July is a slow growth month, the middle of winter when everything tends to sit still. But not if you want to grow microgreens. Garden peas may be an unusual choice but they are as tasty and sweet, if not sweeter than fully grown peas. There are three ways to grow them. Firstly, as sprouts…
By Alice Coetzee Whether you’ve been to see the Namaqualand flowers, or it is still on your bucket list, don’t let that stop you from creating a little bit of floral heaven in your garden. Did you know that South Africa is richer in indigenous flowers than most other countries? We are so lucky that…
For veggie gardeners wanting quick returns there is a good variety of winter greens that can be sown now for harvesting from May onwards. Lettuce, endive and radicchio are crunchy, colourful salad greens, and endive and radicchio have a slightly bitter flavour that adds depth to the salad bowl. Peppery greens like Pak Choy and…
Veggie of the month: Leafy mustard greens may tingle the taste buds with their hot, peppery flavour, but this herb prefers growing in cooler weather. Young leaves are pickable from 14 to 21 days after germination and it produces leaves throughout winter for use in salads or cooked dishes. To grow: Why not sow mustard…
Garlic chives are a mild example of garlic’s superb powers, offering the strong garlicky flavour without the lingering after-effect on the breath. Although they are not as powerful as garlic medicinally, garlic chives are high in vitamin C and carotene, and help in preventing respiratory infections as well as acting as a tonic and blood…
Look no further than the Kirchhoffs range of flower, vegetable and herb seeds – as well as a full range of various lawn grass varieties. In addition, Kirchhoffs offers all the gardening products you need for a healthy and thriving garden! For the serious cook, there is only one way to experience the ‘true’…
The sunny yellow and orange flowers of calendula add colour to the winter garden. But not just that, the petals also have healing properties and are edible, for decorating desserts and salads. Sow now, directly into the soil or seed trays, for flowers within just over two months (70 days). Calendula grow in ordinary garden…
There is something very carefree about cosmos. Probably because it grows so easily and abundantly along our highways, especially throughout the Free State. How about replicating that same splash of colour in the garden? Cosmos grows easily from seed and if sown now will be in flower towards the end of autumn. Cosmos tips It…
Veggie of the month : How about trying something different this winter. Parsnips ‘White Gem’ (Kirchhoffs) may look like rather chunky, whitish carrots but they are much sweeter. If sown this month they will be ready for harvesting in August. A delicious addition to stews and as a roasted vegetable. To grow: parsnips need deep, fertile, loose…
March is the main month for planting winter veggies, and brassicas such as kale, broccoli, Asian greens, and cabbage are the main winter crops. There is a saying, nature gives us what we need, when we need it’. So, it is no coincidence that the main health benefit of the brassica family is that they…