If you want to have tomatoes some weeks earlier than most gardeners in your area, choose a suitable variety that not only grows quickly but is capable of setting fruit under fairly cool conditions.
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Nurseries will have early varieties.
In a raised bed that runs east to west, plant seedlings along the northern edge, as this position will be warmer than the middle or other side of the bed.
For added protection from cool temperatures and to assist fast growth, make a mini-glasshouse with one of those large plastic containers you purchase water in to cover the plants.
When the weather warms up and temperatures are consistent, remove the containers.
To get early fruit don’t overfeed plants because too much nitrogen can delay the setting and ripening of the fruit.
Boosting brassicas
When planting brassicas nip off the seed leaves, that is the first leaves up from the roots.
You should also trim back the roots by a third and the outer leaves by half, then plant down to the true leaves.
Water the seedlings in with a weak solution of a liquid fertiliser.
Berry delightful
Blueberries can be a tasty and attractive addition to the garden.
In autumn the bushes turn to blazing crimson, and in spring they are covered in masses of sweet-scented, bell-shaped flowers.
These delicious fruits grow well in Tasmania when given the special acidic soil they require to thrive.
If you don’t have the right type of soil, you can grow them in containers filled with a mix suited to rhododendrons.
Two varieties should usually be planted to improve pollination.
Mulch with pine needles in summer.
Two varieties should usually be planted to improve pollination.
Best dressed
Top dressing can refer to an application of fertiliser, compost or a mix of both. Animal manure needs some superphosphate added. One part super to 40 parts manure will suffice when applied to the surface of the soil.
It is not dug in or raked into the soil but left on the surface to be washed in by rain or irrigation. It should be evenly spread around the plants at the manufacturer’s recommended rate in the case of purchased products.
Most shrubs and trees will benefit from an annual spring top dressing as will potted plants such as camellias and conifers.
To apply a top dressing to potted plants, remove the top two centimetres of old soil then, taking care not to disturb the roots, apply new mix.