August in the Garden

KITCHEN GARDEN

Plant:  potatoes, asparagus, garlic, lettuce, onions, spring onions, kale, celery, peas, beetroot, spinach, silver beet, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower...

Herb favourites - parsley, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, coriander, chives, garlic chives, mint ...

Add more goodness to the soil when replanting - dig in iCan Real Blood and Bone, sheep pellets, compost or vege mix.

ICan Ocean Grow is a fantastic liquid fish fertiliser which can be applied regularly and will really get your veges growing.

August shouldn't stop you from having salads - plant seedlings under a cloche or plant in a container with fresh potting mix and place in a warm sheltered spot.

A greenhouse is great for growing your favourite veges all year round - come and see the top-quality range of Winter Gardenz Greenhouses we have available. 

To view our Vegetable Plants Health Care Programme click here (or call in for a copy).

TREES & SHRUBS

Plant new trees and shrubs:

Magnolia's (choose your favourite from our lovely selection), rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, grevillea, Leucadendron (fantastic for cut flowers and floral work), Pieris (Lily of the Valley), Ericas (white, pink, or red) ....

For the birds plant - coprosma, corokia, five finger, flax, grevillea, kaka-beak, kowhai, pohutukawa, protea, manuka, and viburnum.

Maples look great in all gardens.

Plant new hedges.  Fantastic hedging plants are Japanese Box, Camellia Setsugekka, Corokia, Teucrium, and NZ's favourite Griselinia Broadway Mint!  We have great plants available now.

Box Hedging - spray with Grosafe Free Flo Copper and Grosafe Enspray 99 Oil alternating with Grosafe Buxus Blight Fighter to prevent the spread of Box Blight (Japanese Box is far more resistant than English Box to Box Blight).

Fertilise new and existing trees and shrubs with Ican Slow Food 24 Month fertiliser.

Fertilise acid loving plants with Tui Acid Fertiliser - camellia's, rhododendrons, azaleas, daphne.

Prune deciduous trees to desired shape and size – seal cuts with pruning paste.

Prune hydrangeas to double buds and remove old wood.  Hydrangea tip - sprinkle lime for pink flowers and aluminium sulphate (Tui Hydrangea Blue) for blue.

Trim and shape camellias as they finish flowering.  Thin them out so a bird can fly through.

MAINTENANCE

Good soil, feeding and watering is the key to great plants, flowers, fruit and vege production and overall garden health.

Fertilise with the great liquid iCan Ocean Grow fish fertiliser or the Tui range of Citrus Food, Strawberry Food and Rose Food.

Ican Slow Food is ideal for trees, shrubs, palms, but use Ican Fruit Food or Ican Fruit Food for Pots and Planters for your fruit trees in the garden or in pots.

Protect frost tender plants with frost cloth at night or spray with Vaporgard.  Vaporgard is an excellent organic product which is easily sprayed over foliage and provides up to 3 months protection.  It is also good to reduce transplanting shock.

Hygiene is important in the garden so clear away diseased leaves and prunings and sterilise secateurs, hedge trimmers etc before and after use (bleach is a good sterilant).

Pests and Diseases - check all plants regularly - it's easier to deal with them early before they take hold and do too much damage.

If fungus and bugs are present, they need to be kept under control with regular spraying.  We recommend:

Grosafe Free Flo Copper to control fungus diseases on all fruit, veges and ornamentals.
Grosafe Enspray 99 Oil for the control of sucking insects on all fruit, veges and ornamentals.
Success Ultra for caterpillars, thrips and leafroller.

Apply Blitzem, Quash (if you have animals) or Baysol (long acting) to control slugs and snails - particularly around new seedlings.

Mulch to suppress weeds and keep plant roots warm with Pea Straw Mulch or Daltons Mulch and Grow.