ready, set, grow! grow for life - palmers garden centre … · can attest to that, although he says...

GREAT PRIZES AND GIVEAWAYS THIS ISSUE

grow for life

autumnReady, set, grow!

Win!

inspirationNATURE’S

PLANTING TIME

practical advice AUTUMN

LAWN CARE

masterclass GOURMET COLOURS

www.gogardening.co.nz

ISSU

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www.livingfashion.co.nz for autumn inspiration

Gaura ‘So White’ NEW Isotoma ‘Pretty in Pink’

Heuchera ‘Lime Marmalade’

‘So Cool’ Salvias

AUTUMN PICKS

www.facebook.com/livingfashion

4 go gardening AUTUMN 2019

Eating. Most of us do too much of it. That was certainly the case for me this summer. Then right on cue a fitting piece of research hits the news the day I am back at my desk. The

‘Planetary Health Diet’ adds weight to the inkling that my food shopping is due for a gear shift. And it got me thinking. As a gardener I am perfectly placed to do what’s right, both for me and the planet.

Eat mainly plants. Filling plates with fruits and vegetables is such a joy when you’ve grown your own. Who needs all that fat and sugar when we have vegetables that are fresher and tastier and homegrown herbs for seasoning?

A kitchen garden provides the ultimate convenience food. Plus it’s food-mile free! No need for a fuel-burning drive to the shop. No need for nasty plastic packaging. No waste! Food waste is another huge problem for our planet, but having a garden means we only pick what we need for each meal and any scraps go back into the soil as compost.

Parenting experts often state that you are far more likely to get young children to eat vegetables if they are involved in growing and harvesting what they eat. The children of today’s gardeners are the world’s future gardeners.

Ask any keen gardener if their parents were gardeners and the answer is usually yes. Mark Boyd, our real gardener this issue (page 10) can attest to that, although he says he’s not quite the vege gardener his grandfather was. Mark’s driving force is his passion for the ornamental side of horticulture. So much so, he’s made a career of it.

Whether you eat them or simply grow them for their sheer natural beauty, plants are the best chance this planet has of lasting the distance. And autumn is the best season for planting.

Happy autumn gardening

Plants for the planet

5 SHOP WINDOW Autumn planting

10 REAL GARDENER Mark Boyd

15 EDIBLES Gourmet colours

18 GREENLIFE MATTERS Beauty and the beasts

20 DESIGN Low maintenance planting

22 KIDS GO GARDENING Seed sowing

24 PRACTICAL ADVICE Autumn lawn care

26 INSPIRATION Nature’s planting time

30 BE IN TO WIN

editorial

EDITOR Sue LinnDESIGNER Lee KretschmarSUBEDITOR Sarah ThorntonADVERTISING Debbie Pascoe, phone 09 236 3633PRINTER InkwisePUBLISHER New Zealand Plant Producers Inc phone 04 918 3511 email [email protected] www.gogardening.co.nz

Go Gardening is published by New Zealand Plant Producers Inc. Articles in Go Gardening are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form, in whole or part, without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved in material accepted for this publication, unless specified otherwise. The opinions expressed in Go Gardening are not necessarily those of, or endorsed by, the publisher.

www.gogardening.co.nz gogardeningnz

contents

ABOVE: Liquidamber tree

www.palmers.co.nz 5

SHOP WINDOWAutumn is nature’s perfect planting time! Look for these plants now at your nearest Palmers…

autumn planting

LIKES FULL SUN

FLOWERS AUTUMN AND SUMMER

GROWS 30CM TALL AND WIDE

LIKES SUN OR PART SHADE

TOLERATES FROST AND COASTAL CONDITIONS

GROWS 1M TALL (LESS WHEN TRIMMED)


TOLERATES DROUGHT AND COASTAL SPRAY

GROWS 1X1M

NEW COLOURThe Australian native Isotomas are colourful flowering plants with nectar rich blooms that attract beneficial pollinating insects. New this autumn, Isotoma ‘Glowing Violet’ and ‘Pretty in Pink’ provide a very long display of colour that’s perfect for containers, garden borders or mass planting.

HIGH GLOSS, LOW MAINTENANCEPacific Coprosmas are vividly colourful plants for a wide range of uses. Clip as a neat hedge or shapely topiary in a pot, or enjoy the natural compact form of these easy-care shrubs. Coprosma ‘Pacific Sunrise’ in hot pink and chocolate, and ‘Pacific Sunset’ in ruby red rimmed bronze, contrast beautifully with green leaf plants and their foliage is great for picking.

SMART AND SHAPELY New Zealand native Pittosporum ‘Little Kiwi’ is a neat little evergreen with a natural rounded shape and dense, apple green foliage. From topiaries to hedges, garden borders or pots, this versatile shrub is easy to grow and very low maintenance.


PREMIUM PLANT FOOD Burnet's Gold Plant Food range is specially designed to meet the nutritional needs of specific garden plants. Controlled-release formulations feed plants as they grow, ideal when establishing new hedges and other permanent plantings. All Burnet’s Gold plant foods are suitable for use in pots or garden beds. Find out more at burnets.co.nz.

MAGICAL SPRING BULBSDon’t miss out on your favourites as the new season’s spring flowering bulbs rock into store ready for the autumn planting season. Cold season bulbs such as tulips can be purchased early and treated to an extra chill for 8 weeks in the fridge for peak flowering performance. Also ready for planting are beautiful florist-grade anemones, ranunculus, freesias, and hyacinths. There are daffodils aplenty for filling pots or mass planting under deciduous trees. Add bluebells and snowdrops to complete the picture.

feeding time!

www.palmers.co.nz 7

autumn planting

PEAS AND BEANSSown in autumn, peas and broad beans are ready to harvest in early spring (except where winters are very cold in which case delay sowing until September). Water seeds well at sowing, then hold off further watering until after germination (large seeds are prone to rot if they get too wet). Plant in well prepared soil with full sun and stakes for support.

DUAL PURPOSE When winter sets in lawn moss can take over, so autumn is a good time to act. Yates Weed ‘n’ Feed Mosskiller gets rid of moss while feeding the lawn at the same time. Find out more at www.yates.co.nz.

LAWN LOVE Most lawns need a little love after the long hot summer. Burnet’s Lawn Patch Leisure Lawn seed is ideal for those small repair jobs. It contains Fine Turf Ryegrass and Fine Fescue for fast, rich green results.

drought tolerant

DEEP PURPLEAmistad is Spanish for ‘Friendship’. With its generous growth and continuous flowering, the stunning Salvia ‘Amistad’ will be a friend in any garden and attracts butterflies too. Velvet purple flowers emerge from near black buds in a display that lasts from spring till the first frosts. This tough perennial is cold hardy to -5°C and will quickly re-bloom after trimming.

LIKES UP TO 1M TALL AND WIDE

FLOWERS SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN

GROWS FULL SUN TO PART SHADE

SOW EASY! Yates Anytime Lawn Seed is a clever new seed blend that allows lawn enthusiasts to sow a lawn anytime of the year. Seed can be sown from temperatures as low as 3℃, through all the seasons. Perfect for those that left their lawn maintenance a little late, it grows well in sun & shade, is drought tolerant and produces a deep green hardwearing lawn. Find out more at www.yates.co.nz.


LASTING ELEGANCE

Easy care moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) bely their exotic

beauty with amazingly long flowering. Place them in a room

with bright indirect light. To provide the humid conditions

they love, sit plants on a dish of decorative pebbles with water.

Choose from a range of colours.

SOLAR LIGHTINGEurope’s best selling lighting range is now available exclusively at Palmers. Smart Solar has a long heritage in the design and manufacture of high-quality solar powered lighting. The premium Super Bright range has a higher lumen, which means the lights are brighter than regular solar lights, and manufactured with a high quality finish.

NO FUSS CLEAN UPYates Moss & Algae Killer hose-on is a unique bleach-free formulation developed to deal with moss, lichen & algae on both lawns and hard surfaces such as paving, roofs, brick and timber. Simply click onto the hose, spray it on (using the on-off tap as needed) and leave it to dry.

THE ULTIMATE KIWI LAWN Tui LawnForce® delivers outstanding results on New Zealand lawns. Use the Tui LawnForce® Superstrike® range for rapid germination, visible results in as little as seven days and sustained lush growth throughout the year. The Tui LawnForce® range offers a solution for a wide range of different soils, climates and landscape uses. Find out more at tuiproducts.co.nz

for greener pastures

NATURE'S AIR CONDITIONERS The luxuriant peace lily (aka Spathiphyllum) is one of the most bulletproof houseplants of all and beautiful too, offering many years of easy-care enjoyment with their flowers and foliage. Peace lilies also rate highly as ‘healthy air’ plants, absorbing toxic gases and releasing healthy oxygen.

MODERN MINISIdeal for pots indoors or out, mini cyclamen provide many months of vibrant colour. Today’s tough and long flowering hybrids are the result of extensive breeding for peak autumn and winter performance. Avoid hot afternoon sun, heavy rain and frost.

burnets.co.nz

Granulated for easy spreading

Water dispersible granules

No powder drift & no waste

Break up clay and hard soils

For use in garden, lawns & pots

No dustNo waste

Natural soil conditionerwith Calcium & Sulphur

Give your soil & plants a

helping hand

LIKES SHADE OR PART SHADE

FLOWERS AUTUMN AND WINTER

GROWS 20CM TALL

PERFUMED PERFECTION The New Zealand bred Fairy Magnolias® are increasingly popular for their long-flowering, reliable performance and versatility as small garden trees, hedges and topiary trees. Fairy Magnolia® Blush, Fairy Magnolia® White and Fairy Magnolia® Cream produce mass upon mass of beautiful fragrant flowers. All are evergreen with attractive glossy leaves.


FLOWERS SPRING

GROWS 3 TO 4M TALL (OR LESS WHEN TRIMMED)

THE PLANTSMAN


gogardening.co.nz 11

real gardener

After nearly twenty years as a pharmacist, Mark Boyd made the switch to professional

gardening. Like many keen gardeners, his interest in gardens was sparked early in life. “I grew up on a farm in the King Country. My parents were pretty keen gardeners. My grandfather was also a very keen gardener and planted hundreds of deciduous trees on our farm. We had friends and neighbours with large country gardens, which I always loved. In particular, our friends the Lethbridges had a beautiful farm and garden at Korakonui, which was established at the beginning of last century. Dale Lethbridge, now living in Hamilton, has always been an

Making a career out of what we love to do is something many of us wonder about but never quite get around to. SUE LINN meets a gardener who made the mid-career leap and has never looked back.

inspiration to me. Now in her 80s she’s still creating beautiful gardens.”

By the time he sold his pharmacy, Mark and his partner had established their first garden on a previously blank canvas around their urban Auckland home. It was while developing their next garden on a much larger blank canvas in Waiuku that they decided Mark should turn his love of gardening into a career. It was a move he has never regretted.

A recent project that Mark is particularly proud of is a large garden in Ramarama, owned by Peter and Jane Tayler of Rainbow Park Nurseries. The garden, though still in its infancy, featured recently in the Franklin Hospice Garden Ramble. “We’re a great team,” says Mark of the close alliance he enjoys with the Taylers. “Getting ready for the Festival, we all helped each other out - Peter is great on lawns and Jane on hedges.”

LEFT: Heuchera ‘Marmalade’BELOW: Camellia ‘Setsugekka’


Although Mark loves being outdoors and doesn’t shy away from physical labour, he says he wouldn’t love his job so much if it was just about weeding and mowing. It’s important to him that he has a sense of ownership and he enjoys significant creative input. Some of his clients are happy to leave it to him. Others like to be more involved, but he is quick to point out, “Each garden has its own style. I don’t set out to make them all clones of each other.” Sitting down to discuss a garden with its owners over a cup of tea is one of the great pleasures of the job. His portfolio revolves around eight or nine gardens at a time (not counting his own) for mostly long-term clients.

One of those long-term clients is Debbie Pascoe, whose rambling country garden doubles as the principal trial garden for her business, Living Fashion Plants. “I’m so lucky

real gardener

“I love the ability to be creative, the friendships and relationships that have built up over the years and the sense of achievement when a project

comes together.”

LEFT: Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ABOVE: Ginkgo ‘Jade Butterflies’BELOW: Hydrangea ‘Limelight’


to have Mark” says Debbie, “not just because he keeps my garden looking better than I ever could on my own, but because he is also a vital member of the Living Fashion team. Mark has a real feel for plants. He’s a botanical encyclopedia on legs! I rely on him for planting advice and to help decide which plants will do well in New Zealand gardens before we release them to market,” she adds.“Plants often grow differently in NZ conditions than in their country of origin and Mark understands better than most what makes a great garden plant.”

Being up close with plants on a daily basis means this avid plantsman is perfectly placed to notice when an interesting new seedling or sport (a spontaneous change of flowers or growth) appears in a garden. “I have a couple of plants that I’ve discovered which will hopefully be available for sale one day soon.” He’s proud of a new Michelia he named Serendipity after finding a seedling in a client’s garden. It is currently being trialled by Vance Hooper at Magnolia Grove in Taranaki. He has also discovered a truly miniature agapanthus which he hopes we’ll see in the Living Fashion range in the near future. Unlike the common agapanthus this one is sterile so it poses no threat as an environmental weed.

Even after spending most of his week in clients’ gardens, Mark has plenty of enthusiasm left for his own. He has spent the last eight years planting his latest blank canvas. “We built our latest home on a 1500m2 section in Clevedon, this time on difficult clay soil with the added challenge of being on tank water.”

Mark says weather and climate change are his key challenges and stresses the importance of choosing the right plants for the right conditions. His advice for anyone coping with a limited water supply is to hand water “so that you can put it where it’s needed most and not waste a drop.” He’s also a strong believer in keeping the soil covered. He spaces his plants so they will ultimately knit together and cover the ground. “When our garden was new we mulched by the trailer load. Now that all the trees and shrubs are established I only apply the occasional barrow load.”

Still, Mark says there is a wee way to go yet before he has achieved the garden of his dreams. “I have always liked the idea of having a garden that people want to come and see. I love people coming to see it on an informal basis, but for anything more formal I might need to be retired so that everything is up to scratch!”

Among Mark’s favourite trees are

LEFT: Mark Boyd and Debbie PascoeABOVE: Rose ‘Archiduc Joseph’

magnolias and michelias. “I have an awful lot of them! They’re at their best at the end of winter bringing much needed brightness and cheer. A couple I love are Magnolia David Clulow and Michelia Fairy Cream.” He also has a collection of ginkgos. “There is a surprising diversity in their forms. A few of my favourites are Ginkgo Jade Butterflies, Ming Princess (a miniature) and Fastigiata, a small leafed variety that grows very narrow and upright.”

He is fond of some red foliage in the garden saying, “Every garden should have at least one Forest Pansy (Cercis canadensis) tree.” For the shadier parts of the garden he is a huge fan of hydrangeas. “They’re pretty hardy and perform well in a variety of conditions. The selection available now is incredible!” A couple of standout hydrangeas for Mark are Annabelle and Limelight.

Camellias also feature strongly in Mark’s planting schemes. “They’re incredibly easy-care and rewarding. I love Camellia minutiflora, a species camellia which is extremely dainty and floriferous. Camellia Setsugekka makes a fabulous hedge.”

While his camellias bloom over the cooler months, Mark’s roses fill his garden with colour through the summer. “I have quite a few roses.


I don’t spray my roses so they have to make it on their own. One of my favourites for it’s amazing fragrance and soft pink beauty is an older David Austin rose called Sharifa Asma. I am fan of the older roses that are always in flower, such as Archiduc Joseph, Souvenir de Madame Léonie Viennot

and Mutabilis. A newer rose I’m enjoying right now is Sparkler. This vigorous groundcover rose puts on a great display of snowy white roses. For picking, Mark recommends Elina, a vigorous hybrid tea in soft yellow.

When it comes to garden design, Mark believes in breaking the rules. For example, he has no problem mixing exotic plants with natives. “I have always wanted a garden with a native bush component, but have never managed to achieve that. So an acre sounds good, with native bush and a pond!” His dream garden would also feature formal plantings with hedges. “I like the concept of garden rooms leading from one to another.” There would be loads of interesting trees and shrubs, including magnolias, plenty of flowers and foliage for year round colour. But, of course “not more garden than we can manage. Or we’d need a talented gardener who’s happy to follow my instructions!” he laughs.

Would he recommend gardening as a career? Absolutely. “If gardening is your passion you will know it, he says. There are so many opportunities out there. It’s a matter of making it work for you. Gardening will never become the domain of robots!”

MARK’S TIPS

“Keep on top of weeds - one year’s seeds is seven years weeds.”

“Buy the best tools and equipment you can afford.“

“Go to the garden centre all year round for continuous colour. Be observant, you never know what you will discover.”

“If you can, take some of your favourite plants to your next garden (especially the plants you got from friends). It’s history in the making.“

“Be creative. Break the rules.”

real gardener

LEFT: Peter and Jane Tayler’s garden

BELOW: Mark’s silver and purple planting scheme in Debbie’s garden features Salvia leucantha and Lavender ‘Fairy Wings’


edibles

THE POWER OFpurpleEye-catching fruits, edible flowers

and vegetables with colourful leaves come in very handy when

making a garden that’s as beautiful as it is productive. Plants with purple accents work especially well with greens.

The colour purple was once a symbol of great power and majesty.

Queen Elizabeth I forbade anyone who wasn’t royal from wearing it. Few could afford it anyway as purple was extremely rare back in the days when fabric dyes came only from nature. Interestingly, the royal hue is also the most powerful wavelength of visible light.

In the plant world, the colour

purple comes mainly from the anthocyanin group of pigments. Anthocyanins give us blues, purples and also the cooler shades of pink or red we see in flowers, fruits and veges. They also contain phytonutrients credited with significant potential health benefits. A growing body of research supports the notion that the pigments which give our food plants their beautiful colours could also be helping to prevent life-shortening diseases such as cancer, heart disease and brain disorders.

Ideally eat your purple fruits and veges as fresh and raw as possible. Among the most sensitive of plant pigments, anthocyanins are affected by heat and they dissolve easily in water, which is why purple veges like beans and broccoli turn green when cooked. Anthocyanins are also sensitive to pH, which is why cabbages and hydrangeas will turn more pink than purple in acidic soil, and why too much baking powder in blueberry muffins can turn the berries green.

More science is needed before we can be sure that anthocyanins are as effective at fighting disease inside our bodies as they are in the test tube, but there is no doubt that purple packs a powerful punch from many fronts - and you don’t have to be royal to enjoy it. Especially when you grow your own!

PURPLE BRASSICAS Autumn is a great time to plant

purple cabbage, purple broccoli and purple cauliflower. Purple kale and bright violet coloured kohlrabi are also fun to try. In warm moist soil,


roots establish quickly and growth gathers momentum before winter sets in. Cool weather around harvest time is a good thing however, as plummeting temperatures transform starch into sugars. While white butterflies and diamond back moths are still fluttering around in warm autumn air, you can cover vulnerable young seedlings with bug net to protect them from late season caterpillars.

PURPLE CARROTSA few centuries ago most carrots were purple, and these days they’re making a comeback. Purple carrots contain most of the same pigments and health benefits as orange carrots, but have an extra helping of anthocyanins. Autumn is a good time to sow carrot seed into loose, well drained soil. Ideally sow carrots into soil that previously had a well fertilised crop of leafy greens. Go easy on nitrogen fertiliser as this can lead to forked carrots. Water to keep the soil moist, especially during the hotter weeks of early autumn.

RADICCHIOAlso known as red chicory,

radicchio is a beautiful brightly coloured vegetable worth growing for looks alone, but its peppery leaves make wonderful addition to autumn salads. It is also fantastic in stir fries and the pungent flavour will mellow with cooking. Roasted chicory root is used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute.

RADISHESQuick and easy radishes give

crunch and colour to salads. They also make a healthy snack with dips. Sow seed directly into the garden soil or containers.

RED ONIONSAutumn is planting time for

onions and spring onions. Chives are essential in any decorative herb garden, with purple pompom flowers (also edible) providing a lasting splash of colour.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: kohlrabi; blueberries; plums; kale, purple cabbage and broccoli.

APPLES, PEARS, PLUMS AND CHERRIESDeciduous fruit trees arrive in garden centres in June. Plan your planting spots now and consider adding an extra touch of purple with the likes of ‘Starkrimson’ pear, ‘Stanley’ prune plum, and ‘Black Doris’ plum. Old-fashioned damsons are a must for jam makers and they also make a great hedge.

BLUEBERRIESBlueberries fit well into a smaller garden. A great range of blueberry varieties is now available with varieties to suit every climate. Plant more than one variety for cross-pollination and to spread the harvest season through summer and autumn. Plant them in moist, well drained soil with plenty of peat or compost added. Blueberries benefit from feeding with acidic (camellia and rhododendron) fertiliser. Bird netting is advisable at harvest time.

edibles

POMEGRANATESPomegranates boast high levels of antioxidents and vitamin C. These small shrub-like trees are a garden friendly size and drought tolerant once established. For best fruiting a long warm summer is needed

BLACKBERRIESBlackberries have very high levels of anthocyanins. The thornless variety ‘Black Satin’ has large glossy fruit and superb sweet flavour.

GRAPESWhether you make your own red wine or grow grapes for eating you are sure to be getting a good dose of anthocyanins. Red wine has the edge over white wine, because of the beneficial compounds found in grape skins. Red grapes to grow in the garden include the varieties Buffalo, Candice Seedless and Schuyler.

Autumn vege planting,Sow beetroot and carrots directly into well prepared garden soil

or growing mix. Also sow swede in cooler climates.,Sow broad bean seeds directly into the garden with stakes

for support.,Plant out brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale).

Use insect mesh to protect young seedlings from caterpillar damage.,Plant or sow onions, leeks, spring onions, lettuces, silver beet

and spinach.,Sow rocket for a quick supply of spicy autumn salad greens.


greenlife matters

A captivating climber! Abundant and spectacular blooms. Large indigo blue flowers throughout the summer and autumn. An absolute star in a sunny spot. Looks spectacular clambering through other plants in a mixed border. Ideal to hide downpipes. Impossible to resist! These words, found on northern hemisphere websites, describe what is one of New Zealand’s most detested noxious weeds - Ipomea indica (aka ‘morning glory’).

But let’s be fair. One gardener’s weed is another’s treasure. For many UK gardeners frost

tender morning glory is a prized ‘annual climber’ or greenhouse plant. It even bears the UK Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious ‘Award of Garden Merit’. It’s easy to see why its seed might have found its way to New Zealand in the pocket of some plant-loving early settler.

Of course lessons have been learned. New Zealand’s Biosecurity Act of 1993 significantly tightened our biosecurity rules (ironically 1993 was also the year morning glory received its Award of Garden Merit) and these days we are far more vigilant about what gets into the country. Morning glory has firmly secured a place on the National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) list as one of the ‘unwanted organisms’ now prohibited from sale and distribution within New Zealand.

Other such ‘award winning’ lovelies listed on the NZ Pest Plant Accord include pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum), wandering willie (Tradescantia fluminensis), fleabane daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus), arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica).

All of the above and other famous garden escapees, like Clematis vitialba (old man’s beard) are now well established noxious weeds listed on the NPPA. Many more are listed on regional council websites as invasive species in specific locations.

Despite being banned from sale for decades now, our most noxious weeds remain rampant in nature and in our gardens, dispersed far and wide by birds, animals, people, wind and water. They not only spread by seed, but also via small pieces of stem that take root

BeautyAND THE BEASTS


and grow, quickly smothering native vegetation. With climate change, weeds of warm-climate origin are on the move from north to south and are going to get all the more invasive if we take our eyes off the ball.

Most of us know wandering willie as the weedy groundcover that thrives in shade and outcompetes anything in its path. But as recently as the 1980s, it was a popular houseplant displayed in macrame hangers! Wandering willie forms thick mats, blocking the growth of native seedlings. Its brittle stems easily break into bits, which get carried along by water to take root in fresh ground. It is also transferred to new areas when garden waste is dumped on roadsides. Extremely difficult to get rid of once established,

wandering willie is spoiling bush reserves throughout the North Island and in some parts of the South Island.

Controlling the spread of pest plants calls for dedication and commitment. Experts recommend using a combination of control methods tailored to tackle to each problem. Action plans commonly include hand weeding and digging, dense planting to shade out those weeds that need light, and where necessary the use of herbicide. Be in to win Yates Zero Tough weedkiller (entry details on page 30).

Biological control, whereby a fungus or insect is introduced to control certain weed species, is a growing science already in use in New Zealand.

What can gardeners do to help protect our natural environment from invasive plant pests?

Check before planting, especially if planting seedlings and cuttings donated from a friend’s garden. Remember that an apparently harmless garden plant from one part of the country may be a noxious weed in another. A quick visit to the weedbusters website, gives ideas for what you might plant instead.

Never bring seeds or plant material into New Zealand from other countries unless you have an importers licence. Make sure your shoes are clean. The seeds of potential weeds can be extremely small.

Identify and control pest plants in your own garden and help friends and family to do the same. Check your regional council website to learn which pest plants are of particular concern locally and contact the council to discuss control options.

Dispose of pest plants correctly. Do not dump weeds along roadsides near streams or in native bush areas. Burn, compost, or find an approved landfill or transfer station for deep burial.

Prevent the spread of new weeds. Watch out for new weeds that seem to be spreading out of control in your region. Destroy weed plants before they form seeds.

Report major weeds to your regional council Biosecurity Pest Plant Officers. Regional councils have weed management strategies. Officers assess each situation and provide recommendations for safe and effective control.

Volunteer. Join a community weed control group.

For further information:• For help identifying and controlling weeds go to the excellent

www.weedbusters.org.nz. Try out your weed knowledge with their quick quiz.• The National Pest Plant Accord can be found at www.biosecurity.govt.nz.

This is a list of the plants that are unwanted organisms under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and should be used in conjunction with pest plant information on your regional council website.

• Interesting reading on the biocontrol and ecology of weeds can be found on the biosecurity page at www.landcareresearch.co.nz.

• Search ‘weeds’ on the Department of Conservation website www.doc.govt.nz for more information about weed control in New Zealand’s natural environments.

Invasive wandering willie and the much more desirable native ground cover, Parataniwha in Hamilton Gardens.


greenlife matters

Once the weeds are cleared, we’re often left with a wall or ground surface that needs

covering with a low-maintenance plant that’s easy to grow without going feral.

Our worst weeds are a legacy of times past when our well meaning ancestors could bring anything they wished into the country. On the upside, the vast majority of our botanical imports have far better manners so we have a rich and varied flora of exotics as well as our uniquely beautiful native plants.

COLOURFUL CLIMBERSClematis in New Zealand are both

native and exotic. The most infamous of the exotics is the destructive old man’s beard (Clematis vitalba). But we also have some exquisite native clematis, including the lovely white puawananga (Clematis paniculata) and sweetly scented spring flowering Clematis forsteri. The exotic Clematis hybrids produce large summer flowers in a wide range of stunning colours that blend beautifully with climbing roses.

Jasmine is loved for its fragrance. Instead of the invasive pink Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthus) try Jasminum azoricum or star jasmine (Trachelospermum). Also loved for their fragrance are climbing roses and wisteria. Think carefully about where you locate a wisteria, as these strong long-lived vines need very strong support structures and can be difficult to get rid of once they’re firmly rooted in your garden.

The good guys

Clematis paniculata

Clematis forsteri

Clematis hybrid

Clematis hybrid


NATIVE GROUND COVERSSome of the best low-

maintenance ground covers are New Zealand natives. Tough mounding shrubs, such as the coprosmas, make a great weed-blocking cover for large areas. Sand dune coprosma, Coprosma acerosa forms a thick spreading mound of overlapping branches. Its fine bronze coloured foliage contrasts well with shiny olive green Coprosma kirkii, a time-honoured landscaping plant that’s easily trimmed. Vigorous spreading Muehlenbeckias are ideal for covering large dry areas with fine dense foliage. Libertias (NZ Iris) are loved for their bright colour and strong vertical accent. White flowers precede attractive berries.

For mass planting under trees Arthropodium (rengarenga) is a lovely alternative to agapanthus. It grows well in semi-shade and tolerates dry conditions once established. Thicker

leaf cultivars are less palatable to snails which are the only real threat to this plant in warm damp weather. Hen and chicken fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) is a good choice for dry shade and super tough kiokio (Blechum novae-zelandiae) is great for frost-free coastal gardens. For damp shady ground try Fuchsia procumbens, which has fine lacy foliage and dainty flowers. By contrast, Parataniwha (Elatostema) has large, prominently veined leaves that are bronze green with purple highlights. Consider this beautiful lush ground cover for a large area without frost. In Hamilton Gardens it is being successfully established as a replacement for problematic wandering willie.

For more planting ideas:The website weedbusters.org.nz offers ‘plant me instead’ alternatives for every unwanted weed.

Fuchsia procumbens

Fuchsia procumbens and native ferns

Crimson rata vine (Metrosideros carminea) can be grown as a climber or low spreading shrub. It is ideal for growing over retaining walls with masses of scarlet flowers in spring.

Rengarenga

small wonders

Autumn is nature’s time for seeds. When flowers finish blooming

they leave behind their treasure. Have a look around the garden or go for a bush walk and see how many seeds you can find! Look inside seed pods, berries and fruits. Seeds come in all sizes and shapes, some are big like a pumpkin seed or a pea seeds. Or huge like an avocado seed. Some are very very tiny, like dust. Get your magnifying glass out and look closely at seeds. Check out their amazing shapes and textures. Can you guess which ones are designed to float on water or blow in the wind? Some seeds hitch a ride from place to place on birds or other animals (including people).

Go to yates.co.nz/budding-

young-gardener to check out more tips from Jack and fun kids garden projects, Eg Top

10 Best Kid Friendly Plants

JACK’S AUTUMN GARDENING TIPSAutumn is when you should rip & pull out the dry/dead crops. It’s lots of fun pulling out big tough plants! Next you get to be

ready for winter “misty munchies” ie winter vegies.

Plant lettuce (such as Yates Lamb’s Lettuce you can pick all Winter), rocket, beetroot, peas, onions, spring flowers like alyssum & sweet peas.

Mulch your garden

Fertilise your lawn

Prune trees, then paint on Yates PruneTec to seal the cut from diseases, the sealant even stretches as the tree grows!

the

KIDS AMBASSADORJack

KIDSAUTUMN 2019

Veges: Peas, Broccoli, Lettuces, Beetroot, RadishesFlowers: Pansies, Calendulas, Wallflowers, Sweet peas, PoppiesHerbs: Parsley, Thyme, Chives

SEEDS TO SOW IN MARCH

Grow an Easter gift

Grow flowers or herbs in a baby pot and add your

own finishing touch.

Go to yates.co.nz/budding-

young-gardener to check out more tips from Jack and fun kids garden projects, Eg Top

10 Best Kid Friendly Plants

JACK’S AUTUMN GARDENING TIPSAutumn is when you should rip & pull out the dry/dead crops. It’s lots of fun pulling out big tough plants! Next you get to be

ready for winter “misty munchies” ie winter vegies.

Plant lettuce (such as Yates Lamb’s Lettuce you can pick all Winter), rocket, beetroot, peas, onions, spring flowers like alyssum & sweet peas.

Mulch your garden

Fertilise your lawn

Prune trees, then paint on Yates PruneTec to seal the cut from diseases, the sealant even stretches as the tree grows!

the

KIDS AMBASSADORJack

NOTE: Since the weather is cooling down, it's a good idea to place your seedlings outdoors in their pots to get them used to being outdoors before you plant them in the garden. This is called ‘hardening off’. In frosty climates seedlings are best left in their pots till spring. Check the information on your seed packet.

When it's warm and rainy a little seed soaks up _ _ _ _ _ and expands. Its seed coat softens and _ _ _ _ _ _. A little embryo (a teeny plant waiting inside the seed) grows its first _ _ _ _ _ and then a _ _ _ _ _ which grows up towards the light and gets its first _ _ _ _ _ _. The seedling is now on its way to becoming a grownup plant which will have flowers and seeds of its own.

1 Crack your eggs carefully. If there is more than half of the shell intact there is more room for potting mix, but half shells work too.

2 Place the eggshells in a carton and use a spoon to fill them with damp seed raising mix.

3 Sow your seed. For big seeds like peas, one seed per eggshell is enough. For tiny seeds you your fingers to sprinkle a pic of seeds into each shell. (Read the instructions on your seed packet.)

4 Place the carton in a warm sheltered place. A window sill works well, but make sure it’s not too hot!

Nature’s little seed pots

5 Using a mist spray bottle filled with water, lightly mist every couple of days to keep the mix moist. Take care not to overwater, as there are no drainage holes in the egg shells.

6 Once your seedlings have emerged, you can use scissors to carefully snip the smallest ones off, giving more space for the strongest seedling to grow.

7 When your seedlings have at least two sets of leaves (the first leaves, which are called ‘cotyledons’ plus the first set of ‘true’ leaves) it's time to plant it out into the garden or into a larger pot. Gently crush the base of the shell and make some holes for the roots to growth through.

Eggshells make cute enviro-friendly seed pots. When your seedlings have grown, simply crack the shell a bit more and pop them straight in the garden, shell and all. Vegetables, flowers, herbs and even trees can be started this way. The eggshell will slowly decompose in the soil, feeding nutrients to your plants. Rip the egg carton apart and put it in your worm farm or compost heap.

GERMINATION magic!

RETAW KRCSAC TORSO TOSHO VEESAL

Find the missing words in the story by unscrambling the letters and solving the puzzle:

Watch themMake drainage holes in the bottom of a clear plastic container and fill it with damp seed raising mix. Use a stick to poke pea or bean seeds down the sides of the pot, so that you can see them. Keep the seed raising mix damp as you watch them grow. Take some pictures to record how fast they grow.

As an extra experiment you could make two or three pots and test them out in different places. Try a cold place and a warm place, or a dark place and a light place.

Grow!


lawns

AUTUMN LAWN CAREMake me green!

By the end of summer most lawns need some love. And autumn is the perfect time to

make the switch from parched and patchy to smooth and green. Giving the lawn some love over the next month or two is one sure and simple way to give the entire garden a facelift that lasts.

When the soil is warm but the air is cool and moist, newly sown lawns germinate quickly and rocket into growth for a strong healthy start. As a bonus, weed seedlings are generally less of a problem in autumn than they are in spring. Existing areas of lawn also respond well to any efforts to

improve their soil at this time of year, putting on a verdant flush of growth before winter sets in.

THE ROOT ZONELawn grasses are so tough that we

almost forget they are actual plants. In order to grow properly, they need water and food - plus air around their roots. Relentless compaction of the soil removes those precious air spaces. And yet we expect our lawns to tolerate a lot more compaction than any other part of the garden with regular mowing, foot traffic and sometimes even car traffic.

If your area isn’t too large, using a garden fork to press holes over the

lawn area is an effective way of reducing compaction and thus allowing more water and nutrients to get to lawn roots. For larger or more seriously compacted lawns, hire a good lawn care professional with the tools and expertise for the job. Or if DIY is more your style, you can hire a lawn coring machine.

Further blocking the passage of air, water and nutrients (and worse - encouraging fungus diseases), dead grass clippings build up on the soil surface over time. For this reason, an annual ‘dethatching’ is recommended. This can be done with a metal rake, used rigorously to remove the build up of dead grass.

PATCHINGA weed is more than just an ugly

blemish in a smooth green pasture. It steals water and nutrients that would otherwise feed your lawn. Special tools are available to make hand weeding easy. If there are too many weeds to deal with by hand, a selective lawn weed spray kills the broadleaf weeds without harming the lawn grasses (or choose a combination ‘weed and feed’ product).

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After removing weeds, resow bare and thin patches before new invaders claim their space. To prepare the seed bed, rake strongly to loosen soil and level out any hollows with weed free topsoil or lawn mix. Sow seed into moistened soil, ideally just prior to forecast rain.

FEEDINGFeed lawns to make the most of the autumn

growth. A well-fed lawn is not only greener but less weedy than a hungry one. Lawn fertiliser contains a balanced blend of nitrogen and phosphorus to promote rich green growth, with added iron sulphate to reduce moss. Water after applying fertiliser, or time it to coincide with a shower of rain.

WATERINGIn autumn, the top layer of soil can get very

warm and dries out quickly. Even after a shower of rain, the wind can quickly whip all moisture from the root zone.

Watering is critical for new lawns and a lack of it is the most common cause of patchy germination. A common mistake made by new gardeners is to water keenly for the first few days. Then, just as the seed starts to germinate, showing a reassuring hint of green, we miss a watering and effectively kill off precious new shoots - not conducive to a beautiful lush lawn!

On established lawns, regular deep watering is the best way to maintain deep healthy roots. How often you need to water will depend on the weather and your soil type.

For a successful lawn: Know your soil

Know your climate

Choose a lawn that’s fit for use


When you’re a gardener every season has its charm. Spring delights with its sudden

symphony of flowers. Summer is for enjoying our outdoor spaces with family and friends. A winter garden has a restful beauty all of its own. But for anyone who enjoys the creativity inherent in gardening, autumn is the season to relish. It’s the ideal time to indulge in planting just about everything!

NATURE’S PLANTING TIME

After the energy-zapping heat of summer, autumn’s cooler air revitalises body and soul, so it’s a lovely time to be busy outdoors. Plants love autumn too. The soil is a storehouse for summer's warmth perfect for root growth when the rain comes along. Above ground leaves and shoots thrive in cool moist air.

Plants respond to being moved from nursery pot to warm moist soil

with a flourish of pre-winter growth that holds them in good stead for spring. The most important growth happens unseen, below ground. New plantings that have time to make substantial root growth before winter are ready to support the rapid top growth in spring. Conversely, roots that are transplanted into cold spring soil can struggle to keep up with the demands of rapidly expanding top growth.

www.palmers.co.nz 27

planting time

Trees, shrubs and hedges are top priority for autumn planting. Planting in autumn effectively saves water because well established roots are less dependent on watering during their first summer.

Edibles to plant as the weather cools down include cabbages, cauliflowers and other brassicas, which will be all the sweeter after a touch of winter chill. It’s a good time to plan and prepare the ground for new season’s fruit trees, which arrive in garden centres in early winter. Blueberries and feijoas are ideally planted in autumn. In frost-free climates it’s a good time to plant citrus and avocados.

Flowering annuals and perennials also thrive when planted in autumn. Choose flowering annuals that survive the winter cold. Pansies, primula, polyanthus and cyclamen flower from autumn right through winter and spring. Poppy seedlings (or seeds) planted in autumn will reward us with beautiful flowers from earliest spring. If you’ve been dreaming of a wildflower garden, now is the time to sow seeds directly

SPRING FLOWERING BULBSTips from the experts at Palmers

Plant bulbs in batches, every second week for 6-8 weeks over autumn, and you will be rewarded with up to 3 months of flowering, with new blooms emerging as old ones die off.

For optimum results with tulips, store bulbs in paper bags in the fridge for 6 weeks prior to planting. This gives these cold climate bulbs a ‘false winter’ to mimic their natural habitat.

Hyacinths are super fragrant and colourful, and easy for children to enjoy growing. Place a bulb in a special hyacinth glasses on a windowsill so they can watch the exciting emergence of roots and flowers.

Spring flowering bulbs love growing in pots because they insist on perfect drainage. If your garden soil is heavy and wet over winter, switch to growing your bulbs in pots and you’ll be amazed at the difference.

Using freshly purchased bulbs for your prize pots generally ensures the most spectacular results. Professionally grown bulbs have been given the optimum growing conditions and the necessary temperature treatments for peak flowering performance.

Bulbs saved from last years pots generally produce smaller flowers, but are still worth planting if you have space in good garden soil. Discard any that feel soft. The smallest bulbs may be a year or two away from flowering.

When planting in pots, plant generously so that pots look full. Large bulbs, such as tulips can be almost touching.

onto moist, well-drained soil. Cornflowers, poppies, calendula, alyssum, and cosmos are some of the best for self sowing. To make it simple, choose a packet of mixed wildflower seed. Seed blends that attract pollinators and other beneficial insects, are a great option for planting around vegetable gardens.

Spring flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths thrive and grow through winter to produce flowers from earliest spring.

TIPBulbs thrive in the naturally well-drained environment of a terracotta pot.

PALMERS’ PLANTING TIPS:,A tree is a long-term investment. Plant the best quality, best

shaped tree you can buy.

,Water thoroughly before planting. A good way to do this is to immerse the entire root zone in a bucket of water until the bubbles stop rising, before you remove plants from their pots.

,Dig a hole at least twice as wide as the roots.

,Add controlled-release fertiliser into the planting hole.

,Position stakes while you can still see the roots. Ideally use two stakes, one each side of the tree, and tie with flexible ties.

,Gently firm the soil around the roots and water again after planting.

,Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and block weeds.


HEDGES FOR SCREENINGWhere there is a need add a privacy screen or shelter,

hedges offer a cooler, softer alternative to fences and walls and it’s surprising how quickly this can be achieved. Ask at your garden centre for a hedge to suit your needs. Pictured here is kohuhu, Pittosporum tenuifolium.

LOMANDRAEasy care lomandras are favourite landscape plants

renowned for their ability to retain year round good looks in a wide range of climates and soils where other grasses may fail. Lomandra ‘Lime Tuff’ has a compact growth habit and fine lime green foliage

TIBOUCHINALoved for their eye-catching colour and soft velvety

leaves these Brazilian evergreens provide a showy mass of vivid purple flowers. A range of varieties with different growth habits are available. Dwarf shrub, Tibouchina ‘Groovy Baby’ is ideal for small gardens and containers.

FEIJOAFeijoas thrive throughout most of New Zealand. They

make tough hedges for shelter and screening and supply a bounty of fruit from March till June, depending on variety. Earlier fruiting varieties, such as ‘Kaiteri’ and ‘Poumanu’ are ideal in cooler climates. Most fruit best with cross-pollination so its worth planting a pair.

PALMERS PICKS

for autumn planting


planting time

LAVENDERLavenders offer fragrance and eye-catching colour for

pots and garden borders. They mix well with other garden plants and make a colourful addition to herb and vegetable gardens, attracting bees and many other beneficial insects. There is a variety to suit any soil and climate.

CAMELLIASUseful as small trees, colourful flowering container

plants, background fillers, hedges or wall plants and groundcover, camellias are among the most versatile evergreens with colourful flowers during autumn and winter. Pictured here is early flowering Camellia sasanqua ‘Bonanza’.

LOROPETALUMThe Chinese fringe flowers are graceful arching shrubs

with feathery flowers - cream with green foliage or pink with burgundy. The variety ‘Plum Gorgeous’ has rich plum foliage all year round and electric pink blooms spring and summer. It can be trimmed as a hedge or topiary.

HEUCHERASThese versatile foliage perennials remain firm garden

favourites, popular as edging, mass groundcover, for mixing with flowering annuals, or as colourful foliage for pots. They look great all year, cope with dry conditions and the range of colourful varieties is astounding. Pretty, long lasting flowers are the ‘icing on the cake’.

Be in to WIN

Simply fill in the entry form below and drop it into the entry box next time you shop at a Go Gardening retailer. Alternatively you can post your entry form to Go Gardening Competition, PO Box 3443, Wellington 6140. The lucky winner receives a Go Gardening Gift Card to the value of $250, and five runners up receive cards worth $50 each. Visit www.gogardening.co.nz/retailers to find your nearest retailer.

Enter now! The last day for entry is Friday 5 April, 2019

$500 PRIZE-POOL OF GO GARDENING GIFT CARDS

For terms and conditions go to www.gogardening.co.nz

Title: First Name: Family Name:

Address:

Phone: Mobile: Email address:

Name the Garden Centre where you received your copy of Go Gardening:

Please tick here if you do not wish to receive our monthly gardening newsletters.

WIN YATES ZERO TOUGH HEAVY DUTY WEEDKILLERYates Zero Tough controls hard to kill invasive weeds including gorse, blackberry, wandering willie, morning glory, ivy, onion weed, bamboo, agapanthus, oxalis, pampas grass and ladder fern. It contains a water-soluble, vanishing blue spray highlighter so you can see where you’ve been. Read more at www.yates.co.nz. We have three 750ml trigger spray bottles to give away. Entry details below.

WIN “BIRDSTORIES - A HISTORY OF THE BIRDS OF NEW ZEALAND” by Geoff NormanA beautiful way to learn more about our birds, their evolution, survival and conservation, this well researched book packages history, nature and art in one compelling hardback. Its illustrations set it apart from other informative reference books, with works by contemporary artists complementing the sketches and paintings of scientists and draughtsmen who came with the early explorers. Published by Potton and Burton. To be in to win see entry details below.

ENTRIES CLOSE on Friday 5th April, 2019 and must be received by NZPPI no later than Wednesday April 12, 2019. For terms and conditions go to www.gogardening.co.nz

WIN BURNET’S BOSTON GREEN LAWN SEED Popular Boston Green is a blend of fine rye and fine fescues well known for its rapid establishment and excellent wear tolerance. This popular all purpose lawn gives a fine-textured deep green look that belies its hardwearing easy-care nature. One kg covers 30 square metres of ground. More at www.burnets.co.nz. We have four 1kg packs to give away. See entry details below.

WIN BURNET’S EZYSPREAD GYPSUMGranulated Gypsum provides a ready source of calcium and sulphate to improve plant health, growth and repair rates, overall colour and disease resistance. Great for most garden plants, including lawns, it supports healthy water movement in the soil and improves the structure of clay soils. It’s easy to apply with no dust and no waste. More at

www.burnets.co.nz. We have four 8kg packs to give away. See entry details below.

HOW TO ENTER Choose one of the following:1. ENTER ONLINE at www.gogardening.co.nz/magcomp OR 2. ENTRY BOX: write which prize you wish to win, followed by your name, physical address, telephone number

and email address on the back of an envelope and drop it in a Go Gardening Entry Box at your nearest Go Gardening retailer, or post these details to Go Gardening Giveaways, PO Box 3443, Wellington 6140.


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