Jon’s Column 17 November 2011

It’s been a year since I was supplied (by mistake) a variety of zucchini that proved very popular with vegie growers in our zone.

After a lot of discussion with my favourite supplier he is now producing this form exclusively for The Garden Centre with arrival this week in small numbers. This special zucchini is the Globe Zucchini (Courgette rondes). This one you won’t find in your local supermarket. It’s a high yielding variety that has very firm flesh and a lot less watery.

Click on this link to read my previous article on this variety.

Two very hardy Hibiscus for your consideration:-

The first Hibiscus syriacus, Syrian Hibiscus a native of Asia is a medium sized deciduous shrub around 2.5m to 3m, bears snow white flowers with very striking red “hearts” in the centre. Mostly flowering in summer with occasional spot flowering, prefers a medium to well drained soil in full sun to part shade. Tolerant to frost but I have my doubts about being truly drought tolerant. Fertilise well in spring and prune after its main flowering. I intend to maintain my specimen as a very compact low shrub no more that 1.5m. This form would blend in well with other Hibiscus.

Hibiscus mutabilis, I think mutabilis means “variable” and the variety I have now is ‘Tony’ which is a bright deep pink form, occasional throwing lighter pink flowers followed by the darker form. Native to China. This variety is capable of 3m but best pruned around 1.5m – 2m. As this form is deciduous, I would do any hard pruning pre-spring. Likes full sun but will tolerate part shade, plenty of mulch as it does not enjoy overly dry conditions, but don’t overwater. (Once established it will cope better with the dry.)

Another great product from Seasol has been released and its developed especially for use on vegetables. ‘Powerfeed For Vegies’. A fertilizer and soil conditioner in one that stimulates vigorous growth and promotes higher yields. For seedlings or young plants apply at the rate of 25mL to 9L and for more established plants increase this rate to 24mL to 9L every 1 – 2 weeks. Use within 24 hours of mixing and always wash the edible produce before eating.

GET A FREE SAMPLE OF POWERFEED FOR VEGIES

LIMITED TIME ONLY

JUST ASK AT THE GARDEN COUNTER AND MENTION YOU SAW IT IN THIS COLUMN.

Plantman