After the rip-roaring winds of mid to late September, it is a reminder to be prepared for all weather events in the garden. It is important to stake trees and shrubs while they are young and are getting their roots established.
If this does not happen, evena regular gentle wind can inhibit a plant from getting established as new feeder roots continually get broken off with the movement.
For a tree, I recommend three stakes: one against the trunk to give support to the stem and one on either side that stop the tree from rocking in the wind.
Another event to be prepared for is late frosts. There is always the risk of a cold snap coming across the country.
This can be particularly devastating to freshly planted cold-sensitive summer vegetable seedlings and subtropical and other frost-tender plants.
Have frost cloth and cloches on hand and, if temperatures are plummeting on a clear evening, a quick application of these will minimise damage.
Spray for brown rot on peaches and nectarines
It is also time to spray for protection against brown rot that destroys peaches, nectarines and sometimes apricots and plums, just as they ripen. Many come looking for a remedy each year when their fruit is rotting – the only fix for this is preventative spraying soon.
Make sure you have on hand Yates Fungus Fighter or a newer biological spray Botryzen. Botryzen is a natural fungus which colonises the fruiting area, preventing pathogenic rotting fungi or bacteria from establishing.
Either of these should be sprayed on peaches and nectarines once at commencement of flowering, once in full bloom, once at petal fall and once at shuck fall.
Brown rot can destroy peaches and nectarines.
Spray for curly leaf protection on peaches & nectarines
Flower and leaf buds on peaches and nectarines are certainly starting to swell. Now is the time to apply Freeflo copper and Enspray 99 oil to prevent curly leaf and get rid of any residual insect problems. These two products can be mixed together.
These certified organic oil and copper sprays can be used on all fruit trees as a winter clean-up which will help to remove overwintering insect larvae and kill fungus spores.
This will reduce pest and disease incidence in the coming summer. We recommend doing this spray combination twice, two weeks apart.
Plant seed potatoes
Spring has arrived and now is the time to start your main crop production of potatoes. Potatoes are very easy to grow.
It is important to select a good spot for them as potatoes need a sunny (at least five hours a day) position where they will not be competing for moisture. They also benefit from being in a sheltered area that does not receive strong winds.
Next, the soil needs to be “well worked” – this means that it has been dug over to a depth of 25-30cm. This will allow the potatoes to grow and multiply.
The addition of organic matter such as compost or sheep pellets will be beneficial as they not only add nutrients but will help hold moisture for longer. Potatoes are a tuber that forms on part of the stem that is underground.
By “mounding up” the soil around the stem as the plants grow you will increase the amount of stem underground and the yield from each potato plant.
Potatoes are very easy to grow.
Spray your lawn for prickles
Do you want to walk on your lawn in bare feet this summer? Now is the time to spray your lawn with Growsafe Prickle Weedkiller.
If you have a plethora of other weeds, a product such as the “click on to the hose” Yates Weed and Feed will take out the weeds and feed the grass in one application. An application of this in spring, summer and autumn every year will keep your lawn in pretty good nick.
Prepare for your summer vegetable garden
If your vegetable garden has not been touched for a while, now is the time to weed, clear, dig and feed the soil. The success of vegetables depends on the weather conditions and the soil.
Great soil gives great vegetables. As you regularly harvest vegetables, you need to ensure the soil is regularly replenished. Using a rich compost (not a cheap filler of pine bark called compost), such as the poultry-based Ican Premium Compost and Easy Earth Compost, is highly recommended.
A balanced fertiliser, such as Ican Organic Vegetable Food, is also a great product for use prior to planting and as a side dressing later.
These products will help with both soil structure and fertility which need to be addressed regularly for a successful vegetable garden.
Vegetables take a lot of nutrients from the soil so ongoing regular additions of products such as compost, Tui Sheep Pellets and Ican Organic Vegetable Food will replace them as well as produce a more friable soil suitable for vegetable growing.
Most vegetables prefer a neutral pH to alkaline soil, ie. pH 7-8. It is recommended to dust the soil annually with garden lime to maintain the slightly alkaline soil and improve the soil structure. An alkaline soil increases the availability of many nutrients and makes them more readily available for plant uptake.
Plant herbs
If you have been thinking about growing your own herbs, now is a great time of year to get started. Herbs generally thrive in warm temperatures where, if kept well-watered, they grow fast during the spring and summer months.
It is this fast soft growth that is so good for harvesting and using in many culinary delights. Many herbs are not only purposeful but can be grown simply for their ornamental value.
