May is the ideal month to plant shrubs, before the ground becomes too wet. And if you happen to reside in New Zealand’s warmer places, you’ve still got time to plant late-flowering spring bulbs. Just be sure to keep young plants … Read more
If you keep your chooks in a permanent run now is a good time to have a bit of a clean up before winter. Rake any leaves or other organic debris and put on compost. Sprinkle garden lime at a … Read more
It’s cooling down and growth rates are slowing. It’s time to harvest, replant and batten down the hatches. We are now in the second month of autumn and some of us are experiencing a noticeable drop in overnight temperatures. This … Read more
If you’ve been growing plants in pots, April’s the perfect time to get them out into the garden so they can get growing before the winter chill sets in. For younger plants that don’t seem quite ready to make the move into open soils, … Read more
Winter need not be a monochrome palette. To ensure you get the best out of the coolest season’s blooms like rhododendrons and azaleas, now’s the time to give them a good dose of fertilizer. While you’re at it, be sure … Read more
It’s not too late for berry fiends: strawberries can be planted right up until June if available. Meanwhile citrus plants and other frost prone produce should be covered with frost clothes and the likes of beans, tomatoes or any crops that … Read more
As daylight saving descends, it’s time to ready the garden for winter. Once you have removed summer crops, double dig the ground to increase fertility of new plantings and add fertilizer to newly planted spring bulbs to help establish their … Read more
Autumn is with us. Shorter days and longer nights come with a nip in the air. It may be time to hang up the jandals and bring out the distinctive gumboots. Ripe for the picking Now is the time to … Read more
Broody chooks are hens that just sit on the eggs desperately trying to get them to hatch. When you try to remove them from the nest, they fluff up their feathers and make a funny clucking sound (hence the name … Read more
March heralds harvest time in the vegetable garden. If you’ve yielded large crops, correct storage is crucial to ensure produce doesn’t rot or continue to sprout. When storing potatoes and kumara be sure to place them in a cool, dark … Read more