grow | corn

By MEREDITH KIRTON

The sweetness of corn makes it a favourite with children and grown ups, but have you ever wondered about growing your own crop? It’s an easy vegetable to grow but you certainly need some space as sweetcorn grows about 1.8m tall, making it tall enough for even a person to hide in!  This has lead to corn mazes being grown commonly in the Northern Hemisphere, where it’s native and grown as a staple for many foods, not just corn chips!

Of course you don’t need acreage, just a sheltered yet sunny spot about 1m x 1m to grow a block of nine plants is fine, or twice that many to really feed a hungry corn-loving family.  You have to prepare you soil well before planting with lots of well rotted manure, preferably cow, dug through the ground and any clods broken up well.  Then water the soil well and plant either seeds in pairs (1cm under) or seedlings singly into the soil about 30cm apart.  Keep them mulched and watered well, and then feed them with liquid fertiliser every two weeks so that they grow quickly.

Corn is unusual in that it does need to be grown as a group.  This is because there are male and female flowers.  The males appear on the tops of each plant, and to maximise fertilisation (which is by wind) of the whole cob, you have to have a “chunk” rather than single row of corn…either that or get out there with a paintbrush and run it from one flower to another playing Mother Nature or gently shake your plants so that they drop pollen on the silks below!  Overhead watering also seems to help with this process.

Cobs are ready to harvest when these same silks develop a cob below them and have turned brown.  Pick the cobs by just twisting them and pushing down till they snap, then de-husk and pop them into boiling water asap for the sweetest corn ever.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

grow | chard/silverbeet

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Silverbeet, or Rainbow chard as the coloured stemmed versions are known, is one of the most versatile crops the home gardener can plant.  It can be eaten raw, finely sliced into a slaw, or cooked, or wrapped around rice and veggies like a dolmades, still holding its shape.  In the garden too it’s supremely adaptable, coping with all climates Australia can throw at it, and living for a few seasons in many zones, giving up tasty leaves tirelessly for many months.

Plants can be sown or planted out as seedlings from punnets, and you’ll notice if growing your own from seed that actually a few plants will germinate, as it’s a conglomerate seed.  Soaking them for a few hours will improve your strike rate too, and, like most leafy veggies, the trick to it is to grow it quickly, with regularly feeding and water promoting the juiciest growth.

A dozen plants is enough to feed a whole family, and you pick the outside leaves a few at a time, always leaving a clutch of at least 4 in the centre from which to regenerate.  Keep any flowers pruned off.  They grow best in full sun, but will like some shade in the afternoon, especially over summer in warmer areas. A rich, free draining soil is ideal.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

grow | zucchini & squash

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Zucchinis and squash are closely related to not only each other, but also other members of the Cucurbit family, including cucumbers, rock melons and pumpkins.  It is probably this close relationship that has led to so much confusion over their names.  Zucchini, which means little marrow is simply a baby vegetable marrow, and if allowed to grow it would become what is known as such.  Squash, on the other hand, are called either summer or winter squash.  Summer squash are normally yellow or green, but sometimes white, and are also known as button squash.  Winter squash have thicker skin and are sometimes called pumpkins.  They can be either running or bush like, depending on the type.

All family members enjoy the warmth of summer and autumn, and need to be sown in spring once the soil has warmed up.  The soil is normally mounded to aid drainage, and enriched with plenty of manure.  Sow about 4 seeds per mound and thin to the best two after germination, which should take about a week. Grow each plant about 70cm apart and water regularly.  If possible, use liquid manure every fortnight.

Zucchini, which can be grey, black (or very dark green), or yellow, are also very popular picked with their flower still attached.  This can be stuffed and battered for a delicious treat.  Although fairly trouble free and relatively easily grown, all members of this plant group can be troubled with mildew.  Diluted milk (9 parts water, 1 milk) sprayed onto the foliage can help keep this under control.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

grow | chillis

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Chillies have become one of the most popular flavours in food around the world, featuring in all sorts of cuisines from Asian to Mexican, Italian and Spanish.  The fruit comes in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colours – yellow, red, purple, orange and indeed vary with their intensity of heat.  Botanically speaking they are actually related to Capsicums, or Bell Peppers as they are known in North America.  The smaller the fruit however, the more intense the heat tends to be, with birds eye chillies ranking fairly high up on the scale and long yellow peppers tending to be sweet rather than hot.

Chillies are an easy annual to grow.  They like a warm, sunny frost free position with good drainage and regular water and can grow happily in pots too.  They are self fertile so you only really need one plant in order to produce fruit, but with so many types available, who can stick to one?  Their size varies in height from 2m tall down to 30cm or so for some of the more ornamental types.  Popular cultivars include Habanero, also known as Scotch Bonnets, Jalapenos and Bird’s Eyes.

To grow your own you can easily raise seedlings from shop bought fruit.  Simply wait until ripe, then cut them open and remove the seeds.  Sow these seeds into a tray of seed raising mix and keep them moist and in a warm spot to they have germinated.  This is in spring for temperate climates but any time of the year in more tropical areas.  Once they are about 10cm tall, they are ready for individual pots or planting out in the garden.

Like any fruiting plant, potassium is required and too much nitrogen can cause excess foliage and soft growth at the expense of flowers and fruit, so be careful not to overdo applications high nitrogen fertilisers like chicken manure.

When your bush is over producing, string up excess and dry them, but be careful to wear rubber gloves as the heat from even this can burn your skin if you accidentally touch your eyes.  The only antidote really is using yogurt to calm the sting.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS