Latest news with #MargaretRobertsOrganicSupercharger
The Citizen
01-08-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Get ready for spring
August is the month to lay the foundation for the spring and summer garden. Getting busy this month will reap rewards throughout the summer to come. Feed the soil Plants need fertile soil that contains plenty of carbon that feeds microbes in the soil and they in turn make nutrients available to the plants. Well-rotted compost, dried leaves or dried grass cuttings mixed with compost are natural sources of carbon. Dig compost into the top 30cm of topsoil around perennials and shrubs as well as into beds that are intended for summer flowering annuals, new plants or vegetables. Loosen compacted soil and pull out the roots of invasive creepers or shrubs that are affecting the performance other plants. Trim and tidy up groundcovers, cutting them back a bit to get rid of any stalky growth. Finish by fertilising with a granular fertiliser like Vigorosa 5:1:5 and water in well. Feed the flowers Keep winter annuals flowering by feeding them every with a liquid fertiliser like Margaret Roberts Organic Supercharger and increase watering as temperatures rise and the days lengthen. Pansies and violas that were planted in late autumn may be looking tired but there is still time to replace them with a new batch. Plant them in a shadier position for summer and they will keep going until end October or later. If you didn't do it last month, fertilise perennials, roses, shrubs and bulbs with Vigorosa for better flowering. Fill the gaps Brighten up the wintery garden with cool season spring flowers like Osteospermum 'Flower Power' or 'Serenity'(Cape daisies) honey scented Lobularia 'Easy Breezy (alyssum) double or single flowered Argyranthemum 'Madeira'. For more info visit Ball Straathof. Try this Euphorbia hypericifolia 'Flurry' has tiny snowflake white flowers but is a garden toughie that doesn't melt in the heat. It is ideal for waterwise gardens and it can be planted almost anywhere because it grows in full sun and is also shade tolerant. Plant in free draining soil or in pots if the garden soil is on the clay side.. It flowers non-stop, even in winter in warm, frost free gardens as well as in sheltered containers. Water lightly and fertilise once a month. For more info visit Ball Straathof. Spruce up the lawn Scarify lawns that have a dense thatch of undergrowth. To do this rake the lawn to remove the thatch, then cut it down low with a lawn mower. Water well. Don't fertilise until it starts to grow. If the ground feels compacted take an ordinary garden fork and push it into the ground and wiggle it to loosen the ground. Do this over the whole lawn. Watering first will help. If the lawn does not need scarifying just apply 5:1:5 fertiliser and water well. Top dress the lawn if it needs to be levelled or hollows have formed. This only applies to Kikuyu. Top dressing LM grass or the cool season grasses like Shade over or All Seasons evergreen will kill them. Start veggie seed indoors The soil is still too cold for sowing or planting out seedlings but you can start seed in seed trays indoors or in a warm area outside. Start with fruiting crops like tomatoes, eggfruit, peppers and squash as well as cool season salad greens and garden peas. Try this: Honeynut squash looks like a mini butternut but is twice as flavourful and has a soft edible skin. Each squash is about 12cm long (the size of a small hand) and is a single serve or just enough for two. Plants are most productive grown in full sun in a large container or in fertile soil that drains well. For adequate pollination by wind or insects, grow at least three squash plants, the more the better. Fertilise once the flowers start of form. The fruit changes colour from dark green to green and gold and finally a honey orange. For information visit Raw Living. Sharpen up Take the lawnmower for its annual service which includes sharpening the blades. Blunt blades can damage the grass. Clean and sharpen your garden tools like secateurs, hedge clippers, loppers and hand saws. Sand down and revarnish or treat wooden garden furniture, clean out ponds and birdbaths. Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee. For more on gardening visit Get It Magazine.
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Citizen
Winter greens to grow indoors
If you love fresh greens, growing your own microgreens is an easy and quick way to have a constant supply all year round, even in winter. Microgreens can be any leafy green veggie or herb that is sown densely in soil or in a seedling tray and cut when the first set of edible true leaves appear. It is as simple as using seed from a herb or veggie seed packet and there are also microgreen mixes like Oriental mix (spicy Asian greens), Old Mexico mix (peppery rocket, radishes, beet) or Rainbow Blend (Asian cabbage broccoli, beet, radish) from RAW seeds. What's to like? Microgreens are highly nutritious and flavourful, low in calories and a good source of vitamins, antioxidants, protein and iron. In other words, they are a pint-sized superfood. They are best eaten fresh and raw and can be stir fried. Microgreens are a delicious garnish for pasta and meat, fish and poultry dishes, soup, as a base for salad, a crunchy filling for sandwiches, a topping for pizza, or any other dish that needs a lift. Growing micro-greens Microgreens can be grown in a deep seed tray containing seedling mix or a Gusta Garden Harry Herbs planter with transparent hood to create the ideal microclimate. Keep the planters in a warm sunny spot. Microgreens can also be sown outdoors in a bed that gets full sun. Sow thickly and keep moist. Enclosing the seed tray in a plastic bag will create the ideal moist microclimate. Germination should be within 7 to 14 days. Water the seedling mix with Margaret Roberts Organic Supercharger once a week. It should be possible to start harvesting within in 15 to 21 days. Snip off the greens with sharp scissors, trimmed just above the soil line leaving the roots in. Sow a new batch every two weeks for a continuous supply. Flavour pairing – try these Microgreen versions of the fully grown vegetable or herb have the same flavour, if not more intense. Make the most of their individual flavour by pairing them with dishes to enhance the flavour of the food. Sweet Basil and Basil Genovese: mild sweet flavour pairs with pasta, seafood, tomatoes, green apples, oranges, carrots, and onions. Rocket (Arugula) peppery and nutty flavour pairs with savoury dishes and soups, cheese, meat, chicken and seafood. Beetroot Bulls Blood: mild, sweet earthy flavour pairs with root veggies, cheese, mushrooms and squash. Broccoli 'Green Sprouting Calabrese; a milder flavour than mature broccoli pairs with eggs, use in smoothies, soups, salads and sandwiches. Baby red cabbage: peppery and earthy flavour pairs with cheese, avocados, egg, poultry and meat dishes. Green Mustard: spicy horseradish flavour pairs with savoury dishes, salads, roasted and stir fried veggies. Sunflower 'Tall Yellow' : nutty flavour similar to sunflower seeds pairs with pumpkin, salads, wraps. 'Sugar Snap pea 'Sugar Charm' : sweet and fresh flavour that pairs well with Asian dishes, cheese, eggs, poultry, seafood, soup and salads. Storing Microgreens are most nutritious when eaten immediately, however they can be stored for a week in the fridge. Make sure the shoots are dry, then wrap in paper towel and stored in a sealed container or plastic bag. Before eating refresh with a rinse in water. For herb, vegetable and flower seed click here and for more on microgreen mixes visit Raw Living. Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee. For more on gardening, visit Get It Magazine.
The Citizen
02-05-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Get the most from your winter veggie garden
You'd be surprised how many veggies can be grown and harvested in winter, and it is not a lot of hard work. May is the last month of autumn and while the soil is still warm you can sow radishes, beetroot, carrots and any other root veggies, as well as kale, baby cabbage, kohlrabi, garden peas and broad beans. The sooner you sow the better so that seedlings have enough growth before the first frost, which is expected by the end of May or early June. Gardens protected by walls or dense shrubs may have a microclimate that is not affected by frost, even if you live in a frost region. How to keep veggies warm Even tender leafy greens like lettuce and Swiss chard can thrive in winter with the protection of frost cloth, a thick mulch of straw, cloches made from 2 litre plastic bottles to protect small seedlings or a mini homemade tunnel. If you are too busy to put frost cloth on at night and take it off the next morning, make a mini greenhouse. This is a small plastic tunnel using wire that can be bent into hoops and lay plastic sheeting over it. Bury the edge of the plastic in soil to secure it. The aim is to moderate the very low night temperatures by letting the sun warm up the soil during the day. 5 tips for keeping your veggies happy Thin out seedlings so that they don't compete for water and nutrients. Watch out for pests like aphids and spray with environmentally friendly sprays like Ludwig's Insect Spray. Put out the Kirchhoffs pet safe snail trap to get rid of slugs and snails. Ease up on watering if a cold front is predicted, but don't let the soil dry out completely. Water during the warmest time of the day and avoid wetting the leaves. Over watering results in cold wet soil that encourages damping off while under-watering stresses plants making them less resilient to frost. Feed seedlings with a liquid fertiliser or plant tonic like Margaret Roberts Organic Supercharger to strengthen them to resist the cold. Veggies to sow now Radishes, baby cabbage and spring onions mature quickly, while beetroots, carrots and greens hold well in garden beds. Broad beans, and leeks mature towards the end of winter. Beetroot 'Bulls Blood' requires a finely prepared soil in which to form well-shaped roots. For a good crop thin out the seedlings to about 5cm apart when they are about 5cm high and keep on thinning out until remaining beetroot are 10 to 15 cm apart. Thinned seedlings can be used as micro greens. Cabbage 'Baby Green Gonzales' or 'Baby Red Primero' can be started in seed trays and when seedlings are large enough to handle transplant into well composted fertile soil. Space baby cabbages about 25cm apart. If plants are too close together the heads won't develop. Radish 'Cherry Belle' can be sown a row at a time so that you won't be overwhelmed by an oversupply. Seeds germinate in three to eight days and are ready for picking from three weeks. The nicest radishes are pulled before they are fully grown. Regular watering will produce crisp, tasty radishes. Spring onions 'White Lisbon' sown directly into the ground take 7 to 14 days to germinate. Once the plants are large enough (60 days onwards) you can start pulling them up, bulb and all. To keep them going, take four or five out of the clump that you have harvested and replant them about 7cm (four fingers) apart. The younger they are when picked the nicer they are. Spinach 'Bloomsdale' is a proper spinach (not Swiss chard) with thick, glossy leaves that are not bitter if harvested young. This heirloom veggie withstands the cold. For baby leaves sow 3-5 seeds 2cm apart but for full grown leaves sow in rows 30cm apart. Germination should be within five to 10 days and the first harvest within 30 days. Thin out seedlings 15 to 20cm apart if growing to full size. Broad bean 'Longpod Aquadulce' can be sown directly into the soil where the plants are to mature. Plant two seeds per hole and if both germinate, pinch or cut off the weaker plant but don't leave the two plants to compete. Broad beans need moist soil and feeding with a liquid fertiliser at least once a month. Stake as they grow. Beans should be ready for harvesting within 12 to 16 weeks. For more information visit Kirchhoffs. Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee. For more on gardening, visit Get It Magazine.
