April’s shorter days are still warm, so it’s a great time to tidy and nourish your garden in preparation for winter. The temperatures can start dropping quite quickly, so be prepared, and keep a close eye on your garden.
Veggies
Get your winter veggie garden underway! Plant seedlings of leeks, spring onion, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and beans. Stagger planting to enjoy a longer harvesting period. And don’t forget to give your still-producing beds some love by digging in compost and sheep pellets.
Flowers
Add some colour to your garden with potted flowers like calendula, alyssum, poppies, viola, and pansies in pots and hanging baskets. Deadhead your roses once flowering comes to an end. And if you’ve chilled your tulips and hyacinth bulbs for 4-6 weeks, you can plant them now. Chilling these bulbs in a paper bag in the fridge before planting encourages better blooms come spring.
Indoor Plants
Finish taking any cuttings for propagation, as there is a lower chance of survival once the colder weather starts to set in. Reduce watering as the temperatures cool down.
Lawns
Get rid of weeds in your established lawns with Yates Weed ‘n’ Feed. Remember not to sow new lawn seed for at least three weeks after weeding. Evenly apply Kings Lawn Fertiliser to existing lawns and water in well. Mow less as the days start to get shorter.
Garden Plants
Plant new season camellias! They love full sun to part shade, depending on the variety, and make an attractive hedge flowering in Autumn to early spring. Feed with Kings Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron Fertiliser. It’s also time to plant your hedges while the soil is still workable! Eugenia, griselinia, and pittosporum are great for medium to large hedging, while corokia and buxus are perfect for smaller, well-maintained spaces.
For more gardening tips, pop into your local Kings, or visit kings.co.nz.
