Tips and News

To Do List …

Hazel King suggests …

Prepare for winter vegetables. Move spent plants to compost area, add old compost and manure to garden beds. Grow vegetable seeds in suitable mix.

Remove dead flowers from annuals. Fertilise fortnightly. A light pruning will prolong flower life.

Bulb catalogues are now arriving from growers. Spend time to make a suitable selection for garden beds and pots. Purchase early for top quality. If cold climate bulbs are your choice (tulips, crocus, hyacinth for e.g.) these will need to be chilled in the refrigerator crisper for a minimum of six weeks. Store in paper bag marked with bulb name.

Autumn is a suitable time to lay turf. Soil preparation is vital. Prepare area by aerating and adding organic matter.

Consider pruning summer fruiting trees. Many experts are now recommending that peaches, plums, etc be pruned after harvesting.

Check your plants for fungal diseases which increase in summer and early autumn. Most are host specific. At the end of a hot, busy day watering the garden is a relaxing pastime. However, it is recommended that this job be done in early morning so the leaves stay drier, therefore lessening fungal problems.

Add fertiliser to garden areas as mulch products draw nitrogen from the soil as they break down.

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