Selwyn Times: November 21, 2018

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday November 21 2018 35
Gardening
Local
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Use compost to ensure continuous flowering
NOVEMBER IS one of the
most enjoyable months to
spend in the garden, with
abundant growth everywhere.
That means there are
plenty of tasks to keep
gardeners busy.
Vege garden
All summer vegetables
should have been planted
by now, including beans,
beetroot, cabbage, celery,
corn, cucumber, courgettes,
lettuce, peas, pumpkin, radish,
spring onions, spinach,
tomatoes, silver beet and
zucchini.
Stagger plantings to
extend the time for harvesting
and keep developing
vegetables well-watered
without over-watering.
Apply side dressings of vegetable
fertiliser, especially
to gross feeders like sweet
corn. Add a layer of mulch
or pea straw to help water
retention and reduce the
infestation of weeds.
On tomato plants, there
are laterals which are
shoots that appear between
the junction of a leaf and
the stem. You want to create
a strong tomato plant
with a good structure, so
remove laterals from the
stems up to at least 1m
from the ground and keep
removing them regularly
until the plant is around
1.3-1.4m tall. Use sharp secateurs
and ensure they are
clean before you start. Be
sure to stake your tomato
plants well.
Herb garden
New season herbs should
be planted by early November
including frost-tender
basil. Remember that herbs
grow best in fine, welldrained
soil in a full-sun
site. They will struggle to
grow in heavy clay soils or
in shady parts of the garden.
Summer annuals
Summer flowering
annuals should be in
vigorous growth by now.
This includes alyssum,
ageratum, aster, candytuft,
cornflower, cosmos,
marigold, nemesia, phlox,
portulaca, petunias, salvias,
strawflower and zinnias.
The key to continuous
flowering over summer is
through good preparation
with the addition of
compost to the existing
soil before planting.
Dead heading (removal
of finished flowers) helps
promote continuous
flowering throughout
the season. Water plants
regularly, especially when
young seedlings are first
planted.
Fruit trees
Fruit trees are in full
growth mode, so apply a
side dressing of fruit tree
fertiliser, especially to
young trees. Irrigate newly
planted trees deeply to help
establish a strong, sturdy
root system and mulch to
reduce water loss.
Containers
With home gardens
reducing in size, container
gardening is even more
popular. Multifunctional,
they can be used for growing
herbs, mini-veges, or
provide a splash of colour
when planted with summer
annuals. Always use
fresh container mix when
planting.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL: Container gardening is popular. Keep your blooms well
nourished.
Juicy Lemons
need plenty of water
To ensure you have enough juicy lemons, keep
the water up to your plants while they are in
flower now. Dry lemons are directly related to
lack of water as the crop develops over summer.
A layer of mulch works wonders, apply mulch
after watering the soil. A top up of fertiliser will
do them wonders as well.
Preparing for the dry season
If you haven’t already got bark on your garden, add a layer of
organic compost now, and mix it through your existing soil. Keep
the watering up over the next few weeks, then look to add
your bark mulch before the heat really fires up. If you have got
a thin layer of bark, try and boost it up to a good 10cm as this
will help get the best results. If you have already added your
bark – well done! You will need to keep the watering up now
to stay ahead of the game. Water is essential for healthy plant
growth and development. Establish a good watering routine,
ensuring you give your plants a good deep soak every few days
rather than a light sprinkling every day. Weeding isn’t exactly
the most enjoyable part of gardening, but skipping out of doing
it is going to be costly for your plants. Not only do they look
unsightly, they take up a lot of nutrients and water that your
plants need, as well as fight for space. Dedicate time to remove
them as soon as they pop up, it will seem less of a task if you
do it that way rather than letting them build up over a month
or more.
SAFER ACCESS TO INTELLIGRO
Heading north on Main South Road you will use the
Weedons Ross Road off ramp. Manion Road is just before
the railway lines on the left-hand side.
If you are heading south along Main South Road, then turn right into Curraghs
Road, and Manion Road is on your left just before the railway line. You cannot
miss our big green sign. Our team look forward to seeing you in store!
N
Main South Road (SH1)
Weedons Ross Road
261
Proposed Christchurch Southern Motorway Stage 2 (CSM2) alignment
New local road
Alston Road
Railway Line
Manion Road
Berketts Road
Jones Road
Larcombs Road
Justine Drive
Curraghs Road
Robinsons Road
Dawsons
Road
Mound em up!
Potatoes will need to have the soil mounded up around the
tops of the rows now. This helps to encourage a larger crop.
Early spuds like Swift and Rocket may be ready for harvest.
Once the crop flowers and the stems begin to wither it
indicates the crop is ready. Potatoes require plenty of water as
the crop begins to develop, and fertiliser to help them develop.
For more information, check out our website:
www.igro.co.nz
or visit our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/igro.co.nz
261 Manion Road, Weedons
Access to Intelligro from Manion Road is now available from both the Weedons Ross Road end,
and Curraghs Road entrances.
www.igro.co.nz | Phone 03 347 9415