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 bit of a peppery taste to your salads you will love Mibuna (Brassica rapa Var.japonica) With its long narrow green leaves and smooth edges this salad green is an attractive addition to any salad, stir-fry or even to top a pizza!. Better yet, it is fast and easy to grow which is great for kids or the beginner gardener!
How to grow mibuna in a garden
- Choose a sunny or partly shaded spot in the garden, loosen the soil with a garden fork and dig in Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed.
- Sow seeds directly into the prepared garden bed around 6mm deep and spaced 30cm apart. Cover lightly with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and water well.
- Water regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Once the seedlings emerge, feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- Harvest by snipping or pulling leaves at soil level – this will also help encourage more leafy growth. Otherwise you can harvest the entire heads of the plants after 8 weeks. Sow successive crops every 3-4 weeks to extend you harvest window.
How to grow mibuna in a pot
- Choose a pot at least 300mm wide and deep and position in a sunny or part shaded spot in the garden. Fill with a quality potting mix, such as Yates Premium Potting Mix.
- Sow seeds directly into the prepared pot around 6mm deep. Cover lightly with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and water well.
- Water regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Once seedlings emerge feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- Harvest by snipping or pulling leaves at soil level – this will also help encourage more leafy growth. Otherwise you can harvest the entire heads of the plants after 8 weeks. Sow successive crops every 3-4 weeks to extend you harvest window.
Growing tips
- Start picking the leaves from 3 weeks after sowing. This will encourage further leafy growth
- Pick the leaves as needed. Just be sure not to leave them too long on the plant as the tender leaves can wilt easily
- Mibuna can bolt or go to seed quickly in summer. To prolong the availability of leafy growth prune the flower stem back to the base, mulch around the base of the plant and continue to water well.
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Perilla
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Here's a guide on how to grow swedes in the garden or pots.
Recommended products
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 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 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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