30 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Thursday <strong>March</strong> <strong>14</strong> <strong>2024</strong> Coast FM brings you a Feel Good 80s special edition vinyl. Listen to Coast to win, or order your limited edition copy at coastonline.co.nz 105.7FM
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Thursday <strong>March</strong> <strong>14</strong> <strong>2024</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> GARDENING 31 Time to tidy up and prepare for winter HARDY: If you want winter lettuce now is the time to get the plants into the soil. Stagger planting for a steady supply. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES MARCH IS a busy month in the garden with the final harvesting of summer crops and preparation for your winter garden begins. After the weird weather here through January and February, let’s hope the rest of <strong>March</strong> will bring more settled conditions for gardening. <strong>The</strong> last of summer vegetable crops are ready to harvest. Do a general tidy up and remove any finished or diseased crops and weeds etc before you begin preparation of your winter garden. Soil plays an important part in growing healthy strong plants, so always prepare the soil that you will grow your vegetables in well. Enrich and aerate it by digging in plenty of compost a week or two before planting. Check drainage is adequate for the wet winter months and when planting out, rotate the site for your vegetables. By rotating where crops are planted, you can manage the soil nutrient balance. <strong>The</strong> benefit of crop rotation is that as one plant depletes the soil of certain nutrients, the next plant will replenish the soil as it grows. Winter vegetables can now be planted – either with young seedlings or by sowing seed directly into the garden. Vegetables such as beetroot, broccoli, brussells sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, onions, radish, silver beet, spinach, swedes and turnips. Stagger your plantings so you have a steady supply over the season. Apply side dressings of fertiliser every four to six weeks throughout the growing period (depending on what you grow and how often you water your garden) to help keep plants in optimum health. Flowering annuals that flourish in the heat and long days of summer are now nearing the end of their season. Some species will continue flowering well into April, but in general, it is time to remove old plants and thoroughly prepare sites for your winter displays. Winter flowering annuals are a wonderful way to add colour to the garden during the colder months. Some varieties are; aquilegias, alyssum calendulas, cinerarias, cornflowers, lobelias, nemesia, pansy, primulas, snapdragons, statice, stock, sweet william, wall flower and violas. Planting of bulbs should be completed by the end of the month in colder parts of New Zealand. <strong>The</strong>ir blooms will be a welcome sight after a long dreary winter. Prepare the sites well for your new bulbs by adding compost and ensure there is enough drainage. Think about the final effect you want to achieve from your bulbs come spring, for instance, bulbs planted in clusters produce a more dramatic display. Bulbs to plant in <strong>March</strong> include anemone, daffodil, hyacinth, freesia, ranunculus, Ixia, lachenalia, sparaxis, tritonia, tulip and watsonias. It’s a great month for apples and pears with many varieties ripening. Gold queen peach (the last of the peaches to ripen) is mature on trees now. In early <strong>March</strong>, in warmer areas, passionfruit will be ripening – pick from the vines or collect off the ground as they turn purple. Stone fruit trees that have finished cropping can now be pruned to remove old and crowded branches, retaining wellspaced, new season growth for next year’s fruit. Once the weather has settled and regular autumn rains have arrived, the laying of new lawns and/or the renovation of existing lawns can begin. As with most tasks in the garden, preparation is the key to success. Always check the quality of the top soil you bring on to your property to avoid a new lawn full of seeds. Use bagged products for smaller spaces. One of the top tips for getting a superior year-round lawn is sowing a mixture of lawn seed. With existing lawns, feed with fertiliser and water it in well. Mow your lawn regularly to encourage strong, healthy grass growth. Are you looking to GROW your business? Showcase your business in front of thousands of people over 3 amazing days to make sales, generate leads and promote your brand at <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Home & Leisure Show 5-7 July <strong>2024</strong>. NZ OWNED CHRISTCHURCH CHRISTCHURCH HOMESHOW HOMESHOW ONLY UP TO 50% OFF PLANTS* *WHILE STOCKS LAST! AUTUMN Stands to suit most budgets. Spread the cost of your stand with monthly installments from the day of booking up until show day… Too easy! 5-7 July Wolfbrook Arena IN ASSOCIATION WITH <strong>2024</strong> be in to $10,000 of homeware products Call Juliet on 021 688 159 or email juliet.dickson@starmedia.kiwi to get more information on how you can be a part of this iconic event. www.starhomeshow.kiwi WEEKDAYS 8:30 – 5:00PM SATURDAYS 8:30 – 12:30PM 15 TH MAR – 28 TH MAR 515 MADDISONS RD, WEEDONS | WWW.GREENLINC.CO.NZ
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