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Post by Peter on Mar 29, 2019 0:30:35 GMT 10
I consider myself to be a novice gardener. I have more failures than successes.
Would anyone knowledgeable be interested in posting here about some very basic tips - for example, where to start, limited space gardening, etc?
Remember - keep it simple.
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Post by spinifex on Mar 30, 2019 7:55:23 GMT 10
The fundamentals of good plant production, as for most undertakings; do your research (lots of good info online from agriculture departments), diligently implement what you learn and observe your plants as often as possible (daily is the target) to detect emerging problems early.
To do well, plants just need the right amounts at the right times of direct sunlight, water, nutrients and air.
The problems in growing fruit and veg successfully that I see usually relate to
*poor water management (not enough volume applied at once, not frequent enough, too much, too erratic, not adjusting volume and frequency as plants mature, competition for water with nearby trees not managed, no deep waterings to leach salts away etc)
*poor timing of activities (when to prepare a plot for planting and when to actually plant).
*managing the soil - particularly structure, salinity, nutrients, microbes and pH (acidity or alkalinity) is also a frequent source of problems.
*not using the best varieties for the local conditions
If you don't like reading based research, a good way to learn how to get the most from where you live is to find and talk to people with the best looking gardens in your locality.
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Post by Peter on Jun 18, 2019 20:23:38 GMT 10
Okay... here goes.
I have a few chillies from a particular plant I bought a while back. They're awesome - great flavour, heat, etc. Possibly the best chillies I've ever eaten.
How do I use these fruits to get a good crop next summer? I guess this is largely a question of seed-saving.
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Post by spinifex on Jun 19, 2019 18:01:36 GMT 10
Save seeds from the biggest and best fruits - simply because they will have the strongest seeds, spawn the healthiest seedlings and likely have the best genetics. Get fully ripe fruit, slit them, scrape the seed onto paper towel. Let them dry for a few weeks (just a week in summer). Pop them in a paper envelope and label it with date and variety. Now ... if the plants you are collecting seed from were hybrids and not 'true to type' the seedlings you grow from them are likely to produce fruit with different characteristics from the parents. If you keep growing lots of plants for several years and saving seeds from selected plants each year with the same characteristics as the original hybrid adult you may eventually end up with your own true to type variety. That's the kind of activity that separates 'gardeners' from 'horticulturalists'.
Wet fruit like tomatoes needs an extra step of 1-2 days fermentation in a bit of water with vinegar followed by washing in a sieve to remove the pulpy stuff before spreading out in a thin layer on paper towel.
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hd1340
Senior Member
Posts: 334 
Likes: 426
Location: WA
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Post by hd1340 on Jun 19, 2019 19:53:29 GMT 10
Save seeds from the biggest and best fruits - simply because they will have the strongest seeds, spawn the healthiest seedlings and likely have the best genetics. Get fully ripe fruit, slit them, scrape the seed onto paper towel. Let them dry for a few weeks (just a week in summer). Pop them in a paper envelope and label it with date and variety. Now ... if the plants you are collecting seed from were hybrids and not 'true to type' the seedlings you grow from them are likely to produce fruit with different characteristics from the parents. If you keep growing lots of plants for several years and saving seeds from selected plants each year with the same characteristics as the original hybrid adult you may eventually end up with your own true to type variety. That's the kind of activity that separates 'gardeners' from 'horticulturalists'. Wet fruit like tomatoes needs an extra step of 1-2 days fermentation in a bit of water with vinegar followed by washing in a sieve to remove the pulpy stuff before spreading out in a thin layer on paper towel. Agree, especially save seeds from self sown plants they,re usually strong plants, we had a self sown cherry tomato at our front door this summer gave heaps away easily pulled 400 plus tomatoes off one plant, half dead now and still a 100 plus fruit on it in various stages of ripening. The tomatoes I got from Bunnings fared poorly, lucky if we got 20 off each plant. Also look at heirloom seeds, grew mangelwurzel a couple of years ago thrived in the crappy sand we called soil in Perth. |
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Post by SA Hunter on Jun 19, 2019 22:09:02 GMT 10
Okay... here goes. I have a few chillies from a particular plant I bought a while back. They're awesome - great flavour, heat, etc. Possibly the best chillies I've ever eaten. How do I use these fruits to get a good crop next summer? I guess this is largely a question of seed-saving. You can keep the bushes for 3-4 years. Just give them a small prune at the end of the growing season. Also, fresh animal manure increases the heat factor. I guess when I started, I learnt by watching my old Russian grandmother, as well as collecting some of her seeds ( which i still have a few that I have used year after year ). Also, Yates Guide to Gardening ( about $35 ), and there are also some good gardening magazines at the newsagent. |
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