Welcome to our 2021 June Garden Notes.
We’ve had some nice rain in the last week; however, the subsoil is still dry so keep an eye out for plants that may be drying out. The soil is also getting colder now and slowing growth, but there are still things you can plant and as always there are tasks that can be tackled on finer days.
Rose Season
Firstly, we are now into the rose season. Bush roses and standards are imminent, so if you are thinking about planting a rose or two pop into your local store in June while there is still a good range to choose from. Remember that roses need plenty of sunshine to do well (6 to 8 hours minimum), well-drained soil and preferably some air movement around them as this helps to combat fungal disease. If you don’t have a suitable position in the garden roses can be grown successfully in large pots, at least 400mm, using a premium potting mix. If you are replanting in a spot where a rose has been growing, you need to dig a large hole and replace it with fresh soil as roses do not like to grow where roses have grown before. Come and see a staff member about all your needs, we’re only too happy to help.
Watch Out For Weeds
Weeds are certainly on the move now and if you haven’t mulched your garden, it’s worth considering doing so. A good layer of mulch can significantly decrease the germination of weed seeds, saving you both time and money spraying or hand weeding. If you are spraying weeds in your lawn, as I will do this weekend, make sure you use the correct weed killer for your lawn type. Kikuyu and Buffalo grasses are sensitive to regular broadleaf sprays so look on the shelf for one of the products that will not damage them. Keeping your lawn well fed is also a good way to control soursops; they don’t like growing in rich soil. If you don’t want to use glyphosate for general weed control there are softer options available, for example, a product called Slasher is ready to use and concentrate.
New Life In Your Garden
There are plenty of plants that will provide colour in your garden through the colder winter weather, none better than the Nandinas. This is a family of shrubs ranging from about 25cm - 2m in height with mostly fern-like foliage that changes from green to vivid red as the weather gets colder. Moonbay, featured in our June Catalogue is a particularly beautiful form, growing to about 80cm high, and is suitable for full sun to almost full shade. Equally, at home in the soil or in a pot it’s well worth looking at as an addition to your garden.
Finally, watch out for snails around your garden adoring this wintery weather and making short work of a whole range of plants. Remove by hand or bait if necessary, be mindful to use a more pet-friendly bait if possible.
Final Note
If you are unsure about anything to do with your garden both inside or out, just ask one of our qualified garden staff for help, we would be more than happy to point you in the right direction. Visit your local store now or give us a call on 1300 165 165.
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