cant actually recall) I have created a #showgarden there and it is rather surreal that its not happening this year. Rather than just create a pretty garden I always have a theme which I am particularly passionate about at the time, from backyards for kids, bee friendly gardens, habitat gardens to balance in the garden. Here are the links to images of the last three years and you can also see the accompanying flyers which explain the themes and features within the gardens: my 2019 garden Balance https://sophiespatch.com.au//fea/2019-royal-adelaide-show/, my 2018 garden Buzz the Bee Lovers Garden https://sophiespatch.com.au//fea/2018-royal-adelaide-show/ and Habitat my 2017 show garden https://sophiespatch.com.au//habitat-by-sophie-thomson-a-/. #mypatch See more

06.01.2022 From another site. Tip for snail problem!!!!! " The coffee spray tip. It really works. Brew coffee. Instant wont work. Dilute it in any sprayer to NO LESS than 50/50 with water and heavily spray anything and everything foliage-wise in your garden where you think those little blighters might be or like to eat. If it rains do it again. If you spot tiny ones from hatched eggs have another round. Its a fantastic remedy. Good luck!

06.01.2022 Do you know when and how to correctly prune your fruit trees? thats ok, Tino can show you

05.01.2022 The soil at my new house is GOOD, but compact and high in clay content. To get it to grow anything, I tilled up about 4-5", mixed in various sources of compost,... biochar, and mycorrhizal fungi, and then topped it off with a few bags of high quality soil mix. Beds can be about 30"-48" wide in ground to account for workability. Make sure you water in well and lay down some mulch after planting. This is one of the easier ways to get a garden started if you have the space for it, as youre using your own native soil to form the bed, saving you money. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 0:58 - Troubleshoot Existing Soil 2:24 - Measuring the Bed 4:14 - Tilling Existing Soil 4:58 - Adding Compost 7:02 - Topping With More Soil 9:25 - Planting Thai Veggies 11:19 - Outro SHOP Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com Buy My Books: https://shop.epicgardening.com/collections/books LEARN MORE Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel: In-Depth Articles: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog Daily Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicgardening FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@epicgardening Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening SUBSCRIBE TO MY 2ND CHANNEL Epic Urban Homestead: https://www.youtube.com/c/epicurbanhomestead DONATE If youd like to directly support Epic Gardening, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening

04.01.2022 The time has come to begin moving the Epic dragon fruit, and the first step is pruning it down to size. Dragon fruit pruning is pretty simple: remove stems that... are too long or unlikely to be productive. In my case, those were the ones growing all over my house. As for dragon fruit propagation, take 8-12" cuttings, let dry for 5-7 days to callous over, and then plant them into pots, stake them up, and wait until you see new stem growth. Thats really all there is to it! SHOP Nursery Tape: https://amzn.to/31D4h3T 1 Gallon Pots: https://amzn.to/31KIHua Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com Buy My Books: https://shop.epicgardening.com/collections/books LEARN MORE Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel: In-Depth Articles: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog Daily Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicgardening FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@epicgardening Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening SUBSCRIBE TO MY 2ND CHANNEL Epic Urban Homestead: https://www.youtube.com/c/epicurbanhomestead DONATE If youd like to directly support Epic Gardening, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening

04.01.2022 Cucumelon: Cucumelon (Melothria scabra) also known as mouse melon, is a vine grown for its edible fruit. Fruits are about the size of grapes and taste like cucu...mbers with a tinge of sourness. They look like grape-sized watermelons and taste like cucumbers with a hint of lime. Theyre native to Mexico and Central America. They also go by the following names: mouse melon, Mexican sour gherkin, Mexican miniature watermelon and Mexican sour cucumber. They are very drought tolerant and easy to grow. Cucamelons require similar growing conditions to regular cucumbers. Choose a sunny position, with well-drained soil and provide them with a trellis for support. Seed can either be directly sown into the soil (in late October or early November), or started early in pots in a greenhouse (from August to October). Started early in pots they handle transplant into soil very well. Sow seeds about 5mm deep and space the plants about 30 to 60cm apart. Its a good idea to sow seeds in groups of 3 to 4 and later thin to the two strongest seedlings. They are drought tolerant plants, but they will produce more fruit if you keep them well watered. To harvest, simply pick the fruit when they get to the size of a grape and eat. Cucamelons are known to self-seed, so be aware that you may end up having cucamelons for years to come with very little effort. I love plants in the garden that do that and I see that as a great thing. The cucamelon vines lose their leaves in winter, and you can lift the root ball and store in a cool dark place over winter to replant in spring. I have never tried this before and certainly will do in the future. Apparently the size of the tubers that the plants develope about a foot below the surface of the soil is quite amazing. So replant the tubers in spring as apparently the plants will crop more prolifically and much earlier than in the first season of growth. Culinary: salsas, salads and cocktails. To use in salsas, we recommend adding them to our Chunky Tomato Salsa, swapping out standard cucumbers for cucamelons in our Savory Strawberry Salsa. Pests: Cucamelons are pest-resistant. Healthy cucamelons are able to fend off the pests that afflict cucumbers, white flies, and aphids. Using a trellis to grow the vines vertically helps prevent many pests from pinching the fruit. Growing the vines vertically also helps to prevent slug damage. Disease: Cucamelons are relatively disease resistant and are less likely to contract the diseases that afflict cucumbers such as powdery mildew and downy mildew. Simply mix one teaspoon of bicarbonate Skoda, 1 litre of water, 1 litre of skim milk, a pinch of Condys crystals. Mix thoroughly, and spray onto affected plants. Companions: Since cucamelon is of the genus Melothria, it is unable to cross with members of the cucumber genus, Cucumis. Therefore, plant your cucumbers next to cucamelons. Cucumber plants will cross, while cucamelon plants will produce true seed. To repel aphids, plant marigolds and nasturtiums among your cucumbers. Beans, celery, corn, lettuce, dill, peas, and radishes are also good companion plants. Please share this post with your friends and family I am sure there are other people like you that can do with this sort of information and if you are getting something from it please share it. For more info on edible gardening you can obtain a copy of my book at https://ediblegarden.webs.com/apps/webstore/ or book a consultation tailored to meet your needs at www.craigcastree.com.au

04.01.2022 Love composting!!

03.01.2022 Corn: Corn is authentically American. A member of the grass family, it was first domesticated from a wild grain several thousand years ago by Aztec and Mayan I...ndians in Mexico and Central America. The first corn was a loose-podded variety that looked like the seed head at the top of wheat stalks. The kernels were small and each covered by a hull. Central and South American peoples came to depend so heavily on corn or maize that they devised some of the earliest calendars just to keep track of their corn planting and harvesting schedules. Eventually, corns popularity spread to North America. By the time the first European settlers arrived on this continent, corn was the chief food crop of the native Indians. The colonists quickly learned how to grow corn, and they enthusiastically adopted the new staple. In fact, much of the early fighting that took place between the settlers and the Indians was over cornfields. The stakes were high; losing a cornfield meant losing your food supply. Back then, people raised whats now called field corn. Some corn was eaten fresh, but most of the harvest was cooked in fried cakes, breads and puddings, dried for winter storage or ground into cornmeal and corn flour. Field corn was also used for livestock feed, as it is today. Sweet corn varieties werent developed until the 1700s. Over the years, cross-pollination during cultivation caused genetic changes that transformed corn into the shape and size we now know. Today, corn is still more popular in this country than anywhere else in the world. There are thousands of strains of corn, with more than 200 varieties of sweet corn alone. Plant sweetcorn in spring and early summer, once the daytime temperatures are above 15 degrees Celsius. The varieties available today and include a whole range of colours like white, green, gold and white, there is a painted corn that has multi colours, purple, and of course there are some varieties that lend them selves to be good popping corn, so do some research before you head down to your local nursery or order on line to get what you want. Sweetcorn is easily grown by seed and is best planted directly into a well prepared garden bed. Add lots of manure and compost into the bed or garden and it does well if planted after peas or beans to benefit from the residual nitrogen. I also plant peas around the outside of the corn once it reaches knee height, as corn is a nitrogen Hog! This helps to supplement the nitrogen that corn takes from the ground, and of course this goes will with my mantra what goes well on the plate together grows well in the ground together peas/beans and corn go very well together on the plate. I grow my corn on blocks of about 16 = 4 x 4, this helps pollination discussed further on. The other advantage of this method is that the corn provides a platform for the peas/beans to climb on without you having to worry about it, win win. Now if you want top all of that off in this little group surround the block of corn, and peas with cucumbers, this will help shade the soil for their benefit. Yet anther great little companion planting scenario that you can apply here and there within your edible gardens. Sweetcorn needs a consistently moist soil to produce good juicy cobs, so mulch (this is the only time you will hear me say this, Pea straw or lucerne in this instance works well for corn) and water regularly. Feed fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser like Charlie carp, or power feed, there are heaps of them available. Mound the soil around the seedlings as they grow this will help to increase their root development and stabilise the stalks. Keep in mind, when planting sweetcorn, that you will get an average of two to four cobs per plant. Pollination: When the stalk reaches about two-thirds its full height, its reproductive process starts. The plant first develops straw-colored tassels near the top. These are the "male" flowers of the plant. About three days after corn tassels, the silks or stigma of the "female" flowers appear lower on the stalk. These long, threadlike silks develop from the newly formed ears of corn. Each silk corresponds to a single kernel within the ear, and each kernel must be pollinated in order to have a completely filled ear. The tassels contain pollen that falls down and is carried to the silks by the wind. The tassels produce much more pollen than will ever be needed, and the silks flutter about in the wind to catch drifting pollen. The surface of each silk has tiny hairlike receptors to hold the pollen once it lands. It then travels down the silk to the kernel area, where fertilization occurs. Although its possible for a corn plant to fertilize itself, the pollen usually travels to the silks of neighboring plants. To ensure complete fertilization, which is why i recommend to plant it in blocks to get the best from it. Even with natures added insurance, pollination can be hampered by weather, soil conditions and poor fertility. Thats why some ears may be completely filled and others may not. Each corn plant generally produces one or two ears, except for special multieared varieties. Once pollination takes place, the kernels begin to develop on each cob. It usually takes about three weeks from silking for the first ears to be ready to harvest. The weather plays a big part here. The kernels develop fastest when the weather is hot and theres plenty of water. If its too cool or too dry, the harvest will be delayed. Once I start to see a little drying at the end of the cobs that is an indication that they are nearing ready, dont be too quick to remove them too early, the kernels mat not be fully developed all the way up the cob. I peel the ends open carefully to check before I harvest and i recommend you do the same, if they are not fully developed leave them on the plant until they are. Pests: earworm, who, not surprisingly, nests in the ears of corn. A nice diverse patch, healthy soil and good watering regime should prevent attack, especially if you whack some carrots and daisy type plants into your garden will attract predators will deal with them. Green lacewings and soldier beetles are also effective answers to how to kill corn earworms. Bacillus thuringiensis is another. Its a natural pathogen sold under the name Dipel and it kills only moth larvae and not beneficial insects. Applying mineral oil to the silk where it inserts into the ear with an eye dropper is an effective treatment to get rid of earworms. The oil suffocates the larvae. Culinary: Well what can I say, BBQ corn in their husks with butter, lime and a hint of chilli would have to be my favourite way to cook them, but steamed, roasted, popped, you name it is all delicious and well worth a try in your edible garden, find some space for them you wont regret it. Please share this post with your friends and family I am sure there are other people like you that can do with this sort of information and if you are getting something from it please share it. For more info on edible gardening you can obtain a copy of my book at https://ediblegarden.webs.com/apps/webstore/ or book a consultation tailored to meet your needs at www.craigcastree.com.au

03.01.2022 Mass production!

02.01.2022 Super ide au cas o vous auriez des poules

01.01.2022 If you're just getting started on your first garden, it's important to have early success. These 5 groups of crops are extremely easy and fast to grow, so you c...an have your first successful harvest and build your gardening confidence. 1. Microgreens 2. Pea and Sunflower Shoots 3. Baby Lettuce 4. Baby Root Crops 5. Extra Greens LEARN MORE Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel. I have a website with 300+ gardening tutorials as well as a podcast where I release daily gardening tips in five minutes or less. There's also a Facebook group with over 1,500 other gardeners sharing their tips. Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com Website: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/ PRODUCTS IN THIS VIDEO My Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2V7dAEn Signed Copies: https://bit.ly/epicgardeningbook DONATE If you like my videos, articles, or podcast episodes, please consider supporting on Patreon. For rewards, I'll answer gardening questions and make videos! https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening SOCIAL MEDIA Steemit: https://steemit.com/@halcyondaze Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/epicgardening Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening

01.01.2022 Hi Growers When to plant what veggie when is a question mostly asked by new growers. These list will certainly get you on your way this Spring. You will get man...y planting lists on line, but choosing information that is local will be more accurate. When using this info it is still necessary to take into account seasonal variations year to year will occur. These are lists that I have put together and with observation and experience you will quickly put together your own growing guides.

01.01.2022 Do you know when and how to correctly prune your fruit trees? that's ok, Tino can show you