There is a misconception that if you want to get into stargazing and see anything in the night sky you have to spend tons of cash on telescopes and high tech cameras. Not true at all. Simply find a clear South African night sky, a big blanket, a beverage of choice and some really good company and you can experience them like never before.

There is a list of some of the best star gazing spots online, two of which are, of course, the Midlands and the Berg, KZN.

“The best way to enjoy the experience is firstly, be dressed for the occasion. Grab that beanie, some gloves, a great warm jacket and you’re set to go”, says Sean Granger, GM of Granny Mouse Country House & Spa.

The most important thing is to find a spot where there is little or no electrical lights around as it does impact on the stars in the sky, so find a quiet, safe spot and enjoy.

If you are a little short-sighted, don’t forget your glasses/ binoculars. Let the eyes relax a bit, allow them to adjust to the darkness, and take in the reduced light levels and you will be amazed at what you can see. Keep an eye out (pardon the pun) for shooting stars, which is just an incredible sight on its own and also the number of satellites you can see out there moving slowly around the globe.

When looking at the stars, you will see that they are all different – some bigger, some more faint to the eye, and others are so bright. This is all due to them being different distances from us on earth.

An interesting face is that the coolest stars are red and are around 3 000 degrees centigrade and the hottest are the white stars, in excess of 40 0000 degree centigrade. Due to the temperatures, the colours differ from icy whites, to bluish and some more yellow, orange and of course red.

South Africa is in the fortunate position to capture the Milky Way, meteor showers and even Saturn under very good star gazing conditions when it is at its most spectacular.

Another perfect place to head to is Granny Mouse Country House & Spa. After you have enjoyed a hearty meal, and before you turn in for the night, grab the family, or friends, settle down on their beautifully-manicured lawns and enjoy the sounds of nature and the sights…all the way to the moon and back!

Inspired by: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/stargazing-top-tips

If you are looking for some new easy-peasy gardening and growing skills, then read on, because learning how to grow potatoes is one of the easiest gardening skills yet. They make an awesome staple crop even if you don’t have much growing space and you virtually don’t have to look after them. They can even be grown in your veggie patch.

Potatoes make for great additions at meals and can be roasted, baked, braaiied, mashed and used in salads too. We know that potatoes have starch, but they have no fat, so it shouldn’t have the reputation it has as it is full of vitamins and minerals, and these far outweigh the downside. They’re high in vitamin C (27mg in a medium potato), potassium, and vitamin B6; they contain thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and a good deal of fibre.

Take a medium potato that has started to sprout. If you look in the vegetable rack you’ll probably see some of your potatoes starting to grow “eyes”. These are the guys you want to plant. Cut the potato into a few chunks, each having a few “eyes,” or sprouting points. Allow to dry out overnight. If you don’t have time, you can plant them right away, but they’re more susceptible to rotting. Dried chunks produce the best results.

Then take a large container or a bag and cut a few holes in the bottom. Take some stones and cover with potting soil, compost etc. Take your potato eyes and place them on top, cut side down. Cover the sprouts with soil. Water well and place in a sunny spot. In a few days to a week, your potatoes will start to push their way upward. As they get taller, add more soil around the stem.

Also remember to check with your nursery on what the best fertilizer to use when planting.

Potatoes are ready to harvest between 10 and 20 weeks after planting, depending on whether they are first early (10 weeks), second early (13 weeks) or main crop potatoes (20 weeks).

You will know they are ready when the flowers open or the buds drop. When you dig them out, be careful as you don’t want to spear your lovely crop. Maybe, to be safe, tip them over if they are in a container or bag. It’s also important not to put the dead plant into the compost bin as when planting again don’t use the recycled dirt.

So after all your hard work, the gift of your bounty is making your favourite potato recipe.

Baked, fried, or mashed, there’s no wrong way to cook potatoes. The epitome of comfort food, there’s nothing we love more than cosying up to potatoes in any (and every) form. Whether they’re the centre of your meal, bite-sized  (potato skin bites!), or an easy side to your main course, potatoes can truly do it all.