FLOWER GARDEN

KITCHEN GARDEN

•   Plant summer flowering annual seedlings. Now available to plant are cosmos, petunias, lobelia, impatiens, marigolds, phlox, verbena, larkspur, alyssum, portulaca and many more.
  
• Mulch perennials, trees and shrubs to help conserve moisture, using compost, bark, peat or Debco’s Mulch ‘n’ Feed.
  
• Install inground watering systems for economical summer watering.
  
• All chrysanthemums and dahlias can now be planted.
  
• Plant water lilies and other pond plants.
  
• Liquid feed all flowering annuals and perennials with Phostrogen. Feed flowering shrubs with a side dressing of General Garden Fertiliser.  Sow seeds of flowering annuals directly into the garden; alyssum, Californian poppy, marigolds, cosmos, nasturtium, sunflowers. Sow in trays for transplanting later; carnations, dahlia, livingstone daisy, petunia, salvia, gerberas, celosia, phlox and geranium.
• Plant new seasons Hibiscus plants. 

ROSES

• Plant new roses using plenty of compost. Water all roses thoroughly at least once a week.
  
• Side dress roses with Palmers Rose Fertiliser. Mulch to retain soil moisture over summer.
  
• Spray roses with Super Shield to prevent fungus diseases and pest damage. Super Shield is also effective on other ornamentals.
  
• For further information on Roses see our Palmers "How To" Guides.

CONTAINER PLANTS

• Plant hanging baskets and terracotta pots with flowers for summer. Use Pot Power.
• Use Saturaid and Waterwise Water Storage Crystals mixed in to potting mix to retain moisture. Seal terracotta pots to aid moisture retention.
• Water daily to prevent drying out. Feed with Phostrogen weekly.

HOUSEPLANTS

• Increase watering as weather warms up. Feed at each watering with Phostrogen.
  
• Repot orchids after flowering

• Most warm weather veges can now be planted. Make generous use of compost. Plant herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicums, eggplant, lettuce, sweetcorn, gherkins, spinach, spring onions, watermelon, rockmelon, beetroot, celery and cabbage. Plant basil with tomatoes to improve flavour.
  
• Sow seeds directly into the garden; beans, peas, pumpkin, courgettes, carrots, beetroot, parsnip, radish and sweetcorn; sow in trays for transplanting later: lettuce, cabbage, capsicum, eggplant, leeks, spring onions. For continuous harvesting make sowings at three weekly intervals, eg lettuce, beans and sweetcorn.
  
• Spray with Champ DP or Greenguard to guard against fungus diseases.
  
• Plant main crop potatoes.
  
• All vegetables will benefit from a side dressing of Palmers Blood & Bone or Palmers General Garden Fertiliser.
  
• Tomatoes are growing quickly and need lots of water and feeding. Try Phostrogen Tomato Food. Regular deep watering is best.
  
• Hang Codlin Moth traps in apple trees to trap the moths and prevent the larvae entering fruit. The most effective control is to spray with Yates Success Naturalyte every 14 days, starting mid November after petal fall.
  
• Feed all citrus trees with Palmers Citrus Fertiliser. Feed other fruit trees with Palmers General Garden Fertiliser.
  
• Dust cabbages and cauliflowers with Derris Dust to prevent white butterfly caterpillar.
  
• Plant herbs and vegetables in pots. Use Palmers Tub and Container Mix or Dedco Pot Power.

LAWNS

• Apply Palmers Lawn Fertiliser when rain is due or water in.
  
• Water lawns in dry weather using a sprinkler. Do not cut too closely.
  
• Spray with Turfix for broad leaf weeds and Prickle Weedkiller to control Onehunga weed and stop the summer prickles.