Gardening

September is a busy month in the garden calendar. The days are getting longer and the weather warmer. The promise of a long hot summer and a bumper harvest is in the air!

Kitchen Garden

If you haven’t already prepared the soil now is the time to get started. If it doesn’t need turning over, then spread a couple of bags of compost over the bare soil and dig through the top layer before you plant. Empty your compost bin, it is ready when it is the consistency of lumpy soil, don’t plant straight in to it though, it is too rich, leave for a few weeks before planting. Frost will be you biggest enemy now, be vigilant. Drape frost cloth over but not touching the plants. If it is too close a hard frost will freeze it to the plants. Sow seeds: carrots, parsnip, beetroot, silverbeet, peas, lettuces, leeks, cabbage, tomato, capsicum, courgette, melon, cucumber and eggplant. Transplant to the garden as the weather warms and when they are showing at least two sets of true leaves.

Plant seedlings: Lettuce, leeks, cabbage, corn, pumpkin, celery, onions, silverbeet, courgettes. Garden Colour

Continue replacing your winter flowers with new spring annuals as needed. A pinch of blood & bone as you plant your annuals will give them a head start. Continue to replant your pots, if the potting soil is old it will be depleted, remove the old soil, add new container mix and fresh new flowers. Sow seeds: begonias, carnations, cosmos, flowering kale, impatiens, lobelia, salvia, viola, poppies. Transplant to the garden as the weather warms and when they are showing at least two sets of true leaves.

Plant seedlings: ageratum, alyssum, aster, begonia, californian poppy, carnation, cosmos, dahlia, impatiens, marigold, and petunia.

Trees and Shrubs

Plant new trees and shrubs, dig compost with the soil and add a long term fertiliser to the bottom of the hole. Plant that hedge, use a long term fertiliser at the bottom of each hole. For easy watering use a soaker hose, lay out along the planting line, move when necessary. Plant large shade trees, stake firmly at the time of planting.

Lawn

Sow new lawn; take advantage of the spring rain and warmth to germinate new seed. Fertilise your lawn for spring. Apply evenly across the whole lawn and water in.

Spray for onehunga weed, it comes in to flower in September and October now is the time to spray for it. Attack the broadleaf weeds in the lawn. Wait for a calm day before using any sprays.