Welcome to our May garden notes! Wishing all mothers a happy Mother’s Day, filled with joy and loved ones.
This month we celebrate and remember our Mums, so firstly I’d like to wish all the Mothers out there a very happy Mother’s Day. I hope you get to spend a lovely day with your family and friends.
Flowers and flowering plants are a lovely way to say thanks to your mum for her love and support throughout the year. The flower most associated with Mother’s Day is the Chrysanthemum; they are available as living plants at garden centers and as cut flowers at any number of roadside stalls. Plants come in a wide range of flower styles and colors, and best of all, your mum can plant them in her garden afterwards. A sunny spot, pruning after flowering, a regular feed, and she will have a hardy small shrub that will last for years!
Other popular plants are Cyclamen, which also come in a range of styles and colors, Moth Orchids, and Anthurium or Flamingo Flower as it is commonly called. In reality, any plant—whether it is for indoors, a pot on the patio, or out in the garden somewhere—is a wonderful gift that will long outlast a bunch of flowers.
If you do get your mum a plant, then you might like to buy her a nice pot to put it in. We have a large range of beautiful cover pots and planters, for both indoors and outdoors, that will complement any plant and complete the package. A voucher is also a good way to go if you’re not sure what to buy, available for any amount and for anything throughout the store
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Winter veggies, pests caution, and potato planting tips
In the garden, it’s still okay to get your winter veggies in the ground, but don’t delay too long as the colder nights are really starting to chill the soil, meaning that plants take much longer to settle and will be very slow to grow. Watch out for white cabbage moth on your cabbage, etc.; there are plenty around at the moment, so dust or spray as needed. Rats can be a problem too; we have one that has taken a liking to our brassica selection! It is still fine to be planting shrubs, etc., at the moment. Natives, in particular, are best planted in autumn while there is still a bit of warmth in the soil; however, they will need extra watering too until we get decent rains.
Seed potatoes are arriving now, albeit in small numbers, and are very easy to grow. There are two types of potatoes which need to be grown slightly differently. Just like tomatoes, potatoes can be either “determinate” or “indeterminate”. Indeterminate potatoes grow taller, produce their crop along their growing stem just like tomatoes, but below the soil; so you need to keep covering the developing stems for them to produce a good crop. Determinate potatoes grow to a lower height and will generally produce a good crop without the need for covering their developing stem. Some popular varieties are: - Kennebec and Red Pontiac- (determinate), Nicola, King Edward, and Dutch Cream – (Indeterminate). Potatoes can be grown very successfully in pots if you’re short of ground, so give them a try!
Keep citrus watered, feed for juicy fruit. Weed control crucial.
As I mentioned last month, it’s been pretty dry, with no appreciable rainfall on the radar. This means we have to keep watering for a while, especially citrus, which are currently fruiting. Don’t forget to feed your citrus regularly too; a light feed monthly, along with good watering, will result in fruit that is a good size and juicy. In general garden care, keep on top of weed control as they appear; it’s much easier to deal with them when they’re young.
Final Notes
Autumn is such a lovely time to be out in the garden. Yes, the nights are getting colder, but the days are mostly calm and sunny. Leaves on most of the deciduous trees are showing good color now, and there are still so many plants in flower. Perhaps this Sunday, spend some special time with your mother outside, enjoying what nature has to offer.
Ask one of our knowledgeable garden staff members for advice if you have any questions regarding anything having to do with your garden, indoors or out. We would be pleased to lead you on the correct path. Call us on 1300 165 165 or visit your local store.