BUNNINGS August 2019

Tip
If you have irrigation,
check that lines, drippers or
sprinklers aren’t blocked and
replace worn parts. Thinking
about installing irrigation?
Buy DIY kits in store and
get to it now!
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Fix it
Boost your crops
2Out with the old
If your winter vegies have done their dash,
harvest the last of them and add the rest to
the compost heap or green waste. If pests or
diseases affect any parts of the plants, discard
them so you don’t spread the problem.
Use the last weeks of
cooler weather to dig
out old crops and prep
your soil for spring
Growing essentials
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Words Tammy Huynh and Jane Wrigglesworth.
Photography iStock, (forking in compost) Getty Images
4Water works
Over time, soil can get hydrophobic
(water repellent), meaning that despite
your best efforts, water will not sink
through the soil to your plants’ roots. You
can ensure water retention with the use of
compost. “Regular applications of compost
enable sufficient retention and movement
of moisture in soil,” says Jack. Wetting
agents are useful for containers. These
agents help soil absorb water and are
available in both granular and liquid
options for easy application; ensure you
choose one suitable for food crops.
5Preparing for planting
Most leafy greens, including spinach
and lettuce, can go in the ground now. Feed
them regularly with a complete fertiliser.
“Don’t forget to apply a layer of mulch,
like pea straw or a blend of aged pine
bark mulch and compost, to keep the soil
warm and help suppress weeds,” says Sue
Edwards of Seasol. “Also, get a head start
on spring and summer crops, like tomatoes,
by sowing seeds in a mini greenhouse
and keeping them on a warm windowsill.”
Once the weather warms, they’ll be ready
for transplanting outside. ◆
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1 Fiskars ‘Nyglass’ garden fork, $4.60, SKU: 03367499.
2 Saxon mini greenhouse with seed tray, $8.98,
SKU: 02960182. 3 Pope raised garden irrigation kit,
$29.98, SKU: 00202244. 4 Seasol concentrate,
$10.96/1L, SKU: 03012812. Some products are not
available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.
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