Garden Care for December

Judging has occurred for The Millwater Gardening Competition – Winners will be announced in the February issue of theMillwatermag and on the Millwater Families’ Facebook page. Good Luck to all entries!!

Feed – Liquid feeding works really well with vegetables, but limit to fortnightly because some fertilisers are too high in nitrogen and you may get all leaf. If you talk nicely to the staff at Central Landscapes Silverdale next time you’re in, they might reach under the counter and give you a free sample of Living Earth’s Liquid Compost. Water in well.

Stake – Most tomato and bean varieties get to 1.8m high (that’s 6 feet in days gone by) so make sure you firmly train plants upward, ensuring the produce doesn’t disappear inside a great big thicket of growth!

De-bug – Chewing is now in full swing, with beetles and caterpillars ravaging plants! Low-toxicity remedies for caterpillars include Success; Pyrethrum. Beetles are virtually indestructible, but the answer may well be a repeat spray of a deterrent, such as those containing garlic and chilli.

Cover up – Berries are in full swing and the birds frequently get there first! Throw some netting over strawberries, blueberries and raspberries – anything in the berry patch. Some gardeners report good results from hanging the silver CDs (retired movies you no longer want to watch) in the garden, to deter the berry thieves.

Deadhead – Always a great idea to do a bit of a clean-up with spent blooms before you head away. It encourages the plant to put energy into re-growth while you’re away. If you’re waiting to collect seed, then obviously leave flower heads of plants you desire.

Water Conservation – Grey water from the laundry, shower and dishwashing; and watering systems using drippers and BLACKGOLD Mulch (exclusive to Central Landscapes) are all great ways to reduce plant stress as it heats up. If you’re away for a while, move pot plants to a more shaded area while you’re gone.