Gardening With Awapini Nurseries

Gardening With Awapini Nurseries

Spinach: a backyard staple

If you’re like most busy home gardeners these days, you probably
only grow a selection of the vegetables you eat. That’s why it’s
important to choose carefully when it comes to which ones are worth
your time and attention, and which are better bought in store.

For me, spinach should definitely be on the ‘home-grown’ list. After
all, it’s one of the most flexible veges I can think of, adding
flavour and nutrition to almost any evening meal – from pastas and
pizzas, to casseroles and quiches. And with the big supermarkets
selling it for around $4 a bag (or more), it makes financial sense
too.

So, when is the perfect time to plant? Actually, anytime of the year.
At Awapuni we grow two types of spinach seedlings. One that is great
for growing in hot weather and another that will thrive right now in
the cooler weather. And you don’t need to worry about which to choose,
we only sell one variety at a time – depending on the season.

So, next time you’re down at your local supermarket, Bunnings or The
Warehouse, grab yourself some Awapuni seedlings. Or head to our online
store at www.awapuni.co.nz and get your seedlings delivered direct to
your door. Don’t forget, if you order six or more items from our
online store, we’ll deliver for free (or for just $4 to a rural
address).

When it comes to planting, look for a spot with full sun and partial
shade. You’ll also need soil that’s moist, and with a ph around 6-7
(if it’s too low, add lime). I also recommend digging in some compost
or a good general fertiliser like nitrophoska blue.

Plant each seedling about 20cm apart. If you’ve been following my
advice recently, you’ll know to plant them in between your brassicas
(cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) as spinach neatly fills in the gaps
needed for these slow-growers. Want a constant supply of this dinner-
time staple? Plant more every couple of weeks.

As your plants begin to flourish, look out for slugs and snails. You
might want to try our fool-proof beer bait which is sure to put paid
to those critters.

Once it’s ready to harvest, you’ll realise how handy it is to have in
your own back yard. Rather than buying in bulk at the store, you can
simply pick off the leaves as you need them. The younger, outer ones
will have a slightly gentler flavour compared to the more mature inner
leaves, so try experimenting with the taste. Pick the leaves often,
even if you’re not eating them. This will ensure the plant doesn’t
become overgrown with leaves and inhibit its growth.

I bet you’ll love saying goodbye to the over-priced, plastic-wrapped
variety, and hello to home-grown goodness.

Stop slugs in their slime

Forget about slug bait let me introduce…beer bait!

Simply, cut the top off an empty fizzy drink bottle, leaving
approximately 10cm of plastic from the lid. Make sure the lid is
tightly screwed on.

Make a hole next to your lettuces large enough for the whole bottle
neck to fit into. The open end of your plastic bottle should sit
almost parallel with the soil.

Place three sticks approximately 15cm in height around your plastic
bottle in the shape of a teepee.

Fill your bottle up to the halfway mark with beer (slugs aren’t fussy
about the type of beer, but kids make sure you ask your parents
first!).

To ensure that the beer is protected from rain, take the discarded end
of your plastic fizzy drink bottle and cut off a section approximately
5cm from the end.

Balance this section on the three sticks you staked earlier. This
will create a lid to protect the beer against rain.

Now all you have to do is sit back and wait. Overnight the slugs will
slide their way into the beer. And don’t just stop with one beer bait
bottle, make several and place them around your slug susceptible
veges. Believe me you’ll be amazed by the results.

A gift from your garden

Let’s face it; anyone can pop into a florist or have flowers
delivered. But nothing has quite the same personal touch as a bunch
picked by your own fair hands. I like to think so anyway.

That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you and bundled together a mix
of seasonal and popular plants like carnations, cornflowers, poppy,
sweet pea and more that make great cut flowers. Not only will you be
able to brighten up your home or office, you’ll also have the perfect
gift on hand (just wrap with some fancy paper).

Keen to put your florist’s hat on? Pop down to your local supermarket,
Bunnings or The Warehouse, and grab yourself an Awapuni cut flowers
bundle. Or head to our online store at www.awapuni.co.nz and get your
seedlings delivered direct to your door.

When you’re ready to plant, dig a small hole and insert your first
seedling. Space each subsequent seedling about 20cm apart. When you’ve
finished planting, be sure to revisit the site every two weeks or so
to add a general fertiliser to the soil. I find this helps keep the
plants in full flourish. If it’s hot, you’ll also need to keep them
well watered.

In just a few or more weeks your plants should start to flower – just
in time to brighten up your home.

ends

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