The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 3 Summer 2012 | Page 21

The veggie patch In the veggie garden this summer By Ann Sinclair Summer might bring the rain and warm weather, but unfortunately, it also brings the pests! Keep an eye out for them this summer. What to do this summer What to plant If you are planning your beds for the year ahead, do not plant vegetables that belong to the same family in the same plot two years in a row. Vegetables need to be planted in rotation. This prevents the spread of disease. There are six main families: Brassicas cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli Solanaceous tomato, potato, peppers, egg plant Cucurbits pumpkins, marrows, cucumbers, melon December Beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, dwarf beans, lettuces, parsley, runner beans, sweet potatoes (runners or cuttings), tomatoes and butternut. January Beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, dwarf beans, leeks, lettuces, parsley, pumpkins, runner beans, tomatoes and Swiss chard. February Legumes peas, beans, broadbeans Leaf lettuce, spinach, celery Root crops carrots, beetroots, leeks, onions Beetroot, beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Globe and Jerusalem artichokes, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuces, onions, parsnips, radishes, Swiss chard, tomatoes and turnips. • Herbs will grow under practically any conditions as long as it is sunny and not too wet. They benefit from being fed once a month with liquid fertilizer. Correct pinching and training will ensure good results. the cuttings send out new leaves and the roots have formed (test by pulling gently), repot each plant in its own pot filled with potting soil. Allow the new plant to put on some growth before transplanting to the garden. • Cutworms are active at night and cut the stems of young plants below the soil surface. Control with a solution of Decis, Fenvelerate or Carboryl, which should be watered onto the soil or use organic wormwood spray. • During summer, take semi hardwood cuttings of the following herbs: lavender, thyme, rosemary and lemon verbena by cutting 8 cm to 13 cm off new shoots at a 45-degree angle. Remove the lower leaves and then dip into a rooting hormone, Seradix 2. Place cuttings in prepared containers and put several cuttings in a pot, leaving the top part with leaves exposed. Firm the moistened medium around cuttings and water with a fine spray. Set containers in a warm, semi-shady location. Keep medium moist but do not over water. When • Pick up fallen fruit and bury to keep the fruit flies away. Do no Ёѡɽ܁ѡ