I have recently started reflecting on where the plants in our garden are originally from, because people often ask me the same question about myself. Most of our flowers, fruits, veggies and herbs in the garden are from other countries. I have started writing a series of blog posts to explore some of our favourite flowers and edibles we have grown over the years which are from overseas. In my previous blog post, I covered our favourite flowers in the garden which come from Mexico. In this post, I will focus on our favourite edibles which also come from Mexico. Avocados There are so many great edibles in our garden which are native to Mexico, but the avocado is at the top of my list. This is going back quite a few years, but I remember an economist in NZ saying that young people would never be able to buy a house if they kept spending $20 eating avocado on toast in cafes. I have never been to Mexico, so I have no idea if cafes serve avocado that way and how much it costs. Maybe a Mexican economist has said pretty much the same thing about their younger generation, even if he or she didn’t refer to eating out and avocados, which might not be as expensive over there. Back in 2017, we planted the first dwarf avocado variety made available in New Zealand, which is called Cleopatra. It is a Type B avocado. Cleopatra is supposed to be self-pollinating, but I also planted a semi-dwarf Type A variety called Esther. I’m really glad I did that because since then we have been getting much more fruit. Tomatoes Tomatoes are a staple in our summer garden. Large varieties such as Beefsteak haven’t performed well in recent years, due to shorter and cooler summers which start later every year. The plants need to be grown in the ground and take a long time to develop before fruit forms. After that they require a lot of sun in order to ripen as the fruits are large and take a long time to change from green to red. These days, I prefer growing cherry tomatoes that have been bred for container planting. The plants are short and bushy and the small fruits ripen quickly. We sometimes even harvest cherry tomatoes before Christmas, which is nice. Don’t let the compact size of the plants fool you. They are actually much more productive than tall cherry tomatoes grown in the ground, in my experience. Even despite the floods and cyclones last summer, we ended up having way too many and shared the surplus with friends. Peppers I usually grow peppers (capsicums) in 35 litre black containers in order to save ground space for root crops which require depth (such as potatoes and sweet potato) and crops which need room to sprawl (such as pumpkins and melons). I noticed that peppers actually grow much better in containers than in the ground in our garden anyway. Chillies While the Jalapeno comes to mind when thinking of Mexican cuisine, there are so many different chilli varieties that exist with varying levels of heat. I got to know a guy who lives on the North Shore that loves growing superhot chillies, because he came around to purchase some plants when I was running a nursery from home a number of years ago. He always shares weird and wonderful chilli seeds with me and I usually give him other veggie seeds to round out his garden. Some chilli growers like making sauces but we always freeze them and use them free flow as required in cooking. Potatoes Until I did some research, I didn’t realise that the potato was native to Mexico, but sometimes things are not quite where you think they’re from. I love growing potatoes. They are incredibly easy to grow and you can’t beat the flavour of homegrown spuds. Potatoes can be roughly divided into two groups, early and main varieties. As the name suggests, early varieties mature early in the season and are usually waxy in texture, making them ideal for boiling. They tend not to store that well. Main crop varieties take longer to mature and are often floury in texture, making them perfect for baking and roasting. My favourite early variety is Liseta and my favourite main variety is Summer Delight. That is the conclusion I came to after growing a lot of different varieties over the years and comparing their performance. Both Liseta and Summer Delight are high yielders and produce lots of large potatoes. They also have a fantastic flavour. But that is a matter of opinion. Other gardeners might disagree with me because they have had a different experience growing them or prefer other varieties. I’m not sure if those varieties are available overseas but I’m sure you will find something that suits local conditions, if your climate is suitable for growing potatoes. Sweet potatoes I didn’t realise sweet potatoes were native to Mexico either. We didn’t have a good harvest last summer due to cooler than usual temperatures and the floods and cyclones in Auckland. But the previous year, we had a bumper crop. I also wrote a blog post sharing my tips for growing kumara, which people can read if they are interested. If you follow the link, you can see a picture of our entire harvest at the top of the page. Corn I love the well-known Mexican dish esquites which requires corn. Unfortunately, it’s not something that I have great success growing in our garden. While cobs reached a decent size in some seasons, they were nowhere near as large as what you would find at the supermarket. Corn is pollinated by the wind. It needs to be planted in blocks rather than rows, otherwise pollination will be patchy and you might end up with lots of gaps in the cobs. Getting the spacing right can be a bit tricky. If you plant seedlings too far apart, they won’t be pollinated properly by the wind as they need to come into contact with one another. If you plant seedlings too close, the cobs will be quite small. Squash According to my research, squash is native to Central America and Mexico. Our favourite squash is the butternut, which has a wonderful flavour. Butternut squash is extremely versatile and can be prepared in so many different and tasty ways. One of our favourite dishes is stuffed butternuts. The picture below contains homegrown butternut that has been stuffed with feta cheese (a favourite) and herbs from the garden. Above that is some sweet potato, also from our garden. This was prepared by my mother. I am a terrible cook. The extent of my skills in the kitchen is limited to making avocado on toast. Although this post was dedicated to edibles that are native to Mexico, I really love marigolds which also originate from Mexico and I covered in my previous post. I wanted to finish this post by sharing a photo of one of my favourite varieties which is called French Vanilla. Marigolds are a great companion plant in the veggie garden and are thought to help keep pests away from edibles. I grew these ones in a plastic trough. You can’t see them in the photo as they are too little, but I planted climbing beans (also grown from seed) along the fence line which the trellis is attached to and they complement each other nicely.
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This summer, I am growing capsicums and chillies as I normally do. For capsicums, I aim for a balance between bell peppers and Italian bull’s horn type peppers. For chillies, I like to strike a balance between hot and sweet varieties. This year, I purchased some capsicum and chilli plants from the garden centre as well, so I could get a head start on the season.
I’m excited to be growing a few new varieties of capsicums this year, including Sweet Classic from Egmont Seeds. I’m also excited that I’m growing two new varieties of chilli from Egmont Seeds, which were kindly given to me to trial by John McCullough – Sweet Shishito and Hot Jalwa India. I am growing all of our capsicums in large 35 litre buckets filled with Dalton’s potting mix from Bunnings, as I normally do. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough of these buckets for the chillies, so I am growing them in 18 litre black square pots that I purchased from the Warehouse many years ago. Both our capsicums and chillies have full sun, which they need in order to do well. Set out below is a list of the varieties I am growing this year. Unfortunately, some of the varieties I sowed didn’t make it to this stage of the growing process so I excluded them from my list. While I am disappointed by this, there is still plenty to keep us going throughout the summer. We usually have a surplus of chillies to our needs in summer, so these go into the freezer free flow for us to use in cooking throughout the year. Varieties I am growing this season Capsicums Belle Combo (plants purchased from Kings Plant Barn) Californian Early Wonder (plants purchased from Kings Plant Barn) Chardonnay (Kings Seeds) Chianti (Kings Seeds) Chinese Giant (Kings Seeds) Jingle Bells (McGregors) Mama Mia Gialla (Kings Seeds) Mama Mia Rossa (Kings Seeds) Mulato (Kings Seeds) Palladio (Egmont) Sweet Classic (Egmont) Chillies Bhut Jolokia (Kings Seeds) Cayenne (plants purchased from Kings Plant Barn) Habanero Red (Kings Seeds) Habanero Sweet Yellow (Kings Seeds) Hot Jalwa India (Egmont) Hungarian Hot Wax (seeds given to me in a seed swap) Jalapeno Early (Kings Seeds) Sweet Banana (McGregors) Sweet Shishito (Egmont) Thai Super Chilli (Kings Seeds) Wildfire (seeds given to me in a seed swap) Progress report At seedling stage, my Sweet Shishito chillies from Egmont Seeds look really strong and healthy. I can’t wait to plant them out. Sweet Classic, a capsicum also from Egmont Seeds, is incredibly robust. I really thought I was going to lose my seedlings back in October as I had them in an exposed area of the garden, under the eaves of our house. When I noticed that they had become discoloured, I moved them into the patio area, not thinking that they would bounce back. However, they all did and the plants ended up looking very healthy. I’m also pleased by how our Chardonnay and Chianti capsicums have been doing. Mama Mia Rossa, which I have grown in previous seasons, has also done reliably well. I have noticed that it is more robust than its yellow counterpart, Mama Mia Gialla. I’m very pleased to report that two of our Hungarian Hot Wax plants already have chillies on them! I will be reporting back on the progress of our plants throughout the season, so keep an eye out on my blog. Chillies and capsicums have their pride of place in my summer vegetable garden every year. They are very easy to grow, relatively disease resistant and taste great. Nothing beats picking your own fresh peppers for salads and sandwiches. Chillies are a wonderful addition to Indian and Asian curries, as well as Mexican cuisine. Both capsicums and chillies can be very expensive in supermarkets and greengrocers, so they are a valuable addition to the home garden.
Traditionally, chillies and capsicums can be planted outside in New Zealand by Labour Weekend, which is a long weekend with a public holiday falling on the Monday after the weekend. Labour Weekend usually falls towards the end of October. This year, Labour Weekend starts on 21 October. While it’s natural to want a head start on the season, my advice is to not be in a rush to plant out seedlings. There is often a dramatic difference between day and night time temperatures at this time of the year and the weather can still be quite temperamental. Young seedlings are particularly tender. Once they’ve been hit by a sudden cold snap or exposed to consistently low temperatures, they never really recover. It’s therefore a good idea to wait until the beginning of November to plant chilli and capsicum seedlings into your garden, when temperatures are warmer. Sowing chillies and capsicums from seed It’s too early to think about planting chillies and capsicums outdoors. However, I wanted to write a guide to growing chillies and capsicums now because it’s not too late to start sowing them from seed. In fact, the timing is perfect. It takes about eight weeks from the time of the germination of a chilli or capsicum seed to produce a plant that is large enough to transplant outside. It’s really easy to grow chillies and capsicums from seed and it allows you to grow unusual varieties which aren’t found in garden centres. Chillies and capsicums can be started from seed indoors in July and August. In the past, I have started chilli and capsicum seedlings as late as September, but they will produce a crop later in the season, in March and April. For a continuous supply of chillies and capsicums from January through to April, successive sowings are recommended. Chilli and capsicum seeds need warmth in order to germinate. I germinate seeds in plastic punnets filled with seed raising mix from Gardn Gro (http://gardngro.co.nz/). I like Gardn Gro’s seed raising mix as it is very fine in texture, enabling seeds to push through the mixture easily as they rise to the surface. I place the punnets inside plastic incubators which you can purchase from garden centres. I then place the incubators on a heat pad indoors and spray plants with water twice daily. If you don’t have a heat pad you can also use your hot water cupboard which will also provide seedlings with a warm environment. How to care for chilli and capsicum seedlings For new gardeners, those who don’t wish to start their chilli and capsicum seedlings from seed or if you’ve simply left it too late, plants are available for sale in nurseries from September onwards. Palmers stock a great range of chilli and capsicum seedlings. Awapuni also sell high quality, large grade capsicums and chillies delivered direct to your door. If you order 7 or more bundles of seedlings, delivery is free. To order plants from Awapuni, visit https://awapuni.co.nz/. Take care to keep plants undercover until early October as chillies and capsicums are frost sensitive. The weather can be temperamental in spring and the nights are often still quite cool. From then on, start “hardening them off”. This is the process of exposing plants to the outdoors incrementally, for example, for two hours in the middle of the day for the first week, increasing to four hours per day for the next week. Continue to bring the plants indoors at night. By the third week of October, it should be safe to leave plants outdoors overnight. Chilli and capsicum varieties Popular chilli varieties that perform well in New Zealand include Cayenne, Jalapeno and Sweet Banana. Egmont Seeds stock all of these varieties or you can buy plants from garden centres throughout the country every spring. I grow these classic varieties every summer and they yield an abundance of chillies without fail. For something a little different, try growing the Italian varieties Lombardo, Topepo Rosso and Calabrese from Franchi Seeds. Franchi is a range of magnificent heirloom seeds imported from Italy and supplied in New Zealand by Italian Seeds Pronto, owned by my friend Gillian Hurley Gordon. Last summer, I grew Lombardo and Calabrese with great success. Lombardo is an extremely productive long, sweet lime green chilli which is perfect for frying. Calabrese produces small round hot red peppers. This summer, I’m looking forward to sowing Topepo Rosso for the first time. For the months of September and October, Italian Seeds Pronto has Lombardo and Topepo Rosso peppers on special for just $5. This is great value as there are tons of seeds in the packet so you will be able to share or swap with friends, as well as have lots spare for future seasons. The most reliable and traditional capsicum variety in New Zealand is Californian Wonder (Egmont Seeds). Californian Wonder resembles the shape of capsicums found at the supermarket and is a firm favourite in the garden each summer. I also highly recommend Corno Rosso (Franchi Seeds), which has performed splendidly in previous years. Corno Rosso turns red when ripe and is sweet in taste. It is ideal for stuffing, frying and grilling. To order seeds from the Egmont Seeds range, visit http://www.egmontseeds.co.nz/. To find stockists for Franchi Seeds or to order Franchi Seeds directly from Italian Seeds Pronto, visit http://www.italianseedspronto.co.nz/. Those living overseas can source the wonderful Franchi range through their own local distributor online (for the UK see Seeds of Italy’s website http://www.seedsofitaly.com/ and for the US see Seeds From Italy’s website http://www.growitalian.com/) or find stockists in your home country. How to care for chilli and capsicum plants Chillies and capsicums need at least 6 hours of sunshine per day, so be sure to plant seedlings in the sunniest spot in your garden. Before planting chilli and capsicum seedlings, take the time to prepare the bed properly so plants receive adequate nutrition. Dig the area over that you wish to plant your seedlings in. Mix plenty of compost and some sheep pellets into the ground. I highly recommend Gardn Gro’s Wonder Nuggets, which are 100% organic and function as an excellent fertiliser: http://gardngro.co.nz/shop/Fertilisers/Wonder+Nuggets+8kg.html. Rake the ground so that it is nice and level. Add some tomato fertiliser to each plant’s hole at the time of planting, to give plants a strong start to life. As capsicum fruits can be heavy and weigh plants down, some support is recommended. It is a good idea to stake and tie capsicum and chilli seedlings at the time of planting to avoid injury to the roots of your plants later on. Chillies and capsicums can also be grown in containers. It’s actually my personal preference to grow chillies and capsicums in large black pots, as I’ve never managed to grow them successfully in the ground. My theory is that containers are ideal for such heat-loving plants. The temperature in a pot is warmer than soil in the ground, which can still be quite cool in late October and early November, when seedlings are traditionally planted. Black also radiates the heat. Be sure to use a high quality potting mix and use fresh mixture each summer. Gardn Gro’s Premium Potting Mix is ideal as it contains a slow release fertiliser which lasts for 8-9 months, a wetting agent and trichoderma disease protection. To purchase this amazing product online, visit http://gardngro.co.nz/shop/Growing+Mixes/Premium+Potting+Mix+15L.html. Be sure to water plants generously every day, preferably early in the morning or in the evening. In November and December, plants are in their most active growing phase. Liquid feed chillies and capsicums weekly to encourage the growth of healthy leaves and the formation of flowers, which will develop into fruit. Did you know that chillies and capsicums are self-pollinating? Bush movement from the wind is sufficient for pollination. Bees are therefore not important for the pollination of chillies and capsicums, nor is it necessary to pollinate them by hand. Harvesting your chillies and capsicums Chillies and capsicums need a lot of sunshine in order to turn red (or whichever other colour they are supposed to be, such as orange, purple or yellow). Be patient. They will eventually change colour. Always remove fruit with a pair of scissors or secateurs rather than pulling them off the plant. Chillies can be frozen and used free-flow in cooking. There’s no need to defrost them beforehand. Simply remove chillies from your freezer and throw them into whatever dishes you are preparing in the kitchen. Enjoy! |
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