The fruit and vegetable garden
Sow bean and basil seeds. For best results beans will need a climbing frame to grow up. Basil grows well near tomato plants.
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Hang sticky traps in apple and pear trees to stop an infestation of codling moth in the young fruit. Or, Spray with Yates’ Success Ultra a maximum of four times during spring.
Feed the fruit trees that are forming fruit as their flowers drop – feijoas, citrus, pip and stone fruit trees need nourishment at this time of the year.
In raised vegetable beds, layer on pea straw work to protect young vegetable plants from drying out. An added advantage is that they help hold young plants in place. Place the mulch on top of well irrigated soil.
Aphids reproduce very quickly in warm weather and can savage growing vegetables. Hosing them, using a soap spray or wiping off with your hands are all good means of chemical-free control. They do not like marigolds, dill and coriander, so plant these around the edible garden.
The Ornamental Garden
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Hanging baskets are easy: place a plastic saucer in the base of the basket to help hold water, fill with good potting mix and plant lots of summer flowering plants. Liquid feed after planting and hang in a sunny spot, watering and feeding regularly.
Deadheading of roses, hydrangeas, camellias and rhododendrons after flowering is good garden housework. In the case of roses and hydrangeas it encourages repeat flowering over the summer.
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Planting up pots for Christmas? Start now with red petunias, salvias or impatiens that are easy to grow. For indoors red or white hippeastrum bulbs flower within six weeks generally.
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Planning a dry garden to cope with low rainfall in summer? Add plenty of compost to your soil before selecting drought tolerant plants. A pebble or shell mulch helps keeps plant roots cool and looks attractive.
Avoid a dry lawn this summer by applying Prolawn Aqua Turf G this month. It helps the lawn to use all available water making it more resilient to the heat. Works for any late planting projects in the garden too.
Project for November
We dig plants. Plants dig mulch.
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After the year of rain on our gardens a dry, windy period is forecast to hit. Likely the soil won’t be very friable, and the added moisture may increase the chances of cracked soil as it warms up. Mulch will aid soil remediation by protecting the top surface from heat offering a cool root run for plants to enjoy. Central Landscapes has plenty of different mulches to choose from.