Celebrate Spring … plant some seedlings!
Embrace that springtime feeling by getting out into the garden and planting some seedlings from our local growers Tiny Farm Tas, just arrived now at all Hill Street stores. Here’s our guide to what to plant, and how.
Tasmanians are particularly joyous when spring makes its presence felt – after our long winters, the sunshine and mild temperatures are always welcome and often induce a flush of shorts-wearing in many locales. We’re very excited at Hill Street to be stocking a range of vegetable seedlings from Huon Valley growers Tiny Farm Tas. It’s time to get outside and start planning for a late spring and summer bounty.
Tiny Farm Tas is a small, family-owned regenerative farm located in Glaziers Bay overlooking the Huon River. They grow chemical-free organic vegetable seedlings in healthy, living soil. The seedlings are planted into biodegradable pots, making Tiny Farm’s plants an innovative and sustainable alternative to large commercial nurseries, which use huge amounts of plastic and chemical inputs. The pots themselves are certified organic and made from a wood waste by-product, not from coir or peat which are both environmentally problematic.
Being grown locally in the Tasmanian climate, Tiny Farm’s seedlings are hardy and resilient to local conditions. Healthy, strong seedlings are vital for growing nutritious vegetables at home. Here’s our planting guide.
What’s available?
Tiny Farm’s range includes some unusual varieties and some tried-and-true favourites:
Peas – Massey Gem
Pak Choi – Rosie
Snow peas – Oregon Giant
Coriander
Basil – Genovese Giant
Spinach – Platypus
Cos lettuce – Verodita
Red Oakleaf Lettuce – Anikai
Spring Onions – Paragon
Capsicums – Californian Wonder
Zucchini – Cocozelle, Black Beauty
Tomato – Tommy Toe , Yellow Pear, Tigerella, Grosse Lisse, Black Cherry
Eggplant – Rosa Bianca
Cucumbers – Marketmore
Tomato seedlings are $7.95 and other seedlings are $6.95.
When to plant?
Now is the perfect time! With soils warming and more sunshine hours coming our way, these seedlings will soon take off. Beware though, if you are in a frost-prone area, frosts can still occur right up to the end of October, so be sure to cover your plants at night with a suitable cover such as a cloche, or stake some light fabric over your plants, ensuring they aren’t squashed. The Tasmanian rule of not planting out tomatoes until after Show Day should be observed; up until then they will do well on a sunny windowsill, and then moved to a sheltered veranda to ‘harden up’.
Planting tips
Tiny Farm’s biodegradable pots make planting a breeze. If you notice your pots growing some fungus and mould on the outside – this is completely normal and a key part of the biological process. The pots are designed for plant roots to grow through the pot itself. The whole pot can be planted directly into the soil and will break down over time, adding to the biology of the soil.
If there is more than one seedling in the pot, simply tear the pot apart to gently separate the seedlings and plant into the ground, including the pot remnants.
Water them in well, and then water lightly on a gentle hose setting every evening or second evening.
Growing vegetables is such a rewarding activity for the whole family, made even easier with Tiny Farm’s easy planting system and their hardy seedlings - good luck!
