Better known as a fanatical bromeliad grower and author, Andrew Steens of oatakana has re-emerged as the latest vege gardening guru. In fact, Andrew’s knowledge extends way beyond bromeliads and veges, having graduated with a Bachelor of Horticulture from Massey University, and worked in many sectors of the horticultural industry. He has also received several horticultural accolades, including medals at the Ellerslie Flower Show. When it comes to plants and soil, Andrew knows what he’s talking about!
Climate and Temperature
Things can, and do, go wrong in the vege patch. Where climate is concerned, Andrew warns, “Don’t wear rose-tinted glasses.”Be realistic about your climate, understand its limitations and plant accordingly. Soil temperature is the best indicator of when a crop can be planted, so invest in a soil thermometer.
An interesting theory, devised during Andrew’s days of commercial squash growing, is to plant warm-season crops when the soil temperature reaches 10 degrees Celsius, at 10cm deep at 10am for several consecutive days – you will have to read his book, Grow it Yourself Vegetables, to find out more!
How to Plant
Andrew also has good advice for novice gardeners on how to plant: train melons, cucumbers etc up a bamboo tepee to save ground space; run crop rows north to south to minimise shading; and plant taller crops on the southern side of the patch. Andrew’s conventional training urges him to plant in rows, but he concedes that planting in blocks, mixing plants up and adding a few companion plants is a better solution as it increases biodiversity, which in turn helps protect plants from pests and disease.
Heritage Varieties
Honesty and experience have led Andrew to believe that many heritage (heirloom) varieties were lost to modern horticulture because they were no good! oost of the time it comes down to trial and error to find out which varieties grow best in your area and personal preference as to taste. For instance, Andrew loves the 1000-year-old carrot ‘Purple Dragon’, which he says is fantastic for roasting. In the main, he recommends opting for new and improved varieties that are bred for high yields, disease resistance, faster maturity, compact growth and improved taste.
Feeding
Being a man of the soil who has clocked up plenty of experience in growing commercial crops, Andrew has a lot of good advice on feeding. He explains fully and simply how each of the main essential elements works in relation to plant growth, and stresses the importance of potassium and calcium, which are often overlooked. When buying fertilisers, remember: NPK for leaves, roots and fruits. A high nitrogen (N) rating is good for leafy crops such as cabbages and lettuce; high phosphorous (P) for root crops; and high potassium (K) for all fruiting plants. Trace elements are less important as New Zealand soils are rarely deficient in these.
Compost & Manure
Although Andrew is not opposed to using artificial fertilisers, he does warn of their over-use, which can lead to unhealthy soils. Without regular additions of organic matter, soil gradually becomes depleted of humus, destroying soil structure, and reducing vital soil microbial activity and worm populations. He touts horse manure as being one of the best as it contains good amounts of both organic matter and nutrients. But it must be dug in deep or added to the compost heap to overcome weed seeds.
Andrew says, “Composting is the most important job.” It not only improves soil structure and waterholding capacity, it also contains masses of beneficial soil organisms, which suppress soil-borne disease, and act as a very effective slow release fertiliser.
Companion Planting & Lunar Gardening
Used for centuries and considered folklore by many, all but a few of these anecdotal theories remain scientifically unproven. However, Andrew firmly believes that gardening by the moon does work and uses companion planting to help repel bad insects and attract beneficial ones. He sums up, “If a disaster was looming that threatened to wipe out an important crop, I wouldn’t hesitate to use a low-toxicity non-organic product. Touch wood this hasn’t happened – although I must admit I’m tempted when late blight or psyllids hit the tomato crop!”
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