The Star: May 03, 2018

32
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday May 3 2018
Gardening
COLOUR: Shirley and peony poppies look striking with bright fluffy petals.
Popular poppies
• By Henri Ham
POPPIES ARE always one of
the most popular seedlings we
sell. And it’s not hard to see
why. They’re very pretty, they
grow easily, and they make
good cut flowers.
Some of the varieties available
are Shirley, Anzac and
peony. A lot of gardeners are
fans of peony poppies. Their
many fluffy layers of petals
look striking – they’re a great
alternative if you don’t get
enough frosts to grow true
peonies.
Shirley poppies are also
lovely and have a very
delicate look to them. But my
favourite variety of poppy
would be Anzac – particularly
planted en masse. They are a
very special sight to see in a
garden.
Other popular varieties are
oriental and Iceland.
When you’ve got your poppy
plants look around the garden
for a sunny, well-drained spot.
Somewhere near the house is
good if you get any wind as it
will provide protection.
Once you’re ready to plant,
simply dig a small hole and
plant each seedling around
30cm apart.
SPECIAL SIGHT: Anzac poppies look spectacular when planted en masse.
Next give them a water to
help them get established. After
that they shouldn’t require
too much watering. If you do
water them be careful not to
overhead water as the pressure
of the water might squash
them.
Your poppies will start to
put on their pretty display of
flowers in around six to eight
weeks. Remember to remove
the flower heads when they die
(deadhead) to prolong their
flowering.
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For the love
of coriander
CORIANDER IS a love it or hate it type of
plant.
In fact, I can’t really think of any other
herb or vegetable that divides people as
much. And it can also be quite a tricky herb
to grow as it loves to bolt (head to seed),
which probably doesn’t help its reputation
with its detractors.
But as someone who falls into the love
coriander camp, I think it’s a plant every
kitchen or vegetable garden should have. So
here are my top tips for successful coriander
growing.
Firstly, plant it now. While you can grow
coriander for most of the year, now during
autumn and winter when the weather is
cooler, is the perfect time to plant – especially
if you find it difficult to grow. The steady,
cool weather will prevent it from bolting.
Coriander will grow well in a pot or in the
garden. But if you do plant in a pot make
sure it’s a deep one and pour in some good
quality potting mix.
If you’re growing in the garden, at this
time of the year I recommend looking for
somewhere with full sun. Coriander doesn’t
like damp or humid conditions. Next ensure
the soil is aerated and free-draining by
digging over the soil and even dig in some
potting mix or compost if required.
Next, mound up the soil and plant a
seedling on top – this will help ensure the
soil is free-draining. Give it a water and then
regularly water it in the morning. This will
allow the water to dry off during the day and
prevent disease.
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