What to Do – Caring for Seedlings
Episode: #8 19/05/07
Presenter: Phil Dudman
Whenever you are planting out your vegetable seedlings, water them in immediately with a solution like Yates Dynamic Lifter Seaweed Plant Tonic. That will help settle them in and encourage rapid root development. The seaweed tonic also includes a wetting agent as well so it is absorbed by the soil instantly.
Autumn is one of the best times of year for growing vegetables in Queensland especially the cabbages. Phil is planting a few in his vegetable patch, firstly he is planting there is some broccolette (Garden Gurus Broccolette Branching Broccoli) now they are easy to grow and they give you great returns. He is planting some miniature cauliflower (Garden Gurus Gourmet Baby Mini Cauliflower) as well they do not need much space and their flavour is superb.
Lettuce does not need much room either, The Baby Butter variety of the Garden Gurus seedlings range is one of Phil’s favourites the texture is soft and lovely to eat and they taste quite sweet. You can just harvest it leaf by leaf as you go which is ideal when you just want a few for a small salad.
Lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower are greedy for nutrients and moisture and the best way to keep them pumping is with weekly doses of liquid fertiliser like Yates Dynamic Lifter concentrate plant food. It is an organic blend and it smells like it too. It has got fish emulsion and seaweed and also blood and bone too. You just mix it up in a watering can and pour it on but before we do, Phil shows us a little trick.
Grab a spade and create some ridges either side of the rows. So that the seedlings are at the highest point which is important for drainage but when we water the runoff collects in these furrows and absorbs deep into the soil and there is no waste.
It is essential that we mulch but mulching around young delicate seedlings can be difficult. What Phil does is just grab some old pots put them over the seedlings then we can mulch away to our hearts content and that will hold in all that lovely moisture.
If you follow these simple steps that Phil has given you the tiny seedlings will never look back. It is a good little tip. Talking about tips The Garden Gurus are on the look out for the best water wise tips from right across the country so if you have got a great idea to share why don’t you send it in.
The tips we receive will be published in the next issue of the Garden Guru newspaper and the best will win a hamperfull of waterwise gardening products worth $200. For more details grab yourself a copy of the May issue available now at Mitre 10 stores and selected garden centres.
Featured Products
Yates Dynamic Lifter Seaweed Tonic
Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Plant Food
Broccolette Branching Broccoli
Broccolette is the first multi- stemmed broccoli available for the home gardener and is exclusive to The Garden Gurus. A true gourmet vegetable with outstanding flavour. This easy to grow veggie is highly productive over a long harvest season. Can be planted all year round. Broccolette is a cross between a Chinese kale and broccoli producing high numbers of elongated stemmed broccoli shoots that are very tender. Stems are 15cm long with heads 3-5cm across. This is a health super food. Use non toxic Natrasoap sprays to keep pests away.
Gourmet Baby - Mini Cauliflower
Gourmet Baby is a hybrid cauliflower bred for tasty orange sized tight white heads just the right size for eating in one meal. You can pick fresh and use immediately, no storage -no loss of flavour. Breeding means even growth, excellent flavour and great garden performance. Delish and good for you.
Honeysnap Pea
Honeysnap produces rich green pods approx 40 – 45 cm long in great abundance on each plant. Pods are sweet and tender. Eat the lot - pod and peas. This fresh flavoured sweet vegetable can be eaten raw in salads or cooked lightly by steaming or stir-frying. Honeysnap is a high quality variety with more than 90% stringless pods. Grow to a staked height of 90cm.Small tendrils help maintain a sturdy habit. Delish and good for you.
Baby Butter Lettuce
Baby Butter grows 15 – 20 cm across and develops a small head at maturity. Planted year round Baby Butter is sweet, soft and tender. Ideal for salads and garnishes. Can be harvested leaf by leaf or cut the whole head. Bred for gourmet flavour, good looks and excellent disease tolerance. Delish and good for you.
Presenter: Phil Dudman
Whenever you are planting out your vegetable seedlings, water them in immediately with a solution like Yates Dynamic Lifter Seaweed Plant Tonic. That will help settle them in and encourage rapid root development. The seaweed tonic also includes a wetting agent as well so it is absorbed by the soil instantly.
Autumn is one of the best times of year for growing vegetables in Queensland especially the cabbages. Phil is planting a few in his vegetable patch, firstly he is planting there is some broccolette (Garden Gurus Broccolette Branching Broccoli) now they are easy to grow and they give you great returns. He is planting some miniature cauliflower (Garden Gurus Gourmet Baby Mini Cauliflower) as well they do not need much space and their flavour is superb.
Lettuce does not need much room either, The Baby Butter variety of the Garden Gurus seedlings range is one of Phil’s favourites the texture is soft and lovely to eat and they taste quite sweet. You can just harvest it leaf by leaf as you go which is ideal when you just want a few for a small salad.
Lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower are greedy for nutrients and moisture and the best way to keep them pumping is with weekly doses of liquid fertiliser like Yates Dynamic Lifter concentrate plant food. It is an organic blend and it smells like it too. It has got fish emulsion and seaweed and also blood and bone too. You just mix it up in a watering can and pour it on but before we do, Phil shows us a little trick.
Grab a spade and create some ridges either side of the rows. So that the seedlings are at the highest point which is important for drainage but when we water the runoff collects in these furrows and absorbs deep into the soil and there is no waste.
It is essential that we mulch but mulching around young delicate seedlings can be difficult. What Phil does is just grab some old pots put them over the seedlings then we can mulch away to our hearts content and that will hold in all that lovely moisture.
If you follow these simple steps that Phil has given you the tiny seedlings will never look back. It is a good little tip. Talking about tips The Garden Gurus are on the look out for the best water wise tips from right across the country so if you have got a great idea to share why don’t you send it in.
The tips we receive will be published in the next issue of the Garden Guru newspaper and the best will win a hamperfull of waterwise gardening products worth $200. For more details grab yourself a copy of the May issue available now at Mitre 10 stores and selected garden centres.
Featured Products
Yates Dynamic Lifter Seaweed Tonic
- rich source of micro-nutrients, alginic acid, essential amino acids, minerals and other complex organic compounds.
- improves nutrient uptake, increases root development, encourages stronger stem growth, increases photosynthesis, increases yield and gives produce a longer shelf life and improved quality.
- Contains Molasses which provides a food source for beneficial soil microbes which make nutrients more available to the plant and improve soil structure.
- Wetting agent improves water penetration, reduces water usage and improves soil structure.
- improves retention and plant uptake of essential nutrients.
Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Plant Food
- Dynamic Lifter Concentrate Organic Plant Food is ideal for fertilising all garden and potted indoor and outdoor plants, including roses, fruit trees, indoor plants and lawns. This product is derived from many of the same materials as pelletised Dynamic Lifter, and provides a quick, easy and convenient way for all gardeners to reap the benefits of organic gardening.
- Organic ingredients which release nutrients slowly, and fast acting nutrients for fast visible results.
- 500mL bottle makes up 100 litres when mixed with water.
- Added Yates Blood and Bone, fish emulsion and seaweed organically enrich and improve the soil.
- Promotes healthy growth for all indoor and outdoor plants, fruit trees, bulbs, annuals etc.
Broccolette Branching Broccoli
Broccolette is the first multi- stemmed broccoli available for the home gardener and is exclusive to The Garden Gurus. A true gourmet vegetable with outstanding flavour. This easy to grow veggie is highly productive over a long harvest season. Can be planted all year round. Broccolette is a cross between a Chinese kale and broccoli producing high numbers of elongated stemmed broccoli shoots that are very tender. Stems are 15cm long with heads 3-5cm across. This is a health super food. Use non toxic Natrasoap sprays to keep pests away.
Gourmet Baby - Mini Cauliflower
Gourmet Baby is a hybrid cauliflower bred for tasty orange sized tight white heads just the right size for eating in one meal. You can pick fresh and use immediately, no storage -no loss of flavour. Breeding means even growth, excellent flavour and great garden performance. Delish and good for you.
Honeysnap Pea
Honeysnap produces rich green pods approx 40 – 45 cm long in great abundance on each plant. Pods are sweet and tender. Eat the lot - pod and peas. This fresh flavoured sweet vegetable can be eaten raw in salads or cooked lightly by steaming or stir-frying. Honeysnap is a high quality variety with more than 90% stringless pods. Grow to a staked height of 90cm.Small tendrils help maintain a sturdy habit. Delish and good for you.
Baby Butter Lettuce
Baby Butter grows 15 – 20 cm across and develops a small head at maturity. Planted year round Baby Butter is sweet, soft and tender. Ideal for salads and garnishes. Can be harvested leaf by leaf or cut the whole head. Bred for gourmet flavour, good looks and excellent disease tolerance. Delish and good for you.
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