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

Lawns

• Fertilise lawns and any humps and hallows topdress with fresh grass seed

Roses

• New roses – plant in sunny, free draining soil incorporating Evergreen Rose Fertiliser around roots.
• Fertilise roses from around base to about 200 – 300mm from main stem with Evergreen Rose Fertiliser (slow release)

Flowers

• Pull winter annuals out if not done yet
• Protect early Azaleas and primroses from late frosts
• You can still divide Hostas, Astibes, Peonies and Bergenia
• Prepare flower beds for new seasons annuals wait until frosts have finished before planting annuals

We entered the TOP SHOP competition again this year and have come up trumps in the Large Format Category.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

YOU ARE A CHRISTCHURCH TOP SHOP® RETAIL EXCELLENCE AWARDS

FINALIST!

Come in and see why we have achieved this recognition again

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

Fry mustard, cumin and corriander in olive oil for about 2 minutes.  Add in all other ingredients.  Mix.  Steam until vegetables are cooked (about 5 minutes)   Enjoy

Edible Garden

• Purchase new seasons potatoes – place in warm spot inside to encourage sprouting of tubers – Try a different variety like Purple Heart – higher in antioxidants and delicious too.
• Prepare ground for new vegetables – Plant new potatoes in frost free area
• Ideal time to plant fruit trees e.g. cherry trees, plums, apricots, apples, pears etc.
• Plant new strawberries – cover with wire mesh /bird netting to prevent birds having a feed
• Fertilise asparagus, place mulch to prevent weeds – do not plant asparagus in colder areas until October

Garden Clean up

• Prune fruit trees
• Spray raspberries for caterpillars
• 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
• Camellias are coming out in particular prune the Sasanquas now until October – the other camellias should be pruned once they have finished flowering

Roses

• New roses – plant in sunny, free draining soil incorporating Evergreen Rose Fertiliser around roots.
• Fertilise roses from around base to about 200 – 300mm from main stem with Evergreen Rose Fertiliser (slow release)
• Still time to prune roses if not done yet

Flowers

• Pull winter annuals out
• You can still divide Hostas, Astibes, Peonies and Bergenia

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!

Edible Garden

• Keep planting garlic/shallots (make sure these are planted in a well drained soil) and broad beans.  Potatoes can be bought and placed in a warm dark spot to get a head start with sprouting roots
• Clean out your vegetable garden/raised gardens of old dead plants from summer (if you haven’t done it yet) e.g. tomato plants, lettuce etc.  This prevents pests and diseases re infecting spring plantings.
• Plant your strawberries now – (only $2 per plant from Evergreen Garden Centre) also plant berry fruit e.g. raspberries, gooseberries and currents.
• Best days for pruning and tying up existing raspberries and boysenberries, grapes and kiwifruit on  frosty sunny days – less disease spread, avoid damp days

Lilies

• Still time to lift and divide existing lilies/oriental bulbs

Fruit Trees

• Purchase new seasons stock – many varieties in store NOW
• Apply clean up sprays to fruit trees with copper spray to prevent pests and diseases
• Prune Apple and Pear trees (pip fruit) – Tip: Don’t prune apricots, peach or cherry trees – these need to be pruned when their leaves are on to prevent infection.
• 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

• Pea straw/mulching – Replenish gardens with pea straw to discourage weeds – Not much point in spraying weeds this time of the year
• To eradicate moss on trees/shrubs/roses and outdoor furniture/statues etc here is a home made clean up spray as follows – ½ cup bleach to 5 litres of warm water and a dash of detergent (to help it stick).  Make sure you wash it off other plants accidentally sprayed

Trees/shrubs

• Best time for planting trees and shrubs – Check out the new seasons stocks of 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
• Make sure your Citrus/frost sensitive plants are covered with frost cloth

Roses

• Purchase new seasons stock of Bush and Standard Roses – Great selection of roses to choose from
• New roses – plant in sunny, free draining soil incorporating Evergreen Rose Fertiliser around roots.
• Continue to prune and fertilise existing roses – Encourages flowering

Flowers

• Buy winter annuals to brighten your garden e.g. violets, poppies, polyanthus
• Great time to divide perennials

Catch up with our TEAM at the Christchurch Home Show this weekend.

Stands 108 & 109, CBS Canterbury Arena We have displays and information on Landscape Design and our landscape architect will be there to answer your questions regarding design and landscaping options.

We will have FREE tasting on natural winter remedies (use plants from your garden) and FREE recipies too

As you wander around the Show, we hope you enjoy the displays of trees and shrubs from Evergreen Nursery – over 450 specimens

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

• Dig in green crops (usually around 8 weeks after planting) Tip: 2 weeks later re-dig the soil before planting vegetable plants

Lilies

• Plant Christmas lilies and Oriental bulbs or lift and divide your lilies from last season

Fruit Trees

• Catch the trend and grow your own fruit – Always tastes better from your garden.  New seasons stock arriving  in our garden centre NOW
• Try double or triple graft apples/pears if space in the garden is a problem
• Go organic – 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 and shurbs
• Cover Citrus/frost sensitive plants with frost cloth

Roses

• Purchase new seasons stock of Bush and Standard Roses – be in quick to get the rose you are after
• 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)

Flowers

• Buy winter annuals to brighten your garden e.g. violets, poppies, polyanthus, place in pots by front door
• Great time to divide perennials
• Check out our NEW SHADE HOUSE – Huge range of new seasons Rhododendrons and Camellias, also a great range of larger sized Camellias etc. to fill a gap

We have a FREE gift for you or your mum when you make a purchase over $30.00 and mention the WEB Special.

Autumn is well on it’s way with the Oaks, Acers, Cornus, Ash and Elms all looking amazing with their bright cheerful colours.  May is the month to finish up with the garden cleanups before the cold weather sets in.  With frosts on the way this is something to be grateful for…as this is natures way of controlling undesirable bugs.

Edible Garden

• You still have time to plant winter vegetables: broccoli, brussel sprouts cabbages, cauli, silverbeet plus winter lettuces
• You should have finished digging up your potatoes – make sure they are stored away from any light to prevent them going green and bitter
• Autumn is a time to watch out for slugs/snails.  Blitzem to control these pests
• Plant berry fruit such as strawberries/blueberries/raspberries also get ready to prune/tying raspberries now to encourage good fruiting season in summer.
• Dig in your green crops if they have grown, you need to do this before they flower
• Fruit Trees – Once leaves fall spray with Champ DP Copper Fungicide” This will protect leaf scars from fungal and bacterial infection
• Protect citrus from frosts – either move potted citrus under eves of house or cover with frost cloth

Flowers/Colour

• Mothers Day gift Idea: Fill a hanging basket with potting mix and potted colour… but as a surprise – beneath the potted colour, plant some bulbs that will come up later for mum to enjoy – fragrant Hyacinth are a lovely idea – or plant with her favorite colour/variety of potted colour
• Bulbs: Feed existing bulb areas with ‘Fiesta bulb plant food’ also use when planting new bulbs – plant in circles – this makes it easier to thin them later
• Plant potted colour e.g. Polyanthus, Pansies in your garden to brighten up front gardens or entranceways
• Peonies, Japanese Iris and Watsonias – It is now time to divide these
• Protect your geranium and succulents for winter

Roses

• Carpet roses can be pruned hard – this is most easily done with hedge shears
• Other roses – don’t prune too hard as they may grow too big, Peace is one that needs only a light prune.

Garden Clean up

• Place 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 don’t come
• 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
• Still watch out for grass grubs as these will still be chewing on grass root system.
• Now is the time to keep weeds in the lawn under control – use broadleaf killer e.g. Turfix

Trees/shrubs

• Fertilise fertilise, fertilise….To promote autumn growth of shrubs, trees, potted plants
• Best time for planting trees and shrubs – While soil is still warm, this encourages root establishment
• Pruning of trees/shrubs should be finished by first frosts
• Wrenching of deciduous tree now is the time to dig around shrubs or trees you want to move in winter
• Prepare your garden for your new winter stock

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.

• 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 in
• Place 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 -

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.