NEWS & TIPS FOR OCTOBER 2023
Hello lovely readers,
It has been a while since you have heard from us here at Newton's. Like everybody in Auckland (and other parts of the country) we have been focused on getting through what seems like a never-ending winter. While the temperature has climbed slightly, the wind and the rain are showing no sign of bidding farewell yet. Not the best conditions for getting out in the spring garden but hope prevails for what lies ahead. So, what does lie ahead and how can we get prepared. It’s going to be windy and probably hot, which also means it's going to be dry.
The first thing is to get your soil into tip top shape. Compost, worm juice, bio char and fertiliser are all great additives to soil to make sure it’s in great health, but be cautious, more is not better. Knowing what your soil needs as well as what plants you have in your garden should guide your choice of fertiliser. If you grow more green leafed crops than root vegetables, you will want more nitrogen but if you are growing a range of plants, you will need something more balanced. Mulching well now will stand you in good stead over the summer months too. Pea straw is a great mulch as it also provides a good boost of nitrogen in addition to helping the soil retain moisture and prevents soil splashback.
Second, think about some sort of wind protection for your vegetable garden. Protect tender seedlings with cloches and if possible, consider some sort of wind break. Cropsafe mesh is great not only for protecting against insect damage but also from the damaging effects of wind. You just need to place it so that it’s as high as your plants when they are at their tallest. Also make sure that beans, tomatoes, eggplants and anything else that grows tall and bears fruit is staked well.
If you are looking at repairing or resowing your lawn this year and need something for a high traffic area or gets a lot of use, look at our new regenerating rye grass. A regenerating rye grass is one which has a creeping growth habit that makes the turf wear like no other ryegrass. Contact us if you would like to know more about it.
Potato season is coming to an end so if you want new potatoes for Christmas you will need to get them in before labour weekend! $5/kg SPECIAL for all remaining seed potatoes.
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
Mulching well with Pea Straw now will stand you in good stead over the summer months.
Happy Gardening
Sarah & John