This is a great time of year in the garden, with rising temperatures certainly conducive to getting out and about. The time for planting is upon us and although you need to be wary of any late frosts, our How To checklist for October will help you plan your tasks.
Home grown
By the end of October, most of your vegetables and plants should have been planted in your garden. Just watch for any late frosts – if you are in the south, perhaps cover young plants just to be on the safe side.
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Tomatoes can now be planted in pots or in the ground. Remember to support them as they grow.
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Thin out any crops that have become overcrowded.
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Successive plantings of peas and lettuce can be transferred into your prepared garden.
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Labour Day is the perfect time to plant rock melons, watermelons and cucumber.
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Give your potatoes food and don’t forget to mound up soil around them as they grow.
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Slugs and snails will be your biggest enemy right now – Yates products are ideal protection.
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For an easy slug trap, cut a little doorway in empty, halved grapefruit. They are attracted by the smell and will group inside. Place these traps throughout the garden, especially in areas where you have a problem. Collect and empty them every day. They can be reused until they go soggy, then thrown in the compost bin.
Fruit trees
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Tree tomatoes and passion fruit can be planted once the danger of frosts is over.
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Give your strawberries a boost with a dressing of blood and bone, as the fruit should be starting to appear. Feed every two weeks from then on and make sure you water them well.
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Copper Oxychloride can be sprayed on citrus for protection against verrucosis. Check for signs of borer and prune away weak or damaged growth.
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Tie up any new growth on your grapes.
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Check your grafted fruit trees (including citrus) for any growth below the graft. If it is a small growth, rub away with your thumb. If not, remove with secateurs.
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Barrier bands are a perfect barrier to any crawling bugs that make their way up the trunk of your fruit trees, especially Codlin moth. Use an old stocking, corrugated cardboard or hessian. Smear with Vaseline, then tie around the trunk of your fruit trees. This band makes it impossible for bugs to pass. One side note: it is important to inspect the bands as sometimes bugs will just stop there to burrow in for the winter. If that happens, destroy the band and replace with a new one.
Flower garden
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Don’t forget to feed your flowers with a general fertiliser like Yates Thrive.
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The bulbs of your flowers will benefit from a dressing of bulb food (Yates Thrive or Dynamic Lifter), as bulbs store food for the next growing season.
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Most bulbs can be left in the ground for many years before you need to divide them. The exceptions are tulips and hyacinths, which are too tender to winter over in the ground and will often rot away.
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Feed your hibiscus bushes with citrus fertiliser and water in well.
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If the weather is becoming dry, then start to mulch your beds for the coming summer.
Lawns
Onehunga weed is that nasty little prickle that can invade the lawn. It can be controlled by a weed killer like Yates Prickle Weed Killer. Apply it in October when the plant is in flower. Practice safe spraying. Ensure you wear protective clothing and gloves, don’t spray on a windy day and be careful to mix and store away from children.
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Keep up regular maintenance on broadleaf weeds in the lawn.
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Fertilise existing lawns and water in well.
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Cut your lawn a little longer as the weather warms up. This will make the grass wear better and help it survive the drier weather.
