Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a hero in both the kitchen and the garden. It is easy and fast to grow indoors to add a slight nutty taste to salads or sandwiches.
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If you enjoy a salad with a slightly bitter flavour Chicory (Chicorium intybus) is the perfect plant to grow in your garden. Mostly used in Italian cuisine, the leaves can be added fresh to salads or sautéed to create a unique side dish. Better yet, the roots of the chicory plant can be roasted, ground and dried to create a caffeine free coffee substitute. Chicory is truly a no waste plant!
How to grow chicory in a garden
- Fill starter pots or trays with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Sow seeds, cover, firm down and water well. Keep the soil moist so the seeds don’t dry out.
- While the seedlings are growing, choose a sunny spot in the garden and prepare the planting area well by digging in Yates Thrive Natural Blood Bone with Seaweed.
- Once seedlings have emerged, feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate. Allow seedlings to grow to about 3-4cm before transplanting.
- When transplanting them into your prepared garden bed, ensure seedlings are well spaced – at least 30cm apart. Mulch with an organic mulch, such as pea or lucerne straw and water in well.
- Feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate to ensure strong root development and a good leafy growth.
- Harvest individual leaves as they grow or harvest entire plant two months after planting.
How to grow chicory in a pot
- Choose a pot at least 300mm wide and deep. Position in full sun.
- Fill starter pots or trays with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Sow seeds, cover, firm down and water well. Keep the soil moist so the seeds don’t dry out.
- Once seedlings reach 3-4cm tall, fill chosen pots with quality potting mix, such as Yates Premium Potting Mix. Transplant seedling into pot and water in well with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- Feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- Harvest individual leaves as they grow or harvest entire plant two months after planting.
Growing tips
- When harvesting, dig up the entire plant or cut the chicory leaves off at the base near the crown. The root can be left in the soil to grow new shoots the following season.
- Chicory can also be used as a bee attracting plant in the garden. Avoid harvesting and allow them to go to flower. You will be rewarded with an abundance of blue flowers that bees just love!
- For those that are not fond of the strong bitter taste, harvest the leaves that are closest to the heart of the plant. The further away from the heart, the more bitter they become.
Watercress
The peppery taste of watercress brings the pizzazz to sandwiches, winter dishes & garnishes. The high content of Calcium, Iron & Vitamins make watercress a super-healthy option.
Perilla
A widely used ingredient in Asian cooking, it's highly nutritious and beautiful to look at too. Here's how to grow perilla in the garden or in pots.
Swede
Here's a guide on how to grow swedes in the garden or pots.
Recommended products
Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix
Specially formulated for trouble-free seed raising in trays (or outdoor seed sowing direclty into the ground) and propagation of cuttings.
Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed
A certified organic garden input boosted with NZ Seaweed to gently nourish plants, enrich the soil and encourage a strong healthy root system.
Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate
A complete plant food enriched with natural fish, seaweed, humates, molasses and more - boosted with NPK to improve plant and soil vitality.
Yates Premium Potting Mix
A premium potting mix, ideal for all potted plants and shrubs, including ornamentals, fruit trees, vegies and herbs.
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