Winter Scoop 2020

FREE ISSUE

Winter Scoop 2020

Camellias Quick and easy guide

Little Growers Ice chiselling

Indoor plants

Our top winter tips

Deciduous FRUIT TREES

Planning and planting your orchard

Seasonal CHECKLIST

What needs to be done in the garden this season

Winter WARMER

Homemade chicken and leek pie

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.

WE E K D AY S

WEEK ENDS

7.30AM - 4PM

8AM - 4PM

2 8 0 B OTAN Y RO A D, BO TA NY DO WNS F U L LY L I CE NS E D 2

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S U P R E M E C O FFE E

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KI D -FR I E ND LY M E NU A ND PLAYH O U S E

Contents Winter 2020 IN THE GARDEN

EVERY ISSUE

6

Your Winter Garden

4

Gardeners’ Mail

What to do in the garden this

Celebrating gardeners and

winter

their success stories

16 Indoor Plant Care

12 Plants of the Season

Winter care tips

Our top plant picks

20 DIY Bird Feeder

14 Little Growers

Winter boredom buster

22 Deciduous Fruit Trees

26 Seasonal Recipe

Create an easy bird seed feeder

Our top varieties and winter care

Chicken and Leek pie

30 Camellias

28 Plant Doctor

Choose the right Camellia for your garden

Your questions, our expert advice

Connect with us /kingsplantbarn

@kingsplantbarnnz

kings.co.nz

3

Gardeners’ Mail Celebrating Our Gardeners

Connecting Through Flowers I am so thrilled that the flower and vegetable seeds I bought from Kings Plant Barn grew so very well in the summer. Kings must choose reliable seed suppliers as all of them grew abundantly. The flowers gave me and my friends so much joy when I gave them a bouquet I picked from the garden. It was a sense of achievement for me as well. I also got heaps of compliments when I shared photos from my garden on social media. An artist even wants to use the photos for painting reference. Plant growing is not only therapeutic for me but also provides common ground for happy conversations with many people around the world via social media.

Gardening is so good for my soul too, as I can enjoy God’s creations through gardening.

Thank you, Kings Plant Barn.

- Amy Udy, Castor Bay

Growing in the Big City Our love for gardening started when I first visited Kings Plant Barn in Botany.

We moved from Raglan to Auckland, which was a big adjustment, but we garden together as a family and have now created enough veggie gardens to feed us. We have also had to restart with our many fruit trees. The next planter box we have ready to go is for this new season’s potatoes.

- Danelle, Manukau

‘Create Your Own Foliage Arrangement' Winner We are totally in love with this gorgeous foliage creation! It was the winning entry in our ‘Create Your Own Foliage Arrangement’ competition, on our Facebook Page over the level 4 lockdown.

Our winner, Chelsea Adams used her wedding bouquet, which was made with flowers and leaf materials from her garden, which she then dried out, before adding in a few bright spots of colour for a wonderfully stylised arrangement Stunning!

4

Growing With Ellerslie I have been growing veggies for about 30 years now, following in my Welsh grandad’s footsteps. Finally this winter I have my own beds set up and growing here at home, which is great. I moved to Ellerslie 7 years ago and since then have been working on my own garden, as well as setting up a small community garden (with the generous help of community members and the team at Barfoots) and, with the help of four other ladies, two community sharing stalls that the community garden and local residents feed into. We have a community fruit and veggie stand Facebook page as well.

Just recently I also started a dedicated gardening group page on Facebook for community gardeners to share their knowledge and plants and seeds through. It was so good to be able to help people who started gardening during lockdown with hints and tips for growing veggies at home, and great to see the whole community get involved in this process.

My hope is that if we can support our community through these pages and the stalls, a whole new generation of home gardeners will thrive. We have a few good ‘uns already showing up in our neighbourhood.

- Lynn, Ellerslie

WIN Send us your stories and be in to

a Kings $50 voucher

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

5

Your

Winter Garden Winter can seem a little dull, between the cold that sets in, the dreary sky and (hopefully, for the gardens’ sake!) some rain. This is the best time to clean up your garden and start planning for spring.

Curly Kale is very easy to grow over winter, provided it is sheltered by slugs and snails.

June To-Do List

It is now officially winter: the cold has set in, deciduous trees have lost or are losing their leaves, and people are now mostly staying indoors.

But when it comes to the garden, there is still much to do.

Veggies

Fruit

Depending on how cold your 

Peach, plum and nectarine 

You can still plant lettuce, 

Prune back any new growth on 

garden gets, shield tender plants and seedlings from frost with frost cloth. spring onion, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, silver beet and leek seedlings now.

Don’t keep seedlings too wet,  or they risk collapsing from damping-off disease.

As water restrictions are still in 

place, use grey-water to water your garden (make sure you use eco-friendly soap).

Protect tender veggies against  slugs and snails with Quash.

Plant garlic and start chitting 

potatoes now, letting them sprout for a few weeks before planting.

Harvest silver beet, spring 

Pansies can withstand more shade than viola, and perfect for flower beds and pots.

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onions, leeks, lettuce and parsnip.

trees are coming into stores in late June. Order specific varieties now instore. established deciduous fruit trees, keeping them short, so that they are easy to harvest from.

Spray Lime Sulphur on your  deciduous fruit trees only.

If you have had leaf curl in the 

past, gather up all fallen leaves and dispose of them in green-waste bins (not the compost).

Strawberries will be in stores in 

late June, so start planning your new strawberry patch now.

Kings Garlic from $9.99

Flowers

Lawn

General Tasks

Deadhead the last lingering 

Remove any lingering leaves to 

If you have a pond, make sure 

Plant Hellebores under trees 

Fertilise your lawn and help get 

Gather up leaves from trees 

Plant winter annuals for glorious 

Spot spray larger weeds in your 

autumn flowers and clean up dead foliage. and shrubs for a beautiful winter display for colourful blooms. colour, including cineraria, pansies, viola, primrose, polyanthus and snapdragon.

Remember to water cyclamen  from the saucer if they are in small pots.

Trees & Shrubs Plant trees, shrubs, hedging  and hardy climbers now.

Plant Daphne now to add a 

prevent parts of the lawn dying off. rid of moss with Kings Lawn Moss Control. lawn now with Yates Zero Weedkiller.

Indoor Plants Start watering less, keeping an 

eye on moisture levels by testing the soil with your finger.

Keep plants away from heaters  and drafts.

Wipe dust off leaves and wash  windows for better light.

you cover it to stop a build-up of leaves at the bottom. that have not had a history of disease for next year’s leaf mould.

If you are making a strawberry  patch, make sure it has the right amount of drainage and use Tui Strawberry Mix and a layer of strawberry straw.

Now is the time to plan out 

your orchard; make sure your fruit trees have at leave 4 meters between them.

Help break down existing clay  pockets Eco-Flo Gypsum.

beautifully scented bush for winter.

Essentials for all your Winter needs

Sheep Pellets

Lime Sulphur

Kings Dried Blood

A great way to add nutrients, encourage worm activity in your soil, and help improve soil structure.

Great to use when planting roses or fruit trees.

An effective organic insecticide and fungicide. Controls fungal diseases, scale insects, mites, moss, and lichen.

Releases iron which promotes flowering and 14% nitrogen for leafy vegetable crops. Fast acting organic plant food.

from $12.99

from $7.99

from $15.99

7

July To-Do List

In Auckland the ‘dead of winter’ usually means chilly overcast days with lots of rain (fingers crossed!). This is the best time to finish off your winter clean up and start planning for the coming growing season.

Veggies

Fruit

Flowers

 Continue to protect

 Start planting strawberries

 Plant hellebores to offer bees

vegetables from frost and damping-off.

 Mulch garden bed with straw.  Continue to use Quash, or create your own beer-trap for slugs and snails.

 Chit potatoes for four weeks before planting.

 Harvest carrots, leeks, silver beet, kale and lettuce.

now

 Spray your deciduous fruit

trees with Liquid Copper and EnSpray 99 to kill off overwintering insects and diseases.

 Mulch any deciduous trees

that have been prone to leaf curl (peach, plum, nectarine) with Magic Moss.

 Prune back branches to help shape your fruit trees for the coming growing season. Do this on a fine day and use pruning paste afterwards.

 Apple and pear trees are

instore in mid-July – make an order now!

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food in winter.

 Deadhead any spent winter annuals.

 Continue to plant winter

annuals in the garden and in pots and hanging baskets.

 Feed your winter annuals with Kings Dried Blood.

Daphne perfume princess is our best daphne variety - and will be in stores from late June.

Continue removing moss from your lawn with Kings Lawn Moss Control.

Trees & Shrubs

Lawn

General Tasks

 Plant daphne in a semi-shaded

 Continue removing moss from

 If you have compost,

 Feed daphne and camellia

 Spot spray and take out any

area, the Perfume Princess variety is now available instore. with acidic food.

your lawn with Kings Lawn Moss Control.

larger or harder-to-get weeds by hand now.

remember to turn it over and add leaf matter, cardboard and news paper. Layering is key!

 Remove any fallen camellia

 Clean any pruning tools now.  Clean out gutters once all

 Do the last late pruning of

Indoor Plants

 Clean out birdbaths and bird

 Transplant any small trees or

 Cut back any dead leaves.  Yellow and curling leaves at

 Respray for waxy scale – dead scale can still be attached to your plants. roses in the first couple of weeks of July.

shrubs you want to move now.

flowers from the lawn.

deciduous leaves have fallen. feeders frequently.

this time of year can indicate cold damage, so increase warmth or put plants closer to an indirect light source.

Essentials for all your Winter needs

Fiskars Secateurs

Rose Gloves

Pruning Paste

These secateurs are beautifully simple and elegantly designed for all basic pruning tasks around the garden. A balanced design for a steady cutting action.

Tough, flexible gloves that provide excellent protection against thorns, also idea for general garden spray and gathering wet vegetation in the garden.

A unique, BioGro certified, easy to apply, pine based product that provides an effective natural barrier against fungal and bacterial diseases.

from $27.99

from $14.99

from $25.99

9

Blood and Bone is a naturally organic fertiliser that lasts for months in your garden, great for both veggie and flower beds.

August To-Do List

The days are slowly starting to get longer as spring creeps into the garden once more, meaning that seedlings are beginning to take off again in mid- and late August. There is much to do to prepare for your spring garden!

Veggies

Fruit

Flowers

 Plan out your spring garden

 Don’t forget to buy your

 Continue to use Quash for

 Spray one last time with Liquid

 Deadhead pansies and viola.  Early spring bulbs will now be

now.

slugs and snails.

 Sow spring seed now,

including peas, beans, lettuce, celery, broccoli and cauliflower.

 Plant potatoes now.  Start feeding your veggies

deciduous fruit trees now.

Copper before bud-burst to help lessen the effects of shot hole and leaf curl.

 If you are going to graft or

espalier fruit trees, do this in late August to mid-September.

 Grow tomatoes and chilli from

 It may still be too early to plant basil; instead plant parsley, coriander, thyme and mint.

10

 Plant your early summer bulbs now.

 Continue to feed with Kings

Dried Blood and Kings Blood & Bone.

 Plant Dahlia tubers now.

regularly from mid-August. seed inside before transplanting them outside in September.

flowering – cut and gift to a friend or family member!

Camellia Japonicas will still be blooming from August to October

Plant your early spring seeds inside now for better germination results, including tomatoes and chillies.

Trees & Shrubs

Indoor Plants

General Tasks

 Mulch roses well and give a

 You can start to repot plants at

 Start thinking about making

final spray using fungus fighter before bud-burst.

 Remove any fallen camellia flowers, as these can be slippery when left to rot.

the end of this month.

 Turn plants if they have been stretching towards the light.



Start fertilising plants.

 Magnolias and flowering

your own compost bin if you have the room.

 Weeds will soon be popping up everywhere – get rid of them while they are small, before they get out of hand.

 Put up wasp traps as queens

cherry will be in stores this month - plant them early to enjoy their beautiful blooms this spring.

begin to come out of hibernation.

 Cut down your compost crops in early august and dig into your garden beds.

Essentials for all your Winter needs

Seed Raising Mix

Copper + Enspray 99

Quash

Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix is specially formulated for troublefree seed raising and propagation of cuttings.

Help protect your roses and fruit trees from fungal diseases and over-wintering pest insects by spraying them with both Copper and EnSpray 99 before budburst.

The active ingredient in Quash has been made with a revolutionary low hazard formula which effectively controls slugs and snails and is safer to use around children and pets than most other slug and snail baits.

from $14.99

from $7.99

from $6.99

11

Our Top

Winter Plants These are our most popular winter plants. Winter is a fantastic time to plant these, so they can establish their roots before spring comes around.

Magnolia Black tulip was bred in New Zealand. They provide a mass of black-purple gobletshaped flowers.

Magnolia

Available July to Early August In late winter, deciduous magnolias display an eruption of flowers borne on bare branches, which can look incredible in any garden! Magnolias can be planted in part shade to full sun with free-draining soil that is rich with compost. In heavier soils help improve soil structure with Eco-flo Gypsum and mulch around the bottom of the tree to help lock in moisture. Feed with Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster in spring and summer for optimal plant health. Deciduous magnolias will be coming instore in late July to early August and start to bloom from mid-August.

Daphne are best planted in part-shade, in rich organic soil.

Daphne With soft to deep green foliage and white flowers with a pink blush that hold one of the most fragrant winter scents, daphne is one of the most celebrated shrubs in the garden this season. The Perfume Princess is our top seller, and produces large clusters of flowers, grows to 1m x 1m and is happy in partly shaded areas all year round.

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‘Blue Moon’ Rose is a beautiful Hybrid Tea variety - best for cut floral arrangements which offers a strong fragrance.

Roses ‘Graham Thomas’ rose is a david austin climbing bush rose with stunning golden bloom that smothers the plant.

Flowering Cherries From the prunus family, these cherries only provide small, inedible fruit, but they produce stunning flowers in late winter to spring that completely cover the tree for 2–4 weeks, and the trees provide soft shade for the garden. Falling Snow is a weeping variety that offers medium-sized white flowers on gracefully drooping branches, whereas the Awanui variety has upright growth and large pink blossoms.

The cold of winter causes roses to lose their foliage and flowers, but it’s actually the perfect time to plant new roses before new growth starts to appear. King’s have Auckland’s largest selection of roses, from hybrid teas, which are great for picked flowers, to floribunda, which grows in large bushes that are completely covered in masses of blooms. If you have a smaller space, consider planting patio bush roses, which are happy in pots and produce delicate flowers. Pre-orders are available instore now, or come instore in late June for our first drop of these gorgeous shrubs. Plant in full sun in free-draining soil.

The Awanui flowering cherry has beautiful pink blossoms that smother the tree in early spring.

Hellebores produce star-shaped flowers that enjoy being planted beneath trees, shrubs and hedges.

Hellebores Known as the ‘winter rose’, Hellebores produce star-shaped flowers that enjoy being planted beneath trees, shrubs and hedges. They come in a range of colours from the deep maroon of Anna’s Red, to the soft peach of Camelot and the brilliant white of White Tutu. Plus, bees love them!

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f Best

s 5+ e g or a

Little Growers

Boredom Buster Nature ice chiselling

Teach the kids about how freezing works in winter, plus give them agreat reason to explore natures treasures in the colder months.

1. Give the kids a bowl each so they can collect an assortment of items from the garden (leaves, stones, flowers, grass, etc.). These items will be frozen for excavation.

2. Next, fill the bowl with water so that it covers all of the ‘ingredients’. Put the bowl in the freezer and leave overnight.

3. Take out of the freezer and turn upside down (sit the bowl in some warm water to loosen the ice a little if it is stubborn).

4. Give the kids a hammer and let them loose outside on the concrete!

Join the little growers club for monthly colouring competitions, activities and more!

Sign up instore or online today.

PRIMULA

PRIMULA

LEPTOSPERMUM

LEPTOSPERMUM

MORE FLOWERS = MORE BEES 15

Indoor Plants It’s winter, and with changing light hours and temperatures also comes changing care for indoor plants.

Winter Care Tips Watering

Light

Temperature

Overwatering is known to be the most common way of killing your indoor plant. As the temperature drops and hours of sunlight decrease, so should your enthusiasm for watering. We recommend only watering when the soil is dry (except for ferns which enjoy being kept damp). Check moisture levels by sticking your finger into the soil a couple of centimetres. If the soil sticks to your skin, your plant has enough moisture around its roots and doesn’t need any more water.

When you do water, make sure the water drains out the bottom of the pot completely before putting it back into your cover pot or onto your saucer – Plants that are underwatered can bounce back but plants that are over-watered may die. African violets, begonias and cyclamen need to be watered from the bottom, by filling up the saucer instead of watering into the top of the pot to avoid root rot.

Diminishing light levels affect indoor plants in winter. To help give your plants more natural light, move them closer to a window (but out of direct sunlight), and wash your windows if they are looking a bit dirty to let in as much light in as possible. Wiping off dust from the leaves will also help your leafy friend absorb more energy from natural light.

Most indoor plants originate from warm, tropical areas. Because of this, they are happy in a room that reaches between 15 - 20°C. Anything lower than 10°C and your tropical house plants may start to look a little sad. To combat temperature shock, keep your plants away from varying heat sources such a heaters, air conditioners and places where drafts occur.

String of pearls are best kept on the dry side over winter, as they can succumb to rot if the soil is too moist.

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Fertiliser and Repotting The best time to repot plants is in the warmer months, so resist the urge to repot your indoor plants in winter unless they urgently need to be moved. You should also refrain from taking cuttings in winter as roots will grow incredibly slow, leaving them more prone to rot.

Fertilising is best done in spring to autumn. If you do need to fertilise your indoor plants in winter, use Kings Fast Food or Yates houseplant fertiliser at half dilution once a month.

Moth orchids, aka Phalenopsis, only need to be watered when there is no more moisture in the pot.

Brighten up your winter with a colourful cover pot Ficus Benjamina

Kalanchoe

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Indoor Plant Wishlist

As indoor plants continue to stay in fashion, we want to talk a little more about this year’s new harder to get plants that have increased in popularity. Note that some of these plants are in stores only at certain times of the year.

#1

Hoya Krimson Princess (pre-order only)

Also known as Hoya carnosa variegata, this beautiful ‘wax plant’ not only has heavenly sweet-smelling white flowers when they mature, but the vine also has wonderful variegation found on the centre of the leaves. Not to be mistaken for the Krimson Queen, where the variegation is found on the border of the leaves.

Ficus Elastica Tineke (pre-order only)

One of our most sought-after rubber plants, the Tineke has gorgeous green and white variegation on the leaves that can suit any indoor space. Best in brightly lit, warm rooms and watered when soil is dry.

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#2

#3

Variegated Peace Lily

(in stores intermittently throughout the year) Also known as Spathiphyllum, this is a beautiful peace lily with gorgeous white flowers and white patterning over the leaves. The Domino variety has more of a speckled appearance over the leaves, and makes a great centrepiece to any table or a feature plant in a room. The variegated sensation variety has more bold white patterning and is very sought after. Because of its variegation, it does need a bit more care than your

#4 Calathea Orbifolia

(in stores intermittently throughout the year) One of the most lush calatheas, the Orbifolia has beautifully large oval leaves of striped green hues and can grow to an impressive size as it matures. An all-time favourite for houseplant lovers. Calatheas can withstand lower light levels, but grow best in brightly-lit rooms.

Pre-Orders Available

Contact your local Kings store if you’d like to add these to your wishlist.

Call 0800 PLANTS for your nearest store. Please note that these plants are in high-demand, so stock is extremely limited.

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DIY Winter Bird Feeders Food is harder to come by for birds in winter, so it’s a great idea to offer them a healthy, hearty snack in your garden.

The size of these and the number the recipe makes will depend on the size of your cookie-cutter moulds.

20

You will need:

Steps

Baking tray Baking paper Metal cookie-cutter moulds 6 large spoonfuls smooth peanut butter 1 cup Topflite Wild Bird Seed Mix Skewer String

1. Line the baking tray with baking paper and place the moulds on top.

2. Place the peanut butter in a microwavable bowl and gently heat until it is slightly runny.

3. Add the birdseed and mix well.

4. Spoon the mixture into the moulds and gently press with a fork to fill the moulds.

5. Place the filled moulds into the fridge and leave for 2 hours.

6. Take out of the fridge and without removing the moulds, use the skewer to make a small hole near the top edge on each. This is where your string will be tied.

7. Return to the fridge and leave for a further hour, then remove the nowset mixture from the moulds. Thread the string through the hole and tie to a branch outside, high off the ground where cats cannot reach and birds can eat in confidence.

Providing the Right Food Try offering food that is more specific to the birds that frequent your garden.

Fruit Provide half an orange, apple cores and soft fruit hanging from trees to attract silvereyes, kāka, tūī, kererū and bellbirds.

Insects If you have a large enough garden, leaf litter under trees can help as a mulch and also offer home to small flying insects, which will attract fantails, bellbirds, kingfishers, silvereyes and tūī.

Foliage and flowers Some native birds enjoy eating young leaf tips and flower buds. Plant kōwhai and tree lucerne for kererū. Tūī, bellbirds and silvereyes like the flowers of kōwhai, New Zealand flax and eucalyptus.

Watch out for these foods!

There are some foods that birds should not eat. Do not give birds: Bread – This does not provide birds with enough food and can cause malnutrition. Honey or honey water – Both birds and bees love this, but it can help spread disease through the bee population. Instead, use nectar from your local Kings store, or provide sugar water instead. Cooked oats – These can harden around birds’ beaks and cause complications in the future.

Uncooked, dry oats are okay.

Food is harder to come by for birds in winter. Try offering them a healthy, hearty snack in your garden.

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Deciduous Fruit Trees Looking to add an orchard to your property, or to enjoy fruit grown on the balcony of your apartment?

There is a deciduous fruit tree for everyone. They arrive in stores from early June to July and are best planted in winter before they start growing in spring. Here are some of our top varieties, plus some basic care tips.

Plum – Available from late-June

Grow your own delicious plums at home that are best eaten off the tree, use in cakes, icecreams, jams, syrups or bottling. Harvest times are usually mid to late summer. There are no true dwarf plums, but they can be kept small by hard pruning.

Black Doris Fruit: Deep purple flesh with purple, sweet and juicy flesh.

Harvest: February Tree Size: 5 – 6 m, prune for controlled height.

Luisa Plum from $49.99

One of our most popular varieties, the Black Doris variety is well known for it’s deep purple flesh and strong taste which is best for cooking.

Will need a pollinator nearby to help the fruit set.

Santa Rosa Fruit: Purple blushed skin with juicy yellow flesh.

Harvest: March Tree Size: 5 – 6 m, prune for controlled height.

Known as the queen of all plums, and it known to be one of the best tasting plums in the world! A self-fertile variety making it great for a property with enough room for only one fruit tree. This Japanese variety is also good for making plum wine!

Luisa Fruit: Yellow skinned blushed with red colour and yellow tasty flesh.

Harvest: February Tree Size: 5 – 6 m, prune for controlled height.

Well known for it’s large heart-shaped fruit and high yields of fruit, the Luisa is definitely your plum if you are looking for a lot of fruit! Being half self-fertile, it doesn’t need another variety of plum to set fruit, but will produce lots if paired with a friend.

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Deciduous fruit trees lose their leaves in winter, and are traditionally bare stone or pip fruit.

Apple – Available from mid-July

Our apple trees come in a few weeks later than our plums and peaches.

Apples are ripe in mid autumn, while peaches and plums are to be harvested in mid to late summer in Auckland. Dwarf varieties will take two years to fruit once planted, however normal apples may take up to three years to fruit.

Royal Gala Fruit: Red skinned with very crisp, sweet and juicy white flesh.

Harvest: April Tree Size: 5 – 6 m, prune for controlled height.

Royal Gala from $49.99

Perfect for growing in Auckland and known as one of the world most beautiful apples, these apples are best picked and eaten fresh from the tree and are great for fruit salads.

Blush Babe ™ (Dwarf) Deciduous fruit trees are best planted in winter before they start growing in spring.

Fruit: Green skinned with a red blush and sweet white flesh.

Harvest: March Tree Size: 2m A miniature apple tree with a compact, ‘mop-top’ growth habit means it is perfect for smaller Auckland gardens or even in a large container on your balcony. Kids love these are they can harvest the apples easily due to their height.

Pacific Rose ™ Fruit: Rose skinned with a richly-sweet taste and juicy white flesh.

Harvest: April Tree Size: 5 – 6 m, prune for controlled height.

A special New Zealand with an incredibly attractive rosey-red colour to the fruit. This apple has a very rich taste which is different to other traditional types making it as a great fresh addition to lunches and fruit salads.

Pear – Available from mid-July

Perfect for bottling, cooking and eating straight off the tree, pear trees come into stores along with apples in mid-july. Make an order either instore or over the phone now to secure your favourite varieties!

Most Pears need cross pollination to produce fruit, to two different varieties in the same area is recommended.

Packham’s Triumph Fruit: Large, lightly-green skinned fruit with juicy flesh.

Harvest: April Tree Size: 5 – 6 m, prune or espalier for controlled height.

An all-purpose fruit variety. A reliable and heavy fruit producer, though the tree is slower growing – making it perfect for a ‘forever home’ for generations to come.

Garden Belle ® (Dwarf)

Packham’s Triumph from $49.99

Fruit: softly-green skinned with a smooth texture.

Harvest: February Tree Size: 3m The first true dwarf pear variety in New Zealand. An early harvesting pear in mid-summer that is also self-fertile, perfect for smaller gardens that can only fit a couple of fruit trees. Best Perfect for eating straight off the tree.

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Nectarine – Arriving instore from late-June

When growing your own nectarines, you can appreciate the taste and smell that some supermarket fruit seems to lack. Delicious and best eaten soon after harvesting as they tend to ripen quickly off the tree. All Nectarines are self-fertile, making them a good choice if you don’t have a lot of space in your garden.

Nectarine Flavourzee from $59.99

Snow Queen Fruit: Red-blushed, yellow skin with deliciously sweet, creamy-white flesh Harvest: December - January Tree Size: 4 - 5m, prune or espalier for controlled height.

Best eaten straight off the tree, this early-harvest nectarine provides very sweet fruit that is a favourite to all who grow it.

Flavourzee (dwarf)

Like the dwarf peach, Nectarine Flavourzee dwarf is best for containers, but still fine planted in the ground.

Fruit: Medium-sized fruit with red-blushed yellow skin and yellow flesh.

Harvest: February Tree Size: 1.8m tall The Flavourzee is best for smaller gardens or large containers. Make sure to thin out fruit to offer good airflow, however these are very easy to maintain and with a compact growth habit, pruning is almost nonexistent.

Peach – Arriving instore from late-June Dwarf trees are perfect for anyone who only has a sunny balcony or tiny backyard.

Known for their slightly fuzzy texture, multiple cooking uses and unique flavour, peaches are best harvest from the tree when they give a little when squeezed and are a nice, rich skin colour. All peaches are self-fertile and do not need another variety to set fruit.

Golden Queen Fruit: Orange to deep yellow skin and firm yellow flesh.

Harvest: February Tree Size: 5 – 6 m, prune for controlled height.

A classic peach that originated from New Zealand from 1908. The best peach for bottling and has a slightly ‘flat’ look to it. Firm flesh making it great for lunches as well. Best pruned into an ‘open vase’ shape for easy harvesting and good airflow.

Pixzee (dwarf)

Peach Pixzee dwarf from $59.99

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Fruit: Orange to red skin, with sweet yellow flesh Harvest: January Tree Size: 1.8m tall A dwarf peach that can easily be grown in a large pot for a sunny deck, small garden or balcony. No need to prune due to it’s compact growing habit.

Almonds are easy to grow in the warm Auckland conditions.

Almond

A close relative of the peach and nectarine, we get almonds instore the same time as our stone and pip fruit. They do well in areas with warm, dry summers and will fruit after three years and on first-year wood. It is best to get two varieties for cross-pollination.

We usually stock All-in-One, Monovale and Garden Prince (dwarf). Nuts ripen late summer to autumn.

Apricots are best picked off the tree while still slightly firm, making them easy to split open in half by hand.

Almond trees start from $49.99

Apricots – Arriving instore from mid-July Apricots start from $49.99

Typically best in cooler areas, they do provide some varieties that can grow fruit in Auckland. They bear fruit in mid to late-summer.

Trevatt and Royal Rosa, both grow to around 5-6 metres tall, while the Aprigold variety is a dwarf variety only growing to 1.8metres tall making them great for half wine barrels.

Care Tips Planting

All deciduous fruit trees need to be in full sun in free-draining soil and require regular watering. Plant with either a mix of Kings Organic Compost, or Living Earth Garden Mix, and add some Kings 24-Plus fertiliser into the bottom of the hole for slow released food over the course of the next two years. Water deeply on first planting. Planting different varieties will help cross-pollination, which will create larger yields on each tree.

Fiskars Bypass Single Step Pruner from $27.99 Kings 24-Plus from $17.99

Maintenance Established deciduous fruit trees will need to be pruned in winter on a fine, clear day, when the flow of sap slows. Make sure you cut trees back to open the branches to more airflow, cutting approximately 2 cm above an outward-facing bud.

When cutting large branches, use Organic Prune‘N’Paste to seal the wound to stop infection over winter. A general spray programme will be beneficial to your fruit trees. Spray Lime.

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Garden to Plate Winter Warmer: Chicken and Leek Pie Try this deliciously hearty, soul-warming and easy homemade pie, using leeks harvested from the garden.

Ingredients

Recipe

500g skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets 2 small leeks, washed and finely sliced 1 tsp each salt and pepper 300ml milk 50g butter 2 tbsp plain flour 150ml single cream 1 tsp Dijon mustard A small handful tarragon, diced 350g puff pastry 1 egg, beaten

1. Place leek, chicken, milk, salt and pepper in a saucepan over a medium heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and cool, straining the milk into a jug. Put the chicken and leeks into a large bowl and using two forks, tear chicken apart into smaller chunks.

2. Preheat oven to 200°C fan bake.

3. Return the pan to the heat and heat the butter until melted. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for three minutes, making sure not to brown the butter. Gradually add the strained milk, while stirring, until you have created a sauce. Add the cream and mustard. Stir in well.

4. Lastly, add the chicken and leek back into the pan along with the diced tarragon, stir, and cook for a few minutes before removing the pan from the heat. Cool slightly.

5. Tip the mixture into a baking dish. Roll out the pastry to cover the top. Glaze the pastry with the beaten egg, before making small vent holes with a fork.

6. Bakes for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Leeks can be harvested when their stems are around 2.5cm thick, or left in the ground until needed.

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Ask the

Plant Doctor Giving you expert advice to your seasonal gardening woes

Hi Plant Doctor, I have a lemon tree that isn’t looking too good.

There hasn’t been a lot of new growth this year and the leaves are yellowing. What is wrong and what products can I use?

- CLAIRE, TAKAPUNA Hi Claire,

Kings Citrus & Fruit Fertiliser from $10.99

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This sounds like a lack of nutrition. Citrus trees, even established ones, need fertiliser to help keep them healthy. If your citrus tree is yellow all over the leaves, this is a nitrogen (N) deficiency, which is also shown by little foliage growth happening over the summer period. Leaves that have yellowing blotches are a sign of magnesium deficiency and yellow veins on leaves are caused by an iron or zinc deficiency. To remedy this yellowing, use a fertiliser that contains trace elements and nitrogen, such as Organic Garden Booster, once a month from spring to autumn. Feed with Kings Fruit Tree and Citrus Fertiliser once in spring and again in autumn for a general feed as well.

Hi there, I had leaf curl last spring on my peaches, and I want to try and prevent it from happening again this year.

Can you advise me on how I might do this? Thank you.

MELODY, REMUERA

Hi Tom, Leaf curl will affect stone fruit including peaches, nectarines, and plums, and is caused by a fungal disease. This fungus has spores that overwinter in fallen leaves, under bark and in crevices on the tree, and in early spring it starts to affect new leaf growth, causing them to curl and bubble. In severe cases this will affect photosynthesis, growth of the tree may be stunted and leaves can brown, shrivel and drop.

Free Flo Copper from $12.99

Prevent this by raking up all fallen leaves around the base of the plant, and putting these in your green waste bin – not your compost. Use Liquid Copper and EnSpray 99 as a general clean-up spray mix in June, and then spray again with Liquid Copper as the buds swell before opening in late winter. If your leaf curl was bad last year, you can also spray Copper again after the flowers have finished. Mulch, water and feed your affected trees well throughout the year. Improve airflow by pruning in winter and summer and make sure there is a sufficient amount of space between trees.

Hi Doc, I have this vine growing over my fence and smothering my plants. It has small white and pink flowers that smell wonderful, but the vine grows too fast and is killing off my other plants. Someone told me it is jasmine. How do I kill it?

- CHRIS, KUMEU

Hi Chris, This is called pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum), and though it does have nice-smelling flowers, it is considered a weed. It has a habit of growing up other plants and suffocating them until they die off, and it can prove difficult to eradicate. Cut the stems back to the ground and apply Bamboo Buster to the wound. This product will not affect neighbouring plants. Dispose of plant material in your green waste bin, not your compost.

Cut’N’Paste Bamboo Buster from $35.99

Ask the Kings Plant Doctor Got a plant problem you need help with?

Visit www.plantdoctor.co.nz for free expert advice.

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Camellias One of the most gorgeous evergreen plants you can grow in your garden, camellia are fantastic when used as hedging or screening, as well as making beautiful feature plants. Their attractive thick and glossy foliage creates a lush backdrop to the stunning blooms that appear in March and go right through to late November.

Types of Camellias

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Sasanqua

Japonica

Hybrid

A wonderfully versatile camellia originating in Japan, the sasanqua blooms early, hence it’s other name, the ‘autumn camellia’. The flowers are relatively small, and usually ‘single’, making them more accessible to bees. The blooms almost totally cover the plants.

Sasanqua have small leaves with pointed tips, and new foliage has a soft bronze hue, turning to a deep glossy green. These are best planted in full sun to part shade.

Japonica is widespread not just in Japan but also Korea and China.

Bred for the past 300 years, there are now thousands of varieties.

Japonica flowers are large with varied shapes, with single, semidouble, formal, peony- and rose-form blooms, making showy bushes. Slower growing than the sasanqua, they are best grown in part to full shade and can handle being on the south side of houses or grown under trees. They flower from early winter to late spring.

Hybrid camellias are specifically bred to be the best performers, with small to large blooms – many with delicate fragrances – as well as being able to grow in full sun.

Blooms can start as early as March and end as late as November.

Great for both hedging, screening and as a feature plant.

Top Varieties

Setsugekka

Paradise Hilda

Nuccio’s Jewel

A classic and popular cultivar. Perfect for hedging or as a stand-alone tree.

Produces masses of delightful white flowers in autumn and winter.

Vigorous upright form producing mid-pink peony-shaped flowers.

Hardy. Beautiful glossy green leaves.

Bred in California, this camellia has white petals that have an unusual flush of orchid pink. Large, showy blooms from winter to spring.

Size: 2.5m x 2m Flowers: early autumn–mid-winter Type: sasanqua

Size: 3m x 2m Flowers: early autumn–early winter Type: sasanqua

Size: 1m x 1.5m Flowers: mid-winter–late spring Type: japonica

Yuletide

High Fragrance

Early Pearly

Produces masses of bright, eyecatching, orange-red blooms with bright yellow stamens. Compact growing.

A beautifully large, fragrant and blush-pink bloom with a peony form.

Vigorous growth habit. Raised in New Zealand.

Produces small, double, white blooms tinged with a hint of soft pink in autumn. Grows into a nice, bushy evergreen shrub.

Size: 2m x 1m Flowers: early winter–early spring Type: sasanqua

Size: 2m x 1.5m Flowers: mid-winter–mid-spring Type: hybrid

Size: 2m x 1.5m Flowers: early autumn–early winter Type: sasanqua

Care Tips Planting

Camellia enjoy slightly acidic soil, lots of organic matter and good drainage.

If you have a clay base, make sure to use Eco-flo Gypsum to help condition your soil. Plant with 1:3 compost to soil, or Living Earth Garden Mix, making sure to use Kings 24+, which will offer slow-release fertiliser around the roots for the next two years. Do not plant too close: for plants that grow 1m wide, plant approximately 75cm apart.

Kings Big Bag Organic Compost from $6.99 Kings 24-Plus from $17.99

Maintenance Once established, don't forget to mulch and water your plants, especially through the summer! Prune after flowering has finished, in late spring to mid-summer, taking care not to prune off the next growing season’s flower buds. Feed with acidic fertiliser such as Kings Slow Release Acidic Food in spring and autumn. Keep an eye out for mottling leaves as thrips can be present in the warmer months.

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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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