 Daylight is noticeably lengthening and, despite winter finally catching up with us through August, soil temperatures are slowly rising. September is one of the busiest months for vegetable growers as it signals the start of the change over from winter to summer crops. However, it is generally still too early for sowing and planting tender varieties directly into the garden.
SEEDS TO SOW Into pots, punnets and trays under cover in a glasshouse, sun porch or sunny window sill: Tomatoes, capsicum, chillies, zucchini, cucumber, dwarf beans, butternut squash, basil, plus towards the end of the month, egg plant, melons and sweet corn. A trigger spray bottle is a good way to keep them watered without splashing and washing out the seeds. Carrots, peas, radishes, beetroot, onions and parsnips can be sown directly into the garden. Covering seeds with a layer of seed-raising potting mix helps to prevent a hard crust that can hinder germination. I still prefer to sow cabbage, broccoli, perpetual spinach, cauliflower, and lettuce in pots to provide strong seedlings for planting later. POTATOES I planted my first early potatoes in July and they are already 20cm high and have received their first ‘earthing-up’. This involves drawing soil up and around the plants until only the top of the foliage is showing. This provides protection from the weather and insect pests as well as preventing ‘greening’ of any exposed tubers. The same principal applies to potatoes in containers, just top up the growing mix as the plants grow. Time to plant a few more! VEGETABLES TO PLANT Garden centres will soon be full of tender vegetable plants and it can be a huge temptation to buy up large and plant your summer garden in early September. Unless you have a glasshouse, tunnel house or some other kind of protection it really pays to wait until October before planting. Even if early plantings survive they are usually overtaken by crops that are planted into more favourable conditions. Winter standbys such as cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions, snow peas and silver beet can still be planted but be prepared to provide white butterfly protection as your cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower mature in a couple of months time. Contributed by Chris Green, SuperGrans Volunteer Want to know more? Come along to our monthly (1st Wednesday of the month) Growing Food with SuperGrans on the 4th September, 10-11am at the SuperGrans Offices, 14 Jocelyn St, Katikati and meet our volunteer gardening gurus! Free event, just drop in. Photo: Growing Food with SuperGrans at SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty.
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August 2019 Welcome to our monthly newsletter designed to keep you up-to-date with SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty's news and events. NewsNew partnership with The Nutrition FoundationSuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty are partnering with The New Zealand Nutrition Foundation to deliver the JustCook for Healthy Aging programme. This a four week programme aimed at building basic cooking skills, confidence and motivation to cook among older people. This programme will begin on 4th November - please contact us if you'd like to find out more. Save the date - Repair Café What do you do with a broken toaster? Or with a jersey full of moth holes? Toss it? No way! We are organising the first Repair Café in Katikati on Saturday 19th October. People visiting the Repair Café can bring along their broken items from home. Toasters, lamps, hair dryers, clothes, bikes, toys, crockery... anything that is broken is welcome. And we'll see if the volunteers can fix them - the Repair Café specialists almost always have the know-how. More details to come - but in the meantime, keep Saturday 19th October free! Save the date - Western Bay of Plenty Crop SwapOur first Crop Swap will be on Saturday 7th September, 10am - 11am, at 14 Jocelyn Street, Katikati. The Crop Swap concept is simple. We invite backyard gardeners, home bakers and food foragers to bring along high quality local produce to swap and share. We welcome vegetables, fruits, plants, flowers, seedlings, herbs, eggs, preserves, baking, liquid manure, gardening books, magazines, planting containers, seeds, sprouts, micro-greens... Free - bring your produce to swap or share. Our office hours have changedWe've had a few changes in the office, which mean that our open hours are now: Monday - Thursday 9am - 2.30pm Friday 9am - 1pm Upcoming Events Cooking with SuperGrans27th August 10am - 12.30pm (4th Tuesday of the Month) The Centre - Pātuki Manawa, KatikatiThis month we will make hearty winter meals. Everyone is welcome to join these free, practical and fun mornings, which focus on creating easy, cost-effective and healthy meals. Everyone will make something and then we'll enjoy lunch together. Please RSVP for catering purposes and to secure your place. Read more and RSVP to this event Growing Food with SuperGrans4th September 10am - 11am (1st Wednesday of each month) SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty, 14 Jocelyn St, KatikatiJoin us for this regular monthly session. A group for first-time or experienced gardeners who would like to learn more or ask questions in a relaxed, supportive environment. FREE down to earth gardening advice | FREE step-by-step demonstrations | FREE plants and seeds to get you started | FREE monthly newsletter with planting calendar and handy hints | FREE morning tea. No RSVP required – just turn up. View our full events calendarWeekly Connect + ChatsOur weekly drop-in sessions. We provide morning tea and no RSVP is required – just come along. Postnatal Support GroupEvery Monday, 9.30am - 11.30am Bethlehem Birthing Centre, 1 Te Paeroa Road, BethlehemThe Postnatal Support Group is an opportunity to share experiences with other new parents and learn from invited guest speakers about a range of parenting related topics. All parents and caregivers of children under two are welcome to join these friendly and supportive sessions. Speakers include:
SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty, 14 Jocelyn Street, KatikatiAll new parents are welcome to come along and join the group for a nearby walk with great company (weather dependent). Katikati Parents Support GroupEvery Thursday, 9.30am - 11.30am SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty, 14 Jocelyn Street, KatikatiAll parents and caregivers of children under two are welcome to join these friendly and supportive sessions. This is an opportunity to share experiences with other new parents and learn from invited guest speakers about a range of parenting related topics.
SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty, 14 Jocelyn St, KatikatiJoin us each Friday during the month of September and learn to knit a scarf or a snood. Pattern and needles supplied - bring your fav yarn (or use some of ours)! We are open Monday - Thursday 9am - 2.30pm and Fridays 9am - 1pm.
Address: 14 Jocelyn Street, Katikati Phone: 07 549 4522 | 027 472 1112 Email: info@supergranswbop.org.nz Website: www.supergranswbop.org.nz
 JULY VEGETABLE GARDEN
June continued our run of great gardening weather but things usually deteriorate after the shortest day. July is a good time to clean up old crops, check out the seed catalogues and get ready for Spring. There are, however still plenty of vegetables that can be grown. SEEDS TO SOW Seeds sown directly into garden beds will be very slow to germinate this month but cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, perpetual spinach and spring onion can all be sown under cover in containers. Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden but again they will do much better in containers filled with seed-raising potting mix. Florence, or Globe, fennel prefers cooler temperatures so now is a good time to raise some seedlings to plant out next month. Carrots are best sown direct into the garden in late August when soil temperatures start to increase . POTATOES First early potatoes can be planted in a warm, sheltered spot from mid July onwards so , if you haven’t already done so, purchase and prepare seed potatoes by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner. VEGETABLES TO PLANT Garlic and shallots can still be planted this month along with our winter standbys cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions and silver beet. Asparagus ‘crowns’ are usually available from garden shops for planting in July/August. Planting an asparagus bed is a long term project as it takes several years to produce significant crops but it can then go on cropping for twenty years or more. STRAWBERRIES Planting now allows the maximum time to produce a strong plant with a well developed root system that will support a large crop of succulent fruit. It also encourages early and prolonged cropping. If using bare-rooted strawberry plants that are dug straight out of the ground just be careful that the roots are never allowed to become dry before planting. Contributed by Chris Green, SuperGrans Volunteer Want to know more? Come along to our monthly Garden Group on the 24th July, 10-11am at the SuperGrans Offices, 14 Jocelyn St, Katikati and meet our volunteer gardening gurus! Free event, just drop in. Photo: June's Gardening Group at SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty. This is an opportunity to celebrate the collective contribution of the 1.2 million volunteers who enrich Aotearoa New Zealand. We are indebted to the efforts of the team of nearly 30 SuperGrans volunteers; they are kind, generous community-minded people who enable us to continue to offer our services.   JUNE VEGETABLE GARDEN Discover what to sow, what to plant, how to prepare seed potatoes and what chitting means… Our never-ending summer that has lasted right through autumn has been great for growing veggies. The only downside has been the need for more supplementary watering than is usually required at this time of the year. June, the official start of winter, is when keen gardeners start to think about growing some edible treats to be enjoyed next spring and summer. SEEDS TO SOW Only hardy varieties can be sown in June and I find I get the best result by sowing the seeds in containers and producing sturdy plants to plant out later. This gets them away to a good start as they deal with wintery conditions. Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, silver beet, beetroot, perpetual spinach and spring onion all benefit from this method. Peas, broad beans and snow peas can be sown in pots or straight into the garden but I favour growing them in small pots before planting out. Carrots need to be sown direct into the garden and normally I sow my last batch in late March/early May but, if the weather remains as mild as it has been recently I’ll risk another sowing in early June. POTATOES First early potatoes can be planted in mid July so this is the time to prepare seed potatoes by chitting. Chitting involves pre-sprouting the tubers by putting them in trays (I use egg cartons) and placing them in a warm, light, dry spot to allow the young shoots to develop. Good early varieties include Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Illam Hardy and Arran Banner. VEGETABLES TO PLANT Garlic, shallots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions, silver beet and hardy herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley and coriander. Plant mint in pots to prevent invasive roots and shoots from overpowering less vigorous plants. STRAWBERRIES Commercial strawberry growers like to get their beds planted as soon as possible in late autumn/early winter. Planting now allows the maximum time to produce a strong plant with a well developed root system that will support a large crop of succulent fruit. It also encourages early and prolonged cropping. If using bare-rooted strawberry plants that are dug straight out of the ground just be careful that the roots are never allowed to become dry before planting. Next summer, here we come. Contributed by Chris Green, SuperGrans Volunteer Want to know more? Come along to our monthly Garden Group on the 26th June, 10-11am at the SuperGrans Offices, 14 Jocelyn St, Katikati and meet our volunteer gardening gurus! Free event, just drop in. MAY VEGETABLE GARDEN
May is often a month of two halves. It often produces some wonderful late Autumn weather but, with reduced daylight and falling temperatures, growth starts to slow and that limits the varieties that can be sown or planted. SEEDS TO SOW If conditions are still reasonably mild the first week of May we can try a late sowing of carrots, peas and snow peas direct into the garden. Covering carrot seed with a light dressing of seed-raising potting mix instead of topsoil will aid germination. With protection from the elements, onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, silver beet, spring onion, perpetual spinach and lettuce can also be sown in pots and punnets for later transplanting. Broad beans are cool weather vegetables and the seed can be sown direct into the garden now to provide a useful fresh crop in Spring and early Summer. Be prepared for the fact that broad beans grow tall and will require support. BROAD MINDED The world is divided into those who love broad beans and those who loathe them. If the only broad beans you have ever tasted were leather jackets swimming in a sea of tasteless white sauce why would you like them? In fact fresh, tender broad beans provide a gourmet delight that is rarely available in supermarkets. Grow your own and pick ‘em young. Delicious! VEGETABLES TO PLANT Seedlings of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beetroot, silver beet, lettuce can still be planted in sunny, sheltered spots. May, June and July are the best months for planting garlic and shallots. Both take six to seven months to mature so it’s a good idea to enrich the soil with plenty of compost and a general fertiliser prior to planting. Individual garlic cloves are planted just below the surface, pointy end upwards, approximately 10cm apart with 15cm to 30cm between rows. Shallots are spaced 10cm apart with 20cm between rows with the base of the bulbs pressed firmly into the soil but leaving the top half exposed. STRAWBERRIES Bare-rooted strawberry plants are usually available at the end of the month or early June so now’s the time to prepare the area by incorporating compost and fertiliser. Create raised beds if the drainage is poor and perhaps cover the area with weed mat to suppress weeds, conserve summer moisture and to keep the fruit clean. Where space is limited, strawberries can be grown in patio pots, large hanging baskets, troughs or herb planters filled 50/50 with good quality compost and potting mix. Contributed by Chris Green, SuperGrans Volunteer :April is generally a great month to plant vegetables that can be harvested in winter and early spring. We’ve usually had some good rain to soak the ground after the summer drought but the soil is still warm enough to encourage new roots to develop. That means that plants establish themselves quickly and grow away strongly so long as they are protected from strong prevailing winds. SEEDS TO SOW
Best results always come when using good quality seed-raising potting mix and sowing the freshest seeds. Kings Seeds, a great local supplier, stock a huge range of reliable flower, herb and vegetable seeds with varieties suitable for every season and situation. If you don’t have the time or space for a vegetable garden you might like to try sowing the following varieties into pots and containers approximately the size of a 10L bucket filled with potting mix or a mixture of potting mix and good quality compost:
At the end of the month broad beans can be either sown direct into the garden or into pots for transplanting later. VEGETABLES TO PLANT Seedlings of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, leek, spring onion, beetroot, silver beet, perpetual spinach, peas, kale, snow peas, lettuce and divisions of rhubarb can all be planted now. BUTTERFLY ALERT Unfortunately our wonderful Autumn weather also suits the Cabbage White butterfly and this means that (because we don’t want to use poisonous sprays or powders on our food crops) seedlings of cabbage, broccoli, kale and cauliflower will need to be protected for at least the next few weeks to prevent caterpillar infestation. I cover my crops with Quarantine Cloth over hoops made of alkathene pipe and securely anchored to the ground with planks and bricks to prevent any chance of the butterflies laying their eggs on the underside of the leaves . POTATOES First-early potatoes can be planted mid to late July so it’s a good idea to purchase seed potatoes towards the end of this month so that they can be prepared for planting by being chitted. This involves standing the potatoes upright in a seed tray, egg carton or similar and placing them in a light, warm, dry spot to allow the ‘Eyes’ to develop into shoots and so give our spuds a head start when we plant them out. CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS GREEN, SuperGran Volunteer Kia ora. I will be resigning as the Chair of SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty Charitable Trust on 1st April 2019.
Three years ago a small group of us formed the Trust, excited at the potential here in the Katikati community for the establishment of a service which could create opportunities for all ages to share wisdom, knowledge and life skills. SuperGrans is now well-established in Katikati, with approximately 30 volunteers generously sharing their skills and experience with others. SuperGrans WBOP is thriving! My thanks to all those who have contributed to the journey so far – the SuperGrans (and Granddads) themselves; the establishment staff and Trustees; families who have welcomed the involvement of SuperGrans into their lives; our financial supporters and the local schools, community groups and networks we work alongside. My thanks also to Barbara Martin who will be taking over as Chair of the Trust. My best wishes to the current team of staff and Trustees for an exciting future together. Naku iti noa na Pat. |
