Selwyn_Times: October 11, 2023

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Wednesday October 11 2023 Selwyn Times
GARDENING 39
Fill your garden with delicious treats
• By Henri Ham
OCTOBER IS probably one of
the busiest months in the garden
– the jobs are endless but it’s also
a fun time to fill up your garden
with delicious treats such as
cucumbers, basil, tomatoes and
pops of colour.
General tidy up:
• Mulch your gardens to retain
moisture and suppress weed
growth
• Deadhead flowers to
encourage more growth
• Clean up dead leaves and
twigs as they may be harbouring
disease
• Remove moss from paths and
driveways
• Keep on top of your weeds
• Clean your tools – your
garden tools will be getting a
workout this season. Give them a
good clean and apply some olive
oil to prevent rust.
• Feed strawberries and
passionfruit
Cucumbers, capsicums, chillies,
pumpkins, tomatoes and zucchini
– it’s their time to shine. If you’re
new to gardening or thinking of
giving it a go – now is the perfect
time to dig in and get started.
If you’re still experiencing cold
snaps and frost in your area, we
recommend holding off planting
your tomatoes until the weather
warms up.
SUCCULENT: Now is the time to get your cucumber plants and russian tarragon in the garden.
Kumara, a Kiwi favourite
wouldn’t you say? If you’re
planting kumara this year, make
sure your soil isn’t too acidic.
Kumara prefers soil with a pH
level of around 6.0 to 6.5 – to get
the best of your crop make sure
that the base of your soil is solid
as this will prevent the roots from
growing all over the place and
encourage more tubers.
Basil and russian tarragon are
a must-have in any herb garden.
Basil works well planted amongst
your tomatoes to deter any bugs,
apparently, it intensifies the taste
of the tomato too.
Russian tarragon which is
actually part of the lettuce family
has quite a strong anise flavour,
it works well with roasts and as a
garnish.
Salad planting, keep planting
your lettuce, spring onions so that
you have plenty in the warmer
months.
If you’re after a berry-filled
summer, start planting your
raspberry, blueberry and
blackberry bushes now.
Just remember that slugs are
still about, try using a bait to
prevent these little guys from
eating all your hard work.
Add some colour to your
garden. Cosmos, dahlias,
gazanias, livingstone daisies and
petunias are popular this time
of year – these varieties are great
for border, bedding and hanging
baskets which is great for those
that have smaller gardens. Plant
some flowers around your vege
garden too to encourage those
little pollinators.
It’s also time to spray your roses
to prevent any fungal disease, it’s
also a good time to feed them as
they’ll be growing like crazy at the
moment.
Your lawns will be growing
PHOTOS: GETTY
at a rapid rate this month, keep
them looking lush by occasionally
applying lawn fertiliser is a blend
of nutrients that your lawn will
love, the high levels of nitrogen
will encourage thick, healthy
growth and prevent disease.
Keep an eye out for broadleaf
– if you spot some make sure to
spray them with weedkiller so
that they don’t take over your
hard work and resow any patchy
areas
Plant whatever takes your fancy.
If you’re a beginner gardener
there’s never been a better month
to start experimenting.
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