GARDENING IN OCTOBER
Spring is under way. The roots department in the plant world is in full swing. Bear this in mind when transplanting and liberal use of seaweed spray or watering gives visible results.
Edible garden
■ Root crops can be slashed down and dug in now and any compost you have made spread out in the vegetable garden, with a good dressing of lime, in preparation for later this month when planting reaches a peak.
■ Use of plastic cloches allows an earlier sowing of crops and no worry about temperature or the cat destroying your efforts.
■ Leafy greens such as lettuce should be in, so as the weather suggests salads and outdoor dining you are ready. Baby carrots, radishes, spring onions for the salad, can all be started under cloches.
■ Potatoes can be planted now and mound up to avoid the new shoots being frosted.
■ Asparagus will be peeking up soon. A good liberal dose of sheep pellets and mulch will help sustain the needs of this crop.
■ The herb garden can spruced up with compost and existing plants evaluated and if found wanting replaced, so new produce from the garden in the coming months can be accompanied by the herb best suited to enhance the flavours.
■ Use of plastic can help get a jump on planting, it brings the temperature up and may help with minor frost protection, but frost cloth is advisable if a big frost is forecast.
Flower garden
■ Look to filling the gaps in the border as the soil warms, and mulch the areas between larger perennials to help suppress weeds and retain water as we edge towards summer.
■ Basket and pot time. Review your baskets and pots and replant them now. Spreading lobelia and spreading petunias are available along with bacopa to give those baskets a colourful look. Pelagoniums that thrive on dry conditions are ideal for pots and some lovely new examples are now available.
■ Think of theming outdoor living areas, a colour or a tropical look are easily achieved and enhanced with potted plants and a lot of those are coming available now. New bush bouganvilleas are an example.
■ Spray roses when in full leaf as aphid will be there, Yates Super Shield is a combination insect and black spot spray.
■ Lawns need a tidy up after winter. Spray now for Onehunga weed or use Yates Weed n Feed to achieve this. Moss needs Iron Sulphate to get rid of it and then resow the bare patches before summer.
■ As apple trees come into bloom its time to think about codlin moth. Traps or greased cardboard on the trunk are effective measures.
Its time to utilise the extra daylight hours now in the evenings and above all enjoy your garden and let it be a recreational haven for you and your family.