Fast food: why Asian greens are good for your garden

Ready to harvest in as little as six weeks. Asian greens grow best in the cooler months, in sun or part shade.

Bok Choy.

Asian greens are easy and quick to grow in small spaces, ready to harvest in as little as six weeks. They grow best in the cooler months, in sun or part shade. Give them enriched, well-drained soil or premium potting mix, plus liquid fertiliser every week or two so they grow quickly and remain sweet and tender.

Pak choy and bok choy are the same plant but we call the white-stemmed variety bok choy and the green-stemmed one pak choy. Mizuna has pretty, peppery leaves while tatsoi has short stems and round leaves in a rosette. Gai lan is similar to broccoli but the stems are the main event; eat the leaves and flower buds too. Choy sum is similar, with thinner stems and a mustard flavour. Wombok or Chinese cabbage is a bigger plant that takes longer to grow.

You can start with seedlings for speed and convenience – punnets of mixed greens are sometimes available, which is a good way to start – but growing from seeds is cheaper and offers more varietal choice. To keep a constant supply, sow or plant a crop every six weeks. Pick the outer leaves as you need them or let the plants reach full size before harvesting.

Rays of Sunshine

Daffodils and jonquils are in the Narcissus genus, with 36 species and nearly 30,000 varieties. Daffodil Day on August 31 is a major fundraiser for the Cancer Council.; get involved at daffodilday.com.au.

‘Tete a Tete’ is a popular miniature daffodil. Source: Supplied

‘King Alfred’ has the classic shape and colour. Source: Supplied

In Victoria, the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival opens on August 31, while Leongatha Daffodil and Floral Show is on September 7-9. In NSW, the Daffodils at Rydal celebration is on September 9-10 and 16-17.

‘Accent’ has white petals with a ruffled trumpet. Source: Supplied

‘Double Fashion’ has layers of creamy yellow petals. Source: Supplied

Q&A

What are the best fruit trees to plant for their aphrodisiac qualities?

D Hedlund, by email

There’s more lore than science on this topic, but worth a mention are pomegranates and figs (which grow best in a Mediterranean climate) and avocadoes, bananas and white sapote (best in
subtropical and tropical climates). Other fruits and vegetables said to increase libido include strawberries, asparagus, beetroot, chillies, ginger, watermelon, ginseng and sweet potato.

Our seven-year-old pomegranate produced a good crop three years ago but since then the fruit have been dropping off partly developed. Is the problem having grass to the trunk? What should I be feeding it?

Michael Schlesinger, Sorrento, Victoria

Grass is extremely competitive for water and nutrients; all fruit trees should have a clear area under the canopy where you can apply water, fertiliser and mulch. For pomegranates, long, hot summers are best; in cooler areas they can flower late, forming small, undeveloped fruits. Fruit fly can also affect them, causing fruit drop. Use an organic-based fruit tree fertiliser in spring.

My Christmas poinsettia, happy on my kitchen window sill, has a new green side branch. Should I be trimming it?

Tracey Scholz, South Australia

Pots of red poinsettias sold at Christmas are grown in glasshouses with timed blackout curtains to give them the short daylight hours that trigger their natural flowering time of winter. Over time, they revert to normal flowering but this could be disrupted by household lights if they prevent the plant experiencing short days and long nights. Tip prune shoots that are lanky to increase bushiness, until about February. You can plant poinsettias outside in warm climates.

Send your questions to [e-mail]. The best question for August wins the Son of Prong, worth $108, from the range of digging tools to work hard soil, lever out rocks and lift plants. Various sizes and 25% discount: prong.com.au

August Gardening prize the Son of Prong.