The Star: October 24, 2019

Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
The start of a blooming garden
THE JOY of spring is that there
are plenty of jobs to do in the
garden, especially now the soil is
warming up.
Towards the end of October,
early season varieties of
strawberries will begin to ripen.
Check plants regularly for signs
of grey mould (botrytis), and
remove any affected leaves and
fruit.
Add pea straw, hay or clean
bark mulch around the plants
to provide a clean ‘nest’ for
developing strawberries.
Raspberries, boysenberries,
loganberries and blackberries
should be growing at a very fast
rate as we move through the
month.
Train canes on a wall or a
wire framework. It may be
necessary to remove some
surplus canes where growth is
exceptional. Mulch with compost
to suppress weeds and conserve
soil moisture, and fruit and berry
fertiliser.
Lawns are now in very active
growth and require regular
mowing. Fertilise with lawn
fertiliser and repeat every four to
six weeks.
This is the last month for
‘easy’ laying of a new lawn or
for patching and existing
lawn.
It’s a great time to plant up
BEST DISPLAY OF YEAR: Roses should now be coming into bloom.
your container gardens with
ornamental annuals, perennials
or herbs, and even small green
salad veges.
Always start with fresh
container mix and ensure the
containers are well drained.
Summer annuals that thrive in
containers include dwarf cosmos,
marigolds, petunia, portulacas,
salvias and zinnias.
If you are establishing a new
herb garden or restoring an
existing one, try and position the
herb garden close to the kitchen
so it’s easy to access.
Ideally, herbs prefer a sunny,
well-drained position. You may
need to plant more of the herbs
you frequently use for example
basil, chives, parsley.
Roses will now start coming
into their own.
The first blooms are the best
display of the year before the
dreaded blackspot and rust
appear.
Fertilise them every four to
six weeks with rose fertiliser as
this enhances regular and ‘strong’
flowering.
Mulch with compost to help
retain soil moisture and ‘dead
head’ (the removal of old flowers)
regularly to help promote
continuous flowering.
Thursday October 24 2019 The Star
GARDENING 33
Keep safe by
taking
precautions
SPRING IS a time when
working in the garden is the
place to be.
However, there are hidden
dangers and one of those is
developing legionnaires’ disease.
Here are some guidelines to
avoid that happening
•Minimise the amount of dust
present when working in the
garden.
•Water gardens and indoor
plants using a gentle spray.
•Read the warning label on
bagged composts or potting mix.
•Wear gloves.
•Wear a mask so that any dust
is filtered out before you can
breathe it in.
•Dampen potting mixes
before use.
•Open bags of soil products
slowly, away from the face.
•Make sure the working area
(for example, the glasshouse or
potting shed) is well ventilated.
•See a doctor if you develop a
flu-like illness that seems to be
worsening.
•Wash hands thoroughly
after gardening or handling soil
products.
These are simple, easy and
natural steps that all gardeners
can take to reduce risk while
continuing to enjoy their
garden.
Labour Weekend
Open Hours:
oN sAle Now!
Late Night
Thursday 24th October until 7pm
Friday and Saturday 7.30am-5pm
Sunday and Monday 8am-4.30pm
Spring sale
starts this
weekend.
At least
20%
off all plants
Now only
$35.80
Plus $5 P&H per copy
AvAilAble from stAr mediA:
Level One, 359 Lincoln Road
Addington, Christchurch
Phone 379 7100
Christchurch’s largest range
of landscaping supplies with
over 70 bulk bins
03 348 2915
www.gardenbox.co.nz
57 Lunns Road, Middleton
Great deals on thousands of
trees and shrubs.
Visit southernwoods.co.nz/sale for details
Sat 26th October to
Sun 3rd November
Open Labour Day
Includes Natives, Hedging, Grasses, Specimen Trees, Perennials, Forestry & Fruit
Open every day from 9am to 5pm, with plenty of helpful staff! Deals instore only.
1002 Robinsons Road Just south of Christchurch - Call us on 0800 800 352