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13 episodes with kings seeds
11 episodes with kings seeds
8 episodes with kings seeds
Andrew Tokely from Kings Seeds talks about some of the jobs he's been doing at the end of March and into the beginning of April. #gardeningtips #gardening #soil == We're delighted to have Gro-rite Horticulture sponsoring World Radio Gardening, find out about automatic pot watering systems available for mail order delivery: bit.ly/3wCPyHy Also, don't forget – if you like what we do, why not tip Ken and team with a coffee – Buy us a coffee (bit.ly/48RLP75) – as a thank you for the work done to bring this website to life.
Yep – it's getting cooler – it means that tomatoes - from now on – will slow down. Seeing bumblebees will also slow down and disappear it might be a good idea to harvest your own tomato seeds for next year's crop. Note: Do not expect any miracles from the seeds found in F1 Hybrid varieties! They are unlikely to come “True to type”. In fact: it will be surprising how different the off-spring can be! F1 Hybrids are cross-pollinated plants with two very different “parents”. F1-s are bred to get an incredible vigour and superior yield. If you like certain F1 Hybrids: just purchase them and you'll know what you're going to get next year. The so-called “Open-Pollinated” varieties are the ones that will give you a good chance of getting your favourites (such as Tigerella, Black Krim, Thessaloniki and all the “heirlooms”). This year I got some really nice tomatoes from a birding mate in Te Anau: It's called Gardeners Delight. Open-Pollinated, juicy and sweet and the size of a rather large cherry tomato This became my project for 2025-2026 season; First of all I will try to grow plants from my current harvest Second: I will buy a packet of Gardeners Delight from Kings Seeds as comparison with my own seed Thirdly – if you're lucky – I may send you some seeds as well, Jack! Cut the fully-ripe tomatoes open and scoop out the seeds. Put them on some kitchen paper to remove as much of the sticky pulp as possible “Fully Ripe” is NOW, before it gets too cold Chuck the seeds in a strainer/colander under cold water to get most of pulp off the seeds – and dry them all over night; I usually try to clean them again the next day to remove even more of the sticky stuff. Then dry the seeds for two days on paper towel (out of direct sunlight) Pack the seeds in paper envelopes and store in cool, dry area till sowing. If you are in an area with relative humidity, it might pay to add some Silica Gel in the envelope to absorb the moisture and keep the seeds viable for a few yearsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With a new growing season fast approaching, we're discussing some of the new seeds available this year with Andrew Tokely of Kings Seeds. Also, what to do in your garden this week and we're answering listeners' questions on Amaryllis, Sleeper Walls and the all important question of deer-proof plants!Visit potsandtrowels.com for links to all the videos & podcast episodesEmail Questions to info@potsandtrowels.com Our weekly YouTube videos are here: Pots & Trowels YouTubeThe Pots & Trowels team:Martin FishJill FishSean RileyFind out more about Martin & Jill at martinfish.com Find out more about Sean at boardie.comPodcast produced by the team, edited by Sean, hosted by buzzsprout.com
In this edition of DIG IT, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with seedsman and passionate foodie Paolo Arrigo about Seeds of Italy, an importer for the prestigious seed producer Franchi Seeds. Paolo discusses the importance of regionality in food growing, how heritage seeds are now more important than ever and how the bureaucracy of the EU has caused issues for the vegetable seed market.Plants mentioned Aubergine, Kale Cavolo Nero, Basil, Spinach, Baby Leaf Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Broad beans, Garlic, Lambs Lettuce (Corn Salad), Peas, Sweet Peas, Brussel sprouts, Parsnips, Swedes, Peppers, Holy trinity of veggies – carrots, onions and celery, English Cucumbers, Spinach Monstreux de Virflay, good beefsteak tomato varieties – Marmande and Coeur Di Bue (Ox Heart), The Eternal Tomato – Principe Borghese da Appendere, Spaghetti tree, 100% Wildflowers with no fillers, Courgette for flowers Da Fiore Toscana and Papaver (Poppy)People and companies mentioned: Thomas Cook, Mozart, Montpellier Brothers, Kings Seeds, Thompson & Morgan, Real Seeds, Delia Smith, Dolmio sauces, Haxnicks cloches, Royal Horticultural Society, Eden Project, Charles Darwin, Hairy Bikers, Gallo wine, Jamie Oliver and U3A.The film, A Room with a View featured the grand tour in Victorian times and Stanley Tucci's BBC series Searching for Italy, highlighting regionality of food.Places mentioned: Apennines, Dolomites, Turin, Tuscany, Borough Market in London, RHS Harlow Carr, Kew Gardens, Lee Valley for Tomato growing and Welsh Tourist Board.Food mentioned: Meatballs, Panettone, Mushrooms, Cornish pasties (listed under Protected Food Names legislation), Buckinghamshire or Bedfordshire Clanger (savoury/sweet pasty), Devon/Cornish Scones, Pizza is a Neapolitan dish, Vesta Curries, Chick Pea Pasta, Ricotta, Dal, Parma Ham, Lime Oil, Peter's homemade Pesto, Spaghetti, Zucchini flowers and Omelettes.Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods maintained by the Slow Food movement.Seeds of Italy websiteSocials: X: @FranchiSeedsUKInstagram: @franchiseedsofitalyFacebook @SeedsOfItaly Book: From Seed to Plate by Paolo ArrigoOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
No-Mow November started a few weeks ago. For me it started on the grounds of Tekapo Primary School, where we had a decent discussion about pollinators… especially bumblebees! Mating season! The kids love bumblebees! They are gentle and very active – even in the coldest months of the year. They can warm themselves up through wing-beating action while having the wings set to “neutral”. I told the kids that we have four different species of Bumblebee in New Zealand – all four imported from the UK (in the 1800s), to help with the pollination of plants, crops and trees from all sorts of parts of the world. Mostly to do with the various lengths of their tongues, which pollinate different sized flowers. Three of the four species are quite easy to find in New Zealand, but the fourth (the short-haired Bumblebee – Bombus subterraneus) is quite rare. It occurs largely in the Mackenzie country and in a few patches of inland of Otago. When I told the kids that Tekapo Region is where they are found every now and then, the kids pricked up their ears. They wanted to know what it looks like and what sort of flowering plants it gets its nectar and pollen from. But when I revealed that this bumblebee is now considered extinct in the UK, the interest grew a notch or two. And so did the development of serious questions… Can we grow the favourite plants in the school grounds? Could we raise their population density in the Tekapo area? And if that is successful: can we ship some fertile queens back to the UK to translocate them to their country and habitat of origin? A few weeks ago we dug some gardens on the edge of the school grounds and playing field. We sowed some seeds – lots of seeds, provided by the New Zealand Bumblebee Conservation Trust and specialist seed merchants such as Kings Seeds. Most Gardeners will know these names… Wild Flower World and Geoff and Liz Brunsden… there was an army of support Zonda sent them a live Bumblebee hive, just to get the kids completely engaged with the Bumbles and the Bees, in anticipation of luring this rare species back to the Mackenzie country – HeadQuarters: Tekapo Primary school! The Zonda Live BumbleBee hive – my goodness they really have a go at pollinating tomatoes! The kids learned how to get rid of weeds, fertilise the soil and sow the seeds in patches for the future of these pollinators. There was talk about creating a huge edge around the Sports Field where the grass would be taken off the field and replaced by a colourful melange of flowering plants for the bumble bee whanau. Now, THAT reminded me of the No-Mow-November we talked about many times before: A monocultural grassland replaced by a colourful meadow of wildflowers for our nectar and pollen eating invertebrates! There's even a list of students signing up for the watering duty during the summer Holidays… I bet Simon (the principal), Maria, Libby, Angela, and Jane will be chuffed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
#gardening #gardeningadvice #winter #xmas == We're delighted to have Gro-rite Horticulture sponsoring World Radio Gardening, find out about automatic pot watering systems available for mail order delivery: https://bit.ly/3wCPyHy For 2024, World Radio Gardening is planning a series of 4 exclusive newsletters. These will be loaded with extra special content and deals for you as a gardener. Make sure you don't miss out by signing up today via sign-up page: https://bit.ly/3RWwhYR The second newsletter is out now here: https://bit.ly/3RWwhYR – don't miss the next one! Also, don't forget – if you like what we do, why not tip Ken and team with a coffee – Buy us a coffee (https://bit.ly/48RLP75) – as a thank you for the work done to bring this website to life.
Send us a textA little late this time as we had a few technical difficulties.Not to worry - we sorted it. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.
It's good to be home, but wow what a wonderful trip. So good to be back in the studio with Jen.Tomatoes are the talk of gardeners right now - when to get them started?? And other useful information.Yarrow and Mint Tea, dried and stored last season.Moon Calendar - Waxing Moon - Root Crop sowing NOWBook 'Broccoli and Other Love Stories', Paulette Whitney Ali reviews her visit to Chateau de Courterolles in Burgundy. What a wonderful park/garden.$20 Voucher from Kings Seeds winner this week is Nadia, her Instagram account is @thebarefootkiwigardener. Based in Northland Nadia and her family enjoy freshly caught snapper, with homegrown vegetables. Had to beat that combination.Happy gardening.Ali and JenSupport the Show.You can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
Spring sowing is beginning around the country, We will take a look at some early options.Ever thought about extending your season with a greenhouse, glasshouse, tunnel house or Walaipini? We have some suggestions to help you decide which would suit you best. Book of the Week - The Englishman's Country - a collection of musings, my favourite is from Vita Sackville-WestYou have one more week to enter the competition for the Tiny Zen Garden from Little Hill Lawrence @littlehilllawrence Thanks again to Alisa for offering her beautiful work to one of our lucky listeners.We also thank Charlotte and the team at Kings Seeds @kingsseedsnz for their weekly $20 voucher. Remember to tag @yourgardencoach and @kingsseedsnz for your chance to win. Have you received your brand new Catalogue yet? I can't wait to view the new seed varieties, Charlotte advises there are over 100, totalling over 1000 options for us keen gardeners. Have fun in your garden - it is definitely my very happy place.Happy gardening,Ali and JenSupport the Show.You can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
Tea - Kānuka A New Zealand NativeThree gardening periods this weekBarron - 1st-3rd May - avoid planting. “Spoil your soil with goodness”Sow Root Crops 4th & 5thIn temperate climates sow radish, onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, and try ginger too. In frosty zones sow radish, swedes Jerusalem artichoke, and turnips.Cultivate period 6th - 9th Just do a few odd jobs - store away hoses and protect water timers if you intend leaving them in situ over winter, they will explode if frost gets to them, so cover with a box or some sacks.We update you on your winter compost methods.Windowsill gardening - guide to growing micro-greensMain topic - New Zealand growing ZonesBe sure to post your garden photos on Instagram and Facebook and tag both @yourgardencoach.nz & @kingsseedsnz for your chance to win a $20 voucher from Kings Seeds every week.We draw the @nzbulbs competition this Friday 3rd May EARLY! so get your entry in before 7am Friday.Happy gardening everyone Support the Show.You can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
A busy week this week… Lots of Autumn tasks coming up.We welcome back the very talented Leah Evans @mrs.evans.garden Leah gives us a Snapshot of her Autumn garden and she has some inspiring wisdom for us.Tea - Lemon balm and Sage - a favourite of ours.NZ Bulbs have partnered with us for the 2nd of 3 Bulb Giveaways - Enter this fabulous competition (open to NZ residents only, Drawn on 3rd May, winner announced in Episode 32) email your entry to coach@yourgardencoach.nz with the answer to the Elephant Garlic question.Check out @clausdalby for bulb planting inspiration then order your bulbs from @nzbulbs Huge thanks to Paul and Gemma at NZ Bulbs for their generous gift packThis week in the garden - Cultivate - 24th & 25thSow Root Crops 26th & 27thBarren period 28th - 3rd MayGarlic - a little bit of knowledge shared. Get planting on 26th and 27th for a bumper crop Jerusalem Artichokes, ready after the first frost. We give you the heads up to reduce the farts… Such an easy vegetable garden perennial. see www.healthifyme.com/blog/jerusalem-artichokeGlossary - Polyculture - A Symphony of Diversity in your garden.Book Botany for Gardeners By Geoff Hodge Allen and Unwin publishers @allenandunwinInstagram of the Week and winner of the $20 Kings Seeds voucher @theocallaghanclann what a fabulously colourful vegetable garden!www.gardenmyths.com - pine needlesHappy gardening Support the showYou can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
We enjoy a cup of Dried Yarrow and Mint tea today - it's a winner, Jen loves it.Dr Compost joins us for a chat about… composting! He's a mine of information and has a few ideas to help Jen get started with composing.Take a look at Ben's Socials @dr_compost & Dr Compost on fb, Ben talks about Bokashi composting in his latest video.We learn about two lesser-known Vitamins G & G. That's right, Gratitude and Green, we take stock of just how beneficial being grateful and spending time outside is for our health.Vegetable of the Week is Micro-greens.Our new segment is ‘Snapshot'. This is the spot where we connect with gardeners across the nation to uncover their latest endeavours and gardening adventures. This week kicks off with us talking to Dr Compost, Ben Elms.We announce our winner of the weekly $20 Gift Voucher from Kings Seeds.Shelley Franks @mumofarainbow And the Winner of the Gubba Moon Calendar Clock is….. Kate Grantley-Hogg, Congratulations to our winners, and huge thanks to our sponsors.Sowing and Planting time - what should we be planting now?Book of the Week - Your Well-being Garden and RHS publication.Support the showYou can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
What a week for competitions woohoo!The winner of our Kings Seeds Seasonal Gift Pack is Rebecca TeoneaThe NZ Bulbs Pack goes to Linda- Marie StokkeAnd the $20 Weekly Gift Voucher from Kings goes to Rachel Chamberlain Congratulations to you all, and huge thanks to Kings Seeds and NZ BulbsYarrow Tea today - We dried the flowers when they were in peak bloom and have stored two jars for use over winter.Jobs for the Week - so much information on this week's podcast - let's get the garden looking great before winter.Vegetable of the Week Broad Beans Xeriscaping plant of the Week Marlborough Rock Daisy - PachystegiaGlossary Term - DioeciousGarden Myths Website www.gardenmyths.com/coffee-grounds-garden-safeCompetition this week Gubba Moon Calendar Clock @gubbagardenstorenz You will need to listen to the podcast to find out the question, then email coach@yourgardencoach.nz to enter. Thank you to the team at Gubba for their kind gift.Questions from YGC Listeners - Sandie asked about Lemon VerbenaInstagram account of the Week @teainapinkcup Rachel was the winner of our $20 Kings Seed voucher. Take a look at this “Real Gardener of New Zealand” Rachel has some fabulous images from her stunning garden.Happy GardeningSupport the showYou can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
In this week's episode:Beetroot - grow lots, it's so good for your blood. We focus on this vegetable today.We talk to Paul Hoek from NZ Bulbs, what a delight, Paul tells us everything we need to know to grow gorgeous Spring bulbs. It's ordering time for bulbs. Paul has a wonderful gift pack for us to give away in this week's competition.Jane Wrigglesowrth's Tummy-Taming Tea was supposed to be our tea of the week but time ran out! That's life! So we talk about it as we drink my favourite Sage Tea.NOTE: Yotam grows 365 ONIONS not CARROTS!! - my mind wandered as I was recording!Books - The Everyday Herbalist by Jane Wrigglesworth her tea recipe is on page 164. If you haven't got this book yet, What are you waiting for?The Abundant Gardener by Yotam and Niva Kay. This book is always open on my desk, so much lovely information.We update you on the task for this week in your garden if you follow the moons phases as a guide.Kings Seeds Seasonal Prize Pack competition closes on 1st April. Enter our weekly Kings Seeds competetion to win a 40 Voucher - all you need to do is post a photo of something in your garden (good or sad) and sage @kingsseedsnz and @yourgardencoack_nz Happy GardeningSupport the showYou can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
I might take a moment to thank our listeners for joining us each week and for the lovely feedback you give us.Each message is welcomed and helps us to write the stories you'd like us to tell. Please keep your emails coming. Building this gardening community is heartwarming and very fulfilling. You are appreciated.In this weeks episode we talk to Charlotte from Kings Seeds. A family-owned small business, run with expertise and passion. We've discovered our values align well with Charlotte and her team. We both aim to bring encouragement and support to home gardeners.Charlotte gives us a few suggestions as to what seeds we can start both in the vegetable and flower garden, some of her favourite flowers, and we have a competition for you. A Seasonal Gift basket that Kings Seeds have put together for us. Be sure to listen and enter.Also, Kings Seeds are offering a $20 gift voucher every week.Our vegetable of the week is the humble onion - fairly easy to grow and much appreciated in most home-cooked meals. Discover how you can feed your onions so they, in turn, can feed you.It's Autumn Equinox today 20th March, at precisely 4.06pm - What is the Autumn Equinox? and how can you celebrate this special event? Tea of the week Rose, Lavender, and Cardamom, a relaxing tea.Sow and plant until 22nd then cultivate your soil, add lots of lovely nutrients to replenish those that have fed your summer vegetables.Time to plant Brassicas, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Broccoli.Cauliflower, Celery, lettuce, silverbeet, snow peas on your windowsill, and the last sowing of Spring onions for the season.Book of the week - The Allergy-Fighting Garden, how to create a garden for those who suffer with allergiesVictoria from Cromwell asked how we care for herbs over winter…Glossary - Evapotranspiration, the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere.Be sure to enjoy your garden tasks and reap the many rewards.Happy gardeningAli and JenSupport the showYou can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.
We're chatting to Kings Seeds Horticultural Director Andrew Tokely this week and getting inside info on all sorts of wonderful seed options!Martin answers some questions about leaf curl aphid and what to do when you're faced with a new build house with a blank canvas of a garden. (see Martin and his box of Kings Seeds in our latest P&T video here: https://youtu.be/8_dmL7TvQc0 )Visit potsandtrowels.com for links to all the videos & podcast episodesEmail Questions to info@potsandtrowels.com Our weekly YouTube videos are here: Pots & Trowels YouTubeThe Pots & Trowels team:Martin FishJill FishSean RileyFind out more about Martin & Jill at martinfish.com Find out more about Sean at boardie.comPodcast produced by the team, edited by Sean, hosted by buzzsprout.com
Andrew Tokely, Horticulture Director from Kings Seeds, talks to Ken Crowther about vegetables, Kings Seeds, allotments and the history of the seed growing trade in Essex. Kings Seeds website: https://bit.ly/4873EhU
This program is increasingly becoming a Community Information Resource that assists our native plants and critters – no apologies here! We read in the news that the DOC is translocating rare/endangered birds and lizards to keep them safe and increase their populations. Gardeners can do exactly the same thing for our butterflies and moths – we even have a New Zealand Moths and Butterfly Trust that does exactly the same thing, so why not join them and enrich your quarter acre Paradise? Monarchs are mating and looking for places to lay their eggs. We all know their food plants: Swan plants (bit boring in my opinion!) can be sown right now – Kings Seeds and other seed merchants have these popular plants in stock; Moths and Butterfly trust also stocks a heap of different seeds for Monarchs. Germination is good at warmer temps, and 21 degrees is recommended. Fabulous Asclepias species with colourful flowers are also suitable host plants – more my gig! Prettier relatives of the swan plant. Photo / Supplied Whatever you sow: aim for heaps of plants and keep some of them in large pots as “spares” for when famine breaks out. Admiral Butterflies love nettles to lay their eggs on; if you have a safe space you can try the native Ongaonga stinging nettle. Just be careful, they are ferocious (Hence their name Urtica ferox). Red admirals are keen on that tree nettle (ferox) but will also feed on perennial nettle (dioica). Yellow admirals tend to go for the smaller nettle species as food for the caterpillars. I have both admirals in abundance here in the Halswell Quarry. The reds seem to overwinter here too. Red admiral (left) – Yellow admiral (right). Photo / Supplied Just be aware that red admirals may not be as common in the Auckland region, so extra food plants might make them be a little more “regularly observed”. They are plentiful in the south though, the yellow admirals are pretty common right around the motu. For our Blue Butterflies (commonly known as “Blues”), sow some Trifolium, Medicago or Lotus, as well as lucern, trefoil and clover species. Note how these plants are members of the Fabaceae (they are Legumes!). Copper butterflies and boulder coppers (in the Genus Lycaena) are absolutely beautiful, mostly orange-coloured insects that fly quite erratically through the landscape, often not too far from their preferred host plant on which the caterpillars feed. By planting the appropriate species of Muehlenbeckia (complexa or australis, not astonii) you'll find the butterflies often “in attendance”. The Bolder coppers are often characterised by a deep purple-blue reflection on the wing scales. Photo / Supplied Their food plant is Muehlenbeckia axellaris (creeping pohuehue). More butterfly details can be found of the Moths and Butterflies Trust website: https://nzbutterfly.info/ LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Horticultural Director of Kings Seeds, Andrew Tokely talks about sweet peas. For more details and to purchase sweet pea seed at Kings Seeds visit their website: bit.ly/3HEtAWA To buy the cornfield flower mix as mentioned in this podcast visit Kings Seeds website: https://bit.ly/46ea0vR
Horticultural Director of Kings Seeds, Andrew Tokely has a tip for those wanting fresh vegetables for Christmas. For more details and to purchase Eskimo carrot seeds at Kings Seeds visit their website: https://bit.ly/3OZACuz
Horticultural Director of Kings Seeds, Andrew Tokely talks about sweet peas. For more details and to purchase sweet pea seed at King's Seed visit their website: http://bit.ly/3HEtAWA
Really? Past Mid September already? I think that even living in Christchurch this is a rather late moment to sow the tomato seeds. On the other hand… A quick deposit of seeds now allows us to grow seedlings quickly and without risk of too much frost damage. Go on the website of the seed merchants. Kings seeds and Yates and all the others you know. Check your local plant stores – they often have a heap of cool varieties! Get the varieties you want and start that wonderful process of getting a heap of small pots with fabulous seed-raising mix – the fine compost-like stuff that is moist (not soaking wet) and hold lots of organic matter Tomato seeds should never be sown too deep. Think about a depth of just one millimetre if you can – just out of the reach of day-light. The way to achieve that is by sprinkling the seeds on top of the seed-raining mix and then add a tiny layer of more seed-raising mix or… sand, if you've got some. Keep the sowing trays in a warm (not too hot) and dark area. Do NOT over-water – rather: use a “mister” to spray water over the trays. That has the effect of keeping the seed-raising mix moist (not soaking wet) The warmth will help with germination; sunshine is not really a useful thing; too intense! Get the seedlings up to about 3 inches (7 centimetres or so). They will have some cotyledons (seed-leaves). Then provide them with a bit more light. Not in full sun, but in a lighter space, so that the seedlings can harden off a bit and grow a bit more “sturdy”. They start to develop some “True leaves” on the stem. Those are the ones that will also allow the development of side shoots, which might come in handy at a later stage of the tomato plant's growth. After a month or so, the seedlings are ready to be transplanted; I usually take them to a larger pot with good potting mix. The way to transport them from their seedling mix to the next-stage-potting-mix is by holding them by their true leaves (not the fragile stems!) Once the plants are showing signs of hairiness (and sturdiness) on the stems they are ready to put in their final position. Imagine a good, well-drained soil mixture (loam and organic matter) with a natural fertiliser such as sheep pellets. Hammer a decent 1.8 meter stake in the middle (you'll need that stake anyway, for the tomato vine to grow with) and plant the new arrival next to the stake. As soon as it starts to grow up try to tie it to the stake, especially if it is in a windy spot. In my tunnel house, where we don't get rain (!) I need to do the watering myself and therefore choose a system with liquid fertiliser. Usually alternations of Seaweed Tea and Seafood Soup. Mixed in a rather diluted form (looking like light brown water). This means that the plants get fed often and with small amounts; If planted outside, I have always had good result with a slow-release fertiliser sprinkled on the soil; above the root zone: every time it rains, some of the fertiliser will dissolve and make its way into the soil. If you are growing indeterminate varieties of tomato (those that act like climbing vines, rather than bushy plants that stay low) try to keep up with pruning off the laterals, especially in the first meter of vine. It allows the vine to race upwards and create a much better fruiting “crown” at an easier height to pick the fruit. Varieties that were great for me: Artisan Blush was by far the best variety for us – I just pulled them up as they were still producing from last year!! Artisan Blush Cocktail True Red was yummy! And Chef's Choice Bicolour was the beautiful show-stopper in summer Gerard Martin of Kings Seeds has two tips on new varieties: Rosella, a big cherry tomato with a black Blush And Orange Icicle which he describes as Meaty, Juicy, and Sweet Kick myself for being a bit late, this season… LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Before I get the common questions about “need food for Monarchs” and… “What do the admiral butterflies need for their caterpillars?”, I thought I'd put the warning out now: Monarchs are coming out of “hibernation” – in fact I have already seen quite a few mating, so… it's all on! Swan plants (bit boring in my opinion!) can be sown right now – Kings Seeds and other seed merchants have these popular plants in stock; Moths and Butterfly trust also stocks a heap of different seeds for Monarchs; Germination is good at warmer temps: 21 degrees is recommended. Fabulous Asclepias species with colourful flowers are also suitable host plants – more my gig! Whatever you sow: aim for heaps of plants and keep some of them in large pots as “spares” for when famine breaks out. Potted plants (covered with fine netting) are out-of-bounds for ovipositing female butterflies; they are also – later in the season – a movable object to confuse the GPS systems of marauding wasps! Good horticultural practice makes the plants grow bushy and dense, creating heaps of foliar food: pinch out the terminal buds from the tallest growing tips, which allows lower dormant buds to develop more bushy appearance Admiral Butterflies love nettles to lay their eggs on; if you have a safe space you can try the native Ongaonga stinging nettle; just be careful they are ferocious (Hence their name Urtica ferox) Red admirals are keen on that tree nettle (ferox) but will also feed on perennial nettle (dioica) Yellow admirals tend to go for the smaller nettle species as food for the caterpillars. I have both admirals in abundance, her in the Halswell Quarry; The reds seem to overwinter here too. Red admiral (left) – Yellow admiral (right) For our blues, sow some Trifolium, Medicago or Lotus species, and for coppers and boulder coppers: plant the appropriate species of Muehlenbeckia. Details can be found of the Moths and Butterflies Trust website: https://nzbutterfly.info/ LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Gardening expert, Peter Seabrook presents his weekly Podcast. In this edition Peter is joined by Andrew Tokely, Horticultural Director, of Kings Seeds. Andrew gives some great tips from how to grow plants from seed, when to plant certain crops to how to protect them. Visit the Kings Seeds website here: http://www.kingsseeds.com
Peter is joined by Andrew Tokely, Horticultural Director, of Kings Seeds. Andrew gives some great tips from how to grow plants from seed, when to plant certain crops to how to protect them. Visit the Kings Seeds website here: http://www.kingsseeds.comYou can write to Peter at thisweekinthegarden@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
My vege garden awaits the species that germinate from seeds…sowing is what you do right now. Peppers comprise the capsicum group. They go from the colourful reds, yellows, orange to the green “Bell” Peppers. My standard colour to a salad. The hotter members of the family are the chilli peppers. These plants require quite a good, high temperature to germinate, so there's little point in sowing them outside while we still encounter cool nights. If you can give them more than 20 degrees Celsius you're ahead of the game. Sow in pots or seed trays and don't bury the seeds deeper than a centimetre. Seed-raising mix Not Too Wet! I often “mist” them with a water bottle, rather than “gluk-gluk- gluk” them with a watering can. All are relatively easy to grow and don't require a lot of space. They'll take at least 7 weeks before you can transplant them into a glasshouse, tunnelhouse or out in a frost-free environment outside. Staking is a good idea… let them “grow up”! They are Gross Feeders that would appreciate regular liquid fertiliser treatments when on their way. There are many varieties of Bell Peppers (check Kings Seeds catalogue!) some have a surprising range of colour mixes and keep an eye out for the smaller variety Jingle Belles. Chillies are very similar in horticultural treatment and they totally vary in “hotness”. They can even have flavours other than “oh-My-God”! If you're not sure about their strength, get one of the macho male grandkids to pre-taste a little bit … That leads us nicely to YANG When you've been “done” by peppers or chillies or sambal (my parents schooled me in hot Indonesian food!) don't drink water (or beer), but use yogurt or cucumber (or “ketimun”) to balance the fire attack in your mouth. Now's a good moment to sow the seeds of cucumbers and we have a great range of choices here: Some great varieties on the market: My fave: Iznik F1 (see catalogue Kings Seeds) nice and small – just 10 cm long – easy in lunch boxes and you simply use the whole thing in one salad – no wrapping of remnants in the fridge. Lebanese are always useful as you eat them skin and all; spacemaster is a great producer. Diva F1 is another smaller variety and rather resistant to powdery mildew Green apple is a round cucumber; something different! And the gherkin-like Home-made Pickles is used to pickle them when still small Transplant in mid-November: Plant them in free-draining and fertile soil; keep them well- watered. My trick is to mulch the root-zone with at least 5 cm (pref: 10 cm!) of decent mulch – it keeps the subterranean roots nice and cool and stops too much evaporation To save space: plant them under a sturdy “trellis” in which they can climb up – help them along, from time to time by tying them up the structure. If you let them flop all over the ground they require a lot more room. I liquid fertilise them (like my tomatoes) every week or two: water and fertiliser at the same time! Selamat Maka
Growing spinachAs a kid I never really liked spinach. We had kid’s shows on tellie that were based on this vegetable, and I reckon it was to promote the green sludge to the younger generation. Popeye the Sailorman was the marketing tool – he was strong and healthy.And to be quite honest, spinach is a good source of iron and calcium, plus vitamins, protein and minerals. Good for skin, hair, nails (keratin) and calcium of course for bone health. It also contains Oxalic Acid (the stuff that makes the leaves of Rhubarb “poisonous”) and this has the habit of disrupting the uptake of iron and calcium. Cooking spinach breaks down the oxalic acid and voila! All good again. Some people believe the marketing myth of “Super Food”. Absolute rubbish! It’s just good food. I prefer it over “silverbeet”. It’s easy to grow, really. Either from seeds or from seedlings in punnets. You’ll need good, well-drained soil mixtures with plenty of compost. Seeds usually germinate within 2 weeks. Thin to about 7 cm spacing in a row; 20 cm between rows. Cover it to stop birds getting their beaks into your young leaves – netting over the rows will work nicely. Slugs and snails are also looking for good skin and health! I often go and look in the evening with a torch to pick up any molluscs heading for my crop. Beer traps are useless, by the way. Keep an eye on caterpillars too. Some loopers and “cutworm”-like caterpillars love to have a go at small, fresh leaves. There are quite a few varieties of Spinach; look at Kings Seeds catalogue and Yates’s range. I love the harvest of them. When they are young, pick the small leaves and use in salads. Because you pick individual leaves, your plant simply keeps on growing; multiple harvests! Just a reminder that when you keep on taking off leaves, the plant needs nutrient to replace them. Liquid fertilisers tend to be the way to go: every time you water, there will be some N-P-K dribbling into the root zone. A good, compost-rich soil will also sustain the plants. Continuity can be achieved by planting a Spinach row every 4 weeks or so. An alternative to spinach (that chalky feeling on your teeth!!) is cultivating the perpetual spinach. It’s not truly a “spinach”, but a chard (Beta vulgaris). Advantage: you won’t need to sow it in succession; a few plants will do you for more than a year, simply by plucking the leaves you need. They’ll re-grow. Taste a bit milder yet you can use it just like spinach. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE
Rev Ikechukwu Kings Seeds of Praise Day 3 by Victory Inheritance Ministries
Andrew Tokely, Kings Seeds Horticultural Director, looks back over 2019 on his vegetable plot.
Andrew Tokely and Ken Crowther catch up for a chat at Kings Seeds.
Beneficial PlantsThis is a good weekend to get into the garden and plan ahead for crops and fruit - and pest control. Passive biological control is always a good strategy: Instead of having to spray against the various pests on your plants, why not let the natural predators and parasites do it?The animals you’d want to attract to your place are insectivorous birds, of course, but birds can only do so much. They are often quite omnivorous and will eat a range of insects: pests as well as Beneficial insects!How about getting some specific parasitoids on board; small parasitic wasps that will lay their eggs inside the nuisance caterpillars, in mealybugs, scale in sects and aphids. These parasitoids need to feed as adult insects before they can mate and lay their eggs; Flowers with just the right mix of pollen and nectar will do nicely: it fattens up the parasitoids and keeps them in perfect condition.Here are some of the flowers that will attract them:Phacelia (blue Tansy); it’s great for predatory hover flies that devour aphids. Sow the seeds now, but watch out if this plant is getting a bit weedy in certain environments.Another excellent flower – this one’s to grab the attention of parasitic wasps - is Buckwheat. A nice small plant with white flowers; it fits in empty spaces and under fruit trees, in berry gardens and productive vegetable gardens.Flowering Umbelliferous plants attract a wide range of beneficial insects: leave your parsley go to flower and “seed”, carrot flowers, Queen Anne’s Lace and such nice umbels of flowers, are usually full of parasitoids and predators too.Similarly: try some dill and fennel.The mixed seed packets (Kings Seeds etc) that benefit “pollinators” will also benefit the beneficials.Finally: there are a heap of native flowers that seem to be attractive to the beneficialsHebe is such a flower, but also Manuka and Pohutukawa. Not something you’d sow and utilise within a few weeks or months, but worth thinking about for long-term planting to facilitate free pest control!LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE
Reporter, Ken has been finding out why June is the most important month for a good sweet pea crop and which colour has the strongest perfume. Sweet Pea Kings Spencer Waved Mix: https://www.kingsseeds.com/Products/Flowers-N-Z/Sweet-Pea/Sweet-Pea-Kings-Spencer-Waved-Mix?returnurl=/Products/Flowers-N-Z/Sweet-Pea&pn=1&ps=0&sb=NodeOrder&lm=grid_template&b=true
Ruud Kleinpaste runs us through his top tips for sowing seeds!We’re in the middle of seed-sowing season; Longer days and warmer temperatures are the natural conditions that Nature favours for the regeneration of plants through seeds. This generally goes for flowering plants (think: wild flower meadows!) as well as vegetables.Generally speaking, sowing seeds has a few common do-s and don’t-sWith a few exceptions, it pays to sow seeds in a nice bed of seed-raising mix, to make them sprout and grow a little, before you can transplant them into their final growing place, be that the garden or in potsLet’s start with the exceptions:Summer root vegetables and plants that hate to be transplanted should be sown in situ… Parsnips, radishes and carrots are great examples of fussy transplanters. Nikau palms, grass trees and Dracophyllum are also devils to transplant!The vegies should be sown in perfectly prepared soils without rocks or lumps (they will cause splitting of carrots and parsnips and deformation in radishes)Try to sow each (rather tiny) seed 7 or 8 cm apart (think of the spacing when they are full-grown)It’ll be hard with those tiny seeds – can always thin them out carefully, when half-grown.Nikaus and other specimen plants could be carefully transplanted into larger pots if so required… making sure you don’t disturb the rootball. “Regular” sowing in seed raising mix:This mix is important as it is sterile and that limits fungal problems such as “damping off”The mix is also very fine; it holds water nicely, without becoming waterloggedThose are the two extremes you’ll have to juggle with when sowing seeds: keep’em moist – not wet Don’t bury your seeds too deep in the mix; if there are germination problems, it’s usually because they’ve been buried!Golden rule: cover with a layer of mix around the same thickness as the size of the seedHardly covered at all !!!Don’t use watering cans to water the newly-sown seeds, as that may totally disturb the delicate balance and cause water “runners” and miniature typhoon flooding symptoms: best to use a plant misting bottle to keep the top layers moist;Gentle watering via mist!! Do we need to warm the seed-raising mix?Some species (tropical ones) quite like a warmer stratum to germinate (tomatoes, chilies and capsicums germinate much better that way; Basil and Cucurbits – pumpkins, melons and such fruit- will also thank you for the warmth).Use a flash propagation pad (like the electric blanket for seedling trays) underneath the mix, making sure you don’t dry out the mix too quickly. Some folk use old bain-Marie systems with steam and warmth. Keep seeds in the dark, no problem, but once the cotyledons (the first two seed leaves) have emerged, they need light to photosynthesise; Not blazing sunlight, but filtered light is best.Grab yourself some seed catalogues (Kings Seeds, Yates, Egmont etc) and dream of what you may grow … Try the weird stuff - you might like it!
This month on the Kings Seeds plot Andrew Tokely has been working extra hard. Due to the dry conditions he’s been knocking the plots down by hand. The first plot is netted to protect from pigeons and has been planted with brassicas as Andrew explained to Ken Crowther.
This month on the Kings Seeds plot Andrew Tokely has been digging the ground in preparation for the hard working to come in the weeks and months ahead. He explained to Ken Crowther about what he’s been doing to get the plots ready.
The weather conditions in Essex make it an ideal place to raise plants from seed. On their 300 acre farm in Coggeshall Kings Seeds have been following a production process which has been in place for over 100 years. Ken Crowther meet Andrew Tokely on the Kings Seeds plot to find out more.
Interview with Gerard Martin of Kings Seeds and Stuart Stephens, blackcurrant grower
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