Challenging time with dry weather
February is a busy month for harvesting fruit and gathering mature vegetables. It can be a little challenging with typically very dry weather and strong winds. With daily care, you can limit the impact on your garden.
FRUIT TREES
It’s harvest time for late-season peaches and plums, and the beginning of apple and pear season. Young fruit is now forming on all citrus trees so water regularly. This is especially important for younger trees to prevent fruit fall. Mulch to help maintain soil moisture and begin applying fertiliser in late
February.
STRAWBERRIES
Fruiting of strawberries has now finished. Allow plants to grow vigorously to provide runners for next season planting. Keep strawberry beds weeded, plants mulched and water to maintain strong, vigorous growth.
RASPBERRIES
In most seasons, there will be a second crop of raspberries in February — not as prolific as the earlier crop, but often quite plentiful. Continue thinning and removing excess growth and tie up new season’s growth for next year’s cropping.
ROSES
Towards the end of the month, roses will perk up again and start providing beautiful displays of flowers. It’s also a good time to start applying Daltons Premium Rose Fertiliser. Remove any diseased leaves and spray regularly to keep rust and black spot at bay. Add a good layer of compost around plants.
LAWNS
It’s not an easy month to maintain an attractive lawn, especially if your water supply is limited. As with last month, leave lawns to grow a little longer than normal to help ‘catch’ and retain any decent rainfall.
Visit www.daltons.co.nz if you need more gardening advice or information on the wide range of Daltons produce.