September Monthly Tips
The Flower Garden
- There is still time to plant Dahlia and Begonia tubers for mid to late summer flowering. Buy online.
- Gladioli bulbs should also be planted now.
- Keep deadheading late winter/early spring flowering annuals such as Primulas, Pansies and Cineraria. Feed with a liquid food such as ‘iCan Fast Food’ – this will help prolong flowering and give you colour until summer annuals come to life.
- Seedlings of hardy, summer-flowering annuals can be planted out in the garden – Alyssum, Lobelia, Marigold, Nemesia, Sweet Pea.
- Choose and plant Camellias now while they are in flower and you can chose your preferred colour. Buy online.
- Start feeding roses with Rose fertiliser – water well after feeding or feed after rainfall.
- Sow new lawns this month. Good preparation is essential. Spray out any weeds with Roundup, then rake and level ground thoroughly. Remember to keep ground moist once you have sown the grass seed. More on lawns.
- In existing lawns, spray now with ‘Yates Prickle Weedkiller’ to eradicate prickles before summer.
- Now is a good time to start cleaning up pots and hanging baskets in preparation for new planting. Throw out any old, tired potting mix and start afresh for best results. Remember to add in some water storage crystals to minimise summer watering.
- Grasses make an interesting addition to the garden – they are easy care and as they sway in the breeze they add life and movement to the garden.
- Swan plants are instore now. More on Monarch Butterflies.
The Edible Garden
- With the temperatures warming up, now is the perfect time to complete preparation of the vege garden. See the Whanganui vegetable planting plan.
- Dig soil over and break down any large clods – mix in lots of organic compost and sheep pellets.
- In warmer areas, seedlings of summer veges can be planted directly into the ground – lettuce, silverbeet, beetroot, cabbage, and courgette.
- Work in a general garden fertiliser at planting time.
- Peas can be sown direct into the garden this month.
- Sow vege seeds in seed trays and peat pots to have young plants ready to plant out in October.
- Citrus trees can be planted now – this will give them time to establish before the drier summer weather. More on citrus.
- Make sure to put plenty of slug and snail bait around young plants.
- Fresh young herb plants can be planted now.
- Kumara plants are now in store. More on kumara.