February Garden Tips
Don’t forget…. next month is our ANNUAL SALE, more news coming. We have had a busy month of harvesting potatoes, beans, peas, carrots raspberries, black currents etc. There is the usual story with Read more
Garden Tips December/January
Mulch and Water – This is probably the most important activitiesfor your gard
en during the hot summer months with high temperatures and NW winds.
WEB SPECIAL: 1/2 Wine Barrels only $59.00 ea – Why not fill one with a living gift for Christmas – Remember to mention this to get the special..
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
- Once your pumpkin (or melon) vine have 2 – 3 fruit, nip the ends so the growing energy goes into the fruit
- Tomatoes and corn will be ready late January in a good season or warm site
- Strawberries, raspberries and cherries are ripening so cover with bird netting to protect. If you are making jam to get the BEST results use the freshest berries and do in small batches (1 -2kg)
- 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
- Give flowers from your garden to friends and family
- Enjoy the fruit of your labour on Christmas day – Potatoes, peas (sown mid September), beans, lettuce, carrots, spring onions.
- Enjoy the raspberries, strawberries, black currents for desserts and juice or make jam to give as a gift
- Christmas Gift Ideas for the keen gardener: Pruners, sprinklers, trowel, weeder, stainless steel spade or fork
Irrigation
- Watering systems should be installed to conserve water
- Trickle irrigation is the most economical
- Time clocks will avoid over watering
- If you have automatic irrigation set for early morning e.g. 5am or late evening e.g. after 9pm
Holiday Care for your Garden
- If going on holiday give the garden a good soak before you take off, or make sure the irrigation system is working well and not leaking, or have sprinklers on a timer system and ask neighbours to turn the timer around if summer is particularly dry
- Mulch is great for keeping the moisture in
- Place potted plants in cool shade behind the house
- A good idea to have lawns mown by family/neighbours – makes the property look lived in.
- If you have a full vegetable/fruit garden, invite friends etc to enjoy rather than waste
Trees/shrubs
- Ensure any newly planted trees/shrubs have sufficient water to help get them established
- Fruit trees need to be sprayed with Bravo to prevent fungal infections
Lawns
- Water just enough to keep green, browntop and fescue are fairly drought resistant and survive even if browned off
- Do not cut lawns too short to keep them from drying out too quickly and keeps the roots cooler
Roses
- Prune to 5 leaf after flowering, watering will encourage flowering
- Water early in the morning is better for the plant
- Fertilise roses with Evergreen Rose Fertiliser to encourage new growth for second flowering
Flowers
- Plant your summer annuals now and enjoy the bright colours this brings to your garden
- Dead head/cut down and fertilise to encourage more flowering
- Provide support for Dahlias and Christmas lilies
- Lavender: After flowering, cut back about 1/3, but make sure not to cut back to hard mature wood with no re growth potential.
Garden Tips for November
The October rains…
have created a wonderful medium for spring growth, in fact, it is the greenist I have ever seen the hill sides around Canterbury. Take time to enjoy your garden and follow the tips below to Read moreGarden Tips – September
Time to plant your Edibles….. Apples, Pears, Lemons, Strawberries, Potatoes, Asparagus, Blueberries, Garlic and so the list could go on. Come and have a look at the wide variety of producing plants/seeds we Read more
Garden Tips for AUGUST
POTATOES ARE IN – Get yours now!
Come in to choose your potatoes from our wide selection. Mention our ‘WEB SPECIAL’ and Read more
Garden Tips for June
This has to be the warmest May we can remember, sunny NW days definitely are a brightner to the continuing shakes over our city. June is the month of the Daphne plant. We have some lovely specimens in bud NOW. Perfect as a pathway plant or plant close to the front door as a welcoming fragrance.
Edible Garden
- Plant your strawberries now for Christmas crops and also berry fruit e.g. raspberries, gooseberries and currents
- Dig in green crops (usually around 8 weeks after planting) Tip: 2 weeks later re-dig the soil before planting vegetable plants
- Traditionally, the shortest day is the day to plant your GARLIC, remember, this is also a fantastic plant for companion planting and keeps away unwanted pests from your vegetable garden
Lilies/Bulbs
- Plant Christmas lilies and Oriental bulbs or lift and divide your lilies from last season
- Still time to plant bulbs. We have a wide selection so come and choose some colours to brighten your spring garden up
Fruit Trees
- Catch the trend and grow your own orchard – Always tastes better from your garden. New seasons stock arriving in our garden centre this month
- Try double or triple graft apples/pears if space in the garden is a problem
- Disease resistant varieties means less spraying and maintenance e.g. Initial (Apple), Peasgood nunsuch (Apple)
Garden Clean up
- Spray fruit trees, roses, hydrangeas, with Champion Copper and Conqueror Oil to prevent pests and diseases
- Prune fruit trees now (apples, pears and plums), endeavor to keep fruiting branches to the outside of tree. Tip: Don’t prune apricots, peach or cherry trees – these need to be pruned when their leaves are on to prevent infection.
- Prune Grapevines, kiwifruit
- Trim/tidy Wisteria, lightly shape/trim hedges
- Pea straw/mulching – Replenish gardens with pea straw to discourage weeds
- Weeds may still be a problem due to warm weather – Tip: Keep on top of the weeds to prevent self seeding of weeds
Trees/shrubs
- Best time for planting trees and shrubs
- Perfect time to prune deciduous trees such as Robinia Mop Tops, Gledistia, Oak trees
- Apply slow Evergreen Slow Release fertiliser to shrubs in preparation for Spring growth
- Now is a good time for transplanting/removing deciduous trees
- Cover Citrus/frost sensitive plants with frost cloth
- As mentioned above…. Daphne is a wonderful shrub to have and we have also had a pallet load of Azaleas arrive this week too, all in bud and a lovely array of colours
Roses
- New roses – plant in sunny, free draining soil incorporating Evergreen Rose Fertiliser around roots.
- Now is the time for pruning roses
- Fertilise roses from around base to about 200 – 300mm from main stem with Evergreen Rose Fertiliser (slow release)
- Come in and check out our NEW SEASONS STOCK. We have a very wide selection to choose from
Flowers
- Buy winter annuals to brighten your garden e.g. violets, poppies, polyanthus
- Great time to divide perennials
- Remember our SHADE HOUSE – We have a HUGE range of new seasons Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias.
GARDEN TIPS for APRIL
Autumn =
Sunshine and Rain – Warm and Cold
Get ready for work in the 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. Also I have made the Salsa recipe (from January Garden Tips) three times now and can highly recommend it. A great way to use large voumes of ripening tomatoes
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. Blitzem to control these pests or another option is to sprinkle rotted sawdust around slug loving plants
- 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
- Plant your spring bulbs e.g. daffodils, tulips, hyacinths,. Tip – Chill tulip bulbs in fridge 4 – 6 weeks prior to planting
- Plant in groupings around letterbox/under specimen trees or in the flower garden
- Tip: If planting bulbs in pots, plant bulbs a little later or plant and put pot in colder area
- Avoid using soft bulbs or watch out for old stock
- Don’t forget to feed existing bulb area with bulb food ‘Fiesta bulb plant food’ also use when planting new bulbs
- Annual Flowers: Prepare beds, compost, fertilise – Plant Polyanthus, Pansies, Poppies, Wall flowers etc. for early spring flowering
Roses
- Lightly deadhead roses
- Leave hard pruning for winter
Seeds
- Plant flower seeds now, fertilise with a slow release fertiliser
Garden Clean up
- Rake autumn leaves for compost heap Tip: Avoid using Walnut tree leaves
- Prune hedging to allow new growth to harden off before winter sets inlace fresh pea-straw to help keep garden weed free
Lawns
- Fertilise lawns to keep green – If any bare patches sprinkle a little topsoil and grass seed, water in if the autumn rains haven’t arrived after the sowing
- Autumn is the very best time to form a new lawn/revamp existing one – Ask at Evergreen Garden Centre for tips on creating a new lawn
- Check for grass grub (dead patches in lawn) Apply ‘Soil Insect Killer’ now to control
- Lawn weed problems? Apply Turfix or Versatill for flat weeds and broadleaf
Trees/shrubs
- Fertilise camellias, rhodos, azaleas, Daphne, buxus hedging with “Rhodo fertiliser”
- Hold off from pruning your Rhodos and Camellias – or you will cut off the flowers
- Any potted plants – indoor/outdoor fertilise for autumn flush of growth
- Best time for planting trees and shrubs – While soil is still warm, this encourages root establishment
- Lightly trim hedges/topiary now before the frosts set in.
- Moving plants? – Dig around them but don’t move yet – Tip: – Don’t move plants in flower
- ENJOY The Season -
Garden Tips for MARCH
It is a difficult time for us all here in Christchurch, but we wanted to pass on the March Garden Tips for those who are able to get out and into your garden and to take your mind off the hardships at the present time. With the early autumn rains we have had, this reminds me, now is a perfect time for planting new trees or shrubs so why not visit our SALE
Edible Garden
- Harvest the last of your mature vegetables Tip – leave a small stem on your pumpkins to help prolong shelf life
- March is the perfect time for planting winter seedlings (or seeds if it is done early in the Month) veges beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, leeks, cabbages, cauli, silverbeet plus winter lettuces. Protect young seedlings with Slug Bait and cotton strips (black cotton) to discourage birds
- Harvest apples, pears, plums and peaches. Tip – Keep watered to encourage larger fruit
- Prune raspberry canes – remove dead canes and tie up the new ones, the fruit always appears on the 1 year old canes
Flower Garden
- Keep dead heading flowers/roses to keep them looking their best
- Start planting bulbs
- Cut down/back perennials
- Container planting of Pansies, Polys and Violas to brighten up your garden/entrance way over the winter months
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
- Grass Grubs? Deal to these with Diazanon
- Fertilise lawns to keep green – ‘Osmocote Lawn Builder’
- Lawn weed problems? Apply Turfix for flat weeds
Trees/shrubs
- A good time to take cuttings of trees and shrubs
- Fertilise camellias, rhodos, azaleas, Daphne, buxus hedging and any potted plants (indoor and outdoor) if not done already
- 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.
Great Value Recipe – So Easy and So Tasty
Harvesting is always such a pleasure to do. We are featuring tomatoes this month with a yummy hassle free recipe
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Great value Recipe So easy and Read more
Christmas in the Garden
A 1/2 wine barrel filled with plants/herbs/flowers is an excellent gift idea. A garden cook book as a gift for the keen gardener means they can transfer what they have grown into delicious dishes or even gifts they can give away too. See below for more Christmas gift ideas. When you are really stuck, a Garden Gift Voucher is a great way to go.
Sometimes weeds are not weeds and STINGING NETTLE is one of those I have discovered that can be transformed into a delicious dip/spread for the summer bar-b-ques
Stinging Nettle Pesto
6 cups of fresh stinging nettle (suggest you use gloves to harvest this) – boiled in a little water for 2 minutes – drain and hold back the liquid (I use this to make a smooth paste if needed)
1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 x Garlic Cloves
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Pine nuts or Cashew Nuts
Salt/pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients into blender. This is fabulous for pasta, with crackers and cheese, as a dip. Refrigerate until ready to use or I usually make a double mixture and freeze in small containers.
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
- Give flowers from your garden to friends and family
- Enjoy the fruit of your labour on Christmas day – Potatoes, peas (sown mid September), beans, lettuce, carrots, spring onions.
- Enjoy the raspberries, strawberries, black currents for desserts and juice
- Christmas Gift Ideas for the keen gardener: Gloves are a great stocking filler, Pruners, sprinklers, trowel, weeder, stainless steel spade or fork
Irrigation
- Watering systems should be installed to conserve water
- Trickle irrigation is the most economical,
- Time clocks will avoid over watering
- If you have automatic irrigation set for early morning e.g. 5am or late evening e.g. after 9pm
Holiday Care for your Garden
- If going on holiday give the garden a good soak before you take off, or make sure the irrigation system is working well and not leaking, or have sprinklers on a timer system and ask neighbours to turn the timer around if summer is particularly dry
- Mulch is great for keeping the moisture in
- Place potted plants in cool shade behind the house
- A good idea to have lawns mown by family/neighbours – makes the property look lived in.
- If you have a full vegetable/fruit garden, invite friends etc to enjoy rather than waste
Trees/shrubs
- Ensure any newly planted trees/shrubs have sufficient water to help get them established
Lawns
- Water just enough to keep green, browntop and fescue are fairly drought resistant and survive even if browned off
Roses
- Prune to 5 leaf after flowering, watering will encourage flowering
- Fertilise roses with Evergreen Rose Fertiliser to encourage new growth for second flowering
Flowers
- Plant your summer annuals now and enjoy the bright colours this brings to your garden
- Dead head/cut down and fertilise to encourage flowering
- Provide support for Dahlias and Christmas lilies
- Lavender: After flowering, cut back about 1/3, but make sure not to cut back to hard mature wood with no re growth potential.
