With the passing of our traditional planting time (Labour Weekend) we are at that point of the season where its about 8 weeks to the longest day. This means that over the next 16 weeks we are going to have more hours of sunlight than any other similar time of the year.

Think about that for a moment, that is the time frame of nearly 4 months and most vegetables that we grow will mature within that period of time with the longer daylight hours.

So not only is the growing conditions of the weather supposed to be suitable for planting out the more tender plants such as tomatoes and capsicums it is the optimum time for light hours.

The weather here in Marton and from what I gather in much of the country is still not the warm to hot days that we normally experience at this time of the year.

In fact at times very chilly.

This makes me very grateful to have glasshouses where my tomato plants are warm and secure from the elements.

They are sharing this protected environment with cucumbers, capsicums, aubergine and cayenne peppers.

Many of which would either not survive outside of the glasshouse or sulk and not grow.

I pity those gardeners that are facing similar weather conditions, wanting to get their more tender plants going outdoors so they don’t miss this optimum time.

Till the weather settles you can use various ways to protect your plants so you can have those early tomatoes to pick along with other vegetables.

For upright growing plants such as a tomato or capsicum place four strong stakes deeply driven into the soil about 30 to 40cm apart at the cardinal points,

the first stake should be facing the prevailing wind, the second about 40 cm behind and the other two diagonally opposed to the first two. []

Plant your seedling tomato in the centre putting some Neem Tree Powder in the planting hole along with Wallys Real Blood & Bone and Rok Solid.

If psyllids have been a problem in past seasons The new Wallys Rok Solid will toughen up the tomato plants cells making the young nymphs unable to feed.

Then sprinkling Wallys Secret Tomato Food with Neem Granules onto the soil to get the best results from your tomato plants in regards to size and flavor..

Use the same product for all flowering and fruiting plants including capsicums, chili, egg plants, pumpkins and cucumbers.

Next take out your plastic wrap and wrap a couple of times around one stake starting about 4 cm above the soil level.

Then run the wrap around the outside of the other 3 stakes and back to the starting stake keeping the bottom of the wrap about 4cm above the soil.

This allows an air passage for the wind to pass through and strengthen the base of the plant against wind damage later on when the shelter is removed.

You run the wrap around two or three times up the stakes to about 40cm in height.

Later as the tomato grows you can add more wrap to a higher level.

If your stakes start to bend inwards simply put a couple of slats of wood across the tops of the stakes and secure with a small nail. That forms a cross above your plant.

For an early start of dwarf beans make some hoops out of number 8 wire to place into the soil about 20cm apart down the row.

The hoops should be about 20 cm tall in the centre with a similar spread.

Down the furrow where you are going to plant your seeds sprinkle Calcium & Health along with Rok Solid and Real Blood & Bone then plant your bean seeds.

Over the hoops place crop cover and secure down on all sides. Later when weather settles remove and side dress the plants with sheep manure pellets or any preferred natural manure..

For climbing beans plant in the same manner in front of the frame they are going to climb and then out about 20cm drive home some strong stakes every 50cm in a line.

Staple windbreak to the stakes to protect the beans while establishing. Windbreak can be used similarly to help protect other crops.

Hardy plants such as brassicas, silverbeet, lettuce and celery do not require extra protection but will grow faster if it is provided.

Growing your own vegetables naturally without using chemicals is extremely good for your health and the the health of your family.

They taste much better than commercially grown produce and are more satisfying and filling when considering your weight.

Weight increases are often caused by the body not getting the goodness it requires from the food you are consuming; so your body calls for more food

(feeling peckish) hoping the next lot will have more nutrition and be more satisfying.

Then there are all the chemicals used while food crops are growing.

To make this point I read a while ago that in the United States there are more than 34,000 pesticides derived from about 600 basic ingredients that are currently registered for use.

I there are that many in NZ yet but there are far too many in commercial crops; most if not all are unnecessary when plants are grown naturally..

If Certified Organic Producers can grow their crops without using any of these chemicals then they are proof it can be done.

Logic also tells me that for thousands of years people grew crops without harmful chemicals.

It is only because of man made fertilisers including superphosphate which have forced crops to grow unnaturally and sickly.

This brings in Natures Cleaners; insects and diseases to attack the sickly plants to get rid of them and make way for healthy plants.

To prevent damage to the crops many insecticides and fungicides are used so the harvested plants have no holes or blemishes but unfortunately contain a time bomb of harmful chemicals to affect your health.

Besides the forced plants have very little to no real nutritional value, vital to your well being and health!

Using these chemicals means that in the general population, illnesses are on the rise, including asthma, autism, learning disabilities, birth defects,

reproductive dysfunction, diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, along with several types of cancer.

Their connection to pesticide exposure becomes more evident with every new study conducted.

We see that in our day to day lives; for instance one person I spoke to this week told me that 3 friends had been diagnosed with cancer in the last few days. I quote the following from a recent study:

‘Agricultural practices that rely on this type of chemical addiction are stripping the soil of nutrients with remarkable implications.

They are devastating the nutritional value of crops, making dramatic changes at an alarming  rate in less than a lifetime, to be specific.

As an example, there has been a 41.1 to 100% decrease in vitamin A in 6 foods: apple, banana, broccoli, onion, potato, and tomato.

Of them, both onion and potato saw a 100% loss of vitamin A in a 48-year span from, 1951-1999.

Its a two sided sword, the chemicals pollute the environment and poison our food while vital minerals are lost.

Is it any wonder that there are more sick people than ever along with health problems starting at much younger ages than we saw 50 years ago.’

Gardeners whom I talk with every week, from all over NZ who are growing as much of their own produce as possible

tell me that their gardens are great and that they and their children are of good health seldom seeing a doctor because there is no need.

Remember the Father of modern medicine said; Let Food be Thy Medicine and Medicine be Thy Food. Say no More!

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Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.

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