Gardening Pleasures

There is a natural and continuous rhythm to the growing, harvesting and preserving seasons.  Late autumn and early winter are busy with the selection and purchase of seeds. But as you leaf through the seed catalogues, pay attention to the varieties that are better for freezing, or bottling, canning or drying. If a part of your harvest is going to be preserved for later use, choose the seed varieties that will match your favoured methods of preserving.

 

Growing your own food, gives you many advantages over those who are limited to getting their food from the supermarket.  Not only do you have a greater choice of fruits and vegetable varieties but you can harvest them when everything is at just the right stage of maturity for eating, canning, freezing, drying or underground storage.

 

Winter is a period when many fresh ingredients are at their most expensive and many are less readily available. This, of course, is the best time to enjoy all the fruits of your labours – both the growing and the preserving parts.

 

There are a variety of ways to store food for consumption days or months later.  In these days of instant everything, many of us yearn for the results of more traditional ways of preserving food such as pickling, bottling and canning, curing, smoking and drying.

 

As preserving techniques evolved, people were able to utilize the abundance of a good harvest, deal with animals killed a long way from home and bring together the elements of different cultures to enjoy products as varied as pastrami, marmalade, salt herring, piccalilli, salsa, beef jerky, chutneys, pickles, cured meats, etc., etc.

 

Although traditionally, the end of summer/early autumn was the time for preserving what had grown during the summer, today we have the advantage of being able to utilize fruits, vegetables, meats etc. that are cheap and in abundance at any time of the year.  We can make sausages, gravadlax, pickled herring, Limóncello, jams and jellies, flavoured vinegars, compotes, fruit butters, fruit leathers and fruit syrups whenever we have the time.

 

As the growing year proceeds to harvest time (and at other times as well), we will be bringing you posts on canning, freezing, and drying whatever is in season, plus recipes that use what’s available and what you may have a glut of as well as discussing the jobs that need doing in the garden.

 

Seeds

Starting annuals and vegetables from seed can be rewarding or disastrous depending upon the outcome.

Many people start seeds too early and then try to hold the seedlings  back until it is warm enough to plant them outdoors.  Starting them too early can  result in either yellow seedlings that are short and hard and grow very slowly or spindly ones that grow too tall and topple over.  Neither will do well when planted outdoors.

 

Conditions: Seeds require certain conditions to germinate and grow properly.  These include temperature, light and humidity.  Also, good sanitary practices must be followed so as to reduce problems with diseases.

 

Germination media:  Soil mixtures such as a 3-2-1 or 2-1-1 or even a 1-1-1 (soil, peat and sand) can be used to start seeds.  However the mix must be treated to reduce disease problems.  Treatment can be with heat or the chemical methyl bromide.  On a smaller scale, heating a 2-3 inch layer of mix in a preheated oven at 180ºF (82ºC) for one hour will pasteurize it.  To avoid using chemicals or heat, purchase an appropriate ready mixed compost designed specially for seeds.

 

Containers:  Anything that will hold about 2″ (5cm) of the media, with drainage holes in the bottom can be used to start seeds.  Fill the containers with the moistened mix, firm down lightly and label.

Seeds:  Use only the best seeds.  Old seeds or those that have not be stored properly may not germinate.  If extra seeds are to be stored from one year to the next, keep them at 40-50ºF (5-10ºC) in an air tight container such as a coffee jar. The humidity should also be kept below 50%, an average home fridge will do the job.

Many people tend to sow seeds too thickly.  Home gardeners should sow seeds about ¼ inch (0.6cm) apart and in rows.  Cover large seeds lightly with  the soil mix, washed sand or vermiculite.  Leave small seeds uncovered.  If seeds are sown too thickly, tall spindly seedlings may result.

 

Water and humidity:  After sowing and covering, water the seeds well.  Do this with a fine mist or sub-irrigation so that the seeds will not be washed away. After watering try to keep the humidity at 80% or higher.  This will reduce water loss from the germinating media.

Some growers cover the seed flats with wet burlap, clear plastic, or newspapers.  Home gardeners may slip the seed flats into large clear plastic bags.  Place in light but not direct sunlight.  Do not let the temperature in the plastic bag go above 85ºF (29ºC).  Check the flats daily to make sure the  surface of the soil is moist. As soon as seedlings emerge, remove the plastic bag.

 

Temperature:  This is one of the most critical factors in starting seeds.  Temperature that is too low or too high will reduce or stop germination.  Bottom heat from electric cables, hot pipes or radiators may assist in maintaining proper temperature.  The temperature required is of the growing media not the air.

 

Light:  Some annual and vegetable seeds require light to germinate.  Place seed flats where some light is available.  After seedlings emerge, provide full sunlight or, if not possible, use fluorescent lights and supply about 27 lamp watts per square foot.  Containers with the seedlings should be placed 8 inches  (20cm) below the lamps.  A 14 hour day should be provided, usually 8am to10pm. Transplant seedlings when the true leaves appear.

 

Hardening-off:  About 7-10 days before plants are to be planted outside, the plants may be hardened-off.  This is done by lowering the temperature by moving them outside during the day and back in again at night or withholding water.  During this period the plants should be in full sunlight. Do not harden off cucumbers, melons or squash.

 

Ensuring you get the best from the plants you buy

Plants for containers and bedding as well as vegetables and fruits are readily available during the spring and summer.  Many can be obtained in your local garden centres or by mail order and over the Internet.  They come in various stages of growth and sizes and the cost will depend on how much time and effort the grower has put into the plant prior to you buying it.

Take a bit of time once you get your new plants home to re-pot or plant them out.  With care and attention to watering, feeding and pest control, newly purchased plants will give you pleasure for this season, and depending on the plant, perhaps many more to come.

 

Potting
Particularly for summer hanging baskets or window boxes, use good quality compost for potting up newly purchased plants. Soil-less composts, while light and easy to handle, will dry out quickly and plants that are fast-growing, like fuchsias, will quickly be short of the nutrients they require.

Another important factor is the stability of the plant. For reliable results choose a compost (such as John Innes No.1) that is at least partially soil-based.  This will also reduce the consequences of over-watering.  To ensure the plant remains upright, use a small (3.5 inch /9cm) pot, and  lightly firm the compost. For the first time, water the plant thoroughly to settle the compost. Place the plant in a light, cool place to help it recover quickly from being transplanted and new growth should begin quite soon.

 

Growing On
As your plants develop a good root ball, they can be moved to their final positions, whether that is a container, basket or open ground. To check on root growth, carefully remove the plant from the pot, the white roots should fill the pot evenly. Using a similar compost such as John Innes No.2, and plant it out or plant in a pot.

 

Watering
During the growing season, watering is your most important task. Two basic rules apply – never allow the plant to stand in waterlogged conditions and never allow the plants to dry out completely. Water standing in a tray or plant saucer for a  short period will not create any problems, however significant over-watering can often result in leaves and flowers dropping. The best time to water is in the evening, be sure to moisten the soil evenly. An overhead spray can be beneficial to plants in very hot weather.

 

Pests & Diseases
Many plants such as Fuchsias actually suffer relatively infrequently from diseases although the most likely pests are aphids – greenfly and whitefly.  However with regular inspection, and spraying if necessary, these insects can easily be kept at bay.  Insect sprays for aphids are readily available from garden centres. Avoid treating plants during the middle of the day or in bright sunlight. Always read the label and use garden chemicals accordingly.

With fuchsias, the two main diseases to look out for are botrytis or grey mould and rust. Be careful about watering, feeding and growing conditions and inspect your plants regularly for any of the telltale signs of disease. If you see indications and treatment is required, use one of proprietary products that are widely available.

If you listen carefully and keep your ears close to the ground, you’ll hear the latest buzzword loud and clear: Organic Farming! Organics are the ideal way in which to protect your loved ones, your domesticated pets, and even the environment from damaging chemicals. Roses are pretty, elegant, and a real treasure to have around the house.

In case you like roses, try to grow them organically – it is cheap and easy. The real secret of a successful organic rose garden is a quick look at how the natural world works. Once you understand this, then looking after your own organic rose garden will be a piece of cake.

The first thing you need to do is to plan, plan, and plan. Start with where you wish to see your roses grow, what colors and hues they must sport and envisage what they will look like when they are fully grown. Evaluate the other colors in your garden or your window will, see the colors of the walls, the other flowers, etc.

Contrast works very well with roses. Brighter shades look nice in front of darker walls, and roses must set your walls or your house in sharp profile. Don’t even begin to think of large size, award winning organic roses.

Naturally grown roses don’t grow so big. But they are safe, they are healthy, and they don’t pollute your environment which is saying a lot! A yard full of organically grown roses, setting off the house that it encloses, aah, that is the home one dreams of coming back from work to. Don’t you agree?