The Star: October 08, 2020
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Thursday <strong>October</strong> 8 <strong>2020</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong><br />
33<br />
GARDENING<br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
Time to get planting and fertilising<br />
OCTOBER IS possibly the most<br />
exciting month in the home<br />
garden with plenty to plant both<br />
outdoors and indoors.<br />
Houseplants<br />
‘Change over time’ for cyclamen<br />
that have finished flowering,<br />
either plant them in the garden<br />
or pop them in the compost<br />
bin. Time to purchase and plant<br />
up news seasons flowering<br />
houseplants like spathiphyllums<br />
(peace lily), anthuriums,<br />
kalanchoes (flaming katies) and<br />
moth orchids. Check if existing<br />
houseplants need repotting. Use<br />
a houseplant potting mix and<br />
move them up to a slightly larger<br />
pot. Resist planting them into<br />
much larger pots as this can cause<br />
problems with watering. You can<br />
now start applying houseplant<br />
fertiliser.<br />
<strong>The</strong> change of season means<br />
some areas will become too hot<br />
for some houseplants. North<br />
and east-facing rooms provide<br />
the best light and filtered is best.<br />
Avoid placing plants up against<br />
windows in direct sunlight as<br />
their foliage will burn quickly.<br />
Vegetable garden<br />
All summer vegetables can now<br />
be planted including courgettes,<br />
cucumbers, beans, beetroot, carrots,<br />
celery, corn, leeks, lettuce,<br />
melons, onions, radish, pumpkin,<br />
tomato, and zucchini. Consider<br />
expanding your existing vegetable<br />
gardens remembering the experience<br />
of Covid19 this year.<br />
Prepare the vegetable plot thoroughly<br />
before planting with new<br />
compost, the better the preparation,<br />
invariably a more bountiful<br />
harvest. Stagger planting (every<br />
two weeks or so) to ensure continuous<br />
harvesting and avoiding<br />
If your cyclamen has<br />
finished flowering, replant it.<br />
vegetables maturing at the same<br />
time.<br />
Water young seedlings as<br />
requited and apply a side dressing<br />
of vegetable fertiliser as the plants<br />
mature.<br />
Flowering annuals<br />
It’s time to plant flower beds<br />
and containers with summer<br />
flowering annuals. As with the<br />
vegetable garden, prepare sites<br />
with new compost and use new<br />
container mix when planting into<br />
tubs and containers.<br />
Summer flowering annuals to<br />
plant this month include alyssum,<br />
asters, corn flowers, californian<br />
poppy, cosmos, delphiniums, hollyhock,<br />
livingston daisy, lobelia,<br />
marigolds, nemesia, petunias,<br />
portulacas, phlox, salvias, statice,<br />
sunflowers, sweet peas, verbena<br />
and zinnias.<br />
Fruit trees<br />
<strong>Star</strong>t applying fruit tree fertiliser,<br />
this is especially important<br />
around young specimens as the<br />
fertiliser encourages the development<br />
of a strong, sturdy root system.<br />
As soils warm towards the<br />
end of the month, mulch around<br />
trees to prevent weed growth and<br />
improve water retention over the<br />
hot, dry summer months.<br />
Berry fruit<br />
Boysenberries, blackberries,<br />
raspberries, and loganberries are<br />
all growing rapidly. Remove any<br />
surplus canes where growth is excessive.<br />
Keep training new canes<br />
on supports or wire. Fertilise with<br />
berry fertiliser every five to six<br />
weeks and add a layer of much<br />
around plants.<br />
Stop ‘pinching out’ strawberry<br />
flowers and allow fruit to form<br />
towards the end of <strong>October</strong>.<br />
Regularly inspect for any sights of<br />
botrytis (gray mould) and remove<br />
any infected leaves. Keep maintaining<br />
a mulch of pea straw and/<br />
or crushed bark around plants.<br />
Roses<br />
In most parts of New Zealand,<br />
roses will be flowering freely and<br />
will be disease free. Apply the first<br />
side-dressing of fertiliser towards<br />
the end of the month and repeat<br />
every five to six weeks until mid-<br />
December. Deadhead finished<br />
flowers to promote new continuous<br />
flowering.<br />
Lawns<br />
With grass growth under way<br />
it’s time to start regularly mowing<br />
again. Apply fertiliser and repeat<br />
every four to six weeks until mid-<br />
December. Fresh grass seed can<br />
be sown in problem areas of the<br />
lawn, spread new topsoil evenly<br />
before sowing seed. Keep the area<br />
moist until the grass seed has<br />
germinated. Grass cuttings can<br />
be added to the compost bin in a<br />
‘little but often’ manner.<br />
Container gardens<br />
Perfect time to replant<br />
containers with flowering<br />
annuals, herbs, or summer salad<br />
vegetables. Fill containers with<br />
fresh, new container mix that is<br />
free draining.<br />
naTiVe planT<br />
nursery<br />
Trees for CanTerbury<br />
oN sAle Now!<br />
speCialisTs in<br />
• Groundcovers<br />
• Ferns<br />
• Grasses<br />
• Small to big<br />
sized shrubs<br />
• Shelterbelts<br />
• ALL grades<br />
• Expert advice<br />
• Planting now<br />
Ask us about Super<br />
Gold Card discounts<br />
Helping our community grow<br />
42 Charlesworth Street<br />
Ph (03) 982-1028<br />
OPEN 7 DAYS<br />
www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz<br />
Now only<br />
$35.80<br />
Plus $5 P&H per copy<br />
AvAilAble from stAr mediA:<br />
Level One, 359 Lincoln Road<br />
Addington, Christchurch<br />
Phone 379 7100<br />
THE ONE STOP<br />
GARDENING RANGE<br />
FOR HOME GARDENERS<br />
growing with you Three Time winner of NZCNA Best Magazine | July <strong>2020</strong> | 100%<br />
Our shrub<br />
Of the month<br />
Why you need a<br />
smoke bush<br />
Gardening<br />
in Glass<br />
<strong>The</strong> art of<br />
making<br />
terrariums<br />
<strong>Star</strong>t your<br />
StrawberrieS<br />
Priming for sweet<br />
success this summer<br />
Are you ready<br />
to grow?<br />
Kiwi Gardener is your<br />
practical guide to gardening<br />
in New Zealand.<br />
SubScriBe FrOM $20<br />
$7.90 incl. GST<br />
Pass the<br />
Potato<br />
A Canterbury family<br />
keeping one special<br />
variety growing<br />
stars of the winter staGe<br />
daphnes, camellias, hellebores & more<br />
SubScriptionS<br />
Freephone <strong>08</strong>00 77 77 10<br />
www.Gardener.kiwi<br />
Manufactured and distributed by<br />
www.daltons.co.nz
Change language