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 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 July
Tip of the month –
After any pruning….It is wise to fertilise. In winter use a slow release fertliser. Spring time use a fast release fertiliser.
Edible Garden
- Keep planting garlic and Read more
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.
SAVE $$$ on your Grocery Bill
GST is up and so is the price of vegetables (by 20%). This makes fantastic sense to grow your own vegetables and fruit. If you are new to gardening, why not visit our Garden Centre and see our range of kitset planter boxes and fruit trees.
With Labour Weekend come and gone, it is safe to plant the frost sensitive plants outside (like tomatoes and cucumber) Check the Bar-B-Q is clean and gas bottle is filled!
Edible Garden
- Continue to plant lettuce, new seasons tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes, beans, carrots and corn
- Keep planting potatoes so you have new potatoes continuously over summer
- Plant and fertilise Strawberry plants
- Sow silverbeet and parsley seeds for winter
- Frost sensitive herbs can be planted outside now
- Companion planting – Plant garlic and marigolds in between crops– also brightens up the vegetable garden
Trees/shrubs
- Late November latest time for planting out shrubs and new trees unless on a good watering system.
- Prune buxus hedges, topiary etc at the end of November when growth is mature – Tip: Do this on a dull day to avoid sunburn
Lawns
- To keep lawns healthy – Fertiliser can be applied and water this in well after application
Roses
- Dead head flowers and keep roots damp
- Keep an eye out for black spot and aphids – Soapy water over leaves deters the pest
Flowers
- Annuals should be planted out now – Alyssum, Begonias, Lobellia, Marigolds, Pansies, Stock
- Evergreen Garden Centre has an everyday low price of $3.90/six pack
- Instant colour by your front door or bar-b-que area looks great too
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
