LILA'S  O R G A N I C   K I T C H E N    G A R D E N                                     SUSTAINABLE    EARTH    LIVING.   New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand.© 2007 
                         
                         

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    Artichoke [globe]  Perennial          
 MY GARDEN CALENDAR   Artichoke heads can range from green to purple, purchase an established plant, which can be divided up in spring and planted 10cm deep, allowing 30cm between plants,  artichoke is a hardy, attractive plant, grow in full sun in a well composted soil, the older the plant the more heads it will grow - harvest from spring through summer, cut plant back hard in autumn so growth goes into base of plant and new shoots come away  
December 2008 photos    
 GARDEN ALMANAC      
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 A-Z LIST OF VEGETABLES AND HERBS, WHEN AND HOW TO GROW THEM.        
                           
  Asparagus  Perennial can last for 20yrs        
compost making   Asparagus can be very rewarding to grow, but ensure you have a permanent spot for it, remembering the ferns can grow really high, a strip garden against a fence would be perfect so that you are not shading any other part of your garden, keep free of weeds and the soil must be soft and loose [Friable], not a hard packed soil, compost the soil well, buy your original asparagus crowns from a nursery, and if you want good crops don't pick in the first year, allow the plants to go to fern it's hard to resist, but if you can do it this will ensure good crops for the following years, leave for 2 years if possible, dig trench 30 cm wide by at least 20 cm deep, spread out the roots and half fill the trench with composted soil, leave the excess soil to the side only adding more soil as the asparagus spears show through, always leaving the tips showing,  similar to mounding up potatoes... harvest around Mid September to mid/end of November, allow the remaining spears to go to fern stage, cut and removed yellow fern about April, add layers of compost and food over area in winter and early spring, cut asparagus for eating 2cm below the soil line.      
liquid fertilizers    

What is  permaculture exactly - and why is it important?  

 		    
   

soil improvement

 		    
   

contact Lila 

 

    
   
   
   
     
     
     
     
         
                             
    Aubergine [egg plant]     Annual   Summer only      
    Can be grown from seed, or plants purchased from nursery, space 50cm apart, plant in full sun,  ensure that the weather is warm before planting out, Aubergine do not like the cold, it is a  heat loving plant. a good harvest depends on water kept up to them and a rich organic soil, a poor soil will produce very little, a plant will produce well if fed well, good compost mulching around plant is advisable. harvest when fruit is dark purple, practice makes perfect with aubergine NOTE: will fruit in late summer so have patience. (:  
     
     
     
     
         
         
                             
    Basil    Annual      Summer only  
    Easy to grow from Seed, either sow directly into ground or in a small pot and plant out,space plants 30cm apart, weather must be very warm for successful basil, so plant in late November, or when weather starts to turn really hot - grows to about 40cm in height, excellent culinary herb, loves rich organic soil, not enough nitrogen and it shoots to seed easily. NOTE: if you purchase a plant from a nursery and plant into cold soil your plant may die, keep plant in pot until the weather is really warm.  
     
     
     
                             
    Bay Tree    Perennial            
    Mature leaves picked and used fresh or Dried, A tree that can be successfully grown almost anywhere, perfect for pots to restrict growth in ground can go to 10 meters high, slow grower if soil is poor, obtain plant from nursery or grow from cutting.    
       
       
       
                             
                             
        BACK TO...A-Z LIST OF VEGETABLES AND HERBS, WHEN AND HOW TO GROW THEM.            
     

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website created by  Lila Smith ©  DECEMBER 2007   New Plymouth,  Taranaki New Zealand