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Edible Garden

Refresh your herbs with a trim back and a feed of ican 100% Organic Vegetable Food. Thyme, mint, sage and marjoram will respond to trimming with fresh growth.

Sow quick-growing microgreens such as kale, mustard, rocket and radish for nutrient rich salads.

Continue planting seedlings of cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, spinach and silver beet in warmer regions.

Cut down the ferny shoots of asparagus to soil level when they have turned yellow and add to the compost bin.

Kumara are best harvested when the tops start to yellow, or on the day of the first frost, and leave to dry in the sun.

Give the vege patch a rest through winter. Protect and enrich the soil by sowing a ‘green’ crop of mustard or blue lupin which adds nitrogen and improves soil structure. Weeds are suppressed, soil microbiology is kept active and by spring your soil will be ready for planting.

Feed citrus trees in the ground with ican Fruit Food, and in pots with ican Fruit Food for Pots & Planters for strong healthy autumn growth.

Treat citrus trees with yellow leaves with epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). Best applied when dissolved in water atthe rate of 1 tablespoon in 2 litres. Yellowing of leaves caused by iron deficiency occurs when temperatures drop below 12 degrees.

Rhubarb crowns can be lifted, split, and re-planted into newly prepared soil. Rhubarb enjoys a food rich soil so add in lots of ican Premium Compost, sheep pellets, ican Real Blood & Bone, and top dress with ican General Garden Food.

Feed fruit trees with sulphate of potash after fruiting to enhance fruiting next season.

When all the fruit from your pip and stone fruit trees is picked, spray with FreeFlo Copper to protect against diseases, in particular, brown rot and leaf curl.

Plant new fruit trees this month – citrus, pip fruit and stone fruit. The warm soil and hopefully seasonal rain will give them a head start before winter and for spring. Plant in a sunny sheltered spot in soil well-prepared with ican Premium Planting Mix and ican Slow Food. Water thoroughly to settle in. Look for double or triple grafted trees and dwarf growing varieties in the ican Harvest range which are ideal for small gardens and growing in containers.

In the south, it is time to move potted citrus into the greenhouse or under cover. 

Ornamental Garden

Autumn is ideal to plant new trees, shrubs and perennials. Help them along by planting with ican Premium Planting Mix and ican Slow Food.

Prepare garden beds with ican Premium Compost and ican General Garden Food to plant favourite winter flowers.

Sow Flanders Poppies to commemorate ANZAC Day.

Plant seedlings of calendula, cineraria, stock, pansies, violas, wallflowers, primulas, polyanthus and sweet peas. Liquid feed with ican Fast Food for quick results and plenty of blooms.

Seedlings of polyanthus, primulas and pansies respond to a teaspoon of Dried Blood in the planting hole, with lush growth and plentiful blooms. Dried blood is a fast-acting rich source of nitrogen and iron. 

Continue to plant spring flowering bulbs in pots with ican Premium Potting Mix or in the garden enriched with ican Premium Compost and ican Real Blood & Bone.

Remove the dead heads off summer flowering shrubs and perennials with a trim back which will shape the plant and allow fresh growth to harden before winter eg hebes, lavender, hydrangeas, pelargoniums and geraniums, penstemons.

It’s time to stop deadheading roses and let hips form. Sprinkle sulphate of potash around the drip-line and water in, to harden new growth for the colder months.

Prior to autumn leaf fall, spray roses with FreeFlo Copper to reduce overwintering of foliage and stem diseases. Rake up and dispose of fallen leaves but don’t compost them.

New season roses will be in store late May /early June. Ask for a rose catalogue to choose your new varieties. Prepare garden beds for new roses by digging in ican Premium Compost and manure eg sheep pellets or Dynamic Lifter.

Feed established camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons with ican Acid Food, for healthy new growth, flowers and to combat yellow leaves. Best applied with autumn rain.

Autumn is the ideal season to repair, renew or sow new lawns. Feed established lawns ahead of winter with lawn fertiliser. Rake up fallen leaves which can damage the grass.

Mix Saturaid with lawn seed to improve water absorption in the soil which will reduce dry patches.

Water potted plants, including indoors,  more sparingly as conditions turn cooler and the days get shorter.