Now is the time to sprout your potatoes for planting - Organic potatoes are suitable for this, as they have not been treated with sprout inhibitor.
Supermarket potatoes usually have been treated with inhibitor so will not sprout.
Other roots to plant now are - Shallots, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus roots and rhubarb, which can be lifted and separated for more plants.
Suitable seedlings to plant out this month include - Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, silverbeet and chicory. Seedlings should be available at Piko around mid-September.
For those with a glasshouse – Tomatoes, capsicums, celery and celeriac can be started in seed trays.
Other plants can be started by direct sowing into pots. These include – cucumbers, melons, courgettes, cape gooseberries, aubergines and pumpkins.
These need to stay indoors until all danger of frost is past, and they transplant best when fully rootbound so no root disturbance occurs on transplanting.
There is a long list of seeds to sow in the garden this month – Broad beans, peas, onions – main crop and spring, leeks in boxes for transplanting later,
parsnips, lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beetroot, silverbeet, early turnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts and red cabbages – for next winter's crop, parsley, radishes, spinach, salsify, chicory and endive. The last two, if given a good start over summer in a sheltered spot, will provide greens for salad for a good part of the winter.
We at Piko try to stock a good range of openpollinated, untreated and organic seeds.
However, the range offered wholesale to us is limited, so for those of you who would like to try growing more unusual vegetables and herbs, here is the address of one of our seed suppliers.
Mount Tiger Gardens, RD1 Onerahi, Whangerei.
They will send you a catalogue if you send them $3 along with your name and address.
They also sell an interesting selection of plants,and moon calendars, plus a few gardening accessories.
The Eco-Store in Auckland also sells organic gardening supplies.
For a catalogue, ring 0800 432 678.
This newsletter was compiled by Susan with references from:
Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand by M. Murphy, printed around 1900;
Brett's Gardening Guide – 1950 edition
(Both Christchurch based publications);
And, Organic Gardening by Peter Bennet – 1999 edition.
New products
Organic teething biscuits – box 12 $5.74 (suitable for 6 months+)
Natural fibre dish brushes and replacement heads, also vegetable scrubbers, back in stock.
Malibu Teaz – refreshing cold drinks, only $1.64 for a 1 pint bottle.
Organic juices – we now have organic prune juice and cranberry juices in stock. Cranberry is available sweetened ($9.77/946ml) or unsweetened ($18.42/946ml).
Organic Deglet Noor dates.
Ecover auto clothes wash and washing up liquid now available in 5 litre containers, priced at $40.57 and $32.47 respectively.
That's that done! Now for the news we've all been waiting for.....
Joyful congratulations and all our love to Shelley and Barry on the birth of their Baby Girl on Wednesday 5th September
