Yates Growing With You New Zealand - Spring Edition 2020

SPR

spring

vegies WH AT VEG I ES TO SOW & G ROW N OW

ING

202

0

lawn

Makeover Starting a new lawn & professional lawn care tips

GET INSP IRED

TERRIFIC tomatoes

Transform your deck with plants SENSATIONAL

spring flowers Rose care essentials

NAVEL

gazing

perfect

PA L M S

G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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TO FIND OUR MORE, VISIT YATES.CO.NZ

G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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Letter

F R O M T H E E D I TO R Spring is a frenzy of fabulous gardening excitement! As the weather warms up, our little orchard bursts into beautiful bloom and the bees go wild in amongst all the flowers.

It’s just so pretty and falling peach, pear and apple petals create a gorgeous carpet of white and pastel pink over the ground. And spring citrus flowers are heavenly scented, so walking around our orange, mandarin and lemon trees is divine.

The sweet pea seeds sown back in autumn are now proving their worth and we’re able to bring the prettiest, sweetly fragrant posies of sweet pea flowers inside, as well as admire a once plain old wire paddock fence that is now smothered in a sea of pink and purple.

It’s also time for me to sow more flower seeds that will continue supplying our garden and bees with blooms during the warmest months.

Sunflowers, zinnias and cosmos are all reliable vibrant summer flowering staples that will fill random pockets around the garden.

Early tomato seedlings that have been waiting patiently for the warm weather to arrive will go into the spring vegie patch, the first round of sweet corn will be sown (I’m going to try to fit in two crops this year) and zucchinis and cucumbers will also get a vegie bed each. We can never seem to grow enough cucumbers!

Mid spring delicious finger-staining mulberries are an absolute treat and plenty of jam will be bottled to see us through until next season.

I’m also hoping that the newest members of our feathery flock, four gorgeous Araucana chickens, will start laying their pretty blueshelled eggs for us. I’ll be looking in the laying boxes every morning with great anticipation.

Another exciting plan during spring is to relocate a good sized timber play house that our boys no longer use, down into our rear vegie patch, where it will become my ‘She Shed’. I have visions of perfectly arranged storage places for tools, tomato stakes, trowels, spades, garden forks and bags of fertiliser.

It also has a pint sized verandah that I’m hoping will be big enough for a small stool, where I can rest my weary mulch-shovelling body and just survey and absorb the absolute delight that is a vegie patch. Perhaps I should install tea and coffee making facilities as well…..

Have a wonderful spring in your gardens,

Angie Thomas Editor, Horticultural Consultant to Yates

For all lawns great and small .

Make it Yates® Weed’n’Feed® Whatever type of lawn you have, caring for it is easy with Yates® Weed’n’Feed®.

Scientifically formulated to do two jobs at once; eliminate broadleaf weeds, like Thistles and Clover, while at the same time giving your lawn a quick burst of nutrients to promote healthy, green growth.

Yates and Weed ‘n’ Feed are registered trade marks of DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd

WHAT'S INSIDE

01

Spring gardening essentials

13

What vegies & herbs to sow in your area

23

Perfect palms

It’s time to get busy in the garden!

Learn about some key spring gardening jobs to keep your garden looking fabulous.

Keep the fresh, home grown produce coming with lots of delicious vegies & herbs to sow & grow in spring.

Tips for growing lush palms at your place, inside & out.

03

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25

Seeds of lawn success

Navel gazing

A touch of the tropics

How to create a fantastic brand new lawn from seed.

Grow your own sweet & juicy navel oranges.

Growing vibrant hibiscus & impatiens. .

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16

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Love your lawn

Key spring citrus care tips

Spectacular new Yates flower seeds

Give lawn weeds the flick.

Feeding hungry citrus & controlling common citrus pests.

Fill your garden with flowers from the exciting new range of Yates flower seeds.

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The roses are coming

Introducing…the Yates Growing Community

So many flowers

Keeping your roses beautifully thriving & how to grow a perfect potted rose.

Share your successes & problems whilst competing for prizes in fun challenges along the way!

Keep the blooms coming with our handy guide to what fabulous flowers to sow in spring in your area.

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Terrific tomatoes

Deck transformation

Gardening in different climates

Tasty tomatoes to grow at your place & our top tomato growing tips.

Inspiration for adding pizzazz to your deck with potted plants.

Handy spring gardening tips for around New Zealand.

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Caring for spring vegies

How to promote a fabulous home grown harvest of silverbeet, Asian vegies, garlic, onions & lettuce.

Sensational spring flowering trees & shrubs

Bring a frenzy of flowers into your garden in spring.

Interview with a horticultural traveller

Dan Austin shares some of his amazing travels throughout the world.

G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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SPRING GARDENING s l a i t n e ss E

Robin Williams couldn’t have put it better when he said that “Spring is nature’s way of saying let’s party!”. During spring an abundance of plants step proudly into the gardening spotlight and put on the most magnificent flower show.

Bare branches of apple, pear and stone fruit trees are smothered in bee attracting blossoms, azaleas and magnolias are dazzling and swathes of spring flowering bulbs are delighting us with their gorgeous blooms.

It’s important that plants can access enough nutrients to promote healthy leaf and stem growth, as well as support the spring flower extravaganza.

The three main nutrients required by plants are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Plant foods containing these three nutrients are known as ‘complete’ fertilisers.

Nitrogen is key in encouraging healthy green leaf and stem growth, phosphorus plays an important role in root development and potassium promotes flowering, fruiting and overall plant health.

During spring, it’s important to feed plants regularly with a complete fertiliser. And using fertilisers that are specially formulated for different plant types are ideal, as they contain the right balance of nutrients for those plants, for example, citrus and fruit, vegies and herbs or roses and flowers.

To maximise spring flowering, feed plants with a potassium-rich fertiliser such as Yates® Thrive® Flower & Fruit Soluble Fertiliser.

It’s as simple as mixing 1-2 spoonfuls into a 9L watering can and applying around the plant’s root zone every week.

Green thumb

tip!

Yates Thrive Flower & Fruit also contains trace elements such as iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc for extra plant vitality.

FRUIT PROTECTION Codling moth is a serious pest of apples and pears, their caterpillars tunnelling into and ruining fruit. To prevent codling moth infestation, start spraying apple and pear trees with Yates® Success® Ultra every 14 days from petal fall. Yates Success Ultra will also control leaf rollers, which can damage leaves and fruit. Leafrollers are so named because they create webbing and roll leaves into a cylinder in which to hide.

CODLING

Pear slugs are slug-like larvae of a sawfly that rapidly skeletonise leaves of fruit trees like pears, cherries, apples and plums.

To control pear slugs, start spraying Yates Nature’s Way® Pyrethrum Natural Insect Spray over foliage as soon as the slugs or their damage are first seen.

Respray each week while the slugs persist.

PEAR

MOTH

SLUG

Lawn weeds Patches of broadleaf lawn weeds, such as prickly Onehunga weed, catsear, chickweed, dock and thistles, that have developed over the cooler months will be growing rapidly during early spring. It’s important to control these weeds before they have a chance to flower and set seed. Yates Turfix® Gun™ comes in a handy ready to use trigger applicator and contains an effective combination of two weedkillers to control broadleaf weeds in lawns as well as pathways.

Yates Turfix Gun also contains a wetting agent for improved spray coverage and weed penetration.

It’s time to get on top of your lawn weeds!

G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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Starting a new lawn

from seed SEEDS OF SUCCESS

3.MEASURE

Lawn seed is an economical way to start a fresh new lawn, helping to create a lush green space that will be an area of enjoyment and fun for years to come. Spring is a great time to start a new lawn from seed, as the temperature is mild and the grass seed can germinate and establish before the heat of summer arrives.

Measure the area and calculate the correct amount of lawn seed.

Here’s how to start a new lawn from seed and some extra tips to keep your lawn looking great.

1.WEED

CONTROL

Weeds will compete with the new lawn so should be controlled 2 weeks before sowing lawn seed, which allows the weeds to die completely. Yates® Zero® Weedkiller can be used as a general spray over the area to kill any weeds and existing grasses.

2.SOIL

PREPARATION

Lawn seed should be sown into well drained, firm but not compacted soil that is rich in organic matter. Give the lawn seed the best possible start by mixing some Yates Dynamic Lifter® Organic Lawn Food into the topsoil.

It’s a concentrated blend of composted manure, blood and bone, fishmeal and seaweed and will improve soil structure and provide gentle, slow release organic nutrients to the new grass seedlings as they grow. An application of lawn top dressing can also benefit lawn establishment where the existing soil is heavy clay, poor and sandy or the surface is uneven.

4.SOW Rake the soil surface in straight lines to create shallow furrows. Broadcast the seed evenly over the area. It helps to halve the seed mix and sow half in an east west direction and the other half in a north south direction. After sowing, lightly cross rake the area to mix the seed into the topsoil.

5.WATER Water the area with a fine mist spray. It is very important that the top soil remains moist for the first 14–21 days to complete germination.

This may require watering several times a day if the weather is hot or windy. As the grass establishes, the number of waterings can be reduced but increase the volume of water at each watering.

6.MOW Mow the grass when it is 5-6cm high, so you just cut the top 1cm off the top. This will help to encourage root growth. As the lawn matures, lower the blades of the mower on successive cuts.

TURF TIP: If you’re starting a new lawn with rolls of turf, before laying rolls mix Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Lawn Food into the topsoil, which will promote root growth and encourage the new turf to establish.

Choosing the right lawn seed There are so many kinds of front and back lawns all around New Zealand, including tiny or sprawling lawns, lawns in sun or shade and areas that are a playground for pets and kids.

People also have their own preferences for the type of lawn they want, including soft and upright grasses to tough and running varieties.

To help you choose which lawn seed to use, here are some details about Yates® most popular lawn seeds: » YATES MOW IT LESS A beautiful, lush green, hard wearing and drought tolerant lawn that requires less mowing.

The seed is quick to germinate and contains a mixture of turf type perennial ryegrass and creeping red fescue. » YATES LUXURY LAWN SEED A low growing, neat and compact lawn seed mix containing creeping red and chewings fescue. This grows a lawn with an excellent deep green colour and the fine leaves can be mown closely, creating a luxurious looking lawn. » YATES TUFFGRASS A value for money lawn that’s resistant to wear and tear, so it’s great for areas where pets and kids play. It combines perennial ryegrass and chewings fescue and is easy to establish, germinating in around 7 days.

» YATES KIKUYU BLEND A unique mix of hardy kikuyu grass and ryegrass that is excellent for high traffic areas, coastal gardens and drought prone frost-free districts. » YATES MADE FOR SHADE Specially formulated to maintain its appearance under both damp and dry shady conditions. Ideal for semi and relatively dense shaded areas under trees and next to high walls and hedges. » YATES SOW ANYTIME A stadium grade blend of ryegrass and red fescue that creates a deep green, lush lawn, even in shade. It has the unique ability to grow all year round and will germinate at temperatures as low as 3°C.

Yates Mow it Less, Luxury Lawn, Tuffgrass, Kikuyu Blend, Made for Shade and Anytime lawn seeds are coated with ‘Active-GRO’, which is the latest lightweight seed coating technology that helps protect against fungal disease and bird theft.

Eight weeks after sowing, apply Yates Dynamic Lifter® Organic Lawn Food over the area. It’s a 100% natural fertiliser to provide gentle nutrients to young, establishing lawns and promote lush healthy growth.

Controlling

lawn weeds As the weather warms up in spring and we start enjoying more time in our backyards, it’s time to eliminate the last of the cool season broadleaf weeds like Onehunga weed and clover. It’s very important for these weeds to be controlled before they have a chance to flower, set seed (which in the case of Onehunga weed, the seed is their nasty prickles) and spread.

treating small patches of weeds or places where hose access is difficult. Apply the granules onto moist grass when the weather is fine and still. Leave on for 2 days then water thoroughly. The lawn will turn black for a few days but will recover. Yates Weed’n’Feed granules are rich in nitrogen and iron to promote rapid greening of the lawn.

You can easily control the most common broadleaf weeds in lawns, before they take over, in only a few minutes by using hose-on Yates® Weed’n’Feed®. It will also give the lawn a quick burst of the nutrients nitrogen and iron to promote healthy rich green growth.

Prefer using a pressure sprayer or watering can? Dilute Yates Prickle Weedkiller or Yates Weed’n’Feed Concentrate in a sprayer or watering can and apply over weed affected lawn areas. They work via contact action and are effective against broadleaf weeds such as Onehunga prickle weeds, thistles and clover.

Yates Weed’n’Feed is also available in fast acting granules, which are applied over the lawn by hand. These granules are ideal for

ONEHUNGA

WEED

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Feed your lawn!

It takes a lot of energy for lawns to grow the thick, deep green growth that is beautiful to walk and play on and help create a fantastic looking front and back yard. We also mow lawns constantly throughout the warmer seasons, which removes lots of nutrients from the soil. As the lawn emerges from its winter hibernation, it’s time to feed it with a professional grade lawn food to promote healthy, rich green growth.

Yates® Lawn Fertiliser is a premium granular lawn food designed to give you a strong, green and healthy lawn. The fine granule formula quickly filters down to the roots and dissolves when watered in.

Yates Lawn Fertiliser can be used on all lawn types and contains a unique balance of slow and fast release nitrogen. It provides rapid visible results as well as feeding your lawn continuously over a 12 week period.

Apply once at the beginning of spring and you’re done for the season!

Tip! Yates Lawn Fertiliser also contains the mineral zeolite, which improves the soil’s ability to hold water and nutrients.

Here’s your easy spring rose care plan: APHID CONTROL

roses are coming

During early spring, roses are awakening from their winter slumber and preparing for a spectacular floral display. Whether you’ve just planted a new rose during winter or have had a favourite rose (or two) in your garden for years, spring is the time to set roses up for a fantastic season of healthy growth and masses of flowers.

Aphids are one of the main pests to look out for on young rose leaf growth and flower buds. Aphids can occur in their dozens (or hundreds!) and feast on the delicious sweet rose sap.

Left unchecked, aphids deplete roses of valuable nutrients and plant sugars as well as causing new leaves to deform. Aphids can also transmit plant viruses.

So, it’s important to control aphids in spring before they cause damage. Applying Yates® Rose Gun® over new rose foliage and flower buds every two weeks will help keep aphids under control and your roses protected.

SPRING FEEDING To promote healthy leaf and stem growth and encourage lots of blooms in garden and potted roses, sprinkle some Yates Thrive® Rose & Flower Granular Plant Food around each rose. It’s rich in potassium to promote lots of flowers and contains slow release nitrogen to feed plants gradually for up to 12 weeks.

To help retain soil moisture, apply a layer of mulch, such as bark chips, over the root zone, keeping the mulch a few centimetres away from the stem to allow for good air flow.

CATERPILLAR CONTROL The fabulous rose blooms that you’ve been waiting patiently for are also being eagerly anticipated by some very hungry caterpillars. Caterpillars can chew through and into rose buds as well as eating leaves. Control these destructive caterpillars by spraying roses thoroughly every two weeks, including the undersides of foliage where caterpillars often hide, with Yates Rose Gun®.

Begiennneerrs gard

N E W TO R O S E S ?

In addition to controlling aphids and caterpillars, Yates Rose Gun will also control other common pests of roses, such thrips, whitefly and two-spotted mites, as well as dreaded rose diseases like black spot, powdery mildew and rust. So, with Yates Rose Gun, you don’t need to be a rose expert to know how to protect your roses!

Growing the perfect potted rose You don’t need a large space to have your very own rose garden. Many roses are perfectly suited to growing in pots, where they can be beautifully displayed on a veranda, courtyard or balcony. One of the many benefits of growing roses in pots is that they can be moved into the spotlight while they’re in full bloom. If you missed out on planting a bare rooted rose during winter, many gorgeous rose varieties are available in pots from garden centres during spring.

HERE’S HOW TO START YOUR OWN POTTED ROSE: » Half fill a 30-40 cm diameter well-drained pot with a good quality potting mix, such as Yates® Premium Potting Mix. » Gently remove the rose from its plain plastic pot. If the roots are dense or tangled, gently tease out the outer layer. » Place the rose in the new pot and backfill around the roots with potting mix. Ensure that the level of new potting mix is at the same height as the existing mix around the rose. The graft (the bump on the stem) should sit around 5cm above the potting mix. » Water the pot gently to settle the potting mix around the rose’s roots.

» After a fortnight, the rose can then be fed each week with Yates Thrive® Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. It’s specially designed to both encourage healthy leaf growth as well as promote lots of beautiful flowers. » Potted roses can dry out rapidly in warm weather, so make sure to water them regularly. » Watch out for pests and diseases, such as aphids, caterpillars and black spot, which can ruin both leaves and flowers. Yates Rose Gun is a handy ready to use spray that will control the most common pests and diseases on roses.

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terrific

tomatoes

Harvesting your very own tasty tomatoes is one of life’s joys. They can be picked at their sun-ripened and sweetest best and go from garden to plate in a matter of minutes.

It’s time to sow tomato seed and get your tomato patch or pot off to a flying start. There are lots of delicious tomato varieties to choose from, including flavour packed bite sized cherry tomatoes, large juicy beefsteak tomatoes and Italian tomatoes that are perfect for cooking and sun-drying.

HERE ARE SOME TERRIFIC TOMATOES FOR YOU TO GROW AT YOUR PLACE: »

»

»

Yates® Tomato ‘Tommy Toe Heirloom’ is an old favourite with a reputation for delightful tasting tomatoes. It sets a heavy crop of glossy bright red apricot sized fruit. Superb in salads, bruschetta or just pick and enjoy straight from the truss. It’s a tall grower that must be staked and is best grown in a vegie patch in full sun.

Yates Tomato ‘Patio Mini’ is a compact dwarf hybrid, tailor-made for pots on the deck or tiny gardens. It’s a vigorous cropper that produces red medium-sized fruit on deep green bushy plants. Staking is optional as Patio Mini only grows to 70cm tall.

Yates Tomato ‘Roma’ are Italian heirloom tomatoes which produce deep red pear-shaped fruit. They have drier and thicker flesh than slicing tomatoes and are famous for hearty sauces, rich tomato paste and soups and are also perfect for sun drying.

Tomato seeds can be sown direct where they are to grow, or seedlings raised in punnets of Yates Black Magic® Seed Raising Mix and transplanted when they’re around 5cm high.

Only transplant seedlings into the vegie patch once the risk of frost has passed.

For best results, dig some Yates Thrive® Natural Blood & Bone into the soil before sowing seed or transplanting seedlings. This adds valuable organic matter to the soil, improves soil structure and attracts earthworms and beneficial soil microorganisms.

Once the seedlings are established, apply a tomato specific plant food, like Yates Thrive® Tomato Granular Plant Food, to help promote healthy leaf growth as well as lots of flowers that will turn into delicious, juicy tomatoes.

Green thumb tip: Indeterminate tomatoes, such as Tommy Toe, are tall growers (versus determinate tomatoes which are ‘bush’ type tomatoes) and will continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the growing season. To help improve tomato yields and reduce the incidence of disease, ‘suckers’ along the stems of indeterminate tomatoes can be removed. Suckers are the small shoots that develop between the main stem and side branches. Pinching these off reduces excess leafy growth and allows more sunlight into the plant.

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Top tomato growing tips Keep your tomatoes healthy and productive by controlling some key pests and diseases during spring: »

To quickly and easily protect tomatoes from the most common insect pests, like caterpillars and aphids, spray with Yates® Nature’s Way® Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray. It contains an effective combination of natural pyrethrin, from the pyrethrum daisy, and vegetable oil and is approved for use in organic gardening by BioGro NZ.

»

Tomatoes can be susceptible to a range of diseases, including leaf spots (blights) and powdery mildew.

To avoid splashing disease spores from the soil up on to the foliage and to help keep the leaves dry, water tomato plants gently at the base during the morning. And if diseases develop, Yates Nature’s Way Fungus Spray contains a dual combination of fungicides to control diseases like mildews and blights.

» Monitor plants for signs of tomato/ potato psyllids (TPP) or their damage. TPP is a tiny sap feeding insect that causes leaves to yellow and curl, plants can wilt and sooty mould can develop due to the psyllids producing honeydew.

Yates Mavrik® Gun Insect & Mite Spray can be sprayed over tomato plants every 7–14 days to control TPP.

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Spring

vegie care If you caught the gardening bug during the COVID-19 lockdowns or have had a green thumb for years, here are some spring vegie care hints to keep your home grown harvests wonderfully productive.

SILVERBEET »

Sometimes known as chard, silverbeet is a versatile vegie that can be used in pasta dishes, soups, salads, savoury muffins, pastries and quiches as well as pizza toppings.

Yates® Silverbeet ‘Fordhook Giant’ is a large, easy to grow variety that produces an abundant harvest of large crinkly, highly nutritious leaves with long, sturdy white stems.

For smaller spaces and pots, Yates Silverbeet Compact Deep Green has rich green leaves on shorter stems.

»

Silverbeet does best in a full sun spot in the vegie garden or pots and to keep the plants productive and flourishing, feed each week with Yates Thrive® Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food.

»

A fantastic benefit of silverbeet is that you can pick individual stalks as you need them. Pick outer stalks regularly to promote fresh new growth.

»

Watch out for snails and slugs, which like to hide in amongst the stalks and devour the leaves. Control them by lightly sprinkling Yates Blitzem® Snail & Slug Pellets around the base of the plants.

ASIAN VEGIES »

Tatsoi, Chinese cabbage and buk choy are just some of the deliciously healthy Asian leafy greens that can be grown during spring. Promote lots of leaf growth by feeding each week with nitrogen rich Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food.

»

Leaves of Asian greens such as tatsoi and buk choy can be picked individually, providing a continuous harvest over many weeks.

»

Caterpillars, which can come in a range of sizes and colours, can rapidly chew through lots of leaves, so it’s important to regularly monitor for caterpillars themselves or signs of their damage or droppings. Spray plants each week with Yates® Nature’s Way® Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray to control caterpillars.

It contains natural pyrethrin extract from the pyrethrum daisy, plus vegetable oil, and is approved for use in organic gardening.

ONIONS »

Onions that were sown during autumn should be growing well during spring. To promote plump tasty bulb development, apply Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone around the rows of onions every 8 weeks.

»

Aphids and thrips are two significant sap feeding pests that can infest onions. They can cause leaves to mottle and yellow and in large numbers can reduce the size of the onion bulb. It’s easy to control aphids and thrips by spraying the plants every 10–12 days with Yates Nature’s Way Natrasoap® Vegie Insect Gun. It’s a soap based spray made from natural vegetable oils and is approved for use in organic gardening.

»

It takes up to 7 months for onions to mature. You can start harvesting onions once the leaves start to yellow and droop, or earlier if you simply can’t wait (onions can be eaten at any time). Hang harvested onions, complete with their leaves still attached, in a warm, protected spot for a week or two to allow their skins to dry. Then the leaves and roots can be cut off and the onions stored in a cool, airy dry spot until you need them.

GARLIC »

Garlic bulbs planted in autumn will be lovely and leafy during spring and developing their delicious cloves.

»

Keep the soil moist and feed every fortnight with Yates Thrive® All Purpose Soluble Fertiliser. It’s a complete plant food that’s high in nitrogen to promote healthy leaf growth as well as phosphorus and potassium to encourage development of good sized garlic bulbs.

»

Around 8 months after planting, or when a few of the leaves start to die back, it’s time to harvest. Hang harvested plants (with the leaves still attached) in an airy sheltered spot for about a month to dry and cure, then it’s ready to use.

LETTUCE »

Lettuce is always fantastic to have on hand throughout the year, to create a healthy salad, quick side dish or add to a sandwich or wrap.

Home grown lettuce is not only convenient but also you can pick it at its most tender and sweet and forget buying bagged salad that quickly goes slimy in the fridge.

»

Yates® Lettuce Cut & Come Again is a selection of popular, colourful and easy to grow lettuce varieties, and leaves can be picked individually as you need them, leaving the rest of the plant to grow. Cut & Come Again is ideal for growing in both pots and the vegie patch.

»

To encourage lots of rapid green growth, once the seedlings are established feed each week with Yates Thrive® Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food. It’s rich in nitrogen to encourage lots of delicious tender leaves.

»

Lettuce can be susceptible to attack by aphids, which feed on the sugary plant sap. Aphids are tiny black, brown, green or grey insects that can cause leaves to curl and distort and plant health to suffer.

It’s easy to control aphids on lettuce by spraying the plants every 10-12 days with an insecticidal soap like Yates Nature’s Way Natrasoap® Vegie Insect Gun. G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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grow your own revolution Seeds by Keep your kitchen well stocked with fresh, healthy and colourful ingredients from your own garden. Check out these fabulous NEW VEGIE SEEDS from Yates to sow this spring, to tempt your taste buds and green thumbs. »

Choy Sum Chinese Flowering Cabbage A classic Chinese vegetable with crisp and succulent stems and small yellow-flowered tips.

»

Beetroot Bulls Blood An heirloom variety with intense burgundy hued leaves (that can be picked when young for use in salads) and the sweet earthy tasting roots show subtle candy-pink rings when sliced.

»

»

Beetroot Golden This beetroot has lovely honey-gold coloured roots that don’t stain like traditional red beets.

Radish Amethyst Make your salads into a striking visual feast with this uniquely vibrant, bright purple skinned radish with crisp white flesh.

»

Daikon Radish (Mooli) Popular in Asia for condiments, pickling, fermenting, relishes, stir fries and salads, the long white roots have a sweet and lightly spicy flavour which becomes mellow after cooking.

»

Kamokamo A treasured squash variety with speckled green, distinctively ribbed fruit with a delicious nutty flavour.

»

Zucchini Partenon Hybrid A clever self-pollinating zucchini (particularly handy during poor weather, when effective pollination can be challenging) with tasty, succulent fruit with attractive deep green glossy skin.

Here are the three easy steps to sowing & growing delicious vegies & herbs in spring:

step 1

Choose a sunny spot in the garden that receives at least six hours of sunshine a day.

There are some vegies and herbs, such as Yates Silverbeet Bright Lights and Yates Sweet Basil that can be grown in part shade. Many vegies and herbs are also perfect for growing in pots, so you don’t need a big backyard to grow some of your own produce. Consider delicious options like Yates Dwarf Bean Mix and Yates Parsley Italian Plain Leaf. Seed packets include helpful information about how much sunlight your chosen vegie or herb needs and whether it’s suitable for growing in pots.

step 2

Follow the directions on the seed packet and either sow seeds direct where the plants are to grow or sow into trays of Yates® Black Magic® Seed Raising Mix. Water gently and keep the soil or potting mix moist. For beans, limit watering until seedlings emerge as seeds can rot before germinating if the soil is too wet. For seedlings grown in trays, transplant them into their final home once they’re large enough to handle.

step 3

Once the seedlings are established, encourage lots of healthy growth by feeding each week with Yates Thrive Natural Fish + Seaweed Plant Food Concentrate.

Plus, all around New Zealand you can also sow: »

Asian Stir Fry Mix - Bok Choy, Choy Sum, Tatsoi and Stir Fry Mix

»

Beans – Dwarf Freezer, Golden Wax, Dwarf Long John, Tendergreen, Dwarf Topcrop, Dwarf Mix, Shiny Fardenlosa, Scarlet Runner, Blue Lake, Purple King, Snake, Humongous Megapods.

»

Beetroot – Seed Tape, Baby Beet, Cylindra, Derwent Globe, Superking.

»

Broccoli – Summer green

»

Cabbage – Racer Drumhead, Red Mini, Savoy King, Sugarloaf, Chinese Cabbage Bok Choy and Wong Bok

»

Capsicum – Colour Salad Mix, Corno di Toro, Giant Bell

»

Cauliflower – All Year Round Hybrid

»

Carrot – Baby, Egmont Gold, King Early Chantenay, Express Hybrid, Majestic Red, Manchester Table, Purple, Topweight, Baby & Manchester Seed Tape,

»

Cucumber – Crystal Apple, Burpless, Continental, Lebanese, Long Green

»

Chilli – Bird’s Eye, Habanero, Jwala, Cayenne,

»

Herbs - Chives, Garlic Chives, Coriander, Cress Salad Curled, Dill, Lemongrass, Mint Mix, Mustard Quick Salad, Oregano, Curled and Italian Parsley, Peppermint, Sweet Basil, Basil Gourmet Mix, Basil Genovese, Holy Basil, Thai Basil, Rocket, Wild Rocket, Sage, Stevia, Thyme, Watercress

»

Eggplant - Blacknite, Baby Brinjal

»

Lamb’s Lettuce (early spring in temperate areas)

»

Leek – Welsh Wonder

»

Lettuce – Baby Combo, Buttercrunch, Cos, Cut & Come Again, Frilly Mix, Greenway Iceberg, Mesclun French Salad Mixed, Salad Mix, Webbs Wonderful Iceberg

»

Parsnip – Hollow Crown, Yatesnip

»

Pumpkin - Buttercup, Butternut, Golden Nugget, Hybrid Grey Crown, Queensland Blue

»

Radish - French Breakfast, Gentle Giant, Salad Crunch, White Icicle

»

Rockmelon Hales Best

»

Silverbeet - Compact Deep Green, Fordhook Giant, Bright Lights,

»

Spring Onion

»

Spinach – Baby Leaf, NZ Spinach, Summer Supreme

»

Squash – Sweet & Kwik Mix

»

Sweetcorn - Honeysweet, Sun’n’Snow, Early Chief

»

Tatsoi

»

Tomatoes - Big Beef, Grosse Lisse, Heirloom Mixed, Moneymaker, Mortgage Lifter, Patio, Roma, Small Fry, Sweet 100, Tommy Toe

»

Watermelon - Candy Red, Sugar baby, Country Sweet

»

Zucchini - Blackjack, Greyzini, Solar Flare.

Check the seed packets for sowing recommendations for your climate.

Growing

Navel Oranges Navel oranges are so named because they have what looks like a strange little belly-button on the base of the fruit. There are a few varieties of navel oranges, including Washington, Best's seedless and Powell, and different varieties ripen during different months, predominantly in winter and spring.

Navel Gazing Brightly coloured Washington navel oranges are dripping from trees during winter, Best's seedless navel from late winter to late spring and Powell navels that are ready in late spring.

By growing a few different varieties of navel oranges you can be harvesting for many months. They’re sweet and juicy, most navels are seedless, and they are a fantastic orange to grow at home. Dwarf varieties of navels grow to around 1.5m tall, so they’re easy to maintain (and you don’t need a ladder to harvest!) as well as being perfect for growing in a container.

When planting a new navel orange tree into the ground, mix some Yates Thrive® Natural Blood & Bone into the bottom of the planting hole.

Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone improves the quality of the soil and supplies the newly planted orange with gentle, organic nutrients as it establishes.

To promote good early root growth in your new orange tree, water it in well with some Yates Thrive Natural Seaweed Tonic. It’s made from 100% natural bull kelp, sustainably sourced from Southern Oceans, and is great for reducing transplant shock and stimulating new root growth.

To get the best out of home grown navel oranges, find a sunny spot that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day with well-drained soil.

Navel oranges prefer growing in a temperate or sub-tropical climate, though will also handle cooler locations.

If you’re growing a navel orange in a container, choose a dwarf variety, use a pot that’s at least 40cm in diameter and fill with good quality potting mix like Yates® Premium Potting Mix.

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Spring

citrus care Fixing distorted and curled citrus leaves is a very common citrus question. Unfortunately, once the leaves are twisted the damage is permanent, until the leaves naturally fall from the tree. So, prevention is the key!

Citrus trees start growing their flush of new foliage in early to mid-spring and new growth needs to be protected. A common insect pest that causes these deformed leaves is aphids, which are attracted to tender new spring citrus foliage. Aphids are small sap sucking insects that can be green, brown or black and can cause leaves to curl under and twist. It’s easy to control aphids on citrus by spraying the foliage with Yates® Nature’s Way® Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray, including on the undersides of leaves where aphids often hide, every week.

Feeding citrus regularly is the key to promoting the best possible harvest. Citrus are very hungry plants!

Yates Thrive® Citrus & Fruit Granular Plant Food is a complete plant food that has been specially formulated to provide citrus with the nutrients they need. It’s rich in potassium for promoting lots of flowers and delicious fruit, nitrogen and magnesium for healthy green foliage and phosphorus to encourage strong root development and quality fruit. Apply Yates Thrive Citrus & Fruit Granular Plant Food at the beginning of each season and the controlled release nitrogen will feed citrus trees gradually for up to 12 weeks.

Feeding Tip: Yates Thrive Citrus & Fruit Granular Plant Food can be used to feed in-ground and potted citrus trees.

APHIDS

A NEW all-year-round blog - a place for gardeners to come together to share their successes, get advice & win prizes in fun challenges along the way!

The current challenge is the Vegie Growing Challenge 2020.

It’s open to all skill levels including newbies – you just need a passion for gardening and a willingness to share your journey.

GREAT PRIZES Over $4000 worth of prizes up for grabs!

The three main winners will each receive a $1000 Go Gardening voucher + $300 of Yates products.

Plus runner up prizes too.

The Vegie Growing Challenge starts Mon 7th Sept, and ends Fri 13th Dec 2020.

Click HERE to get involved

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CarolJane

Connor Burgin

introducing…

Rachael Burgin

A NEW blog - aaplace gardeners to The team at Yates have all-year-round recently launched newfor community blog called the come together to share their successes, get advice & Yates Growing Community. It’s a place for gardeners to come together to share win prizes in fun challenges along the way! their successes, problems and aspirations while having fun growing. We’ll also Thechallenges current challenge the Vegie Growing Challengealong 2020. the way. have different toismake life interesting It’s open to all skill levels including newbies – you just need a passion for gardening and a willingness to share your journey.

The current challenge within the Yates Growing Community, is the Vegie Growing Challenge.

It’s open to all skill levels including newbies – you just need a passion for gardening and a Over $4000 worth willingness to share your journey.

Sadly - we do need to share that our most dedicated and inspiring gardener CarolJane from Waikato sadly passed away on 24th August 2020, and her passion and enthusiasm of for gardening and the Vegie Growing Challenge grabs! will certainly be missed.

GREAT PRIZES prizes up for

In fact this is the 11th year that the Vegie The three main winners Growing Challenge has been running.

The will each receive a $1000 Go Gardening Challenge is an exciting opportunity to share voucher + $300 of Yates products.

Plus runner up prizes too. all the ups and downs from your vegetable garden, with the chance toThewin great Vegie Growing Challenge starts Mon 7thpart Sept, and prizes. Not only that, you become of ends a Fri 13th Dec 2020. wonderfully supportive community of fellow HERE to get involved gardeners from all over theClick country, who are quick to offer advice and support. They love to celebrate your triumphs and commiserate with you should you have a failure, in a way that only another keen gardener understands.

Since the beginning there have been some amazing gardeners and some of our previous winners have stood out with their passion and love of gardening.

One of our long-term gardeners – ‘CarolJane from Waikato’, has been in every single challenge since the very beginning. Carol had a fabulous garden in the backyard of her unit and grew enough to feed herself and to share with her community. In the challenge, she came alongside the new gardeners and encouraged them to keep going when times were tough.

Many gardeners come back every year and greet other returning gardeners like old friends. Others find themselves with a window in their lives for a couple of seasons, where they have the time to garden and share their efforts. Everyone is welcomed like old friends.

One such gardener, Rachael from ‘Northland Newbies’ started out as a new gardener with a suburban backyard. With the encouragement of the community her garden and confidence grew as she taught her young boys where their food came from. Her boys also grew in confidence and as child entrants proudly showed off their own gardens.

If you have a love of growing your own food, no matter your experience or size of your garden, join us this season in the Vegie Growing Challenge and you will be welcomed into our community with open arms.

CHECK OUT: www.yates.co.nz/spring-vegie-growingchallenge/this-year/

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deck

TRANSFORMATION We love spending time in the outdoor spaces around our homes, whether it’s on a deck, veranda, balcony or patio. We want them to be a weekend or after-work haven, to relax and entertain in. It’s time to give your outdoor space an easy spring facelift by including a variety of leafy, edible or colourful potted plants.

You won’t need a builder – just some gardening gloves!

Choose a plant theme for your transformation: TROPICAL RESORT STYLE

COLOURFUL FLOWERS

Leafy foliage plants and fragrant and vibrant flowers can bring back memories of your favourite tropical holiday destination.

Lush palms, colourful bromeliads and cordylines, dwarf bougainvilleas, frangipanis, climbing mandevilla and clumping bamboo can all be grown in pots and positioned around outdoor areas. Place taller growing plants towards the back, smaller plants at the front, to create a layered effect that gives the impression of a larger space.

Create an inviting outdoor oasis by growing lots of beautiful potted flowers. Colourful petunias and calibrachoa, impatiens, marigolds, geraniums and daisies can bring quick and easy colour into outdoor areas.

Perhaps go the extra insta-worthy mile and coordinate flower colours with table setting plates, drinkware and serviettes.

DELICIOUS EDIBLES If you love cooking on your BBQ and serving meals outdoors, then growing a range of potted vegies and herbs within easy reach will help add gourmet flair and taste to your menu. Grow graceful lemon grass and use the stems for basting or kebab skewers, fragrant sweet basil for mouth-watering bruschetta and loose leaf lettuces and cherry tomatoes for fresh and healthy salads. Convenient and delicious!

MEDITERRANEAN You may not be able to travel to Mediterranean countries at the moment, however you can bring a touch of Tuscany to your deck or outdoor space by growing pots of fragrant rosemary, olives, dwarf citrus, pretty purple lavender and bay trees.

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It’s worthwhile using a good quality potting mix to fill your pots, like Yates® Premium Potting Mix. It contains controlled release fertiliser to feed for up to 9 months and a wetting agent to improve water penetration to the roots.

TLC for your deck plants: »

Feed lush and leafy plants with nitrogen-rich Yates Thrive® All Purpose Liquid Plant Food.

»

Promote lots of fabulous blooms in flowering plants with Yates Thrive Rose & Flower Liquid Plant Food.

»

Keep common insect pests, such as aphids, caterpillars, scale and mealybug, under control with regular sprays of Yates Nature’s Way® Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray.

And to refresh your deck, so it’s ready to enjoy with friends and family, here are two simple steps from Cabot’s®:

STEP 1 Clean your deck using Cabot’s Deck Clean.

Using a mix of Cabot’s Deck Clean and water in your Cabot’s Deck Hand® Bucket, scrub your timber with a Cabot’s Deck Prep scrubbing broom to remove degraded/grey timber fibres and dirt. By eliminating the impurities and surface contaminants you ensure a smooth finish when you apply your decking oil.

Once dry…

STEP 2: Apply Cabot’s Aquadeck to your timber.

Apply Aquadeck liberally to the entire length of the timber board using the Cabot’s Deck Coat lambswool applicator, approximately 2-3 boards at a time. Cabot’s Aquadeck is a water based decking oil that will enhance the look of your timber without drastically changing the colour.

If your deck is exposed to heavy traffic and the elements, we recommend an additional coat for added durability.

When you’re done, wash your tools thoroughly in water.

Wait at least eight hours before replacing furniture on your revitalised deck.

Please note: Preparing your deck correctly is dependent on the current condition of your timber. If your deck has an old coating that has deteriorated unevenly or is peeling/flaking, we recommend sanding back to bare timber to ensure your decking oil adheres.

For advice on preparing different conditions of timber correctly please visit cabots.co.nz.

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spring

F LOW E RI N G TR E E S & S H RU BS Trees and shrubs add wonderful permanence and structure to gardens, as well as shade and privacy. Spring is when many trees and shrubs are covered in masses of beautiful blooms, adding a colourful or sometimes fragrant dimension to outdoor spaces.

If you have room for a spring flowering tree at your place, here are some wonderful ideas:

For smaller spaces, consider these spectacular spring flowering shrubs:

» Crab apples (Malus spp.) are a frenzy of

» Loropetalum ‘Plum Gorgeous’ has year-round deep

bee-attracting flowers in early spring and come in a range of beautiful colours including deep pink, white, scarlet red and pastel pink. Different varieties range from 3 to 6m tall and some have attractive autumn foliage or small edible fruit. Crab apples are ideal for small to medium sized gardens in cool and temperate climates, providing summer shade and being deciduous, allowing in winter sun.

» Jacarandas (Jacaranda mimosifolia) are at their spectacular flowering best in mid to late October and November, creating a gorgeous haze of purple in warm areas. Not only are jacarandas gorgeous when in flower, they are fabulous shade trees for large gardens, growing up to 15m tall. The leaves fall in mid spring followed by their glorious floral display. Jacarandas grow best in temperate and sub-tropical climates, however in cooler areas will tolerate light frosts once established (protect the tree from frost while it’s young).

purple foliage and intriguing pink tasselled flowers in spring and autumn. Growing to around 1.5m tall and 2m wide, it maintains a naturally dense domed habit and can be used in mixed garden beds, grown as an informal hedge or makes a stunning feature plant in full or part shade.

» Port wine magnolia (Magnolia figo) is a large dense evergreen shrub, growing to around 3m tall, that has divinely scented mauve and cream cup shaped flowers in spring. They smell like bubble gum! It’s an ideal screening plant or to grow near a window and allow the fragrance to waft inside.

» Kowhai (Sophora microphylla) is a beautiful native tree that has golden yellow flowers in spring that are particularly adored by tui. Growing to around 4m tall it has semi-weeping branches and can be evergreen or partly deciduous depending on the climate.

» Azaleas range from petite bushes to large shrubs and come in almost every colour from white through to bright pink and also yellow and salmon as well as two toned and double flowers. Happiest in a garden bed or pot that receives morning sun and afternoon shade, they’ll bring beautiful colour into the garden.

During spring you can choose a new flowering tree or shrub at your local nursery, while they’re displaying their gorgeous flowers. Here are some planting tips to give them the best possible start: »

Most trees and shrubs prefer a well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter. You can improve the quality of the soil in the planting hole by mixing in some Yates® Thrive® Natural Blood & Bone. It will also provide the new tree or shrub with slow release organic nutrients as it establishes.

»

It’s important to water the new plant in well and continue to water regularly for several months, particularly as the weather warms up in late spring. Apply an organic mulch, such as bark chips, around the root zone to reduce moisture loss from the soil.

»

Control any weeds or grasses that creep into the root zone with careful spot sprays of Yates Nature’s Way® Organic Weed Spray.

In addition to looking untidy, weeds steal valuable water and nutrients from trees and shrubs and can harbour pests and diseases.

»

Once the new tree or shrub has established, promote healthy leaf growth and a fabulous flower show next spring by regularly applying Yates Thrive® Roses & Flower Granular Plant Food around the root zone. It contains a special combination of fast and slow release nitrogen, that feeds plants for up to 12 weeks, plus it’s rich in flower-promoting potassium.

Waterwise gardening In many areas, lack of rainfall has led to water restrictions that limit the use of water in gardens.

To help make the most of available water, here are some handy waterwise gardening tips: Spread mulch over garden beds, vegie patches and on the top of pots to reduce the amount of moisture lost from the soil. It also helps to protect the soil surface from the sun. Organic mulches such as bark chips and straw are ideal, as when they break down they add valuable organic matter to the soil, which helps store more moisture.

‘Grey water’ from the washing machine can be collected and used to water lawns, flower beds and ornamental trees and shrubs. Choose laundry detergents that are suitable for grey water use and apply grey water around different parts of the garden so the same plants or lawn areas are not being constantly watered with grey water.

It’s best to water in the cool of the morning to help prepare plants for the day ahead and 1-2 thorough and deep waterings a week are better than more frequent lighter waterings.

Place a bucket in the shower and collect the water before it runs hot. This water, that would normally be lost down the drain, can be used on potted plants and garden beds.

Apply Yates® Thrive® Natural Seaweed Tonic around plants to improve plant resistance to stressful conditions such as drought.

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Palms for warm, frost-protected garden spots in full or part sun include: » Sugar cane palm (Dypsis baronii) » Bangalow palm (Archonontophoenix cunninghamiana) » Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis)

perfect

palms If you’re after a tropical look for your garden, then palms are a must and their long arching and graceful foliage adds a vertical dimension to garden designs or creates a tall leafy backdrop or dappled shade for smaller plants growing underneath.

There is a wide variety of palms to choose from, whether you have a large sunny garden or a small shady spot that needs some tropical pizzazz.

Palms for shaded gardens include: » Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa) » Cascade palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum) » Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana)

Here are the key steps to help keep your palms lush and healthy: » Plant into well drained soil or a pot with good drainage holes filled with a good quality potting mix like Yates® Premium Potting Mix. » When planting a new palm into the garden, enrich the soil first by mixing in some Yates Thrive® Natural Blood & Bone. Palms don’t like having their roots disturbed, so when planting, don’t be tempted to tease out the root ball, even if it looks compacted. » During the warmer months keep the soil or potting mix moist and feed outdoor palms each fortnight with Yates Thrive Fish Blood & Bone. » Yellowing palm leaves can be a sign of magnesium deficiency. Applied as a foliar spray, Yates Leaf Greener Magnesium Chelate is a fast acting source of magnesium to help green up palm foliage. » Regularly remove any brown palm fronds, to keep the plant looking tidy.

Indoor

parlour palms Parlour palms (Chamaedorea elegans) make fantastic indoor plants. Young plants don’t take up too much space and a potted parlour palm is a lovely leafy addition to a work space or humid bathroom.

Multiple plants are often grown together in the one pot and their small fronds are lined with lots of green leaflets, creating a lush miniature rainforest effect.

Parlour palms prefer a moderately to well-lit spot indoors that is protected from direct sunlight.

They can grow up to 1.5m tall, though grow slowly and will take several years to reach this height.

Parlour palm growing tips: »

Choose a pot with good drainage holes and use a good quality potting mix like Yates® Indoor Plants Potting Mix.

»

Don’t disturb the palm’s root system when planting it into a new container.

»

Parlour palms like the potting mix to be kept only slightly moist. They don’t like wet feet! You can check the moisture level in the potting mix by gently digging around in the top few centimetres with your finger.

»

To promote lush healthy foliage growth, from spring to autumn feed every two months month with Yates Thrive® Plant Food Spikes Plants & Ferns.

It’s as simple as pushing a spike into the potting mix towards the edge of the pot.

The spike is out of sight and there’s no mixing, measuring required.

»

During hot dry weather, to help create a more humid environment the parlour palm foliage can be misted with water.

»

Monitor for signs of sap feeding scale, which can infest palm stems and leaves and look like small raised white, grey, brown or black bumps. Control by spraying the scale with Yates Nature’s Way® Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray.

»

Remove any dead fronds to keep the palm looking tidy and gently wipe the leaves regularly to remove any dust.

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a touch of the

tropics

Impatiens and hibiscus have long been included as key plants in tropical garden designs, adding vibrant floral colours in amongst leafy greenery. New varieties of these beautiful plants have improved size, performance and flower colours and are perfect for adding a touch of the tropics into your garden.

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There is a range of show stopping varieties of tantalising New Guinea impatiens now available through Enrich with Nature. Called Tamarinda® Impatiens, they have masses of large showy flowers and will bloom from spring right through until autumn. The flowers are long lasting, bring colour into shady parts of the garden and the plants have been bred to have superior diseases resistance.

Tamarinda Impatiens are vigorous plants, growing to around 40cm tall and wide, and do best in a frost protected, shady position. They make spectacular potted plants and can even be grown indoors in a brightly lit spot.

Tamarinda Impatiens are available in a stunning range of colours, including ‘Lavender’, ‘Red Bi-Colour’, ‘White’, ‘Red Flame’, ‘Cherry Blossom’, ‘Dark Red’, ‘Purple’, ‘Orange Orchid’ and ‘Soft Pink’.

It’s important to keep these impatiens well-watered. Incorporating organic matter, like Yates® Dynamic Lifter® Organic Plant Food, into the soil promotes improved soil water holding capacity and applying mulch around the plants will help keep the soil moist. For potted impatiens, choose a quality potting mix, like Yates Premium Potting Mix, and mulch can also be applied over the surface of the potting mix to help retain moisture.

Hibiscus also bring a colourful, tropical feel to gardens with big showy flowers in a range of beautiful colours. HibisQs® is a fabulous range of hibiscus from Enrich with Nature that just love a hot sunny spot.

They’re compact hibiscus, growing to less than 1m tall.

During summer, when night time temperatures are above 12°C, HibisQs can be planted outdoors in a warm sunny garden bed with well-drained soil or grown in a decorative pot and displayed in a courtyard, balcony or terrace. In cool areas where there’s frost and the temperature drops below 12°C, potted HibisQs can be brought indoors in a brightly lit spot, for a lovely summery feel.

Each flower has an extended shelf life of up to three days, with new flowers emerging each week. The exotic blooms can also be cut and displayed in a shallow bowl of water.

They’re available in a range of vibrant colours including ‘Apollo’, with eye catching yellow and orange two toned flowers, vibrant red ‘Adonis Red’, ‘Boreas Yellow’, which has bright sunshine yellow flowers with a red centre and 'Adonis Dark Pink', with showy pretty pink flowers.

Keep the soil or potting mix moist and to help keep hibiscus tidy, give them a light trim in late winter or early spring.

To keep impatiens and hibiscus looking their best, feed each fortnight with Yates® Thrive® Rose & Flower Liquid Plant Food, which is a complete fertiliser that’s boosted with additional flower-promoting potassium.

Impatiens and hibiscus images courtesy of Rainbow Park Nurseries.

Pest Watch

Hibiscus can be prone to aphids, which feast on the sugary sap. Control aphids with regular sprays of Yates Rose Gun®.

FLOWER

extravaganza

Yates® is excited to introduce a range of wonderful NEW FLOWER SEEDS to sow this spring, to bring glorious floral colour into your garden over the coming months.

From rich, decadent colours to delicate pastel shades, compact annuals to long lasting perennials and hardy flowers for full sun garden beds or petite pot-perfect plants, there’s a new Yates flower seed to suit every garden.

Seeds by Rudbeckia ‘Cherry Brandy’ Sumptuous coloured summer flowers from deep crimson to carmine red and dark chocolate on a drought tolerant plant reaching 50–60 cm tall. Perfect for sunny garden beds and containers.

Gaillardia ‘Amber’ A sun-loving hardy perennial with large bi-coloured daisy flowers in warm sunny tones with golden yellow tips.

Nemophila ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ A charming, old-fashioned favourite compact annual that produces a delicate sky-blue carpet of flowers throughout summer.

Cosmos ‘Rubenza’ This variety of Cosmos has luxurious deep burgundy flowers that gradually fade to an antique rose. Growing to 70cm tall, it’s a beautiful flower for the middle of a sunny garden border.

Pansy ‘Purple Lace’ A rich and unique coloured pansy with royal deep purple velvet flowers trimmed with a fine silver lace edge for contrast.

Looks beautiful in pots, hanging baskets and garden beds in full sun or part shade.

Shady Woodland Wildflower Mix Transform the challenging shaded spots in your garden with an enchanting carpet of wildflowers.

This mix contains 23 selected flower varieties, including foxglove, linaria, Virginian stock and alyssum.

Yates Mexican Fiesta Wildflower Mix A celebration of warm and vivid colours, this mix contains 17 tall and vigorous Central American flowers including coreopsis, sunflower, marigold and zinnia.

Tough & Hardy Wildflower Mix A great mix for dry spots or poor soils, this flower blend contains 26 different hardy and vigorous annuals and perennial wildflowers in a range of vibrant colours.

Carpet of Blue Wildflower Mix A mix of beautiful blue blooms with a sprinkling of pure white accents from a range of 14 different flowers including cornflower, salvia, aster and nigella. A low maintenance, easy care blend that is very attractive to pollinating insects.

Carpet of Pinks Wildflower Mix Delightful pink and pastel tones together with lustrous blush rose, fuchsia and magenta, together with pure white accents. This pink pallete of wildflowers contains 13 different annuals, including chrysanthemum, dianthus, candytuft and godetia.

Petunia ‘Plum Carpet’ Abundant plum coloured flowers with delicate deep purple veins on a vigorous plant that’s ideal for hanging baskets, mixed borders or growing as a ground cover.

Viola ‘Sorbet Violet Face' An abundance of charming little fragrant flowers with deep purple petals and crisp white faces covers these compact plants.

Stunning when mass planted in garden beds or grown in pots and hanging baskets.

Gazania ‘Arcturus’ A brightly glowing, unique gazania with radiant orange flowers without the usual distinctive dark central ring. A hardy, sun-loving perennial with a long flowering period.

Viola ‘Sorbet Marina' A high performing, weather tolerant and unique viola with profuse delicate periwinkle-blue flowers with white centres and subtle deep purple ‘whiskers’.

Campanula Carpathian Bellflower A showy perennial smothered in large, open faced bell-shaped starry blue flowers. Perfect for pots and garden beds in full sun or part shade.

Check the seed packets for sowing recommendations for your climate.

Edible Flower Mix Turn any meal into a visual feast by garnishing with flower petals.

This mix contains a blend of 20 flowers that are both colourful and delectable, including calendula, borage and nasturtium.

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SO M A N Y

flowers

It’s so important for us all to grow lots of flowers, to provide food for insects such as bees, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators throughout the year. Flowers also have the magical ability to lift our spirits and bring beautiful colour into our gardens and outdoor spaces.

Here are some Yates® flower seeds that you can sow in spring all around New Zealand:

»

Alyssum – Carpet of Snow, Magic Circles Mix (cool areas)

» » » »

Asclepias Silky Mix (late spring)

»

Calendula Pacific Beauty (cool areas)

» »

Catmint

» » » » » » » » »

Dahlia Cinderella Mix

»

Nasturtium – Jewel Mixed, Cherry Rose

» »

Nigella Love-in-a-Mist

»

Petunia – Neptune Shades & Plum Carpet (late spring)

» » » »

Phacelia (cool zones)

» » »

Statice

» » » »

Verbena Imagination

Bee Pasture Butterfly Field California Poppy – Goldrush, Sunshine Mix, Thai Silk

Cosmos – Bright Eyes, Sensation, Tango Delphinium Pacific Giants (cool zones) Echium Cottage Charm Everlasting Daisy Mixed Gerbera Mix Gaura Sparkle White Gypsophila Baby’s Breath Linum Blue Dress

Here are the easy steps to starting a fabulous flower patch:

step 1 Choose a sunny spot in a garden that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day. If there are any weeds or grasses in the area, spray with Yates Zero® Weed Killer and let them die back completely (usually around 2 weeks).

step 2 Mix some Yates Thrive® Natural Blood & Bone into the soil, to enrich and improve the quality of the soil and help give the new flowers the best possible start.

Follow the directions on the seed packet and either sow seed direct where the flowers are to grow or sow into trays of Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Water gently and keep the soil moist.

For seedlings grown in trays, transplant them into their final home once they’re large enough to handle.

step 3

Marigold – Crackerjack, Cupid Mix, Safari Mixture

Pansy – Giant Supreme (cool zones)

Portulaca Sun Dancer Salvia Blue Bedder Snapdragon – Tetra Mixed, Twinny Appleblossom Strawflower Sunflower – Moonwalker, Dwarf Sensation, Yellow Empress, Bronze Shades, Ginormous FlowerZilla Village Green Border Wildflower Meadow Mix Zinnia Gold Medal

Once the seedlings are established, encourage lots of healthy growth and promote masses of vibrant flowers by feeding each week with Yates Thrive® Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. It’s as easy as adding 1–2 capfuls into a 9L watering can and applying around the plants and soil.

No backyard? No worries! Many flowers are also perfect for growing in pots. Seed packets include helpful information about whether your chosen flower is suitable for growing in pots. Compact flowers that are perfect for growing in containers and window boxes include ‘Dwarf Sensation’ sunflower, alyssum ‘Magic Circles’ and marigold ‘Cupid Mix’.

Seedling tip Protect seedlings from damaging snails and slugs with a light sprinkling of Yates Blitzem® Snail & Slug Pellets.

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1 9 - 2 6 O C TO B E R 2 0 2 0

NATIONAL GARDENING WEEK

Let ’s get more gardeners gardening!

National Gardening Week aims to foster a love of gardening with a focus on growing not only plants but friendships, good health, strong communities and closer connections with nature.

Planting for a better planet has never been more important - for food, for the environment and for health. The call is out to New Zealanders to get growing this National Gardening Week and reap the rewards of home-grown food.

With the huge interest in gardening and living sustainably, Yates would like to help grow Community Gardening Groups and Garden Clubs nationwide.

If you are a member of a Community Group or Garden Club and you would like to do a membership drive during National Gardening Week, Yates will provide you with packets of seeds for new members when they sign up.

Or you may like to pay it forward and give the seeds away to people in your community who need a helping hand to get a vegie patch started.

JUST DROP US AN EMAIL WITH IDEALLY HOW MANY PACKETS OF VEGIE SEEDS YOU WOULD LIKE:

loveyourgarden@yates.co.nz Please note the offer is valid until the end of November 2020.

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Go to www.yates.co.nz/nationalgardeningweek to get involved

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GARDENING

in different climates All around New Zealand, there are lots of things to keep you wonderfully busy out in the garden during spring.

IN COOL CLIMATES

it’s time to:

» Keep feeding spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, hyacinths and tulips with a high potassium plant food, like Yates® Thrive® Flower & Fruit Soluble Fertiliser, to promote healthy growth and a great flower show next year. Continue feeding each week until the foliage dies down in late spring. » Plant seed potatoes into a sunny, well-drained vegie patch or pot and when new foliage emerges, cover with layers of straw and a sprinkling of Yates Dynamic Lifter® Organic Plant Food. » Several types of thrips can become active in spring, including New Zealand flower thrips and greenhouse thrips.

New Zealand flower thrips damage stone fruit flowers and greenhouse thrips can cause foliage of camellias to mottle. While thrips are present, spray vulnerable plants each week with Yates® Nature’s Way® Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray, including the undersides of leaves where they often hide.

» Repot vigorous indoor plants into slightly larger pots or refresh the potting mix in tired and weary plants with Yates Thrive Indoor Potting Mix. » Create your very own strawberry pot or patch by planting small potted strawberry plants or seedlings. Fill pots with Yates Premium Potting Mix or prepare soil before planting with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone.

It takes a lot of energy to grow handfuls of sweet and delicious berries, so make sure you feed your strawberries regularly with Yates Thrive Strawberry & Berry Fruit Liquid Plant Food.

IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES it’s time to: » Grow your very own mango or avocado tree in a warm and sunny protected spot. Look for space saving dwarf varieties of mangoes and for avocados, ensure you plant both an A and B type to promote pollination and fruit set. » Start a pizza garden with the kids! In a sunny vegie garden or a group of pots, plant fragrant basil, delicious cherry tomatoes and colourful capsicum so kids can grow and pick some of their very own healthy pizza toppings. » Apply a fresh layer of mulch in garden beds to create a nice finished look as well as help reduce weed growth and soil moisture loss. » Sow seeds of Yates Watermelon and Yates Rockmelon in early spring, so you’ll be feasting on delicious fruit during summer. » Give sweetly fragrant gardenias some TLC with applications each week of a Yates Thrive® Flower & Fruit Soluble Fertiliser. It contains nitrogen, magnesium and iron to promote healthy green leaves and is rich in potassium to encourage flowering. » While they’re busy growing, feed cymbidium orchids with Yates Thrive Orchid Liquid Plant Food, which contains the right balance of nutrients to promote healthy leaf growth and prepare the plant for future flowers.

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INTERVIEW WITH A

horticultural

traveller

Learning about gardeners from far flung and exotic locations around the world can be both inspirational and educational and tempt us to put these interesting destinations on our travelling bucket list. Angie Thomas interviewed passionate horticultural lecturer Dan Austin about some of the fantastic places he has visited during his horticultural travels.

What is your ‘day job’ and how did you get started in horticulture?

I guess you could say gardening is in my blood. My grandparents had a small orchard in the Riverland in South Australia, where I spent many school holidays working and firmly caught the horticulture bug.

After finishing high school, I was fortunate enough to land an apprenticeship in horticulture working at TAFESA’s Urrbrae campus.

During this time, I negotiated all sorts of training that wasn’t part of my regular timetable and with the extra knowledge, it wasn’t long before I was encouraged to get my teaching qualification and return to the organisation as a trainer.

10 years later and things have gone full circle. My regular day job involves lecturing across a range of horticulture topics and I now coordinate TAFESA’s horticulture apprentices from across the state.

What do you enjoy most about teaching horticulture?

I love getting hands on with plants and being out in the sun (or rain, but it is all part of it). We get tired and we get dirty, but there aren’t many vocations with as many smiles and laughs. The best people are in horticulture and it is great reuniting with graduates in industry and seeing what they have achieved.

How did you begin your horticultural-based travel?

During my apprenticeship, I gained a place in the Yates 6 Pack program with the International Plant Propagator’s Society, which allowed six young people to travel interstate and attend the Society’s annual conference and it was eye opening. I gained exposure to what was happening, not only around Australia but around the world. So, when I learnt the Society also offered an all-expenses paid exchange program to South Africa, I was barely back home before my application was in.

The next year I was on the plane and after the experience of touring South Africa’s nursery industry, I was quickly hooked on horticulturalbased travel.

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Over the next few years I did anything I could to experience more of the world of plants abroad, from scholarships to volunteering with AusAID and on and off, I’ve been able to spend around five of the last ten years working in horticulture overseas in some shape or form.

What have been your favourite top three places to visit? And what made these places or people so special?

That’s a really hard question. For adventure, the Solomon Islands are almost trapped in time and as off the beaten track as you can get, while the people in rural Tanzania and Vietnam were undoubtedly the friendliest from my experience, so I have a soft spot for those countries.

From a horticultural perspective though, the innovation in Singapore and Israel is out of this world but I think the most interesting places would have to include: The Floating Gardens of Inle Lake, Myanmar - where floating beds of decomposed reeds and water hyacinth are used to farm over 61000 tonnes of tomatoes annually, on the lake’s surface.

The eco gardens of Cappadocia, Turkey – where paddock to plate farming allows visitors fresh Mediterranean produce among some of the most surreal geography you will ever see.

The living bridges of Sohra, India- these bridges are found surrounded by caves and waterfalls in one of the wettest (and most beautiful) places on Earth. They have been fostered and developed over hundreds of years and are actually alive, woven from the roots of Ficus elastica.

What can we learn from these people and places?

One thing I’ve noticed over and over, is that the people in the places who have the least, are some of the happiest and most generous. I guess when everyone is content living in the same way, no one is comparing themselves with anyone else or feeling like they are missing out on something and I think that’s a trait we could all adopt.

Once travel restrictions are lifted, where are the places that you would like to visit next?

I think the Amazon would be amazing, the cloud forests of Peru would make a great side trip and the floating villages of Lake Titicaca would be the horticultural icing on the cake, but that is another hard question, the world is a big place and the bucket list is long!

Images courtesy of Dan Austin.

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