Garden Advice › Garden Tips of the Month
Garden Tips November 2015
MULCH - THE BIG DRY IS COMING: Is your soil drying out and going all crusty? It's the effect of drying winds after all the rain of August and September. The expectation is that the summer will continue this trend and be very dry. The answer is BLACKGOLD Mulch and plenty of it - this is a premium mulch exclusive to Central Landscape & Garden Supplies!
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Weed the garden - no sense keeping the undesirables
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Water deeply - that makes the plants happy
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Layer BLACKGOLD Mulch to a depth of 50mm minimum around plants
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Sit back and relax…….
The science: Compost in our BLACKGOLD Mulch works its way to the soil and adds nutrients and helps improve structure. The Mulch component (naturally dyed untreated wood) consists of the bigger pieces. It's extremely effective when water is applied, because it directs it straight down to the soil beneath, rather than running off to the lowest point, or pooling area where soil's compacted.
REMINDER: WIN A LUXURY WEEKEND FOR TWO: All purchases from any Central Landscape & Garden Supplies yard until the end of November 2015 enters you in the draw! Prize is valued at $2,400.00. For more details see: http://www.centrallandscapes.co.nz/news/details/win-a-luxury-weekend.html
HOT TIP: Any grey (soapy or detergent-laden) water that you save in buckets can be poured over your plants - this can come from household activities such as soaking clothes, washing dishes, and even a bucket placed in the shower - recycling is good!
SUCKING 'EM DRY - PEST CONTROL: Many of us our plant our citrus close to our houses, where we can grab fresh lemons and limes, place enjoy the beautiful scent of the flowers in spring. Unfortunately the postion is often warm, but plant dry out more quickly, allowing the rapid spread of the 'suckers' - mites and scale. The former is invisible to the naked eye, but you'll find the hard brown shells of the latter - just remove them from the underside of the leaves. But it pays to spray with Conqueror Oil, or the fish infused oil, Acquaticus Glow. Always apply mixed at summer strength and in the evenings or early morning when there's no sun on the foliage.
ANOTHER HOT TIP: Pinch out the tips of new seedlings of petunias, impatiens and lobelias at planting. Why? Doing this encourages wonderful, bushy plants.
THE GREEN ROOM: Don't mow low - that's the mantra for a successful lawn. Reason is, setting the mower high avoids 'scalping' - where the grass gets stunted and doesn't grow fast - but the weeds are happy to grow in place of grass. Frequent mowing of grass that is a bit taller encourages good growth and limits broadleaf weeds. This is the last month to fertilise the lawn before the heat of summer - Use PROLAWN Turfmaster Gold.
BYE BYE BULBS: Leave the foliage on for 6 to 8 weeks after flowering. It allows the bulb to grab nutrients back down from the foliage, to store for next year.
POHUTUKAWA MEANS CHRISTMAS: The red buds of Christmas are just around the corner. A Pohutukawa is one of the most drought tolerant trees and is easy grown as a potted Christmas tree. You'll find excellent specimens, many with buds on, in your garden centre from now on!
CUTTING EDGE: It's the perfect time to trim the hedge - large or small. New spring growth is tougher and summer will be too hot for cutting - exposed foliage tends to burn. After the haircut, give it love - a layer of BLACKGOLD Mulch will do the trick!
FAST FOOD - VEGGIE GARDEN: What you do this month determines your food crops over summer: water, compost or organic fertiliser and plant supports - these are the key requirements for great food
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Bean Time - Use stakes to 1.8m high because your beans will grow quickly in warm weather! If you're short of space, then dwarf varieties are good croppers at just 60cm high.
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Hill up the spuds - Mound soil or compost around the foliage until just the tips of leaves are showing and repeat as the leaves push through again. Keep well-watered.
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Sensitive types - plant cucumbers, melons, corn and chillies - it's sounding slightly Mexican - ole!
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Echium - pictured is a cheap and easy bedding plant to grow - brilliant for getting the bees to your plants!
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Sweet Florence fennel - an easy plant to grow now. Easy addition to salads of broad beans, and blanched green vegetables or your typical mesclun. Finely sliced, it give a soft hint of aniseed.
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Basil can go in now - strangely it doesn't need to be watered as often as other herbs - but it does love the sun. (We all need more sun).
And harvest:
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Cauliflower, broad beans, carrots and the last of the leeks!
Garden Thought of the Month:
"There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments."
Janet Kilburn Phillips
