Wednesday 27 May 2009

VEGETABLE SOWING GUIDE

Sometimes it is helpful to be reminded what seeds can be sown when and to have an overview you can look at to see what is coming up next month or what it is a bit late to sow.

Gardenate is a very user-friendly website and you can have email reminders sent to you each month if you like. Just make sure you select your region..... Adelaide is in the temperate zone. This is a very broad zone but is good enough for seed sowing.

This website is suitable for Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

There is also quite an extensive array of vegetables and herbs listed alphabetically, if you want to look up how best to grow a particular one. You can also make comments and ask questions and give answers.

For example..... (there is a monthly sowing guide on this page too but it did not cut and paste nicely so I have left it out)

Growing Broad beans (Vicia faba)

May: Will need supports if windy weather

Easy to grow. Sow Direct in rows. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
Best planted at soil temperatures between 6°C and 24°C.

Pick the tops out once beans start setting to prevent blackfly.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Broad beans

The fresh beans are eaten steamed or boiled.
The leafy top shoots of the adult plants can be picked and steamed after flowering.
Small beans can be eaten whole in the pods.

Your comments and tips

09 May 09 Peter (Australia - temperate climate)
Please advise do broad beans need support and if so how is this done?
16 May 09 Robert (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have grown broadbeans for three years and have not used any support. I think its best to ensure the bushes support each other. I have heard that high winds can damage them but have not had this happen in Berrima
20 May 09 David (Australia - temperate climate)
Peter: I set up a stake at each end of the row(s). then wind string around the stakes enclosing the growing beans. Add another wind around as the plants get about 6 inches above the last string. seems to work. An alternative is to set up wind breaks

3 comments:

Jane said...

Gardenate looks like a fantastic reminder and motivater- I will definately be signing up, thanks for the link.

Anonymous said...

I am getting the monthly reminders which are good. It is also a good idea to look at the next month just to jog the memory of what to plant. I also joined KGI and am having fun looking around there.

Aron said...

Excellent web-site - thank you