The corona virus has made much of what we do very uncertain in our every day lives but our gardens go on following the change of season into Autumn unaffected by this pandemic.
This may be a good opportunity to spend more time in our gardens and catch up with projects we have wanted to do but other activities have not allowed us the time.
Autumn is a busy time in the garden as harvesting fruit and Summer vegetables will be finished by the end of the month and preparations from the Winter must be well under way.
Any unused ground can be sown with green crops and the leaves and the old vegetable and flower plants put down to compost for use next season. Main crop potatoes can be lifted and stored or left in the ground and dug as needed if the ground is not subjected to being very wet.
The lawns will benefit from some good maintenance; weed control, fertilising and over sowing of any worn areas before the colder weather starts.
We still have not had any significant rain so watering is still needed, also do not cut the grass too low.
Bulb planting of spring bulbs is still to carry on along with the planting of Winter/Spring annuals.
Fruit trees can now have a clean up spray for pest and diseases once the fruit has been all picked, to prevent any carry over to the next growing season.
There will still be some dahlia flowers so wait until a frost has cut them back before you lift them. Chrysanthemums will be in full flower make sure they are well supported and pick them before they are too open to get the best vase life from the blooms. Now is the time to have a good clean up get rid of any plants that are not doing well and prepare for planting new plants.
Stay safe in the garden, Michael Coulter
We want your problems!
Have a gritty garden problem you can’t solve — or just need some general advice? Email your questions to info@chsgardens.co.nz by end of day Sunday and we will post them in our weekly newsletter (during COVID-19 shutdown). Or consult our online facebook group