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July means we're already past the winter solstice (and halfway through the year!). It sure is getting chilly out there; but there's still plenty winter veg & seasonal fruit to enjoy. Pruning season is also starting, and soon we can think about planting dahlias & other summer flowering blooms. Read on for your guide to July gardening. WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTH Keep planting those winter greens: get your peas, broad beans, asparagus, garlic, onion and brassica (broccoli, cabbage, kale etc.) seedlings in now. Continue planting those strawberries, too. And hardy herbs like rosemary and thyme can be planted in winter. In terms of seed sowing, you can direct sow rocket and mizuna, and tray sow onions, spring onions, brassicas, peas, broad beans, beetroot and bok choy this month. Now is the time to plant any deciduous fruit trees while they’re still dormant - you can do this from July right through to September. Pick a sheltered spot with loads of sun. Read more about growing your own fruit here.  ON THE TO-DO LIST... Spray your roses with GroSafe Free Flo Copper to protect them from aphids, fungi, scale & thrips. Feed your spring bulbs with some Tui Bulb Food. Prune roses and deciduous fruit trees now. Make sure your cutting tools are sharp and clean, and protect cuts with a pruning paste. Add mulch to your garden beds. This helps to reduce weeds, and also adds nutrients back into your soil. Renew your soil with some greencrops! This is usually done from early autumn onwards, but any unused garden beds will still benefit from greencrops (also known as cover crops) if planted now. This is a great way to prevent soil from compacting over winter, and to replenish soil after heavy feeders. Barley, oats, mustard, broad beans, and peas are all popular choices. Sow now and dig them into the soil when they begin to flower - cut the foliage down to just above the ground and dig into the soil. IN THE FLOWER GARDEN Towards the end of the month you can start planting out your gladioli, tuberous begonias, dahlias, lilies and calla lilies for summer flowering. You can also sow poppies, sweet peas and lupins now. Exciting! Prepare the ground first by adding compost or other organic matter. New season roses are usually in store - time to go check them out! Winter is the best time to plant roses, so prepare your garden bed by mixing in some organic matter and get planting. Most roses like sheltered, sunny spots. You can start your annual rose pruning this month (best done in mid-late winter). Pruning your roses will improve flowering, and keeps the plant nice and healthy. Make sure your tools are sharp & clean, and ideally do your pruning on a clear, still day. Cut back main branches about halfway, pruning branches just above outward facing buds on a 45 degree angle.

If you’re looking to increase your yield, extend your growing season, and protect your plants from pests or harsh weather - you might want to consider a garden cloche or tunnel! Use a poly tunnel to create your own microclimate for thriving plants throughout the seasons, or choose a net cover to keep harmful pests away from your crops. Plus these simple, effective structures are often easy to erect, moveable, and more affordable than a greenhouse. Read on to find out all the benefits of garden cloches, and learn which is best for your garden goals.Keep pests at bayOne of the main reasons we see kiwi gardeners using cloches or tunnels (particularly those made of net) is for pest control. Many of us are engaged in a seemingly endless battle with common garden pests; white butterflies, snails & slugs, and recently the dreaded fall armyworm to name just a few. Garden cloches serve as a physical barrier against unwanted insects, and even larger animals such as birds or rabbits. A net, poly or mesh cover prevents pests from accessing your plants and laying eggs, reducing the need for sprays and other time consuming pest control methods. This makes them a great option for organic gardeners, or anyone wanting to minimise pesticide use in their garden.One thing to keep in mind when using a cover is access for pollinators. Some plants rely on insect pollination (including favourites like strawberries, cucumbers, pumpkins, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc.) in order to fruit properly. If growing insect pollinated crops, it’s best to choose a net cover with a larger mesh so beneficial insects can still visit your plants. Or, remember to leave the door of your tunnel or cloche open for a while every so often. Extend your growing seasonWith a poly cloche, you can start planting earlier in the spring and continue harvesting well into autumn or even winter, depending on your climate. By trapping heat and creating a sheltered environment, you can mitigate temperature fluctuations and provide humidity and warmth during cooler periods, allowing your plants to thrive beyond their usual growing window. A poly tunnel essentially acts as a mini greenhouse for your plants! Protection from harsh weatherFrosts or unexpected cold spells can wreak havoc on tender seedlings and other sensitive plants. A good poly cloche or tunnel acts as a safeguard against frost damage by insulating your plants and maintaining a stable temperature. They can also protect crops from other extreme weather; a well-secured structure can make a good barrier against strong winds or heavy rain. Or in summer, you can use a net or shade cloth option to protect your plants from harsh sun.Moisture & water regulationMaintaining good soil moisture levels is crucial for plant health. By reducing evaporation and minimising wind, a poly cloche can help your soil to retain more moisture, ensuring plants receive a consistent water supply. This is particularly handy if you live somewhere where water conservation is a concern! Additionally, the covers and tunnels can help protect plants from heavy rainfall, preventing oversaturation and potential root rot.All of these benefits help to create better conditions for your plants, leading to accelerated plant growth and development. The increased warmth, protection from pests, or protection from elements like wind can result in earlier, larger yields, allowing you to enjoy an abundant harvest and maximise the productivity of your garden. We have a number of cloches, covers and tunnels available to suit your garden - take a look:Net Tunnels: A very popular choice, our net tunnels come in 1 x 2m or 1 x 3m options. You can also get 1.25 x 1.25m or 1 x 1m cloche options. Easy to erect, and they come with pegs to secure them. Depending on the size you choose, they have 1, 2 or 3 zippered doors for easy access.Poly Tunnels: Our poly tunnels also come in 1 x 2m or 1 x 3m options, or 1.25 x 1.25m or 1 x 1m cloche options. Made from polyethylene, these lightweight yet sturdy tunnels are great for protecting tender plants from frosts over the cooler months (especially heading into spring). Cloche Hoops: These sturdy steel hoops can be covered with a material of your choosing, making them a versatile option. Use them to switch between a net, mesh, or poly material throughout the seasons as needed. (Note: hoops only, cover material not included). Shop them here. VegTrug Cold Frames: These wood & solid polycarbonate covers are designed to be used with VegTrug raised gardens, but can also be used directly on the ground. Excellent for trapping heat & humidity, and with a hinged lid for easy access to your plants. Shop the Small 1m or the Medium 1.8m.VegTrug Covers: Vegtrug’s wide range of covers are designed for VegTrug raised gardens, but can also be used directly over your garden bed or on a raised garden of similar dimensions. The range includes PE & Micromesh 2-in-1 covers, shade covers, and fleece covers at 2 different heights. (Note: covers and frames are sold separately). Grow It Tunnels: The Grow It tunnels are more affordable options, coming in both net or poly styles in a convenient 300 x 42cm size. Shop all Cloches, Tunnels & Covers here. 

Growing your own fruit is such a pleasure. The flavour and texture of sun ripened fruit, picked at peak ripeness and eaten within a few days just cannot be beaten. The flavour of supermarket purchased fruit simply does not compare.Eating home grown fruit brings us back in touch with the seasons too. We are so used to being able to get what we want when we want it, we don’t stop to think about the cost of transporting fruit around the world. We start to think that fruit that was picked unripe and shipped or flown chilled from a distant country, treated with sprays to prevent pests and diseases coming into our country, to be transported around the country in trucks and finally arriving in the supermarket, mealy textured and bland flavoured is the best it can be. No. It’s not! Local fruit in season and picked at its peak and enjoyed quickly is the way nature intended it.There are plenty of options available for you to grow your own fruit. A small section or even a balcony is not a problem, as long as it gets a good amount of sun. If you live in a part of NZ with a cooler climate, this will restrict your choices but won’t stop you.What are the options available?Citrus family – excellent source of fruit, particularly in autumn and winter when options are few. They are excellent options for a pot or in the ground. All of them are frost tender when young but many will harden with age so they can tolerate a reasonable frost. Even so, citrus are generally restricted to glass house growing in the southern regions of NZ. Lemons, mandarins, oranges, limes, grapefruit, tangelo... the list goes on.Stone fruit – the summer fruit we look forward to with anticipation every year. Peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries. Many of these need a number of chilling hours below a certain temperature and then a long hot summer but there are options available that have a low chill requirement.Pip fruit – the fruit bowl stalwarts – Apples and pears, and the less common Quince and Nashi. Berry fruit – The delicate soft fruits we pay a fortune for every Christmas time and we have frozen in the freezer year-round. The pay back on one of these plants is pretty short once they kick into fruit production. They are fragile to handle and have a short shelf life which explains their hefty price tag. Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, currants, grapes and more.Sub-tropical fruit – these are definitely restricted by climate, being frost tender but well worth the effort if you can grow them at your place. Passionfruit, Avocado, Tamarillo, Feijoa and more.You can always try planting in a warm microclimate; on a north facing wall, under the eaves and covered with frost cloth if you are really keen but your winters are colder. Or make use of a glass house if you have one.Where to plant?Any fruiting plant needs ideally full day sun. Half day of afternoon sun will do in a worst-case scenario but the number of fruit produced will be reduced. Soil needs to be well drained with plenty of organic matter such as compost. If you have sandy soil, a generous amount of organic matter mixed into the hole and regular -at least annual- application as a mulch surrounding the tree will help improve the nutrient value within the soil and the water holding capacity.If you have heavy clay soil or a clay pan layer, the same applies. In this case organic matter helps the tiny clay particles clump together creating more spaces for air and water to move through the soil.In the case of a clay pan layer, I would definitely recommend planting the tree up on a raised soil mound to help keep the main roots above where water will collect on top of the pan layer. Alternatively, you can look at your options for planting in pots.In any garden situation – adding organic matter regularly will help improve your soil condition.You might think in the small sections that are so common these days, there is no room for fruit trees. Think again! You have a few options available to you.If you have some limited garden beds available to you, there is quite a reasonable range of naturally smaller growing fruit trees that lend themselves to small spaces. Apple Croquella, a naturally topiary shaped tree, Apple Crimson Spire, a columnar growing tree that is very narrow and upright in form or Peach Pix-zee, a dwarf Peach on a 60cm standard trunk are some options for you to look into.Growing in pots is a great option with plenty of choices for colours, shapes and finishes. Where garden spaces are limited, pots increase where you can grow. There are compact varieties of fruit trees, and some traditional varieties are available grown on dwarf rootstocks which are better suited to container growing. When choosing a pot, bigger is better. A 40 or 50L (big enough to hold a big bag of potting mix) pot is a practical choice avoiding the need to pot on to a bigger size in the near future. During the warmer months you may need to water every day. A smaller pot will dry out faster.When planting a fruit tree in a pot you can add up to a quarter of the overall amount of compost to the premium potting mix in order to help improve water retention. This is better for the tree and helps save you time.Root restriction bags are relatively new on the market. Available in different sizes, these specially designed bags create a fibrous root ball rather than the traditional widespread root ball and it helps to dwarf the trees' growth and prevent any damage by roots to buildings or infrastructure. These bags also have the bonus of enabling you to safely dig the tree up and relocate it if you move. Excellent news for renters!If space is limited, look at your vertical spaces. Is there a sturdy wall or fence in a sunny position that you can espalier a tree against? This art of training the trees to grow horizontally or in a fan shape has been practiced for centuries. It not only looks great but is a very efficient way to grow fruit.If you are wondering when to plant fruit trees, most garden centres will get their new seasons open ground grown trees in winter when the trees are dormant and can safely be lifted, bagged and transported. Container grown trees are becoming more available in autumn which tend to be smaller and easier to get home. Ideally anytime that isn’t during the heat of summer is fine for planting.It’s worth doing some research first before you buy a tree or plant. Ensure the intended position gets enough sun, improve the soil if you need to and ensure you have enough space for the tree or plant to grow to its potential size. Some fruit trees need a little more care than others in the form of a spray program to keep pests and diseases under control. If you aren’t prepared to do that, look for varieties of fruit that have a higher natural resistance to pests and diseases. If you are interested in growing your own fruit, I highly recommend that you go into your local garden centre and have a chat with a knowledgeable staff member who can start you on your journey to delicious, sun-ripened home-grown fruit.By Kelly Jean Reylandwww.gardenadvice.co.nz

Your guide to gardening in May! We're entering the final month of autumn, and we've certainly been enjoying the crisp, cool weather (although it seems the rain is now upon us!). It can seem like a slower time in the garden, but there's still plenty to keep busy with this month. Planting, tidying, replenishing and preparing. Read on for your May garden task check-list.WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTHThere's plenty to plant this month, here are a few ideas...Garlic & shallots, onions, broad beans, rhubarb, parsley, kale, broccoli, bok choy, a first lot of strawberries, and feijoas (feijoas can be planted any time of year, but autumn is best!). May is a good time to plant any other new trees and shrubs you have in mind, so they can get established over the cooler, wetter months.A note on garlic: Start planting garlic cloves in cooler areas of the country. You want to get these in before the shortest day of the year (mid-late June). Ideally you want to buy your garlic bulbs from a garden centre, but if you do buy from the supermarket make sure you get NZ grown - NOT imported. A note on strawberries: Strawberries need a good period of chilling over winter if you want earlier & longer yielding plants. Start planting now through till July so your strawberries get the benefits of those cold winter temperatures (however you can plant right up until November).As always, prepare your garden beds before planting with plenty of organic matter: compost (home-made is best!), worm castings, sheep pellets etc.IN THE FLOWER GARDENMay can be on the quieter side when it comes to flowers. There's still a few tasks to get stuck in to though...Lilies: Time to start planting your lily bulbs! This can be done between May-September. Get them in with some bulb food & cover with 10cm of soil.oppies: Plant poppies now for gorgeous winter & spring blooms. Planting guide here.Roses: Pick up any leaves that have dropped and remove any diseased foliage. Don't put these in your compost bin - make sure you dispose of them well away from your garden, to ensure no diseases re-emerge next season from left-over fungal spores. Now is also a good time to transplant mature roses, particularly those that did not perform well over summer. Moving rose plants to a new spot can give them a new lease on life! Dahlias & Gladioli: It's time to lift your dahlia tubers and gladioli corms. Label & store in a cool, dry place ready for planting again in spring.Spring Bulbs: There's still time to get your last spring flowering bulbs in. More info on planting bulbs here.Shop Thorn Defense GlovesShop Bulb FoodMAINTENANCE & TIDY UP Collect & compost any rotting fruit. Mulch your veggies and fruit trees. Cover any frost-tender plants with frost cloth or a cloche. Pull sensitive patio plants under cover. Clean & sharpen your tools, especially secateurs & pruners - ready for winter pruning! Double check that the lid of your worm farm is secure, to prevent any excess water from getting in. Keep the tap open with a container placed underneath, so any rain that gets in can drain out.Shop Garden ClochesShop Rakes

Your monthly guide to what's going on in the garden during April - what to plant, prune & fertilise this month. As we move further into Autumn, there's plenty to keep busy with. Read on for some tips & inspo! PLANT WINTER VEG & SOW FLOWER SEEDS Time to get those winter veggies in (if you haven't already)! That includes brassicas like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and turnips. There’s also silverbeet and spinach, and root veggies like carrots and beetroot. Start sowing these flowers now, for winter and spring flowering blooms: Aquilegia, Alyssum, Calendula, Cineraria, Cornflower, Dianthus, English Daisy, Godetia, Linaria, Livingstone Daisy, Lobelia, Lupin, Nemesia, Snapdragon, Statice, Viola, and Sweet Peas. Remember to protect your seedlings with a cloche if you're concerned about early frosts. There's also lots of snails & slugs around; keep them at bay with snail bait, beer traps or wool mulch.    PLANT BULBS Now's the time to be planting your favourite spring-flowering bulbs! Get them in with some bulb food to get them off to the best start. If you're new to bulb growing, some popular spring-flowering varieties include: Crocus (Late winter to early spring bloom) Ranunculus (Mid spring bloom) Tulip (Early spring bloom) Bluebell (Late spring to summer bloom) Daffodil (Early to mid spring bloom) Hyacinth (Mid spring bloom) Most spring-flowering bulbs need consistent cool temperatures (below 10°C during the day) in order to bloom properly. If you live in an area with warmer winters, certain bulbs will need a bit of extra help - this includes daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinths. You can "pre-chill" your bulbs by popping them in the fridge for about 8 weeks prior to planting. Tips for pre-chilling... - Keep your bulbs in the crisper draw inside a paper bag - NOT plastic - Don't place them near the back of the fridge (it's likely too cold) - Keep them well away from fruit, especially apples or pears. Fruit emits a gas called ethylene as they ripen which can damage bulbs. Shop bulb planter Shop bulb food FEED PLANTS & REPLENISH SOIL Autumn is the time to start replenishing your soil before the cooler months set in. Feeding your plants helps to replace any nutrients lost over the summer growing season, and provides an extra layer of protection for your plants over winter. As growth is limited throughout the colder seasons, most plants only need a small amount of nutrients to keep them going. Choose a plant food that slowly releases nutrients over a long period of time; natural fertilisers such as compost, worm castings, or sheep pellets are ideal. Organic matter also does wonders for your soil; it improves soil structure, aids aeration and balances pH levels. So many benefits! Don't forget to fertilise hungry citrus trees now to give them an extra boost. Shop citrus food Shop worm castings PRUNE PLANTS Give your garden a good tidy up by removing old growth. Cutting back dead stems and top growth in autumn helps to prevent fungal disease; just make sure your tools are clean & sharp to prevent any disease from spreading. You can also use a pruning paste over fresh pruning cuts - this acts as a barrier to prevent diseases from entering the plant. If your garden bed is full of messy, exhausted perennials (like scabiosa or echinacea), now is the time to remove any spent flower heads - maybe have a go at seed saving, and raise your own next season! Shop Pruners & Secateurs

It’s time to plant Spring.There is nothing quite like the sight of a sea of spring bulbs to lift your spirits and make you smile. Indeed, as our temperatures fall, I’ve particularly been enjoying the pictures flooding social media as Keukenhof’s 7 million spring bulbs burst into bloom on the other side of the world, in The Netherlands.Spring bulbs are the ultimate in resilience, patience and reward. Bulbs are tucked into the soil in autumn and during winter their brave green tips appear through the soil and just as the winter feels like it’s never going to finish, they burst into bloom. Bright, cheerful and brave, announcing that spring is on its way.Daffodils, Tulips, Freesia, Crocus, Anemones, Ranunculus.....the list goes on. They all flower at slightly different times, so if you do a little research, you can have a show of blooms that extends from winter right through into early summer as one variety starts as another finishes. If you particularly like one type of flower or you love to pick them for your home or for gifts, stagger your planting of that one variety, planting a number every two weeks and you’ll find you can extend your blooms (and picking) by a month to six weeks. Another way you can enjoy different spring bulbs is to create a ‘bulb lasagna’ where different bulb varieties are planted above each other in layers of colour. As the top layer of blooms finish flowering, the next ones come through and so on. Perfect for pots, small sections or specific colour combinations.Many of our Spring bulbs are originally alpine plants from Europe, perfectly suited to the cold and if you have ever wondered why they flop in warm rooms – that's why! They have their own unique antifreeze that protects them from even a late winter dump of snow. They may look fragile, but they are tough! This is why many of the bulbs perform best with a winter chilling period and can be the reason why bulbs won’t flower the following the season in warmer areas. In these areas, it’s best to chill them for 12-16 weeks before planting when you initially buy them and if you want them to flower again, it’s best to lift them and chill them again before replanting. Alternatively, you can treat them like annuals and plant new ones each year.When you are buying from a store, choose firm bulbs – check the packets before you buy! - any soft or squishy ones are a sign of disappointment to come.Choose the right situation for them to flourish. Full sun to part shade – think of the classic images of masses of daffodils or bluebells under bare deciduous trees – are best and well drained soil is a must.If drainage is an issue at your place, plant them in pots.Spread mulch or compost over them annually to help improve the soil and feed with a bulb fertiliser that has higher levels of phosphorus and calcium to support bulb development. The best time to do this is when the green tips start poking through and while it seems counter intuitive, once the flowers finish and start trying to set seed. It’s at this point when the bulb starts to store resources for the following season. Allowing the foliage to die back, without cutting them off, enables as many nutrients as possible to be stored for next years flowers. It is also a good idea to cut off any seed heads as they start to develop as these will divert precious energy from being stored.At planting time, the general rule is to plant them 3-4 times their height, deep. For example, a 4cm high bulb would be planted 12-16cm deep. Many of the bulb packets come with a handy planting depth guide on the back of the label. If you want your flowers to stand up tall on strong stems, please take care to plant them at the correct height. Flowers that flop over at the first hint of a breeze do not put on a good show!There is a wide world of bulbs, with many treasures that are not easy to find. Many just aren’t grown commercially anymore so your best source is other gardeners, markets and often church fairs! If you have a hankering for the stunning Alliums you see on social media, they are no longer allowed to be imported due to the threat of pests and diseases to NZs sizable onion export crop. There are limited numbers already here, new ones just can’t be brought in. If you are on the hunt, search online or ask other keen gardeners – most are very happy to share or pass on where to find these gems!A garden with interest in every season is a garden you’ll actively enjoy all year round. Take the time now to plant bulbs for spring colour. You’ll be so glad you did!By Kelly Jean Reyland of Garden Advice NZ.www.gardenadvice.co.nz

Just like hygiene and cleanliness is used to help prevent pests and diseases in our bodies and our homes, the same is true in our gardens and fruit trees. While we associate a ‘spring clean’ with a fresh start and clean slate, the work in our gardens needs to start right now in autumn. How well we clean up in autumn helps prevent the pests and diseases from the previous spring and summer reappearing or re- infecting our plants next spring. In areas of NZ that have had a milder than usual winter and a very wet spring and summer, it has been a bad year for pests and diseases in our gardens. Why? Fungal diseases thrive in warm and damp conditions and pests weren’t killed off like usual by the cold in a mild winter.So, it is vital to do a thorough clean up this autumn! Fruit trees in particular benefit from an autumn clean up. Did your peach or nectarine have a case of leaf curl this spring? It’s really important that you clean up the fallen affected leaves and discard them in the rubbish bin. Don’t leave them around the tree or put them in the compost bin for the spores to reinfect or spread infection later in the year. Did your apple trees have codling moth damage to the fruit? Ensure that all the hanging ‘mummified’ fruit or dropped fruit around the tree is collected and again, discarded. With any fruit tree affected by pests or diseases, discard those affected leaves or fruit. The physical act of cleaning up is a very important first step.The second step is to carry out an early winter clean up spray to help knock out those lingering spores or pests on the tree itself. If you have carried out any pruning recently, these cuts are an easy way particularly for diseases to infect the tree. We don’t think of it due to its part in a trees yearly cycle but scars from where the leaves were attached before falling provide many small entry points.For this reason, we recommend you start your winter clean up spray of Mineral oil such as Grosafe Enspray 99 oil and Freeflo Copper in Autumn. Specifically at about 30% leaf fall and again at 95% leaf fall. This protects the leaf scar sites and helps minimise overwintering infection. Follow up with a late winter spray and an early spring spray, at bud swell. Just like us, if we ensure the fruit trees are as healthy as they can be, this will help them withstand or avoid pest and disease attacks. Pests and diseases are more likely to attack any plant that is stressed. Too much or too little water or not enough food are common causes. Keep a regular eye on your plants, water and feed them regularly and appropriately and deal with any problems as soon as you see them.Some ways we can minimise pest and disease issues are by ensuring the soil the tree is planted in is healthy and free draining. Adding compost to the soil before we plant and regularly spreading it around the tree as a mulch helps improve the soil structure (drainage and aeration), encourage healthy soil bacteria, fungi and earthworms and helps to maintain consistent soil moisture levels. If you are choosing a new fruit tree to plant, look for a variety with higher natural resistance to pests and diseases. This will make your tree less likely to suffer from infections and pests as it grows and matures (and minimises the work for you!)Remove host plants, as much as possible. Some pests or diseases are attracted to particular plants and will affect them first. From there they spread to other plants. Remove the host plant from your garden and there is less risk of the pests or diseases appearing in your garden.Home grown fruit is such a pleasure to eat, share and preserve for enjoying in the colder months. The flavour of fruit from the supermarket pales in comparison to homegrown sun ripened fruit. With a little care and attention, a healthy fruit tree will give you a generous harvest for years to come. As the saying goes ‘ A pinch of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. Make sure you carry out your autumn /winter clean up and reap the delicious rewards!By Kelly Jean Reyland of Garden Advice NZ.www.gardenadvice.co.nz

Autumn means it’s time to get those spring-flowering bulbs in the ground! We’re already anticipating those beautiful spring & summer blooms. If you’re new to bulb growing, or still wondering what to plant this year, read on for some bulb planting tips & inspiration.Which bulbs should I choose?There are plenty of spring flowering bulbs to choose from; here are some popular varieties grown here in NZ:Crocus [early bloom]This hardy flower does well in colder regions, but can be grown successfully all across the country. Crocus are early bloomers, providing some welcome colour from late winter to early spring. Plant them somewhere with full sun if possible (although they will also tolerate partial shade), and ensure they are in an area with well-draining soil. These bulbs multiply quickly, meaning you’ll have more and more each year.Ranunculus [mid bloom]Technically a corm (not a bulb), this colourful flower can be planted from as early as mid-January, all the way until mid-May. Planting early will result in flowers from mid to late winter, while planting later will produce flowers from mid spring. Plant them in either full sun or partial shade, and ensure soil is well-draining. Ranunculus will also grow well in pots or containers.Tulip [early bloom]Possibly one of the most well-known & loved spring bulbs, these bright, colourful flowers are a welcome sight when they bloom in spring. They are quite a hardy plant and can be grown across NZ; however, if you live in a warmer region you’ll need to “chill” your tulip bulbs in the fridge for 6-8 weeks before planting. Place them in the fridge around late March, ready for planting in late May. They can be grown in either full sun or partial shade, and like good well-draining soil.Bluebell (Scilla) [late bloom]The two most common bluebell varieties are English Bluebells and Spanish Bluebells. Here in NZ, our climate is more suited to Spanish Bluebells - hence this is the most common variety you’ll see around. These are one of the easiest bulbs to grow, and will multiply quite quickly once you get them started. Plant in autumn to enjoy flowers throughout spring & summer. Bluebells like partial shade, making them great flowers to position beneath trees. Daffodil [early - mid bloom]This iconic yellow flower provides some welcome spring cheer! You can’t go too wrong with daffodils; plant these easy bulbs between mid-March and late May to enjoy flowers throughout spring. Daffodils like full to partial sun, and need good well-draining soil. They’ll also grow happily in containers or pots. There are so many varieties to choose from these days when it comes to both colour and bloom time, making them a great choice when considering succession planting!Hyacinth [mid bloom]This lovely bloom is known for its sweet, fragrant scent. This is a bulb that needs a decent period of cold to bloom properly - if you live in an area with warmer winters, you will need to chill hyacinth bulbs in the fridge for about 6 weeks prior to planting. Plant your hyacinth bulbs from early March right through to the end of May for spring blooms. Choose a well-draining spot in full sun. Remember to wear gloves when handling hyacinth bulbs! They are toxic and could cause irritation to the skin.Chilling your bulbsMost spring-flowering bulbs need consistent cool temperatures (below 10°C during the day) in order to produce a flower bud. This period of dormancy over winter is essential for them to complete their development. Come spring-time, rising temperatures signal to the plant that it’s time to bloom! This means in areas with warmer winters (most of the North Island here in NZ), certain bulbs will need a bit of help; particularly bulbs that are native to cooler regions such as hyacinths and tulips. You can do this by popping them in the fridge for a period of time before planting - what gardeners call “pre-chilling” their bulbs.The length of time you need to chill each type of bulb will vary, but usually around 8 weeks is sufficient. If you live in an area that doesn’t see many frosts, you should pre-chill your Daffodil, Tulip, Crocus and Hyacinth bulbs.If your bulbs don’t have a sufficient chilling period (whether that be naturally in the ground over winter, or in the fridge before planting), you’re likely to see plants with stunted growth and small flowers.Some pre-chilling tips to keep in mind… Keep your bulbs in the crisper drawer inside a paper bag (NOT plastic - the bulbs will sweat, causing rot). Do not place them near the back of the fridge as it may be too cold. Keep them well away from fruit, particularly apples and pears. These fruits emit a gas called ethylene as they ripen which can damage your bulbs. Planting your bulbsIdeal planting depth depends on the type of bulb. The packaging your bulbs come in should provide specific details. However, you can use this general rule of thumb: plant the bulb 2-3 times the height of the bulb. For example, if your bulb is 2cm tall you should plant it about 4-6cm deep. And if in doubt, too deep is generally better than too shallow!It’s also important to plant your bulbs the right way up - with the pointed end facing upwards towards the sky. You’ll be able to identify the pointed end easily with ‘true’ bulbs such as daffodils and tulips, however it can be a bit harder with bulbs such as ranunculus or anemone. Plant these bulbs on their sides - they’ll grow towards the light and straighten out themselves. Prepare your soil for planting by loosening it up and mixing in some bulb food (such as the Tui Bulb Food) and compost. Spring-flowering bulbs like well-draining, loamy soils. When planting, you can use a bulb planter to save time and avoid bending - a game changer when you’re planting out lots! We recommend the Sneeboer Stainless Bulb Planter or Sneeboer Great Dixter Bulb Planter. Feed with bulb food again when stems start appearing, and then again when flowering starts. Succession & Stagger PlantingTo enjoy continuous flowering throughout spring and summer, make sure you’re planting an assortment of bulbs: you want your garden to be made up of early blooms, mid blooms and late blooms. Succession planting is essentially choosing bulbs that bloom at different times. The packaging of your bulbs should give you the relevant details for the specific variety you have. Don’t forget to take bloom time & height into consideration when planning your garden, too! You can get really creative - with some pre-planning, you’ll enjoy a colourful garden all season long.Stagger planting is another way to enjoy your flowers for longer. Simply plant your bulbs (of the same variety) in groupings two weeks apart, for a period of 6-8 weeks. This way your bulbs should bloom at staggered times throughout the season.

Wonderful worms! These squiggly, squirmy earth-dwellers can make some people squeamish. But they are the ultimate waste disposal experts, breaking down our refuse and transforming it into nutrient-rich castings that replenish and revitalise our soil. Starting a worm farm is a great method for diverting your organic household waste from landfill; read on to find out why & how to to start your own worm farm. Vermicomposting with Tiger Worms‘Vermicomposting’ is the use of worms for converting organic matter into a nutrient dense product known as vermicompost. In other words, worm farming! Here in New Zealand, we use Tiger Worms (Eisenia foetida). These worms have alternating red and yellow stripes along their bodies, hence the “tiger” name. These guzzlers can consume their body weight in food each day, making them perfect for worm farms and compost heaps. They live and feed close to the surface of the soil, and tend to stay in one area. How does it happen? The worms eat soft, moist organic materials (they like decaying food scraps, compost, manure, and even sewage), and pass them out as ‘vermicast’ (often referred to as worm castings), and liquid ‘worm tea’. Worm castings and tea are packed with valuable minerals and nutrients, conditioning the surrounding soil and making a near-perfect organic fertiliser that plants can easily absorb. Worm farming at homeCreating your own worm farm is a fantastic, efficient way to compost your kitchen scraps, diverting them from landfill & creating the perfect plant food for your garden. Once established, worm farms are relatively low maintenance - put your scraps in, and wait for the worms to do the work! Starting your worm farmThere are a number of different worm farm designs available - Hungybin, Subpod, and various tiered worm farm systems are popular options. Choose a sheltered, shady spot for your worm farm and start off with a bedding of shredded cardboard, compost, or coconut fibre for them to live in. You’ll want at least 250g Tiger Worms to get you going (that’s about 1000 worms). Use a worm blanket to keep them covered - place this over top of the food (beneath the lid). Worms are sensitive to light, so this allows them to come up to the surface to feed. You can also use a simple piece of cardboard as a worm blanket (but beware they may begin to eat this!). You also need to make sure your worms are kept nice and moist by sprinkling water over the worm blanket every so often. Make sure they’re not too wet though - your worm farm should not appear soggy. If it becomes too sodden, mix in some dried leaves or paper to keep things aerated & to improve drainage. Feeding your wormsHow much food you place in your worm farm will depend on how many worms you’re starting off with - start by feeding in moderation, and you’ll be able to adjust as you go. You can expect 1kg of worms to eat about 5 kg of food per week. Your worms will continue to breed, meaning the worm farm will be able to consume more over time. It can take a couple of months for your worm farm to reach full capacity; as a guide your Tiger Worm population will double their weight in about 4 months if conditions are ideal. Fun fact: worms will actually limit their breeding to the space & food available - how clever is that! A good place to start is providing your worms with a 3cm (approx.) layer of food every one to two days. If you notice the food isn’t being eaten, you may have overfed them - don’t keep adding more! Stop for a few days until they catch up, as your worms won’t like lots of rotting food sitting on top of them. Also remember to cut your scraps up into smaller pieces - this helps the worms digest faster and speeds up the process. Your worms will gobble up foods like egg shells, fresh fruits and vegetables, shredded paper or brown cardboard, coffee grounds, or tea bags. Try to give them a variety of foods, rather than just one type. Things to avoid feeding your worms… Spicy foods Meat Dairy Pasta or bread Oils and fats Onion or garlic Citrus or other acidic foods Cooked foods Shiny/glossy paper or cardboard …And you’re away!Now that you’re all set up, you can sit back and let the worms do the heavy lifting. The method of harvesting your worm castings and worm tea will vary, depending on the type of worm farm you have chosen. Once harvested, just remember to dilute your worm tea with water before using it as a liquid fertiliser, as it will be very concentrated. You can use your castings as a top dressing, a side dressing, or worked in to the soil. Worm castings improve soil aeration, drainage, and water retention. They contain all the essential nutrients that plants need and can be used on any type of plant without the risk of nutrient burn!  These wriggly little creatures are real powerhouses that have so many benefits to offer. With a little effort, you’ll be reducing your waste, recycling nutrients back into the soil, and enhancing soil quality for a thriving garden - so many wins. Happy worm farming Gubba Gardeners! P.s. Worm farming not for you, but still want the benefits for your garden? You can buy natural worm castings here.