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Creating a garden from a blank slate is not common unless you are building a new house. And even then, depending upon the developer, you might find it's done for you before you move in! Whether you find yourself in the lucky position of a clean slate or you're working with an existing garden, here are some questions to think about and answer before you get ahead of yourself and start buying plants without a plan... Lifestyle What uses does the space have to accommodate? For example; outdoor entertaining with friends, play space for kids, pets, overflow car parking, growing your own fruit and veges, exercise space? What are some things you would love to have in the garden? For example, patio/deck for indoor-outdoor flow and BBQ area, water feature, big lawn/no lawn, plants to attract birds or bees, specific plants or colours you love, a vegetable or herb garden, a picking garden, a quiet space to sit, and the list goes on. What are the priorities of the needs and wants listed above and are they compatible with each other? Compromises may have to be made. How much time can you spare to work in the garden, and do you actually enjoy gardening? This will help determine the maintenance level for the garden and the planting style. Are there mobility issues to consider? For example, are changes of levels or materials practical, are the paths and gates wide enough, do garden beds need raising? Super important - what is your budget? Who is going to do the hard landscaping - paths, decks, raised planters and so on. Who is going to do the soil prep work and who will do the planting? Hard landscaping can add up very quickly so choose your materials and sizes thoughtfully. How long are you prepared to wait for your garden to reach 'design maturity’ i.e. when it looks established? If you are in a hurry, you will need to choose bigger plants and again, these can add up very quickly. If you are prepared to wait, you can use smaller size plants which are cheaper. Site Analysis Then we move on to questions about the site - this is called site analysis in the landscape design field. We are looking at the physical site and what we are working with. It can be useful to draw a bubble diagram over a site plan so you can see how different factors interact. Sunlight - How does the sun move across the site, where are the full sun spots and shady spots? Shape of the land - is it a simple flat site or are there levels that need to be dealt with to make practical spaces? Shelter - Where does the prevailing wind for your area come from? Does the wind tunnel through parts of the site and require filtering with plants? Soil - What are you working with? On a building site the topsoil is generally scraped off the whole site and then brought back on, but what is the base you are working with? Clay? Sand? A type of loam? If you are dealing with the extreme of clay or sand, you have the opportunity to improve the soil by adding gypsum over clay and plenty of organic matter in either situation. If you are creating a garden on a clay base or even with a hard pan, it is important to do plenty of preparation before planting. Ask your local garden centre who should be able to give you solid, local advice. Drainage - this is linked with the above topic; are there areas that water pools on site or water that travels over the site? It is a useful exercise to dig a hole at least a spade depth and pour a bucket of water in and see how long it takes to drain away. Anything more than 30 minutes and you are dealing with poor drainage. Access points - what are the different areas or features around your house or yard that you need to access and how are you going to move around the space - you can also call this 'circulation' within the space. Designing your paths and gateways is important to get right! Power points / Utilities - do you have any outside, what do you need them for and where should they go? This includes things like clothes lines, wheelie bins, compost bins and garden sheds. Surrounding properties / land - Are there any views you want to maintain, objects you want to block, noise you want to filter? Once you have answered these questions, you should have a solid understanding of the site you are working with. The different answers will help you make correct decisions at different points throughout the design process. They will also help you choose the right plants for the right places. Please take the time to do your homework. It will save you time and money in the long run!  Written for Gubba by Kelly Jean Reyland from Garden Advice NZ (www.gardenadvice.co.nz)

There's no single answer to reducing water use in your garden, rather it's a combination of different factors that make your garden a waterwise space. If you're interested in caring for the natural resources you have available to you - starting with looking after your water use is a great place to start. Make your soil work with you Clay soil and sandy soil have very different attributes and behave differently under the same conditions. Clay soil particles are incredibly small and packed tightly together. They don’t drain well, and they often have plenty of nutrients, but they aren’t easily accessed. Sandy soil particles are large with lots of spaces which means water drains very quickly – often before the plant can use it and the water will usually take the nutrients with it, leaving soil low in nutrients. We improve our soil structure by adding organic matter and adding it regularly. Organic matter; aged animal manure, fallen leaves, kitchen waste, seaweed... It works by breaking up clay particles, enabling water to pass through and roots to grow and access the resources. Organic matter helps glue large sand particles together, helping to hold more moisture and stop the leaching of nutrients. Please be aware that this change doesn’t happen overnight or with one load of organic matter. You have to play the long game, adding organic matter regularly throughout the year. How does this help us be waterwise? If our soil can both drain and still retain moisture, you have the perfect balance. The soil will hold moisture-a bit like a sponge-that the plant can access later when it needs it. If the soil is also able to drain any excess moisture, there is still plenty of oxygen for the roots to thrive. We must irrigate more to get the plant adequate water while allowing for the losses if soil is too free draining. If the soil doesn’t drain, such as where peoples soil has a clay ‘pan’, the water has nowhere to go, and the plant roots sit in water for days often resulting in root rot and death of the plant. Planning your garden It is helpful to group similar plants together, into what are called ‘hydro zones’. This enables you to direct resources efficiently, rather than having to drag a hose around the whole garden or irrigate the entire garden. Consider grouping into these zones > Regular irrigation (i.e. your vegetable garden or potted plants): every 2-4 days > Reduced irrigation: receives irrigation every 4-14 days > Drought irrigation: only watered during dry spells after plants are established > No irrigation: not irrigated at all In an existing garden, draw a plan of your garden and consider what you have planted and how you can make it work better for you. This may involve removing some plants into a different area or replacing high maintenance/regular irrigation plants with tougher, drought tolerant plants in other areas. The right plant for the right place Get back to the basics - choose plants that suit the situation they will be planted in. Full sun – part shade – full shade. Drought tolerant – moisture loving. If you plant correctly, the plant will thrive once established, needing fewer resources to be regularly added. If you are planting in pots, you can of course choose the light level for where the pot will be located. The drainage is almost always free draining unless the drainage holes get blocked. Potted plants require regular monitoring for moisture levels. Irrigation Most people irrigate for too long and too often. Often an electronic timer is to blame as we ‘set and forget’. We fail to consider the timer can’t tell if it has rained or if the soil is still damp and doesn’t need more water; it just does its job. It's up to us to monitor the situation and irrigate when needed! Plants will recover from being too dry, but they will most likely succumb to root rot if they're kept too wet for too long. Always err on the side of caution if you are unsure whether to run the irrigation. Remember, it's better to water deeply, once or twice a week than a small amount every day. It is better to use soaker hoses or drippers so the water can soak into the soil rather than run off. The water goes on the soil rather than the foliage which helps prevent fungal diseases or burning. Lawns require more water than garden beds – leaving the grass longer in summer makes it more resilient to dry spells and you can choose grass seed that is more drought tolerant, so it requires less water overall. Consider what your soil type is and if it is a heavier clay soil, remember that the water won’t drain easily so check the soil before you run the irrigation again. What's so good about mulch? Mulch essentially mimics what nature does. Leaves and other natural material continually fall onto the soil and create a protective layer, holding in moisture and slowly breaking down to help improve the soil at the same time. For more information on why mulch is so good for your garden, check out our recent blog ‘What’s so great about mulch’.   Written for Gubba by Kelly Jean Reyland from Garden Advice NZ (www.gardenadvice.co.nz)

IN THE EDIBLE GARDEN The last of the summer harvest! Tomatoes should be at their peak right now; other veggies such as beans, corn, carrots, cucumbers, melons, pumpkin, potatoes, eggplants & more will also be ready for harvesting. Regularly picking fruit and veg each day will encourage late fruiting & growth. Stone fruits (nectarines, peaches, plums) are ready to enjoy. Continue to plant lettuce and a variety of herbs. And it’s not too late to plant capsicum or eggplant, and plant or sow courgettes and corn in warmer areas! As we move further into February, start sowing your winter veg: spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beetroot, kale, silverbeet, carrots, leeks, radish, rhubarb, parsnip etc.   IN THE FLOWER GARDEN Continue to deadhead your flowering annuals; this promotes more flowers for a longer period. For roses, continue to remove any diseased leaves and apply a rose fertiliser towards the end of the month. The end of February means summer is drawing to a close… But it also means we can cast our minds towards bulb planting! Early summer bulbs (tulips, daffodils, anemone, ranunculus etc.) will be arriving into garden stores. If you live in a warmer area it’s a good idea to pop your bulbs in the fridge for 4-8 weeks (depending on the variety) to chill before you plant them out. 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. You can get your bulbs until late autumn; plant continuously throughout this time for continuous blooms in spring. Use a bulb planter for super efficient planting! For more in-depth bulb planting info, check out this blog: Planting spring-flowering bulbs in NZ OTHER TASKS THIS MONTH... > Keep pinching out those tomato laterals! This helps the plant direct it’s energy towards fruiting > Regularly mist the leaves of your indoor plants using a mister and some lukewarm water. Check the underside of leaves regularly; pests such as mealybugs are prolific at the moment! Spray with Enspray 99 as soon as you see the signs of an infestation.   > Make sure you're keeping on top of pests outside, too - check out our full range of Insect Pest Control to find a something that works for your garden.  > If you have excess fruit or veg harvests, get preserving! > Remove strawberry plants that are over two years old > Mulch! A good layer of mulch around the base of your plants conserves moisture in soil, and also suppresses weeds > Water in the morning or evening, making sure to water the roots (rather than the leaves). Check out our Iriso range for easy drip irrigation.   > Composting is key at the moment - make the most of the abundant organic material and warm temperatures! There's nothing better for improving your soil than fresh compost or worm castings. See our compost bin and worm farm ranges.

Let’s look at this from two perspectives – firstly how to minimise pest and disease issues in your garden – prevention – and then what to do if they arrive in your garden – cure. The old saying goes ‘A pinch of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ and it’s very true! So, what can we do in our gardens to minimise or even prevent issues with pests and diseases? Let nature do the work for you and choose disease resistant varieties where possible when you are planting. Words like ‘High health’ or ‘natural disease resistance’ on description tags are a good place to start. Many hybrid vegetable seeds have an increased resistance to disease. You’re essentially choosing the plant with really good natural immunity. Practice crop rotation in your vegetable beds to avoid buildup of pests or diseases (read this blog for more info on crop rotation) Improve drainage and aeration by adding compost and raising planting beds on clay soil to help avoid root rot. Remove alternate host plants as much as possible. This removes infection sources. (The plant equivalent of ‘social distancing’). Follow a spray program for your pip and stone fruit trees, in wintertime for cleanup and protection, followed by different sprays just prior to and immediately after flowering for control of codling moth and fruit rot diseases. Avoid using Pyrethrum as this is very toxic to beneficial and pollinating insects. Maintain good hygiene, by removing diseased or insect infested leaves at first sign. This helps prevent the spread, as it physically removes the issue from your garden. Put it in the rubbish bin! This also applies at the end of the season, if you have had trouble with a fungal disease on your plants or insect infestation, make sure you thoroughly remove affected leaves and infested plants from the ground under the plant or even the plant itself and put them in the bin. Leaving them lying on the ground or putting them in the compost bin enables spores and insects to reinfect the tree next season, or even spread the spores around the garden, in the case of compost! In established plants, ensure good air flow through the branches by thinning out if necessary. Pests love sheltered warm spots to live in. Stressed plants - like humans - will catch diseases or insects much more easily. Ensure plants are in the appropriate growing position and water and feed appropriately throughout the year. Images: Curly Leaf on peach, Aphids, Black Spot on roses And how do we cure the disease or kill the insects if they arrive? One of the most important things you can do is to spend time in your garden regularly and pay attention to the plants when you're there. If you see the first sign of insects or disease and do something about it, you can literally nip the issue in the bud. As we said above – physically remove the first sign of pests or diseases and put them in the bin. Follow this up by a safe pesticide approved for the affected crop. *Super important step* - Repeat this spray following instructions on the bottle for number of days between sprays. Insects can reproduce incredibly quickly and in large numbers so you MUST break the life cycle if you are going to be successful in getting rid of them. If you have found a large outbreak, you may need to repeat the spray a number of times to get on top of it. For edibles where we are dealing with contact sprays that must touch the insect to kill it, you must be very thorough in your application. Pay close attention to the undersides of leaves and on the stems. All good places for them to hide. Add a ‘sticker’ to the spray such as a spraying oil that literally helps the spray to adhere to the leaves rather than slide or bead off shiny or hairy surfaced leaves. It will make the spraying that you do much more efficient and effective. If you are dealing with a significant infestation or a hard to kill insect (looking at you white flies!) it is useful to spray with different pesticides that have different ‘modes of actions’ i.e. the way they kill the insect and which stage of the lifecycle they target. For example, a spraying oil like Grosafe Enspray kills by smothering/suffocation. It is particularly good dealing with eggs and early stages of the life cycle. Neem Oil works both as an antifeedant - the insect stops eating and starves - and as a lifecycle disruptor - stops juvenile insects maturing into breeding adults. So, Neem works well on the older stages of the life cycle. When used together you have targeted all stages of the life cycle, and the insects are being killed in 3 different ways which increases the chances of them being killed. But let me repeat – Ensure that you repeat the sprays within the number of days on the bottle, so you are indeed breaking that insect life cycle in as many places as possible! Insect and disease infestations don’t go away on their own. Ignoring them is never a good option. Keeping your plants happy and healthy is the best way to prevent problems in the first place!  Check out our range of Insect Pest Control and Plant Disease Control, or take a look at our Organic Garden range.  Written for Gubba by Kelly Jean Reyland from Garden Advice NZ (www.gardenadvice.co.nz)

Weeds... defined as simply a plant growing in the wrong place! Unfortunately these plants are usually vigorous competitors, growing faster than the desirable plants and competing for light, moisture and nutrients. And they often give our homes an untidy, uncared for appearance. There are two broad categories of weeds: Annual weeds (short life cycle), which are mainly a problem in cultivated garden beds, and perennial weeds (long lived or hard to kill) which tend to compete strongly everywhere. When you move into a house or rental, have a look in the garden or even over the neighbors' fences to see what’s lurking. If there aren’t any aggressive weeds present – do whatever you can to make sure it stays that way. Vigilance is the key and regular inspection. Most of them grow lightning fast. They are not something that you wait ‘to get around to’ - deal with them hard and fast! If they are present… find another house (only half joking!). Make a plan to get rid of them as soon as possible and carry it out. Physical extraction is sometimes possible but usually a strong pesticide is required. With any weeds, the golden rule is don’t let them go to seed! Remember ‘One year seeds equals 7 years weeds’. Simply removing the seed heads and putting them in the bin is always a win as you have prevented many more seeds being spread to take the existing weeds place when they are removed. The second golden rule is ‘little and often’ - small weeds are much easier to kill and can usually be knocked out with cultivation or organic pesticides. Once they get established, they are harder to kill. Keep on top of your weed control regularly and stop a small problem turning into a big problem. To keep vege and flower gardens controlled, regular cultivation or hand weeding is very effective but time consuming. Utilising mulch is a very effective way to suppress weeds so use a combo of the two methods that is most effective for you. In the shrub bed, plant densely and mulch each year to keep weeding to a minimum. Weed mat can be used which does allow water to pass through but it does make fertilising more difficult and it doesn’t help to improve the soil. If you are using stones as a mulch please use weed mat. Future you, who has to remove the stone for some reason in the future will thank you for it! Images: Oxalis in flower and about to set seed; Convolvulus; Dandelion in flower before setting seed. Mulch is an excellent option - check out our other blog ‘What's so great about mulch’ to find out why. In lawns, if you keep it thick and don’t mow it too low, the weeds will usually be suppressed. Feed it three times a year to maintain it. There are a few weeds that tolerate regular mowing so they will need a broadleaf lawn spray that will kill the weed but not the grass. A word of caution - ‘broadleaf’ basically includes any plant that isn’t a blade of grass so be very careful where you spray and how you spray. Avoid spray drift and spraying under large trees and bushes whose roots can be affected by the spray. Unfortunately, there are no selective sprays available to the home gardener for grass weeds such as paspalum and kikuyu. Any herbicide that kills them will kill grass. Professional lawn care companies do have sprays available to them so if it is widespread and you don’t like the idea of spraying off your entire lawn and starting from scratch, it may be worth your while contacting them for information and a quote. Hard to kill weeds These are the cockroaches of the plant world. Hard to get rid of and stay rid of. Weeds like Convolvulus, Wild onion, Bamboo, Oxalis, Arum lily, Blackberry and moth vine. These need specific powerful herbicides to knock them out or even to just keep them under control so please get some expert advice from your local garden centre and pay attention to the dilution rates. These powerful herbicides will often have a residual action – where it prevents seeds from germination and stops any plants from growing there for a certain period of time. This is obviously a problem when the weeds are growing amongst desirable plants. Think carefully about how you will apply it carefully and effectively. Mixing up the herbicide as per instructions and then painting it carefully but directly on to difficult weeds is one way to do it. Dipping the growing tip of a weed (especially good for weeds like convolvulus or moth vine with long tendrils) into diluted weedkiller is another option- this carries the herbicide back through to the roots which is especially helpful in gaining control. Whatever you do, keep at it. Or they will return. Organic vs Chemical options For young weeds, organic options that use dilute vinegar or a fatty acid will burn the top off the weeds and kill them. For any established perennial weeds with developed root systems, the top will simply grow back so this is where a glyphosate based option is a more effective and affordable option which will kill the roots but won’t reside in the soil. For harder to kill weeds, glyphosate is less useful unless it has a penetrant such as Grosafe Ecospread added which will greatly improve its effectiveness. Nature doesn’t like to leave soil bare so it sends plants to cover the soil. Plant your own choice of plants densely, utilise plants with a ground cover habit or cover the ground with a mulch to help prevent weeds growing.  Written for Gubba by Kelly Jean Reyland from Garden Advice NZ (www.gardenadvice.co.nz)

IN THE EDIBLE GARDEN Here’s what you can sow or plant this month: Artichoke, beetroot, beans, brussel sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, chilli, courgette, cucumber, eggplant, leek, lettuce, mizuna, parsnip, peas, radish, rhubarb, rocket, silverbeet, spinach, squash, sweet corn, swede, tomatoes, turnip. For herbs we’ve got basil, chives, dill, fennel, parsley, rosemary, sage, spring onion. Plant new lettuce and herbs regularly so you have a continuous supply throughout the season. These summer vegetables should be ready for harvest: beans, courgette, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, lettuce, certain varieties of potatoes, onion, peas, radish, silverbeet, spring onion, tomatoes. Your sweet corn cobs are ready to be picked when the end tassels start to dry and turn brown. These fruits are also ready for picking this month: apricots, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, passionfruit, plums, raspberries, strawberries. Get into a good routine of picking every day to encourage continuous fruiting - this is particularly true for cucumbers, courgettes, peas, beans, eggplant. Prune long runners back on strawberry plants to encourage more fruiting. You can then plant these runners out as new strawberry plants! IN THE FLOWER GARDEN Plant alyssum, calendula, cosmos, dahlias, echinacea, gypsophila, impatiens, lupin, marigolds, nemesia, petunias, phacelia, poppy, sunflower, swan plant, verbascum, verbena, zinnia. You can still plant summer flowering annuals & perennials, just make sure you keep them well watered until established. Your main task in the flower garden this month is to pick or ‘dead head’ spent or dying flowers to encourage new blooms. Deadheading is essential for prolonging the flowering period. If you remove the flower as soon as it dies or wilts, you have essentially stopped seeds being created and therefore plant’s life cycle hasn’t been completed. This means the plant will put out more flowers to try and produce seed! This is how you get a flowering plant to keep on flowering throughout the summer and into autumn and avoid having to plant another round of plants. Keep dead heading right through summer and into autumn. You can read more about that here. Here’s a few beautiful blooms that should be ready for picking this month: roses, hydrangeas, fuchsias, dianthus, delphiniums, lilies, gladioli, sweet peas, agapanthus, sunflowers, geraniums, cosmos, sunflowers. Now is the best time for roses, enjoy them inside in a vase or kenzan! TASKS THIS MONTH... When it comes to watering, if it’s particularly dry in your area soak your garden every 3-4 days rather than regular shallow watering. Water early or later in the day, and direct the water to the roots rather than the leaves. We also recommend using a sprinkler with a timer, or installing drip irrigation like Iriso - this can be set up to deliver the right amount of water to your plants, exactly where it's needed. Along with so many other benefits! Pair with a water tank for an even better low maintenance watering set up. You can shop irrigation systems here. Mulching is super important this month! It helps the soil to retain more water and keep roots of your plant cooler in hot weather. Read more about mulching on our latest blog here. Speaking of mulch, get some mulch in around your roses, or check & re-apply as needed. Weeds - like your other plants - are growing quickly at this time of year! Pull them out as they appear (before they go to seed) to stay on top of them. Make sure you remove any weeds before laying down any mulch. You can remove smaller flower-heads on your dahlias plants - this helps to encourage those gorgeous, ginormous blooms! Fertilise your flower beds, pots & containers to help replenish nutrients. Use this organic Opulent Bloom Mix from Seacliff Organics for the most beautiful blooms! It provides a boost of potassium, phosphorous and magnesium to ensure an easy nutrient uptake. It promotes vigorous flowering, and is designed specifically for heavy feeding plants in their flowering phase. Netting or tunnels may be needed to protect ripening tomatoes and other summer fruits from birds and insect pests. Shop garden cloches & tunnels here.

If you want to lift your meals to the next level, start growing your own herbs. Dried herbs may be convenient but they simply don’t compare to being able to use fresh herbs in your food for both flavour and texture. How to start your own herb garden? Choose some reasonable sized pots, around the size of a bucket is a good size to aim for. I know that social media pictures have them thriving in adorable little terracotta pots on your windowsill but reality will have them struggling in too small pots, in too much heat and probably not enough light! The other option is to choose a small area of garden that is convenient to your kitchen. But before you start planting, there are some things to consider. What do you and your family enjoy eating? That’s a good place to start! You can just plant a whole lot of herbs but it’s better to start with what you will definitely use. After you have a list of favourites, you need to look at the eventual size, growth habit and the conditions it prefers. Let's look at the main contenders... Starting with the ‘soft herbs’ that you generally eat fresh, added at the end of cooking: Parsley – flat leaf (or Italian) or curly. Technically a biennial –meaning it lasts about 2 years before setting seed and dying. Good in the sun but it does take up quite a bit of room so give it space to grow. Will grow in part or full sun. Coriander – people love it or hate it but it is an essential in many Asian style recipes. Coriander grows best in a spot protected from the hot midday summer sun. If left to bake in the sun and dry out it will run straight to seed. It grows really well in the mild temps of spring and autumn. It’s an annual so it’s here for a good time, not a long time! Basil – the herb that tastes like summer. It needs to be planted after the frosts and will grow happily in the sun as long as it is watered regularly. It needs to be replanted every year. Mint – essential for drinks and new potatoes! Let’s not tiptoe around this one. Mint is a thug. It spreads like wildfire underground and it doesn’t play well with others in a pot. Don’t plant it in the garden unless you want mint everywhere or you have a way of successfully containing it. Ideally give it a big pot with a saucer that keeps the roots from spreading out the bottom and that you can keep filled with water as it loves damp soil and put it in a shady spot. There are also a multitude of mint varieties and flavours but they all behave the same! Chives (or garlic chives) – one tastes of onion, the other of garlic. These guys are perennials, so in colder areas they will die back in winter and resprout in spring. You can divide the clump up eventually. Pretty purple flowers that are edible. Loves sun. Then we have the ‘woody herbs’ that you need to cook. Rosemary – the classic herb for roast veges and meat. This is a shrub so it needs a spot in the garden or its own big pot. There are some different varieties, some are ground covers, some are tall upright shrubs, and some are in between. If you use it a lot, the best one is an upright variety like Tuscan blue. Think Mediterranean conditions, such a very sunny spot and free draining soil. Thyme – many different varieties all tasting slightly different. Some are ground covers and some are upright. Excellent border plant as long as it gets plenty of sun and has good drainage. Origanum / Marjoram – I view these as interchangeable so in my opinion only one is needed. Marjoram grows as a tight ground cover, Origanum grows as a loose sprawling plant. They both love full sun and good drainage. Sage - an attractive plant with 3 main varieties with different leaf colours. It can grow quite large, but don’t get too attached, it can die without warning! Again, full sun and good drainage. I know there are many more options but start with these basics and collect others as you need or want to. The best thing you can do to keep herbs bushy, compact and healthy is to use them! Picking them is the same as trimming them so it encourages lots of bushy growth which gives you plenty of herbs to use! In the beginning when plants are small, you can get away with mixing the herbs together in pots (as long as they like the same conditions! ) But over time stronger plants will dominate others and you’ll lose some so if they are herbs that you use regularly, it’s worth putting them in their own pot and giving them room to thrive. If they are short lived such as basil, plant a few plants in one pot to ensure you have plenty to use. Planting in pots, use a good quality potting mix and don’t forget to add some slow release fertiliser every few months once the initial fertiliser runs out in the potting mix. Applying liquid fertiliser is a good option but remember to wash the herbs well before using! Many of the soft herbs freely self seed so you can leave them to spread around the garden by leaving the seed head on to complete its life cycle or remove the seeds to prevent that (as a bonus you can then dry the seeds for use in cooking!) Herbs are a great investment for your garden and your future meals! Stop buying those lanky supermarket ones that you use once and then they wither on the kitchen bench. Plant your own and have them available whenever you need that flavour hit in your food!    Written for Gubba by Kelly Jean Reyland from Garden Advice NZ (www.gardenadvice.co.nz)

Everything. Actually. But I will make a disclaimer – that does depend on the type of mulch you use! They are not all created equal! We’ll get to that later in the blog though. Good mulch improves the quality of the soil, maintains soil moisture levels and helps to suppress weeds. It does take work as it needs to be renewed at least annually but the benefits definitely outweigh the negatives! With a hot dry summer forecast, in my view the best thing we can do for our garden is to ensure it has a thick layer of mulch spread all over it to help maintain that precious soil moisture and keep the plant roots cool which helps to make our plants more resilient to the stresses of drought. Applying mulch essentially mimics what happens in nature. Leaves and other plant material fall on the soil, creating a protective layer which breaks down over time and improves the soil. Soil that is left exposed to the elements is vulnerable to erosion from both wind and rainfall, soil moisture evaporates easily and plant roots are exposed to fluctuations in temperature. Weeds are also more likely to spring up and compete. None of these are helpful things. The usual mulch options have their pros and cons. Choose wisely! Bark - a favourite due to its natural look and the different grades and colours. It also has the benefit of eventually breaking down and improving the soil. Beware of using freshly chipped bark, the initial breaking down process actually draws nitrogen out of the soil, affecting your plants. Choose carefully and look for an already aged bark supply. If there are already perennial weeds in the garden before you lay the mulch, it is helpful to lay a layer of cardboard which will help to suppress the weeds from coming up and through the mulch. Bark is a convenient and economical option with bagged or bulk options freely available. Compost - You might think, isn’t that just soil? But no. Compost is green matter in its final stages of breaking down into Humus which is a super helpful type of organic matter to have in your soil. If you make your own compost, you have the benefit of controlling what goes into it. Ensure if you are buying it that you get it from a reputable source. Be wary of council collected green waste compost that can have noxious weeds or weed killer residues in it. Your soil will love you if you spread this around on a regular basis – even better if you make your own to use! Pea straw - Not always easy to get hold of in urban areas and not ideal for windy areas but if you have access and your spot is sheltered, it is an effective choice. Ensure that it is laid in a thick layer. Be aware that you may get pea seedlings popping up but these are easily removed. Pea straw absorbs water and holds it. Weed mat - it hit peak popularity when the stones and native grass ‘low maintenance’ gardens were popular in the late 90’s. Unfortunately, many people thought using black polythene was a cheaper and suitable substitute. Please don’t do this!!! Soil is a living organism so it needs to breathe and get food and water. Woven, permeable weed mat has its place in steep areas where mulch will just slide off or under stones for both weed suppression and water retention. But even if the soil can breathe and get rain water, it doesn’t get any organic matter to rebuild and refresh. This doesn’t leave the soil in the best condition over time. There are now more natural options available such as coir fibre (the fibre off the outside of a coconut) which holds soil moisture but will break down over time. This is a great option where new plants will eventually grow and cover the soil up but it just needs some cover in the short term. Stones - this is a decorative mulch rather than one that improves the soil. Ensure that you use a layer of permeable weed mat so the stones don’t work into the soil. Weeds will still drop into the stones but will pull out easily. The issue with stones is that they will absorb heat during the day and release it during the night. This can be a helpful thing for creating a microclimate for tender plants but it does also make a hot and dry spot, hotter and drier. Rainfall is more likely to evaporate off the rocks before it gets down to the soil. Choose its position carefully. Larger leaves are much easier to remove when they fall on the stones, rather than many small leaves that settle in amongst the stones. Commercial mulch products - These are the best of both worlds, combining food and protection for the soil. Expensive for large areas as you can usually only buy it as a bagged product. Convenient for getting home and moving around the garden because it is a bagged product. Can be used in large pots as well. Improves the soil as well as provides protection and retains moisture. A highly recommended option if the expense isn’t a barrier. Mulch, like the natural process it mimics, is best applied in several applications throughout the year, this gives the mulch a chance to breakdown before the next layer is laid. It is also vital that the soil is damp before the mulch is laid. As a general rule, the soil moisture level will stay the same after the mulch is laid, so thoroughly dampen or lay it after a decent rain. Apply it in spring or autumn when there is plenty of soil moisture and it will retain it throughout the drier months. In order for it to be truly effective, a thick layer of at least 5 cm is needed but ensure that you don’t bury the trunk or stem of the plants / trees. Keep the mulch back from touching it where possible. This helps avoid collar rot setting in and other issues that can keep a plant /tree from thriving. Help your plants stay happy and healthy and thrive through summer and save yourself time and money on watering! Mulch is a win-win situation.  Written for Gubba by Kelly Jean Reyland from Garden Advice NZ (www.gardenadvice.co.nz)

IN THE EDIBLE GARDEN Watering, weeding and feeding is the name of the game this month. You’ll also be starting to see the (literal) fruits of your spring labour! Here’s a few ideas on what to sow and plant in December: Beetroot, beans, carrot, capsicum, chilli, coriander, courgette, cucumber, melons, eggplant, lettuce, mesclun, parsley, pumpkin and squash, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spinach, spring onions, sweetcorn, tomatoes, and fruiting plants like strawberry, blueberry, and passionfruit. Feed all of your veges with a good liquid fertiliser every couple of weeks. Tomatoes & strawberries are particularly heavy feeders; feed every 1-2 weeks with a fast acting food or fertiliser and keep them well watered. Read more on what to feed your plants for best results here. Don’t forget to regularly remove the laterals on your tomato plants! Pinch them off while they’re still small; this encourages bigger, better fruit. Wait for a dry, sunny day to remove laterals - pinching them off opens up a wound on your plant, and doing this when it’s wet or humid can increase the risk of disease. Keep mounding up the soil around your potatoes; early varieties are ready to harvest when the flowers are fully opened, while main cropping varieties are ready when the foliage dies off. Onions and garlic are traditionally harvested around the longest day (the summer solstice) which falls on the 22nd December. But pay attention to the leaves, as they will tell you when they are ready! Harvest when the tops begin to wither and die down. Once harvested, leave to dry in the sun for a few of days until the skin becomes papery. Remember to harvest your courgettes while they are small. Leave them too long and they’ll quickly grow into marrows! IN THE FLOWER GARDEN Here’s what to sow or plant this month: echinacea, begonia, dahlia, petunia, lavender, chrysanthemum, hollyhock, cosmos, gerbera, marigold, nemesia, love-in-a-mist (nigella), daisy, delphinium, calendula, and fuchsia are just a few ideas. Lots of vibrant summer flowers are blooming, including roses ? To enjoy a gorgeous floral display all the way through summer, it’s essential to deadhead regularly. For more info on deadheading check out this blog.Make sure your dahlias have a good support - we love these Peony Supports as they are functional AND look amazing in your garden. Display & enjoy cut flowers with a Kenzan! Such a fun way to get creative with your arrangements. They also make excellent Christmas gifts. Once the leaves on your spring flowering bulbs have completely died down you can lift the bulbs & store in a cool dry place.  TASKS THIS MONTH... Watering is your most important task to keep on top of this month. Stick to mornings or early evenings - avoid watering during the heat of the day. In summer it’s best to water thoroughly every few days rather than a small amount each day. Make sure the water really penetrates the soil (it should be wet down to at least 5cm deep) as this encourages deeper root development. If you’re heading away for the holidays, take the time to set up some irrigation. Iriso has some great cost-effective, gravity fed options (no electricity, batteries, timers or mains pressure water required). Pests & birds can be a big issue in the edible garden this month; use a net tunnel or cloche to keep your plants protected. We often get asked whether strawberries are able to be pollinated beneath a net tunnel. Many of our customers have reported back that they have no issues with this - leaving the door of your tunnel open for a hour or so every other day should be enough to do the trick! You can find different pest control solutions (including bait, sprays, traps & more) here. Pull weeds as soon as you see them appear. Mulching is important over summer as it keeps the soil cool, conserves moisture and suppresses weeds. Layer in your mulch around 10cm deep (pea straw is ideal for the vege garden, but you can also use shredded leaves, compost etc.). Try to keep your mulch a few cm back from the stem of the plant. Keep your lawn from drying out by raising the cutting height on your lawn mower. Longer grass shades the roots, which helps to stop your lawn from drying out in hot weather. Mist your indoor plants using a mister.