WE ARE BACK ON LOW STAFF CAPACITY AND ARE STARTING TO SHIP ORDERS THIS WEEK! NORTH ISLAND ONE-TWO WEEK ETA. SOUTH ISLAND ORDERS PLEASE EXPECT A TWO-THREE WEEK ETA. WE WILL ADVISE YOU OF ANY COURIER DELAYS. WE HOPE YOU HAD A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A GREAT START TO YOUR NEW YEAR :-)

Herbs and veges

Activities for June/July

 
Activities for June/July

OUTDOOR PLANTING TIPS FOR MAY & JUNE

This is your last chance to take advantage of the warmer autumn soils. There is only a small window for planting native seedlings in frost-prone areas. If you havent planted seedlings yet its best to possibly wait until spring now. Keep the frost cloth on-hand for anything tender you have just planted.

Use liquid seaweed to harden off frost tender plants for winter, apply at 3x the label strength every fortnight or so in late autumn & early spring.

Move your cold sensitive potted plants into a more sheltered position away from the frosts.

Fruit trees - Give deciduous fruit trees a spray of liquid Copper on leaf drop to prevent leaf curl and other fungal/bacterial issues.

This month in the orchard, you can pick feijoas, quince and rhubarb.

Pick up any rotten fruit under trees and compost them. Keep an eye on your harvested fruit – some varieties have a short-shelf life!  Remove any diseased leaves on the ground under your fruit trees. Remove the diseased leaves of stone fruit trees infected with leaf curl from around the trees - do not compost them. 

Cut back any perennials that have finished flowering; many can be lifted and divided later in the month for next year.

Prepare your planting sites for winter planting. Spray, cultivate, repeat until site is clear of weeds. 

Watering - You can cut back on watering now provided your plants are well established and mulched for winter. Ensure adequate drainage so water is not pooling around the base of your plants for the winter.

Weeds - Make sure you have taken those peasky weeds out. They can harbour pests and disease.

Mulch - Collect all your leaves to compost and return to the garden in the future as a very beneficial leaf mould. Adding a layer of mulch around your shrubs and trees will act like a blanket and keep them warm through winter, suppress weeds, and add nutrients to your soil.

Check your soil condition PH and moisture levels to make sure your plants can get what they need over these cold months.

Protect - Check for aphids, white fly, spider mite, and scale - treat with an appropriate insecticide like conqueror oil.

Posted: Saturday 15 June 2019