National Gardening week starts next week, and this year the theme is ‘Grow to give’; what better reason to start or expand your garden.

Simply Central is a home and lifestyle series for your Sundays. We take a look at what’s hot, what’s not, and everything lifestyle.

During National Gardening Week 2021 everyone is being encouraged to grow-an-extra-row to share with neighbours, community pantries, food banks and other local food donation agencies.

Giving away your extra garden produce may seem like a small thing, but it can really help others.

To make it easy to grow an extra row, you can get extra help from Yates.  Just click the link below, enter your details and they’ll send you a FREE packet of veggie seeds. 

You don’t need a garden to get growing. Pots and planters are ideal for most veggie seeds. I recycle whatever I can find around home, including plastic containers of all sorts. Lush, well-cared-for veggies and flowers make any container look beautiful.

Teaching children to grow their own food sets them up for life.

My handy husband made me veggie-growing containers out of old plastic pigs, pallets we found being given away, and covered them in second-hand iron from our house renovations. They’re perfect, and cost us nothing except time.

Growing plants from seed is a lot cheaper, but it does take more time. Success with seeds is pretty straightforward, and there’s a few tricks I use to get a better strike rate.

I tend to sow seeds a row or two at a time. It means I can keep a better eye on them,  I’m not dealing with vegetables all ready to harvest at once, and it’s better for veggies like lettuces and spinach that tend to bolt (go to seed) if the plants are in the ground too long.

Using a high-quality seed raising mix may seem expensive, but it’s worth it in the long term. 

A good seed raising mix is weed-free, it usually has pumice or something that aids with drainage, peat or bark to ensure it holds water around the roots, gypsum for better root development and a gentle fertiliser that won’t burn your new seedlings.

Some seed raising mixes also contain beneficial fungi to prevent ‘damping off’.  Damping off is a condition that kills or weakens seeds and young seedlings. It is a very common problem for people who grow plants from seed.

I make sure that the soil is kept moist but not wet, and I water with chamomile tea. Really! Chamomile tea has antifungal properties.

If you’re sowing directly into the garden, ensure the soil is well-prepared with compost dug through, and no big lumps. 

I place the seedlings in an area with the right temperature. Some seeds will germinate at any temperature, but tomato seeds, for example, need the soil to be at least 20 degrees. You can usually find the information about the temperature your seeds require to germinate on the back of the seed packet.

Seedlings like their temperature to be fairly consistent, so if you have your seedlings next to a window, make sure they aren’t being scorched by the sun during the day and freezing at night.

Remember that we are still likely to get a few frosts so unless they are frost-loving plants, containers are a good idea. You can always plant your seedlings out into the garden once the weather warms up.

How do I work out how deep to sow my seeds? My rule of thumb is to sow about twice as deep as the diameter of the seed – so the smaller the seed, the closer it will be to the surface.  With tiny, very fine seeds, I just sprinkle them on the surface and lightly press in.

Remember, don’t over-water your seeds, and don’t let them completely dry out either. Follow the instructions on the seed packet, or if they’re seeds you’ve collected yourself do a bit of research – there’s plenty of information out there.

Share what you’re doing with a friend – often you can learn from each other.

We have an annual chilli-growing competition in our family. We all plant from seed, and compete to grow the largest and best-producing chilli plant by sending each other photos on our online chats. Excuse the pun – it’s a hotly-contested title! 

National Gardening Week is important as it fosters a love of gardening with a focus on growing not only plants but friendships, good health, strong communities and closer connections with nature.  

Whether it’s a few pots on the balcony, a small patch or an extensive garden, we can all experience the joy of gardening and share the bounty.

Click here to register for your seeds.

The Yates offer is available up until the end of Gardening week 25th October, and seed will be sent to you once Auckland is in lockdown level 2.