September – Raised Planter Box
Raised Planter Box
Have you thought of putting in a raised planter box in a sunny corner of your garden to make a productive area for summer vegetables?
Being raised means the soil temperature stays higher and this promotes growth with the plants
Edible Garden
- Plant potatoes if not done already
- Purchase vegetable seedlings e.g. broccoli, lettuce etc and plant in newly prepared soil
- Plant new strawberries (only $2ea at Evergreen Garden Centre) – cover with wire mesh /bird netting to prevent birds having a feed when they fruit up
- Late September – plant asparagus and fertilise
- Sow fresh herbs now for the summer bar-b-ques and salads – Have a half wine barrel near the bar-b-que/outdoor entertaining area filled with your favorite herbs for easy access.
Garden Clean up
- Spread last seasons compost over garden – dig in
- Dig in winter crop if not done already
- Spray roses and fruit trees for final clean up in garden
Trees/shrubs
- Best time for planting trees and shrubs this should be done before summer hot temperatures Plant flowering cherry trees now to enjoy the new blossom
- Flowering foliage looking good so purchase now: Deciduous magnolias, Daphne, Flowering cherry trees, Camellias Read more
August – Winter Curried Vegetables
Rain, Rain, Rain….
I know we are tired of the wet miserable days – but the rain has been great for the garden, and when it dries up a little we can go out and enjoy planting for the spring, as the soil is so soft and workable. Use the pea straw to keep in the moisture and smother the weeds
Why not harvest some of the vegetables out of your garden to make this delicious warming vegetable dish. Use to accompany any other dinner dish, or even have on it’s own.
Winter Curried Vegetables
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp each of Mustard Seed, ground cumin and ground corriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
Dash of fish oil (or 1 tsp salt)
3 cups chopped vegetables e.g. carrots, pumpkin, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower
1/4 cup water
GARDEN TIPS FOR JULY
For the month of July, we are giving away a FREE bag of seed potatoes – with every other 2 bags of potatoes you buy. So why not try a new variety. Just mention our WEB Special to get your FREE potatoes.
Lovely to have the frosty starts to the day. It usually follows with sunshine which means you can get out into the garden.
Excellent idea for the month
Why not try planting garlic bulbs amongst your roses. Not only does this keeps bugs away but it also intensifies the fragrance of your roses! Read more
Garden Tips for JUNE
Get into the garden & warm up…
It may be cold, but this is the time to ponder and be creative in thought, as to, what your plans will be for your garden in Spring…..And on those not so dreary days, get into the garden and warm up with some physical work outside.
Great time of the year to read, check out the book ‘Grow Your Own Drugs’ by James Wong and have a pharmacy in your backyard. Also check out our new EXTRA LARGE shade house with loads of Rhododendrons, Camellias, Azaleas and Daphne.
Edible Garden
- Perfect time for planting garlic ready for the summer BBQ season – To make sure you get the variety you are after…. order your potatoes NOW ready for planting in August
- Have you thought of a raised vege garden? Planter boxes are not too difficult to erect. Or for a cheap alternative, use a half wine barrel (don’t forget to drill holes for water to drain away)
- Plant your strawberries now for Christmas crops and also berry fruit e.g. raspberries, gooseberries and currents Read more
GARDEN TIPS for APRIL plus FREE Gift
Get ready for work in the Garden – With all the inspiration from The International Ellerslie Show you can begin creating…from the Incredible Edibles to Organics, to your own corner of paradise in your garden. This is the time we roll up our sleeves and do a great effort in the whole garden from veges to flowers to trees to bulbs
Enjoy the work out! - Plus FREE Bulbs – See below
Edible Garden
- Perfect time for planting winter veges beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts cabbages, cauli, silverbeet plus winter lettuces
- Dig out/bag up all of your potatoes/onion now. Harvest pumpkins store in cool dry place
- Autumn is a time to watch out for slugs/snails. An organic option is to sprinkle rotted sawdust around slug loving plants. Blitzem is another option to control these pests.
- Plant citrus, blueberries/raspberries also get ready to prune/tying raspberries now to encourage good fruiting season in summer.
- Sow green crops in cleared areas
- Fruit Trees – Once leaves fall spray with Champ DP Copper Fungicide” This will protect leaf scars from fungal and bacterial infection
Flowers/Colour
SPECIAL for WEB READERS – Mention you have read the “Garden Tips for April” and you will receive a FREE bag of bulbs for every 3 bags of bulbs you have purchased. Read more
Gardening Tips for February and March
January has been rather wet, and it is amazing to see the grass still green and all the fruit and vegetables doing so well with minimal irrigation.
Edible Garden
- Dig out/bag up all of your potatoes/onions now.
- March is the perfect time for planting winter veges beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, leeks, cabbages, cauli, silverbeet plus winter lettuces.
- Harvest apples, pears, plums and peaches. Tip – Keep watered to encourage larger fruit
- Maintain a regular fruit tree spray programme and it is a good time to apply citrus fertiliser to Lemons, Grapefruit etc.
Flower Garden
- Keep dead heading flowers/roses to keep them looking their best
- Cut down/back perennials
Lawns
- Late March, with Autumn approaching now is a good time to prepare any new lawn areas for seeding – Pick up an info sheet from the Garden Centre
- Be on the look out for grass grub problems deal to with Soil Insect Killer – Tip: if lots of blackbirds on your lawn you may have grass grubs.
- Fertilise lawns to keep green – ‘Osmocote Lawn Builder’
- Lawn weed problems? Apply Turfix for flat weeds
Trees/shrubs
- Fertilise camellias, rhodos, azaleas, Daphne, buxus hedging
- Any potted plants – indoor/outdoor fertilise for autumn flush of growth
- Trim hedges/topiary to allow new growth to harden off before winter – Wait for an overcast day or prune early or late in the day
- If you have Pittosporum, Wisteria, smoke bushes (Cotinus family) or Maples for pruning, now is the time. Tip – Never prune these in winter.
Garden Tips for December and January
Water, Water, Water – This is probably the most important thing to remember for the hot summer months with high temperatures and NW winds this causes high evaporation
Edible Garden
- For those who protected their potatoes and other vegetables from the late frosts – start digging up and eating (once flowers start to die off on the potatoes)
- Keep planting lettuce, spring onions and radish
- Pick beans every 2 – 3 days, keep watered
- Tomatoes and corn will be ready late January in a good season or warm site
- Sow sprouting broccoli and cauliflower etc. mid December for planting out in late January – Beware grey aphid and white butterfly
- Stop harvesting asparagus in mid December to allow for root reserves for next season – support with stakes and twine
Prepare Garden For Christmas Read more
Canterbury Home Show 2009
This proved to be a very successful weekend with many of the public having their questions answered about their gardens or on landscaping. The tasting table was popular with recipes made from the book ‘Grow Your Own Drugs’ by James Wong. This book is for sale at the Garden Centre. We had an area for the children to plant a Zuchinni seed, this proved popular with adults too.
Garden Tips for October & November
With spring well on its way soil temperatures are beginning to rise (perfect for vege and flower garden) and soil is drying out (check irrigation lines are working) but still watch out for late frosts and enjoy what your garden has to offer with fragrance, colour and edibles! Check the Bar-B-Q is clean and gas bottle filled!
Garden Tips for August & September
Have you noticed – it is going to be an early spring – the blossom trees are beginning to show their colours and unfortunately the weeds are also beginning to show their heads. Rain, Rain, Rain – I know we are tired of the wet miserable days – but the wet has been great for the garden so once it does a drain from being a pond we can go out and enjoy planting for the spring growth as the soil is so soft and workable. Use the pea straw to keep in the moisture and smother the weeds. Read more
