Kings Autumn Scoop

FREE ISSUE

Autumn Scoop 2020

DIY SUCCULENT POT

Easy-to-make living gift

GREENER PASTURES

All you need to know about lawns

Growing PRIVACY

Time to plant hedging!

Autumn HARVEST

Try our delicious seasonal recipes

PLUS

An exclusive look into our brand new Botany café!

SPRING BULBS

Plant now for gorgeous spring blooms

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You can’t grow wrong with Kings ANT

our plants that if your plant doesn’t thrive like it should, we’ll replace it absolutely free.

If your plant isn’t thriving

our Plant Doctor can help

with free advice instore and online.

Visit kings.co.nz for more info.

Contents Autumn 2020

IN THE GARDEN

EVERY ISSUE

6

Your Autumn Garden

4

Gardeners’ Mail

What to do in the Garden this

Celebrating gardeners and their success stories

season

12 Indoor Plant Care

Correct Autumn Care

16 DIY Succulent Planters

A fun and simple DIY project

18 Kings Garden Cafe

10 Little Growers

Boredom buster ideas!

14 Top Autumn Plants

Our top plant picks of each month!

20 Plant Doctor

Say hello to our new Botany cafĂŠ

24 All About Lawns

22 Tasty Recipes

All you need to know about sowing and caring for lawns

24 Spring Bulbs

Plant now for gorgeous spring blooms

30 Growing Hedges

Learn about what hedge suits your property

Your questions, our expert advice

Using autumn harvested crops for a delicious dinner idea

28 The Social Scoop

Celebrating your kings photos from our Instagram channel!

Gardeners’ Mail Celebrating gardeners and their success stories

GROWING FOR BEES My 4-year-old did the Great Bee Hunt last year and was so excited to receive her packet of sunflower seeds after doing the activity instore. When summer came, she helped prep the garden to plant her seeds, then watched them grow every day from our kitchen window until they became enormous! She was super excited when the flowers came out and was amazed how big they were. We’ve been watching the bees visit them each day too. It’s been a great learning experience for her.

- Ange, New Lynn

EDIBLE PARADISE We moved into a small blank-canvas property in Millwater less than two years ago and wanted to grow our own organic food with zero carbon miles. To begin with we planted ten fruit trees on the front lawn. Then in pots came blueberries, strawberries, citrus, tomatoes, tamarillo, capsicums, chillies and a banana palm.

Then my clever husband built a raised garden for smaller vegetables, we added feijoa hedges for privacy and then a vegepod. The next thing will be a seedless grape from Kings to run along the fence. Our philosophy is unless we can eat it we don’t grow it, although I have added one or two ornamentals into little gaps.

Anyone can achieve this, you just need to start small and it is very addictive and rewarding. No trip to Kings Cafe in Silverdale is complete without picking up a new plant for the garden, some vegetable seedlings or something to go in a pot!

- Kerron, Millwater

WIN Send us your stories and be in to

a Kings $50 voucher

4

Every published story wins, so send us your gardening success stories!

Post: PO BOX 31002, Milford, 0741 email: info@kings.co.nz or message us on Facebook or Instagram

HELPING A COMMUNITY GROW OKE CHARITY On behalf of the Oke Charity we would like to extend a huge thank you to the Kings Plant Barn team who kindly donated fruit trees, potting mix and volunteers to help us build a productive garden at Papatoetoe Intermedia school on the 4th March. We are committed to building these outdoor classrooms in every South Auckland

school, enabling kids to learn crucial life and social skills by growing nutritional food from the ground up. We couldn’t do it without the support of our community partners, thank you Kings.

Regards, - Paul Dickson

Your

Autumn Garden Autumn is nature’s planting time, filled with brilliant colour from both flowers and turning leaves. Now is the time for clearing things up in the garden and for preparing the way for the next growing season.

Buxus

MARCH TO DO LIST

Many of the delights and pleasures of the summer garden are still lingering. The temperatures slowly easing makes it more comfortable to tend to the garden, which is just as well as there are many things that can be done in an early autumn garden.

Chrysanthemum Garden Mums

LAWN

FRUIT

TREES & SHRUBS

•

Give a good deep watering once a week.

•

Feed and water around the fruit tree root zone.

•

Plant trees, shrubs, hedging and hardy climbers.

•

Tackle weeds in the lawn, either by spot spraying or using Weed ‘N’ Feed.

•

Remove any rotting fruit and dead or diseased branches.

•

Feed trees and shrubs with a general fertiliser.

•

Patch lawns now by sowing grass seed.

Thin out the leaves on grapevines to help ripen late grapes.

•

•

Give final trim before it gets too cold.

•

Give the lawn a good dethatch, using your rake to take out the old layer underneath.

VEGGIES •

Continue to harvest squash, pumpkin, tomatoes and zucchini.

•

Remove annual plants as they fade.

•

Start to sow seed and plant out seedlings for the winter garden.

•

Sow green manure crops in empty beds.

FLOWERS

GENERAL TASKS

•

Feed flowering plants for a continual bloom.

•

Keep greenhouses well ventilated.

•

•

Deadhead and cut back fading plants, remove spent foliage.

The compost bin will fill quickly at this time of year, but don’t add any diseased or pest-infested materials.

•

Add chrysanthemum Garden Mums, mini cyclamen and asters to pots and garden.

•

Take semi-ripe cuttings from your favourite shrubs and perennials.

•

Pop spring bulbs in the fridge for a month to simulate a cold season.

APRIL TO DO LIST

As temperatures cool and the nights become longer, it can begin to feel more like the winter we are approaching than the summer we have left.

There is still plenty to be done in the garden before it gets really cold.

LAWN

FLOWERS

•

A good mow and an edge clip will make the lawn look tidy.

•

•

Give the lawn a good feed of lawn fertiliser, such as Kings Lawn Fertiliser or Yates Weed ‘N’ Feed.

Refresh hanging baskets and fill gaps in the garden with winter flowering annuals.

•

Now is the best time to plant spring flowering bulbs, including tulips.

•

Mark ANZAC Day by sowing Flanders Poppies.

•

Once flowering perennials have finished, cut them back.

•

Continue making repairs to a tired or patchy lawn.

VEGGIES •

Plant winter crops to ensure a continued harvest.

TREES & SHRUBS

•

As summer crops finish add compost or well-rotted manure to help replenish the soil.

•

Rake up fallen leaves from lawns and paths. Use them to make leaf mould, a wonderful soil conditioner.

•

Keep on top of weeds in the garden.

•

Continue to plant any new trees, shrubs and hardy climbers at this time.

FRUIT • •

Check often for ripe apples, pears and feijoas to beat the birds.

Gather up any fallen fruit to eat, pop in the compost or rescue edible parts of the fruit to make jam or preserves.

•

Apples can keep for several months if stored well in a dark, dry place.

•

Feed citrus root zone with a citrus fertiliser.

GENERAL TASKS •

Pop a net over ponds and water features to prevent leaves falling in.

•

Check any structures, supports and sheds to see if any repairs are needed.

•

Protect winter crops with a bug netting cover.

Calendula

MAY TO DO LIST

There is now a chill in the air in the mornings as the month progresses and wrapping up warm is required to get the last of the autumn garden chores done in preparation for the cold winter days ahead.

LAWN

TREES & SHRUBS

GENERAL TASKS

•

Mow and weed when needed.

•

•

•

Clear any leaves of flawns.

Plant new trees, shrubs and hardy climbers.

Release water from hoses and roll them away.

•

Protect young trees with sturdy stakes and windbreaks.

•

Give tools a good clean and store away out of the elements.

•

Deciduous trees benefit from a clean-up spray of lime sulphur or a copper-based spray.

•

Wash all used pots and containers ready for using again.

•

Dig in early compost crops.

VEGGIES •

Protect any tender young seedlings from frost with frost cloth, especially basil.

•

Consider getting a greenhouse to extend the growing season.

FRUIT •

Throw out any rotten or mummified fruit hanging from the tree.

•

Once the leaves have fallen give the tree a clean-up spray with lime sulphur or a copper-based spray.

FLOWERS •

Don’t be in a hurry to tidy away all the old seed heads. Save some for the next growing season.

•

Lift containers off the ground to prevent them getting waterlogged.

•

Mulch the borders to reduce the need for weeding and to protect dormant plants.

•

Start making plans to improve the display for next season.

9

Little Growers

Boredom Buster Make a ‘magic’ garden potion With the Kids stuck at home, we’ll be sharing some nature inspired boredom busters to keep them busy over the next few weeks. Follow us on Facebook for more great ideas.

Then let your little one choose ingredients from the garden – dirt, stones, leaves are all great.

Getting their hands dirty is a great way to get kids to connect with nature. Remember to wash those little hands afterwards :)

Join the Little Growers Kids Club!

DIY Gumboot pot

Watch them mix it all into a murky concoction using a stick. You could even add a dash of food colouring to see how the colours change.

Check out our NEW Little Grower section on our website for activities, DIY ideas, gardening advice and recipes - all tailored to our littlest green thumbs. www.kings.co.nz

Join the Little Growers Kids Club for monthly colouring competitions, activities and more!

Indoor Plants Indoor plants keep interiors looking lush year-round.

While they are less subject to the whims of the weather, seasonal care ensures your indoor plants thrive.

Kentia Palm

Dracaena Lemon Lime

Spath Peace Lily

Epipremnum Aureum Marble Queen

Heartleaf Philodendron

Maidenhair Fern

Philodendron Selloum - Birkin

Philodendron Selloum - Birkin

Baby houseplant Peace Lilly

Philodendron Atom

Autumn Care Tips Watering

As the weather cools you need to adjust how much you are watering your plants.

Plants such as anthuriums, peace lilies, monstera, dracaena and ficus need to start drying out between watering. Don’t water if the soil is still moist, as this can lead to root rot.

Others, such as ferns, fittonias and carnivorous plants, still need to be slightly moist.

Position

Lower light levels will occur due to shorter days and the sun moving positions. This may mean your leafy friends may also need to be moved.

Note how much light your room is getting – they might need to visit another shelf or a table that is closer to the window.

Close windows at night as cool drafts can affect your tropical indoor plants.

Cordyline

Tips

Stop fertilising as the temperatures cool. As the cool of autumn settles in and sunlight hours dwindle your tropical plants go into a dormancy period, slowing or halting growth, meaning that they don’t need food at this time.

This is also the time to cut back any leggy plants to help them bush up before winter. It is recommended not to take cuttings after early Autumn, as they will be slow to root, or may rot back.

Wait until spring to repot.

Epipremnum Marble Queen

Imodigendi blaborectum

13

Our top

Autumn Plants This autumn we are celebrating three of our most popular plants, perfect for filling your garden with vibrant colours or tasty fruit.

March: Gardenia

With their delightful scent and gorgeous appearance, it’s no surprise that we have grown gardenias for around a thousand years. As a subtropical plant and a member of the coffee family (Rubiaceae), gardenia enjoy being in part shade. They like to be planted in soil rich in organic matter and fed with a slightly acidic feed.

Gardenia Radicans

Gardenia Veitchii

Varieties Radicans Low-growing gardenia producing delightful, richly fragrant white flowers from late spring. Grows to 30cm x 75cm.

Professor Pucci This easy to grow gardenia produces richly fragrant, double white blooms from late spring. Grows to 1 m x 1 m.

Veitchii This upright-growing gardenia boasts fragrant, pure white, fully double blooms during spring and summer. Grows to 90cm x 90cm.

Golden Magic A gorgeous gardenia that produces masses of white, sweetly scented double flowers, aging to gold.

Grows to 1 m x 1 m.

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April: Camellia

Well known for their lush glossy evergreen foliage and exquisite, long-lasting blooms that appear in autumn and finish in spring, the camellia is perfect as a feature plant in your garden, or as a thick hedge all year round. There are two main species of camellia commonly grown in New Zealand. Camellia Japonica has larger flowers, which bloom from early winter to late spring, and is best in part to full shade. Camellia Sasanqua is best in full sun to part shade and flowers between autumn and late winter. Hybrids are also available, such as Camellia Quintessence (which makes a great ground cover) and Camellia Sinensis (Tea).

Camellia Early Pearly

Varieties Early Pearly Forms an attractive, bushy shrub which produces gorgeous, formal, double white blooms. Plant in full sun to part shade. Grows to 2.5 m x 1m. Sasanqua type

Setsugekka Sasanqua type Great for hedging, this easy to grow, popular variety produces masses of stunning white blooms. Plant in full sun to part shade. Grows to 2.5 m x 1 m. Sasanqua type

Camellia Rodger Hall

Roger Hall Japonica type Grows into a dense, upright bush producing a mass of glorious, medium to large red blooms. Plant in part to full shade. Grows to 2.5 m x 2 m. Japonica type

May: Lemon

Easy to grow in Auckland, both in a pot or in the ground, lemons are fantastic evergreen plants. And if you pick the right varieties you can have an almost constant supply of citrusy goodness all year round! Plant in full sunlight in welldraining soil.

Varieties Meyer This hardy, frost-tolerant variety produces sweet, juicy, thinskinned fruit. Fruits year-round once trees have become established, fantastic for bees. Grows to 4m or 2m as a dwarf variety.

Lemonade This cross between a lemon and an orange produces a heavy crop of delightfully sweet, juicy fruit which tastes refreshingly like a high-end lemonade. Fruits autumn through to spring. Grows to 4m or 2m as a dwarf variety.

Yen Ben Produces very juicy, sharp and tangy fruit with a smooth skin that is great for zesting. Excellent for cooking and adding to drinks. Tends to fruit heavily in winter, with a lighter crop in summer. Grows to 4m or 2m as a dwarf variety.

Lemon Meyer

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DIY Succulent Planters While the weather is still mildly warm you can create a beautiful, unique and thoughtful living gift. The perfect Mother’s Day gift.

You will need:

Steps

1 large terracotta pot 1 small terracotta pot 3 different types of decorative stones/ sand 6–10 baby succulents Gloves Potting mix OR cactus mix Water

1. Safety first! Do your DIY project in a well-ventilated space and always wear gloves when handling potting mix.

2. Take your large pot and fill ¹⁄³ to ½ filled with your mix.

3. Place your small pot inside the large pot on its side, on top of the soil, and then add enough extra soil to the large pot to submerge and almost fill the small pot.

4. Choose your largest baby succulents and start placing them in the small pot. Add mix around each succulents’ roots. Plant longer and smaller succulents around the larger ones.

5. Water the newly planted succulents, and wait until water has drained.

6. Decorate with your stones/sand on top of the potting or cactus mix.

Keep in full sun and water occasionally when completely dry.

Essentials for your project available at your local Kings

Terracotta Pots

Kings Succulents

Potting Mix

from $1.99

from $7.99

from $5.99

Stones / Sand from $6.99

19 D-

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The remodelled cafĂŠ is a stunning combination of modern architectural design, an innovative plant focused menu and inspiring sustainability initiatives.

The menu showcases how plants can be presented in new and exciting ways, through fermenting, pickling and smoking.

The garden cafĂŠ has 6 raised bee-friendly garden beds where herbs and vegetables will be grown for the menu.

WEEKD AY S

7.30AM - 4PM

WEEKENDS

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2 8 0 B OTAN Y RO A D, BO TA NY DO WNS

F U LLY L I C E N SE D

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KID FR IE ND LY M E NU A ND P L AY HOUS E

Executive Chef Cobus Klopper

Edible flowers grown onsite

Ask the

Plant Doctor Giving you expert advice to your seasonal gardening woes

Hi Plant Doctor, My feijoa tree has always had amazing fruit, but this year I have noticed my fruit have little maggots in them. What are these and how can I stop them?!

KYLE, HENDERSON Hi Kyle, These are guava moth larvae. Guava moth were found in Northland in 1997 and have since made their way south. These tiny moths lay their eggs on guava, plum, peach, nectarine and feijoa fruit, then the larvae eat the fruits flesh before dropping to the ground to pupate.

For prevention, once flowering has finished use bug netting on the whole tree or around the fruit.

Guava moth solutions from $21.99

For treatment, you need to know the moth population in your area. Use a guava moth trap which captures male moths, or a “Little Bugga� moth trap which traps all moths in the area.

If you trap more than five moths in a two-week period, treatment measures will need to be taken.

Spray the fruit with neem oil twice a week until you stop getting moths in your trap. Spray on in the evening to avoid harming beneficial insects.

Remove infected fruit and dispose of them, not in the compost (unless you boil the fruit first).

Hi, I have an old lemon tree that doesn’t look well. The new leaves have bumps all over them, and the fruit have thin, bumpy dried scabs over them. Help!

MELODY, REMUERA Hi Melody, This is a fungal disease called ‘lemon scab’, also known as verrucosis.

Leaves look distorted with bumps and curling, and fruit have scabbing. Though less attractive, the fruit is still edible. The disease doesn’t cause major problems but will affect the health and vigor of your citrus plant.

This is common to plants that are in shadier, darker areas of the garden, so first make sure your plant is in full sun. Well-draining soil and good air ventilation also helps. Cut back any surrounding branches and prune back the lemon tree to encourage new foliage growth. Water well, especially over the summer period.

Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster from $14.99

To treat, remove flowers and ripe fruit, and spray the tree thoroughly with liquid copper. Repeat later if necessary. Spray in the evenings, and only spray up to four times a year.

Hey there, I have recently moved into a house with a griselinia hedge and noticed that the hedge had wilted leaves.

Recently the leaves have started to go brown and die. What’s happening?

JONATHAN, MT ALBERT Hi Jonathan, This damage sounds like root rot or die back.

This is caused by Phytophthora, a soil-borne, fungus-like pathogen which causes roots to rot. As the roots die off, whole branches or even the entire plant will start to die back.

This is evident in late summer to autumn. Prevention is focused on regular watering even established plants need to be watered regularly in the heat of summer. Mulch well, and water deeply once a week, instead of a little each day. Clay soils can become hard and dry or wet and soggy easily depending on the weather. Use eco-flo liquid gypsum to help loosen the soil, and introduce beneficial microbes by using organic garden booster and compost.

To treat, cut back any dead or dying wood. If your plants have less than around 1/3 damage, you can still use the organic solution and drench the soil with Plantmate. This product contains trichodera, which helps stimulate new root growth, protect the roots and help condition the soil, encouraging other beneficial animals such as worms.

Kings Fast Food from $11.99

For more severe cases, spray the infected hedge and around the base of the plant with Buxus Blight Fighter. Repeat 28 days later if necessary. After two months, drench with Plantmate, and continue to water in hot periods.

Talk to your local Plant Doctor

Call 0800 Plants between 9am - 5pm 7 days a week to talk to a Garden expert, or visit www.plantdoctor.co.nz for Plant Doctor advice.

21

Miso Roast Pumpkin & Garlic Chilli Greens Noodle Bowl

By Sarah Tanner

Enjoy this delicious recipe full of seasonal veggies.

Ingredients

Recipe

1 tsp miso paste ½ tsp toasted sesame seed oil 2 tsp boiling water 1 cup skinned and cubed pumpkin pieces 1 tsp coconut oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped approximately 2cm of fresh ginger root, peeled and finely sliced 2 courgettes, ends removed and sliced 2 bunches of bok choy, ends removed 1 green capsicum, sliced 3 tsp tamari or soy sauce ½ tsp chilli flakes 1 packet konjac noodles, or noodles of your choice 1 packet dried miso soup, made into 1 cup miso by adding boiling water Fresh coriander, chopped spring onion and sesame seeds to garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a bowl, combine the miso paste, sesame oil and boiling water. Whisk together. Place in the cubed pumpkin and coat with the miso mix. Place onto a lined oven tray and roast, turning occasionally, for around 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat the coconut oil. Add in the garlic and ginger, gently cooking for a minute or two. Add the courgette, bok choy and capsicum. Stir fry for another minute or two. Add in the tamari or soy sauce, finished with the chilli flakes.

3. Build your bowl by placing the noodles in first (the beauty of konjac is they don’t require cooking). Pour over the miso soup, and place the veggies on top, finished with the garnishes.

Pumpkin Harvest from mid to late autumn. Keep in a cool, dark place and keep a piece of the vine attached to prolong storage life.

Spring Onion Plant in full sun all year round, harvest tops as neededyear round.

Sarah Tanner is a passionate advocate for helping kiwis grow, eat, and enjoy more plants. An avid gardener, and plant based cook, Sarah loves nothing more than creating simple, delicious and healthy recipes.

Working with some of New Zealand’s top brands, Sarah is excited to be aligned with Kings Plant Barn for the true garden to table experience.

Courgette Harvest your courgettes now. Don’t wait too long as they will turn into marrows and wont be as tasty!

Coriander Easy to grow and best in full sun in autumn.

Pick as needed, take off any flower shoots to prolong life.

Tamarillo Cheesecake

Chilli Harvest in early to midautumn as they grow to size. Most chilli plants are annuals, so remove plant when fruiting is finished.

Impress your guests this summer Ingredients

Recipe

3/4 cup of rolled oats 3/4 cup of wholemeal flour 100g butter 1/2 cup of sugar 2 tsp ground ginger

1. Gently melt the butter and thoroughly mix all the base ingredients.

Filling 1/3 cup of sugar 1 cup of Greek-style yogurt 250g cream cheese Grated zest from 1 orange 2 eggs Topping Seeds and juice of 8 ripe tamarillos 1 cinnamon stick

2. Line the bottom of a greased spring-form cake tin with baking paper, and press out base mix so it fully covers the bottom. Place into fridge to chill for half an hour.

3. Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly (a food processor makes this much easier) and pour over the base.

4. Bake at 180°C until lightly golden and firm, about 45 mins to 1 hour.

5. Heat seeds and juice of 6 ripe tamarillos in a small saucepan with 3 Tbsp of sugar and the cinnamon stick. Simmer rapidly for 5 minutes until the mix has reduced.

6. Pour the tamarillo mix over the cheesecake.

7. Return to fridge and serve when cool.

Stuffed Capsicums An easy recipe for the whole family to enjoy.

Ingredients 500g Lean minced beef 6 Capsicum, whole 1 cup Corn, frozen 3 cloves Garlic 1 400g can Tomatoes 1 White onion

1/2 tsp Black pepper 1 1/2 tsp Salt 1 cup Cubed jalapeno cheese, or grated cheese 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 cup White rice, cooked

Recipe 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees °C. Lightly grease a 20x30cm pan.

2. Cook rice with 1 cup water for approw 25 minutes on medium heat.

3. Trim the tops off each capsicum and remove seeds and membrane from inside.

Place the capsicum into the prepared pan.

Bok Choy 4. In a large pan over medium high heat, cook beef mince and onion until browned.

Plant or sow seed in Drain any excess fat or liquids. Crush and add in garlic and cook 1 minute more.

part to full sun all year

round.sauce, Harvest outer 5. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, cooked rice, corn, Worcestershire leaves first, or whole salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup of the cheese. plant if wished.

6. Spoon mixture into bell peppers until full. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

7. Bake in the preheated 180 degree oven for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbling and browned.

8. Stand for 5mins before serving

@sarahtannernz 23

All about

Lawns If you’re planning on planting a new lawn, or if you need to repair or resuscitate an existing one, now is the time to leap into action. Lawns can be planted in both spring and autumn, but by planting now, you give your lawn more time to get established before the chill of winter kicks in.

Preparation is key Clear the area of weeds In many cases you may find that the easiest way to ensure that you have a weed-free patch to plant into is to kill the existing weeds by spraying a broadspectrum herbicide. Choose a product that will not leave reside in the soil and affect your new lawn.

After the weeds have browned off (this can take 2–3 weeks) rake away the dead foliage and remove any larger stones or rubbish from the area. If possible, avoid disturbing the soil too much as this can encourage buried weed seeds to germinate.

Preparing to sow Smooth out the soil to remove any uneven spots and, if necessary, reshape to sort out any drainage problems. If you’re on clay soil, adding gypsum at this stage can help improve the soil structure, which will make maintaining your lawn much

easier in the long run. Spread a thin layer of lawn mix to make a fine seed bed.

Sowing Follow the instructions and suggested rates on your packet and start sowing your seed. A good trick is to divide your seed into two lots and spread half out while moving north–south and then spread the other half out east-west. This ensures that the seed is spread evenly.

After sowing, lightly scatter a layer of lawn mix to cover the seed or gently rake to cover them.

If you are sowing a large area, sometimes using a hosepipe or a rope to divide the land into smaller sections and dividing your seed up accordingly can ensure that you evenly divide the seed out.

Keep the soil moist and make sure it doesn’t dry out until the grass has become established.

When mowing for the first few times, allow the grass to grow 4–5cm tall and then set the height of your mower so that it only takes the very tips of the leaves off.

Care Be careful when fertilising your new lawn as most lawn food is quite strong and will often burn roots of establishing grass. For the first three months, only feed with a fertiliser which is specific for young grass.

Water well until grass has become established; do not let your new germinating grass seed dry out as you may get a patchy effect. But make sure not to over-water your new lawn, as pooling can disturb the seed.

Patching Loosen soil with a fork and clear away any weeds. Add a thin layer of lawn mix to the area, sow seed, and then treat as a new lawn.

Our top varieties

Boston Green

Wearwell

This is a top-quality, leisure lawn seed.

The advantage is it will create that deep green, ‘perfect’ lawn when looked after well. It is best for full sun to dappled shaded areas and can withstand being used by kids and dogs on a regular basis.

This grass is made up of fine American turf, rye and fine fescue.

A fast-establishing and hard-wearing lawn seed that is also great as a patching grass if you aren’t sure of your grass variety. It can withstand daily activity from kids, pets and sports and will even tolerate some vehicle activity as well. This grass is made up of rye, fescue and browntop.

Tall Fescue This grass seed gives a durable lawn with superior drought, heat and disease resistance and is great for coastal conditions. It will withstand a high degree of wear and tear. For best results mow at a longer length. This grass is made of Tall fescue grass seed.

25

Growing and caring for

Spring Bulbs

The remaining warmth of autumn is the best time to plant spring flowering bulbs. The effort put in now will allow you to sit back and watch spring announce its arrival with a wide range of colourful and fragrant blooms.

Anemone One of the best bang-for-your-buck spring bulbs, anemones are easy to grow with gorgeous flowers.

Wait a few days after they flower before picking as this will prolong their vase life.

These bulbs offer their best blooms in their first year but will continue to flower annually.

Plant: Feb–March Position: Part shade Depth: 3-4cm Spacing: 6-8cm

Daffodils One of the easiest bulbs to grow with a huge range of varieties to choose from.

Daffodil bulbs start growing new roots after only a week in the soil, so be sure not to disturb them in the first year of planting. Once the season has finished and all foliage has died down, you can pull them up and move or redistribute if desired.

Slugs and snails just love daffodils, so sprinkle a little snail bait around once they start sprouting.

Plant: Feb–April Position: Full sun Depth: 8–10cm Spacing: 10–12cm

General care Most spring bulbs need to be planted in full sun, but growing requirements can differ so make sure you check before planting. Planting at the correct depths and spacings is particularly important for bulbs to meet their full potential.

In the ground

Pots & Containers

Extra tips

Plant in free-draining soil, rich in organic matter.

To improve your soil, include compost, pumice sand and gypsum. Plant in a slight mound if the area is known to get wet.

Select a pot large enough to plant the bulbs at the correct depth and spacing. Plant into a free-draining potting mix without water storage crystals.

To have bulbs growing in a natural-looking composition throw a handful over your chosen area, and plant them where they land. Thriving bulbs will multiply each season which gives a charming clumping effect. Water your bulbs after you have planted them.

Hyacinth Known for their highly scented blooms, hyacinths should be chilled in the fridge (not freezer!) for four to six weeks before being planted in winter. Without chilling, hyacinth will flower early, and the flowers can malform. Plant in part shade as well as full sun.

Lift the bulbs after the foliage completely dies back and put in a cool, dry area in a paper bag. In late summer chill them again for another year of beautiful flowers.

Plant: March–April Position: Full sun Depth: 5–10cm Spacing: 8–10cm

Ranunculus These ornate orange, pink, white, yellow or red flowers pop up in spring and look amazing in the garden or as a cut flower.

Before planting your bulbs, soak them deeply in water for two hours. They can be planted in part shade if you want longer stems. Water well until the sprouts emerge, and then keep moist.

Plant: Jan–April Position: Full sun Depth: 3–4cm Spacing: 6–8cm

Freesia Freesias are known for their sweet scent and colourful flowers.

Like ranunculus, freesias grow from corms instead of bulbs. While the plant is growing from the original corm, it also grows more corms. Once flowering is finished and the plant dies back, the original corm also dies, leaving the new corms to grow and flower the following year.

Plant with the pointy part of the corm facing upwards. Water well until the sprouts appear.

Plant: Jan–April Position: Full sun Depth: 5–6cm Spacing: 8–10cm

Tulip Tulips usually arrive in stores a little later in late March or early April.

Like hyacinths, tulips need a cold winter to bring out their best, so put them into a paper bag and chill, then plant in late May. While they are chilling, make sure they don’t get damp, as this can cause bulb rot.

Plant in part shade if you live in Auckland or the North Island, as this will help keep the flowers in bloom for longer as they will be out of the hot sun. Keep them well watered while blooming.

Plant: March–April Position: Full sun

Depth: 5–8cm Spacing: 8–10cm

Need Help?

Watch our “How to plant Spring Bulbs” video on Facebook, or call 0800 Plants between 9am - 1pm daily for expert garden advice.

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Growing Hedges Want to start a hedge around your property, or need to replace hedging plants that have suffered over this hot, dry summer? Autumn is the best time to plant all trees and shrubs, so nows the time to get started.

Michelia Figo

Corokia

Buxus

Eugenia

These New Zealand natives come in many attractive varieties. Corokia offer a range of bright greens, silver and even chocolate foliage, that grow from 30cm up to 2 meters tall and can tolerate full sun to part shade. Space each plant between 30 and 50cm depending on how big the variety gets.

Traditionally used in formal gardens to define the edges of garden beds or to line paths and walkways, Buxus can be grown as low as 20cm or up to 1.5 meters tall. Best in full sun and between 20 and 30cm apart from each other.

Also known as ‘Lilly Pilly’ plants, Eugenia are the most common hedging plant in Auckland. The evergreen, dense foliage makes them perfect for blocking out nosy neighbours. Fast growing, and reaching heights between 1.5 and 3 meters tall, they are perfect for anyone who needs a large hedge, fast. Planting distance is approximately 75cm, in full sun to part shade.

Grisilina

Pittosporums

Michelia Figo

A very popular hedging plant due to its large, glossy, evergreen foliage, it is perfect for screening and providing privacy. These plants grow between 1 and 2.5 meters tall, depending on your pruning. Best planted in full sun. Planting distance is around 75cm.

An old favourite with lots of different varieties to choose from, these native plants can reach between 1 and 3 meters tall with a medium to fast growth rate.

Pittosporum will need full sun, and to be planted 75cm apart.

This beautiful, thick, evergreen plant has dense foliage, making it perfect for hedging. This magnolia produces highly fragrant creamy yellow and purple flowers and grows to 2 meters tall. Best in full sunlight, space 75cm–1 meter between each plant.

Care Tips Trim your hedges in early autumn, after the hedge has finished flowering (in spring/early summer). This can help encourage bushy growth as well as making the plants look tidy. Trim camellias in late spring after flowering.

Did you know you can use fruit trees for hedging as well? Try feijoa, Chilean guava or even olives!

When planting your new hedge, use Kings 24 Plus in the bottom of the hole.

This slow-release fertiliser will release nutrients for up to two years.

Hedge Clippers from $11.99 Kings 24-Plus from $1.99

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They can help you find landscape inspiration, choose the right plants for your home, garden or patio and give you tips on care and maintenance so you can grow with confidence!

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visit www.kings.co.nz or call 0800 PLANTS for expert gardening advice.