Autumn Scoop 2022 by Kings Plant Barn

FREE ISSUE

AUTUMN SCOOP 2022

Indoor PLANTS Autumn care tips

Growing LAWNS

All you need to know

Little GROWERS Fairy garden creations

Monthly

CHECKLISTS Our expert tips on gardening tasks

Passionate

PLANT PEOPLE Take a peek into one of our team's gardens

Spring Bulbs

TOP VARIETIES & planting guide

we help you

GROW WELL by

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2021 ★ rs • ★ de

2021 • Vo te

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Garden Centres At Kings, we’re proud to be plant-people, but we’re chuffed to find out our customers think we’re as good with people as we are plants. So good that we’ve won our second gold medal in the Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards. Thank you to everyone who voted for us. We are so pleased we have been able to help so many Kiwis grow well.

kings.co.nz

0800 PLANTS

PROUDLY KIWI OWNED SINCE 1992

CONTENTS AUTUMN 2022

FEATURES

EVERY ISSUE

Choosing the Perfect Camellia Our top varieties and tips for growing success

Gardeners’ Mail Celebrating your garden success stories

6 22

Growing Hedges Which one is right for your garden

Autumn Checklists What to plant and tend to this summer

12 24

Preparing for Spring Bulbs When and how to plant

Passionate Plant people Take a look at Rob's gardens

16 26

Love Your Lawn How to establish before winter

Indoor Plants Care and style tips

Kids Corner Create a fairy garden

The Good Dirt All you need to know

Bring in the Birds How to attract birds to your garden

Garden to Plate Use your crops in these recipes

Plant Doctor Your questions, our expert advice

GARDENERS’ MAIL

CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS

BUILDING FOR SUCCESS We moved into our new home a year ago and it was like a forest. My awesome hubby helped me by making raised beds for flowers and veggies. Now my garden is my energy. It's great to see loads of birds, bees and butterflies which are attracted to my beautiful annuals. Zinnias are my favourite. Visiting Kings Plant Barn was the beginning of my gardening journey. Ameena Osman, Glen Eden

Send us your stories and be in to

COTTAGE PARADISE It has taken me 5 years to create my little cottage garden in our village. It is forever changing and the birds and bees love it as much as I do. It is so satisfying to watch the wildlife enjoying the flowers and makes my passion for gardening so worthwhile. Carol Grigg, Pukekohe

WIN a Kings $50 Gift Card

Every published story wins, so send us your gardening success stories!

PROTECTING CROPS I have been gardening all my life but have only discovered bug netting in the last few years. My patch has been attacked by carrot rust fly, white butterflies and slugs, and I have had to use (edible friendly) chemicals to keep them at bay. I now have no need for these as all are protected by the netting, which I reuse every year! My brassicas and carrots are now amazing each year! Jo, Papakura

Post: PO BOX 31002, Milford, 0741 Email: info@kings.co.nz or message us on Facebook or Instagram 5

YOUR MARCH CHECKLIST March is the most wonderful autumn month, as summer plants are still enjoying their last weeks of warmth, and fruit is ripe for picking.

Veggies 

 



Start planting your winter veggies now. Stagger them by planting some now, and the rest over the course of autumn. Sow root veggies including beetroot, parsnip, and carrots directly into the garden, and sow lettuce, kale, broccoli, coriander, parsley, and cabbage in seedling trays. Weed veggie beds while weeds are still small. Don’t forget to water leafy edibles regularly and deeply to avoid them ‘bolting’, or going to seed. Keep aside seed potatoes in a cool, dark place after harvesting and plant in mid to late autumn.

Fruit Trees 



Autumn is the best time to plant citrus, choose from a wide range available instore and online. All Kings avocado trees are grafted and need to be planted in free-draining soil to produce fruit. Plant with a pollinator partner and protect from frost when young. Plant two different feijoa varieties that fruit at slightly different times to stagger your harvest and boost your crop’s yield. Feed and water regularly and deeply around the root zone of established plants. Refrain from underplanting citrus as they have sensitive feeding roots that dislike competing for space. Dispose of any rotting or diseased fruit off-site.

Trees and Shrubs 



New-season camellia varieties are instore this month with a large range of colourful blooms, shapes and sizes. Grow as an evergreen hedge in full sun to full shade, or as a feature plant. Early-flowering varieties bloom from early-autumn to mid-winter. Start thinking about planting hedging plants such as eugenias, griselinias or corokia to get them established for the next year.

GROW WELL

with these

ESSENTIALS

Flowers and Perennials 



Fill your garden with annual colour, including salvias, marigolds, petunias, seedling dahlias, and alyssum. There are a wide range of perennials now in bloom. Choose from beautiful chrysanthemums, asters and hardy mini cyclamen. Now is an excellent time to plant spring bulbs, with a wide range arriving this month, including freesias, hyacinths, and daffodils. Deadhead spent flowers and continue to feed with Kings Fast Food.

General Tasks  You can now prune back hedges if you haven’t already. Shape established eugenia, griselinia, pittosporums, and corokia.  Tidy up the garden as summer perennials start to die back. Wait until flowers and foliage brown before snipping off.  Mulch around hedging and shrubs to help suppress weeds.  Do a quick check on all your plants for any pests or diseases, the quicker you find a problem the easier it can be resolved.

Kings Fast Food Feed your plants with our fastacting liquid fertiliser for optimal plant health. From $11.99

Indoor Plants Lawns 

 

Autumn is the best time to start germinating new lawn seed. Preparation is key, so rake and create a firm, level surface free from weeds before using Living Earth Lawn Mix and your chosen seed. Not sure what seed to choose? Ask our friendly staff instore today. Use Yates Weed 'n' Feed on your established lawn to kill off moss and broadleaf weeds while fertilising it at the same time.

Harvest 



Pick beans, peas, capsicums, chilli, tomatoes, and the last of the courgettes. Harvest fruit including lemons and, limes, watermelons, feijoas, apples, and pears.

 Don’t forget to liquid feed your indoor plants with Kings House Plant Food.  March is your last chance to repot indoor plants before it gets too cold.

Living Earth Lawn Mix Grow a beautiful, thick lawn with the help of Living Earth's premium lawn mix. $13.99 each or 2 for $25

Kings House Plant Food Feed indoor plants with Kings liquid food for healthy foliage and vibrant flowers. $12.99 each

YOUR APRIL CHECKLIST When the temperature slowly starts getting cooler, there are plenty of jobs to do around the garden as summer plants fade.

Veggies 



Continue to plant and stagger your seedling crops for winter, including leeks, spring onion, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and beans. It’s not too late to sow carrot, turnip, and beetroot seeds directly into a well-tilled garden. Save seed from heirloom varieties by drying them on a paper towel for a few days on a sunny windowsill. Remember to name the varieties and date them. Dig in Kings Organic Compost and sheep pellets around beds that are still producing. Sow green manure crops such as lupin and mustard seed in empty garden beds to return nitrogen into the soil and help keep weeds at bay later in winter.

Fruit Trees 



Figs are now in stores and can be grown both in the ground or in large pots. Water well to avoid dry, fluffy fruit. Plant citrus in a sunny position in the garden, and dwarf varieties in large pots. If you haven’t already, feed fruit trees with Kings Fruit and Citrus Fertiliser.

Trees and Shrubs 



Camellias are well suited to full sun or full shade depending on the variety, and azaleas will continue to flower throughout the cooler months. Get your hedges in now while the soil is still warm. Eugenia, griselinias, and pittosporum are great for medium to large hedging, while corokia and buxus are best for smaller, well-maintained spots.

GROW WELL

with these

ESSENTIALS

Flowers and Perennials 



 

Plant out potted colour such as calendula, alyssum, poppies, viola, and pansies in pots and hanging baskets. Chrysanthemum ‘Garden Mums’ are stunning and bloom each autumn when planted in the garden. They are also spectacular in medium-sized pots. Put tulips and hyacinth bulbs into the fridge for a month before planting to encourage better blooms come spring. Plant daffodil bulbs directly into the garden. Remove spent flowers regularly to keep plants looking good and to encourage prolonged flowering.

Harvest 

 



Spray any weeds in established lawns with Weed ‘n’ Feed. Resow patchy areas with lawn seed patch pack before it gets too cold. Start mowing less as daylight hours start to get shorter.

Feed your well-established fruit trees with this granular fertiliser once every six months, in spring and autumn. for container grown citrus feed with Kings Slow Release Citrus Food. From $10.99

General Tasks 

Lawns 

Harvest feijoas as they ripen and remove any fruits infected with guava moth off-site instead of composting. Pick and dry chillies in a dehydrator for later use. Harvest the last pumpkins, squash and sweetcorn. Freeze any excess, or make into soup and then freeze in old ice-cream containers. Harvest late-season potatoes, along with your normal leafy salad greens every few days.

Kings Citrus and Fruit Tree Fertiliser



Take out any spent veggies or annual flowers, replacing them with autumn and winter annuals found in our potted colour and seedling ranges. Clean out bird baths as they will have been regularly used over the late summer period. If you have any flax or cabbage trees on your property, pull or cut off the old, damaged or dead leaves, to prevent them from clogging the lawn mower.

Burnet's Green Feed Mustard Sow green manure cover crop seed such as lupin and mustard to return nitrogen back into the soil, and keep weeds at bay over winter.   From $8.99

Indoor Plants 



Finish taking cuttings for propagation, as there is a lower chance of survival rate when it starts to get colder. Reduce watering as temperatures cool.

Yates Weed ‘n’ Feed Feed your established lawn and kill off any broadleaf weeds at the same time. Attach to your hose and spray your lawn on a sunny morning. From $19.99

YOUR MAY CHECKLIST Now that there is a chill in the air, it’s time to wrap up the last of the autumn chores before winter is upon us.

Veggies 



Consider getting a Vegepod or small greenhouse, giving you the option to grow more tender crops and experience faster plant growth. For small gardens check out our Vegebag option instore. Weed between plants, otherwise they will compete with your seedlings for water, light, food and space. Set down bug netting, or put Quash around your seedlings to protect them from slugs and snails.

Fruit Trees 



You can still plant out feijoas now, as well as mandarins, grapefruit, and other delicious citrus. Deciduous fruit trees will be available instore from mid-June, so start planning your urban orchard now - remember, you need at least four meters between trees.

Trees and Shrubs 



Don't forget to get those native and dry-tolerant plants in the garden. These are perfect for neglected parts of your property or rental houses. Daphne arrive in stores in May. Plant in part shade in a large pot or in a shadier part of the garden. Hebes, nandinas, and coprosmas will offer autumn colour and are great to fill permanent gaps. Mulch with Living Earth More Than Mulch and fertilise around established trees with Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster. When planting your new trees and shrubs, sprinkle a scoop of Kings 24+ in each hole.

GROW WELL

with these

ESSENTIALS

Living Earth More Than Mulch

Flowers and Perennials

Harvest

More Than Mulch contains bark which protects bare earth from the sun, allowing plants to stay hydrated. More Than Mulch also contains compost which provides nutrients for plants. 40L $13.99



Potted colour this month includes white alyssum, calendula, pansies, stock, primula, polyanthus, viola, and sweet peas. Cyclamen are a winter favourite. They are hardy, and best grown in shaded areas both in pots and flower beds. Plant hellebores under trees now and enjoy their sweet blooms in winter, year after year. Plant your favourite spring bulbs into the garden and pots now, making sure they have freedraining soil. Replant hanging baskets with winter colour, and feed with Kings Fast Food or sheep pellets once a month.



Harvest late-season feijoas and onions, rhubarb stalks, mandarins, lemons, cabbage, radish, and chicory.

Indoor Plants 



Water plants by the feel of the moisture in the soil. Test the soil with a finger to see if any moisture sticks to it, if so, wait a while longer before watering. Moth orchids are great housewarming and birthday gifts as their flowers last for months at a time.

Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster Feed your outside pots and garden plants to keep them happy and healthy, as well as conditioning the soil and protecting roots from rot. From $14.99

Kings 24+ Sprinkle into the bottom of the hole before planting your tree or shrub. Mix into the soil before planting. Kings 24 + will slowly release nutrients and feed your plant for up to 24 months. 11 700g $17.99

PASSIONATE PL ANT PEOPLE

A TALE OF TWO

GARDENS This Autumn we take another walk through the garden of one of our amazing team members, Rob Barnes.

Scadoxus (Blood Lily)

Originating from the UK, Rob joined Kings 14 years ago. During his time at Kings has worked at 5 of our 8 garden centres. After working as Assistant Manager at our Forrest Hill, Botany and Henderson stores, Rob was recently appointed a new position in Support Office leading People and Culture for the whole business. Like most of the Kings team, Rob has a stunning garden, inspired by his family, his life in NZ and of course, years of working in a garden centre. Rob’s passion for gardening bloomed from encouragement from his family. Both sets of grandparents were of the war generation, which meant ensuring there was always a surplus of fruit and vegetables throughout the year to put on the table. Rob’s grandfathers were both excellent gardeners, and his grandmothers were exceptional cooks. It wasn’t just fruit and veggies they

grew, but flowers too, from fuchsia, roses, lupins, and the blaze of annual colour associated with a UK garden including petunia, marigolds and busy lizzies. His parents also reinforced this passion of growing. “I distinctly remember them getting a greenhouse for us to grow veggies in, and I used to (and still do) love growing tomatoes! I loved to grow the big beefsteak to see how big I could grow a tomato.” And a season was never complete without a trip to a garden centre to stock up on summer bedding, as after a bleak UK winter nothing beats a blast of colour in the garden. Much later, after moving to New Zealand and working with Kings for a number of years, Rob and his partner bought their current house. It is a beautiful 1910s villa, which they

spent a year renovating by restoring some of the original features, as well as modernising the inside. After completion, the next stage was the garden, which was a blank canvas, except for a hedge and lawn. Their dream was to have a garden full of colour, and foliage with a very distinctive style. To achieve this, they split the garden up into many sections giving them freedom to create different types of gardens in each space. Two distinctively different styles of gardens have emerged from this exploration with the space, creating a beautiful garden full of intrigue at every turn. There is a beautiful potager garden in raised beds at the front of the property, with a tropical garden down the side of the house.

Lettuce

Marigold

Bubblegum Petunia

The Potager Garden As the land had a clay base that wasn’t ideal for planting, Rob decided raised planter beds would be best for the front of the house. A variety of sizes and heights were desirable to add interest and character. The front of the property and house was the only real option for food crops, as their beagle is food obsessed and if given the chance, would eat all the veggies he could get his paws on. These raised

beds have all their favourites including rhubarb, raspberries and blueberries. Not wanting anything too high in front of the house, numerous dwarf fruit trees including peaches, apples (ballerina varieties), kumquat, and nectarines create an urban orchard on entry to the property. Even in summer Rob tends to grow small veggies, right down to the dwarf ’red robin’ and ‘tumbling tom’ tomatoes.

Mixed in with the veggies and fruit are fantastic performing flowers, including one of the best alstroemerias, the ‘Indian summer’, with bronze foliage and prolonged blooms that last for most of year. Rob's Pro Tip: Use Tui Quash regularly to protect this beautiful perennial.

Rob and Luke

“I think gardening is an innate behaviour that is in all of us...”

Frangipani

The Tropical Garden While Rob is from the UK and loves the traditional cottage perennial look, Auckland provides a different climate where he is able to add more tropical plants than he would back in England. This garden has an array of hibiscus, vireyas, palms, and bromeliads to give it a tropical feel. As it has only recently been planted, it is still a juvenile garden - but both Rob and partner Jon love watching it grow and spending time together helping it flourish.

Not only does this stunning garden burst with vibrant colours all year round, it smells exquisite too; with dotted fragrant plants around the garden including port wine magnolias, gardenias, frangipanis, and aromatic herbs such as thyme, sage and rosemary. Rob reflects on the wellness aspect of gardening; “I think gardening is an innate behaviour that is in all of us, doesn’t matter who’s garden I am in, whether Auckland botanical

gardens or a friend's, I always feel at home being surrounded by plants and nature. Our own garden is my sanctuary where we can switch off and connect to nature. It’s great for mindfulness and to get away from technology and other distractions. As the great British Horticulturalist Getrude Jerkll said ‘the lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.’ “ 15

BRING NATURE IN WITH

INDOOR PLANTS Look after your lush indoor plants with our easy-to-follow autumn care tips.

GROW WELL Watering Autumn means cooler temperatures, so adjust watering accordingly. Certain plants like peace lilies, monstera and ficus need to be left to dry out longer between watering. Don’t water if the soil is still moist, as this can lead to root rot. Others, such as ferns, fittonias and carnivorous plants, still need to be slightly moist.

with this

EXPERT TIP Early autumn is the time to do any last-minute repotting. Choose a well-draining soil such as Kings House Plant Mix, and snip back any leggy growth now. Lee Kings Plant Barn SUPPORT OFFICE

Position Light levels will be lower due to shorter days and the sun moving positions. This may mean your indoor plants will need to find a new spot to live in. Close windows at night as cool drafts can affect your tropical indoor plants.

Feed Reduce fertilising as the temperatures drop. As it gets colder, your tropical plants’ growth will slow and many will go into a dormancy period, meaning that they don’t need much food at this time.

Kings House Plant Mix - 10L $12.99

Styling Solutions For Every Room When it comes to the question of how many is too many, we think you can’t have enough! The key is making sure they all look great together. Below are a few tips on how to make the most of your indoor jungle paradise.

Boring Corners

Coffee Tables

Do you have a sad empty corner in your living room? Use this as an opportunity to transform this spot into an epic house plant display. The key principles apply here, height, texture and colour!

Choose a few key plants with different textures, style with heavy coffee table books or cute ceramics. Odd numbers of items are usually more aesthetically pleasing than even.

Bedrooms

Bathrooms

The one room in the house which is often most neglected but is where we spend the most time. Every bedroom deserves a big statement plant. A kentia palm or strelitzia add height without a large footprint and are a good option next to the bed as you won't bump into them in the night!

The most simple of bathrooms can be transformed into a relaxing, sanctuary with the addition of house plants. Choose moisture loving plants such as maidenhair ferns and moth orchids. If your bathroom is low light, choose plants like ZZ plants or snake plants.

CHOOSING THE PERFECT

CAMELLIA

Camellias are fantastic when used as hedging or screening, and they make beautiful feature plants too. Their thick, glossy evergreen foliage creates a lush backdrop to the stunning blooms that appear from autumn to spring.

Our Top Varieties

Setsugekka

Plantation Pink

Nuccio’s Jewel

A classic and popular sasanqua cultivar that grows to 2.5m x 2m. Perfect for hedging. This camellia produces masses of delightful white flowers in autumn and winter.

This sasanqua has an upright growth habit, with frilly early pink-blush blooms, opening up from March to June. Single to semi-double flowers with a sweet scent. Grows to 2.5m.

This japonica camellia has beautiful white petals with an unusual flush of orchid pink and produces large, showy blooms from winter to spring. Grows to 1.5m x 1m.

Yuletide

High Fragrance

Early Pearly

This sasanqua camellia produces masses of eye-catching, orange-red blooms with bright yellow stamens from early winter to early spring. It has a compact growth habit, growing to 2m x 1m.

This camellia has a vigorous growth habit and beautifully large, fragrant, blush-pink blooms with a peony form. Raised in New Zealand, this hybrid grows to 2m x 1.5m with mid-winter to early spring blooms.

This sasanqua camellia produces small, double, white blooms tinged with a hint of soft pink. Growing to 2m x 1.5m, it flowers from early autumn to early winter.

Main Camellia Types Sasanqua

Japonica

Hybrid

Also known as the ‘autumn camellia’, the sasanqua variety, which originates in Japan, blooms from early autumn until mid-winter. While the flowers and leaves are relatively small, this makes them ideal for warmer parts of the garden or as hedging. Sasanqua camellias are well suited to sunny positions. When in bloom, the flowers completely cover the plant and are a great food source for bees.

Bred for the past 300 years, there are now thousands of varieties of camellia japonica. They have large glossy leaves and as they are better suited for the shade, they are slower growing. Still, they will reward you with many different, exciting flowers, including single, semi-double, formal, peony- and rose-form blooms. They flower from early winter to late spring.

Bred to be the best-performing camellias, hybrids offer a range of benefits from both sasanqua and japonica. Best grown in full sun, they have small to large blooms (many with fragrances) and can bloom from early autumn to as late as early summer. Best grown for hedging and as a feature plant.

Tips to help you

GROW WELL Watering

Soil

Planting

Water is essential during hot summer months as this is when camellias set flower bud. Lack of water in summer can result in less flowers in winter.

Camellias are best planted in slightly acidic soil with lots of organic matter and good drainage. You can increase the acidity of the soil before planting by digging through Kings Organic Compost. If your soil holds a lot of water, or carries a high clay content, mix in Gypsum Claybreaker and Kings Pumice Sand. The addition of gypsum will help to improve drainage and create a loose, friable soil perfect for planting into.

Dig a hole double the size of the pot your plant comes in. Remove your plant from the pot gently and plant in the centre of the hole and back-fill with a 50:50 mixture of Kings Organic Compost and your existing soil. You can also plant camellias into a larger pot or container with Kings Container Mix.

GROWING

HEDGES

Hedging plants are great at creating privacy from a road, the neighbours, or sectioning off parts of the garden. They come in different sizes, and can even be shaped into topiary!

Tips to help you

GROW WELL Position

Soil

The distances stated in this guide are designed for an average garden with the hope of achieving an established hedge in a reasonable amount of time. The results from planting them closer will mean you will achieve an established hedge faster and the opposite results if you were to plant them further apart.

Before planting, make sure the soil is well prepared by digging in Kings Organic Compost to improve the soil structure. If you are using large plants you may need to consider staking them while they establish a good root structure. In heavier clay soils adding a handful of Gypsum Claybreaker every 1 - 2m or so will further improve the structure. In really heavy soils, you can plant into a slight mound to help with drainage.

Plant When planting, look at how the plant is already growing. Plant the bushier sides facing across from the next plant, as this will ensure your hedge fills in quicker. Water deeply when finished. 22

I recommend using Kings 24+ when planting hedging, which feeds the plants for up to 24 months. David Kings Plant Barn TAKANINI

Kings 24-Plus 500g $17.99 each

Corokia

Michelia Figo (Port Wine Magnolia)

Griselinia

This beautiful, thick, evergreen plant has dense foliage, making it perfect for hedging. Michelias are related to magnolias, and also produce highly fragrant flowers in spring and summer. Spacing: approx. 75cm to 1m apart. Height: up to 2m tall.

Our most popular hedging plant, griselinias have large, glossy, evergreen foliage that’s perfect for providing privacy. Pruning will decide how tall the hedge will reach. Maintain well to keep the growth bushy and lush. Spacing: approx. 75cm apart. Height: 1m to 2.5m tall.

Pittosporum

Eugenia

Buxus

With lots of different varieties to choose from, these native plants have a steady growth rate and look great in any nativethemed garden, where they can be grown as screening plants. Pittosporum are best grown in full sun. Spacing: approx. 75cm apart. Height: 1m to 3m tall.

Known by many as ‘lilly pillies’, eugenia is the most common hedging plant in Auckland. The dense evergreen foliage makes it perfect for blocking out nosy neighbours, being fast growing and dry tolerant, they are perfect for screening from tall surrounding buildings. Spacing: approx. 75cm apart. Height: 1.5m to 3m tall.

A small-leaved, tightly compact evergreen plant that has traditionally been used to define garden bed edging, for lining paths and creating topiaries. Spacing: approx. 20cm to 30cm apart. Height: 20cm to 1.5m tall.

A New Zealand native, corokia comes in a range of varieties, from bright greens, to silver and even chocolate foliage, that will brighten up any garden. Spacing requirements vary depending on how large each variety grows. Spacing: approx. 30cm to 50cm apart. Height: 30cm to 2m tall.

PREPARING FOR

SPRING BULBS Putting in the effort now will allow you to sit back and watch spring announce its arrival with a wide range of colourful and fragrant blooms.

Freesia Known for their sweet scent and colourful flowers, freesias grow from corms instead of bulbs. As the freesia sprout from the original corm and get established, they also grow smaller extra corms. Once flowering is finished the original corm dies, leaving the new corms to grow and flower the following year. Plant with the pointy part of the corm facing upwards. Note that not all freesia varieties are scented. Available from: early February Plant: Jan–April Position: full sun Depth: 5–6cm Spacing: 8–10cm

Anemone Anemones are very easy to grow with full, colourful flowers. Pick a couple of days before flowers open to prolong their vase life. Anemone offer their best blooms in their first year but will continue to flower annually. Available from: late January Plant: Feb–March Position: part shade Depth: 3–4cm Spacing: 6–8cm

Ranunculus These ornate, colourful flowers look amazing in the garden, in shallow terracotta bulb bowls or as a cut flower. Before planting your corms, soak them deeply in water for two hours. Plant in part shade if you want longer stems. Water well until the sprouts emerge, and then keep soil slightly moist. Available from: late January Plant: Jan–April Position: full sun Depth: 3–4cm Spacing: 6–8cm

Hyacinth With beautiful compact cones of blooms, hyacinths are highly fragrant and come in a range of stunning colours. Chill bulbs in the fridge for four to six weeks before planting them in winter to prevent malformed flowers. Lift the bulbs once the foliage dies back and place in a paper bag in a cool, dry area. In late summer, chill them again for another year of beautiful flowers.

Kings Bulb Collection From $4.99

Available From: late January Plant: March–April Position: full sun Depth: 5–10cm Spacing: 8–10cm

Daffodils Arguably the easiest spring bulb to grow and with a large range to choose from, daffodils are fast to establish and look great as they fill out over the years. Protect sprouts from slugs and snails with Quash in winter. Available from: early January Plant: Feb–April Position: full sun Depth: 8–10cm Spacing: 10–12cm

Tulip Tulip bulbs arrive in stores around late March. Tulips also need a cold winter to bloom well so put them into a paper bag and chill, then plant in late May. When chilling, make sure they are kept dry. Plant in part shade if you live in the North Island, as this will help keep the flowers in bloom for longer rather than have them wilt in the sun. Available from: late March Plant: March–April Position: full sun Depth: 5–8cm Spacing: 8–10cm

Tips to help you

GROW WELL Bulbs in the Ground

Pots and Containers

Extra Tips

Plant in free-draining soil, rich in organic matter or into bulb mix. To improve your soil, include compost, pumice sand and gypsum. Plant in a slight mound if the area is known to get wet.

Select a pot large enough to plant the bulbs at the correct depth and spacing. Plant using bulb mix or Kings Potting Mix for a free-draining soil option.

Water your bulbs well after you have planted them and until they start to sprout. Bulbs in shadier areas will have longer stems, which can be ideal when grown as cut flowers. 25

m it to

LOVE YOUR

LAWN

A beautiful lawn is a lovely addition to any property, and with good planning and simple maintenance it will look great all year round. If you are planning on planting a new lawn or need to repair an existing one, now is the time to get started. Lawns can be planted in spring or autumn but planting now means your lawn can get well established over winter, making it more resilient to the heat of next summer. 26

Establishing A New Lawn Lawns can be planted in spring or autumn but planting now means your lawn can get well established over winter, making it more resilient to the heat of next summer.

Clear Weeds

Sowing Lawn Seed

Patching Up Bare Spots

You may find that the best way to ensure that you have a weed-free patch to plant into, is to kill any existing weeds by spraying a broad-spectrum herbicide. Choose a product that will not leave residue in the soil that could affect your new lawn, such as Yates Zero Weedkiller. After the weeds have died and browned off (this can take 2–3 weeks), rake away the dead foliage and remove any larger stones or other debris from the area. If possible, avoid disturbing the soil too much as this can encourage buried weed seeds to germinate.

Follow the instructions and suggested rates on the packaging and start sowing your seed. A good trick is to divide your seed into two portions and spread half out while moving north to south and then spread the other half out east to west: this ensures that the seed is spread evenly. After sowing, lightly scatter another layer of Living Earth Lawn Mix to cover the seed or gently rake to cover them. If you are sowing a large area, sometimes using a hosepipe or a rope to divide the land into smaller sections, and dividing your seed up accordingly, will ensure that you divide the seed out evenly.

To patch gaps in your lawn, loosen soil with a fork and clear away any weeds. Add a thin layer of lawn mix to the area, sow seed, and then treat as a new lawn.

Preparing To Sow Start by smoothing out your soil to remove any uneven spots, again removing any medium to large rocks, breaking up dirt clods, and if necessary, reshaping certain areas to sort out any drainage problems. If you have clay soil, adding granular Gypsum at this stage can help improve the soil structure, which will make maintaining your lawn much easier in the long run. Spread a thin layer of Living Earth Lawn Mix to help make a fine seed bed.

Caring for Your Lawn When fertilising your new lawn, be careful as most lawn food is quite strong and will often burn roots of establishing grasses. For the first three months of your new lawn’s life, only feed with a fertiliser that is specific for young grass. Water well until grass has become established; do not let your new germinating grass seed dry out as you will get a patchy effect. Too much water can also disturb seed, moving it around to create an uneven finished product. When mowing for the first few times, allow the grass to grow 4–5cm tall and then set the height of your mower so that it only takes off the very tips of the leaves.

Weeding Your Lawn A thick, healthy lawn is the best defence against an invasion of weeds as it stops them gaining a foothold. A common mistake is mowing the lawn too short. This can weaken the lawn - particularly if you find yourself creating clouds of dirt. If weeds are becoming a problem, try mowing at a higher setting as this can encourage the grass to out compete the weeds. If weeds do start to encroach, try weeding by hand. If you have a more serious problem, use Turfix, a selective herbicide that kills weeds and leaves the grass unharmed. Weed 'n' Feed is another great option; this easy to apply fertiliser and selective herbicide can be clicked onto a hose and used while watering your lawn.

Burnet's EzyStart Fertiliser 2KG $19.99

YD VER A

UL IBU T

Living Earth Lawn Mix 25L $13.99 or 2 for $25

LAWN CARE

Debco SaturAid 2.5L $25.99 Debco SaturAid 500g $11.99

ESSENTIALS

Our Top products for sowing the perfect lawn this autumn

Yates Weed 'n' Feed 2L $19.99

Egmont Hand Spreader $21.99

Gardena Classic Hose 30m $84.99 Burnet's Boston Green 500g $12.99 Burnet's Boston Green 1KG $22.99 Tui Lawn Force 750g $29.99

KINGS ORGANIC COMPOST Made by gardeners for gardeners

Kings Organic Compost helps revitalise soil, and enhance the growth and health of plants. Building healthy soil with compost ensures steady, but strong, plant growth.

YD VER A

4for $25 L TIBU

Need advice on best use of our Compost? Visit www.kings.co.nz or ask a friendly team member in store.

THE

GOOD DIRT Despite looking relatively boring, soil is crucial to our existence on this earth – a vibrant and dynamic ecosystem full of minute particles of rock, water, humus, complex colonies of bacteria, webs of fungi and a whole host of larger creatures such as worms.

Types Of Soils When our soils are healthy and full of life, they make our lives as gardeners easier, as they help us to nurture healthy and disease-resistant plants. Poor, depleted soils are less complex, less interesting and less productive. Even a basic understanding of what kind of soil you have and how to work with it can make gardening considerably easier. New Zealand soils are young, and as a result, there are mineral deficiencies found in most of our soils. These deficiencies can be generally addressed by using Natures Organic Fertiliser, which is full of minerals and loaded with beneficial bacteria and fungi that will help stimulate the life in your soil. There are many different types of soils found in gardens around the country, and each type can be improved with a little extra care.

Clay Soils

Sandy Soils

Volcanic Soils

Clay particles are incredibly small and have a tendency to stick together. Heavier soils will regularly form a sticky, gloopy mess in winter, only to turn into an impenetrable concrete over summer.

The problems faced by those with sandy soils are almost the exact opposite of those faced by people with clay soils. The large size of the sandy soil particles means that they drain way too freely, meaning nutrients leach away and they're hard to keep moist.

Gardeners that grow in volcanic soil, which is highly mineralised, are probably used to the envious looks of other gardeners as they effortlessly dig holes and grow plants! This envy is understandable: lots of people that live with clay soil love avocados but growing them there is pointless – it's a cinch growing them in volcanic soils, as while drainage may at times be an issue, but adding compost and mulch can help. If you're worried about your volcanic soil drying out, adding sphagnum moss or SaturAid can really help reduce any watering issues.

Yet despite being frequently reviled, clay soils do have advantages. They are often nutrient-rich, but the poor structure means that your plants can't take advantage of this. By adding gypsum and organic matter (compost and sheep pellets) and by deeply aerating your garden beds, you can slowly improve the structure. The results can be impressive; within a few years, it's possible to create a garden with lush, deep, friable soil in an area that had previously only a thin layer of topsoil on top of a hard clay pan.

Yet oddly, the solution is similar to that of clays. What you need to do is increase the amount of organic matter content in your soil by adding composts and manures, which increases the water-holding capacity of your soil dramatically and helps to create a structure that will resist leaching.

Growing Green Manure Crops Another great way to protect soils, improve their structure, and add nutrients is to grow green manure crops. Green manure crops are basically crops that are grown at a time of year when veggie beds would otherwise be empty, and then dug in while they are still green thus returning nutrients back into the soil. In Auckland we are lucky that it is warm enough that we can grow green manure crops in our empty beds over winter and then dig them in while they are still green=before planting the beds up again in spring. Here are the advantages of growing green manure crops.

Prevents Soil Erosion When exposed to the wind and the rain, bare soil will start to wash away. A green manure crop helps by improving the structure of the soil by physically holding it there with the roots, while protecting the soil with its foliage. Fertilisers By diging the green manure crop into the ground you will return an array of nutrience back into the soil.

Helps Beneficial Microbes Digging the organic material into the soil helps stimulate soil biology by providing many of the beneficial microbes with food. This in turn, helps the plants as a soil rich in beneficial microbes is less likely to harbour diseases and makes it easier to keep your plants well-fed.

Suppresses Weeds Bare soil encourages weeds to grow. But green manure crops ensure that there isn't enough space for weeds to take hold of your bed. This should also help you next year as it means there should be less weed seed to germinate.

Mustard This is a fast-growing green manure crop that attracts beneficial insects. It helps control wireworm, nematodes and other pests in the soil. Sow Autumn/Winter. Dig in while they are flowering, before the seeds set.

Green Manure Mix – a mix of lupins, mustard and oats The oats accumulate potassium and nitrates from deep down in the soil and then capture these nutrients in the topsoil. They are also great for the structure of the soil and when grown with mustard, can be very effective at suppressing weeds. Sow Autumn/Winter. Dig in while they are flowering, before the seeds set.

WHAT TO GROW

Lupins Bacteria attaches itself to the roots of lupins and takes nitrogen from the atmosphere, locking it into the soil. Lupins are also great at accessing phosphorus from soil minerals, which will become accessible to other plants after they have been dug in. Sow late Summer/Autumn. Dig in October/November.

Makes Your Life Easier In the long run, growing green manure crops should help you save time and money, as you won't need to weed as much, use as many weed killers or pesticides, or use as many fertilisers.

Choosing the right mix for pots and containers If your garden is riddled with challenging soil, you might prefer to plant into large containers and pots. Even then, choosing the right soil for your plants is important. Here's a quick guide to our most popular mixes that are ready to use.

Kings Potting Mix This is a good value, high-quality potting mix. Our Kings Potting Mix contains a 6-month slow-release fertiliser, making it perfect for most houseplants, and also a low-cost alternative to specialised mixes when growing cacti, succulents, palms or bulbs. Great for growing veggies, herbs, flowers and shrubs in pots.

Kings Container Mix This is a similar mix to our Kings Potting Mix, but with an 8-month slow-release fertiliser and water storage crystals which keeps moisture in the soil for longer. Great for growing dwarf fruit trees in larger pots, or for growing veggies, flowers, shrubs and small trees in containers. It is also a cheaper alternative to Pot Power for hanging baskets.

Living Earth Organic Potting Mix A high quality organic potting mix, made from a mix of good compost, pumice, fine bark and some organic fertiliser. Great for growing organic veggies, fruit and a wide mix of other plants.

Tui Bulb mix This free draining mix contains the right blend of nutrients to provide your bulbs with the best possible start and sustained growth throughout the season. Use in your garden beds, pots and containers and watch your bulbs reach their full potential.

Tui Pot Power A high-quality premium potting mix that contains a controlled release fertiliser to feed your plants for up to six months, water-storing granules for improved water absorbance, added Acadian seaweed to help protect plants from diseases, and SaturAid wetting agent to channel water evenly to the root zone. Suitable for pots, containers and hanging baskets.

Living Earth Organic Veggie Mix Veggie mix is best used in raised garden beds, or large containers, such as Vegepods. Veggie mix is specially created for edibles and can be planted straight into. Great for tomatoes, chillies, eggplants, zucchini, strawberries and leafy edibles.

BRINGING THE BIRDS TO YOUR

BACKYARD

It’s true, we are crazy about our birds, especially when it comes to our native species. Whether it be the tui and bellbird songs, or watching a large, plump kereru pass you by, we love to have them in close proximity. Here are some tips to ensure beautiful birds are regular visitors to your garden. New Zealand is famous for it’s unique bird life. But why are native birds so important? Many native birds have coexisted with native plants for thousands of years and help each other out. For example, the Tui is important because it spreads seeds and helps pollination when it drinks from different flowers. A big threat to native birds in New Zealand (other than pests) is loss of habitat. Fewer trees mean fewer places for birds to hide, forage for food and nest. This happens when new houses and roads are built where trees used to be. But even with more houses and smaller backyards, we can still replant trees to provide food sources and give birds extra places to nest and hide.

Top Plants For Feeding Birds No matter how big or small your garden is, there are still lots of ways you can help native birds. Some birds, like the Tui, Bellbird and Silvereye, feed on nectar and fruit. Many plants can provide food for them, here are some plants we can grow

for our native birds:

Cabbage Trees These feed Tui and Kereru in summer

Flax Native flax flowers are full of nectar for Bellbirds and Tui

Kowhai Tui, Kaka and Bellbirds eat the nectar, and Kereru eat the tasty young leaves

Bird Friendly Essentials

Tui Tui are always seen drinking from blooming kowhai (sophora) trees in spring. Tuis also love New Zealand flax (phormuim), kaka beak, puriri, NZ fuchsia tree, rewarewa, rata, pohutukawa, gums, tree lucerne and banksias.

Waxyeye/Silvereye These birds aren’t picky when it comes to food, drinking nectar from trees such as kowhai, fuchsia, eucalyptus and bottlebrushes. Silvereyes can also be seen nibbling at some old fruit that may be left on a tree over autumn. These fruit trees include pear, apple, grapes, figs, oranges, mandarins and peaches.

Kereru This oversized bird that pairs for life is always fascinating to watch and is a joy to have in the garden. The New Zealand woodpigeon likes to eat berries from cabbage trees, puriri, nikau, elderberry and plums, as well as feed on leaf material from more wild trees and weeds including broom, willow, tree lucerne, poplar and even kowhai.

Bird Feeder Perfect for small gardens that don’t have enough space for large flowering trees. Easy to install, just add sugar water or Nectar to attract tuis, bellbirds and silvereyes.

Bird Seed Feeders Seed feeders are a great way to feed the birds and give them a safe place up in trees to happily feed. Add wild bird seed mix to attract finches, dunnock and sparrows.

Bird Baths Great as a garden centrepiece. Bird baths can be entertaining, watching birds clean themselves and cool off in your garden. Remember to offer all your birds clean water to wash and drink from. 35

Little Growe rs DIY

FAIRY GARDEN Creating a magical fairy garden is the perfect way to spend time with your Little Growers. Not only is it a fun activity but looking after their fairy garden promotes patience and an understanding of nature.

step 1 Firstly, you’ll want to create a special space for your fairy. We used a recycled glass jar, created a small doorway with sticks and then covered it in our Kings Terrarium and Decorative Moss. We used a hot glue gun to help it all stay together and added some dry straw for a pretty roof effect. Note: When assembling your fairy garden, your fairy will sit inside your upturned glass jar.

What you will need: • Terrarium stones • Terrarium sand • Moss • Soil • Plants • A container for planting • A glass jar • Fairy ornaments • Seed lights (optional)

Get an adult to help you!

For more ideas to keep your Little Grower busy visit www.kings.co.nz

step 2 It’s time to prepare your garden base. Firstly, add a layer of stones and sand to the base of your container for drainage. Next, add a layer of soil. If using succulents make sure your soil is dry to prevent any root rot. Add a layer of moss in some areas for a textural effect.

Tip:

step 3

Care for your fairy garden by watering sparingly with a spray bottle.

Begin placing your elements. First, find the perfect place for your fairy jar house. Then you can get planting. We used succulents to make whimsical fairy trees and then added extra stones to create paths around them. Add dried flowers, seed lights, and fairy accessories for an even more magical look.

GARDEN

TO PLATE Try one of our tasty new autumn recipes with seasonally harvested ingredients.

BAKED ROSEMARY BEET CHIPS 30-minute baked beet chips infused with rosemary and speckled with sea salt. Perfectly crispy, simple to make, and a healthy snack. Tastes delicious when paired with this easy homemade hummus.

THE CHIPS

THE HUMMUS

Ingredients

• • • •

2 small beetroot (rinsed and scrubbed, peeling optional) Olive or avocado oil 1 pinch each sea salt + black pepper 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary (roughly chopped)

Method Preheat oven to 190 C and place oven rack in the centre. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Thinly slice beets with a mandolin, getting them as consistently thin as possible. They should curl a little when cut. This will ensure even baking and crispiness. Divide between two baking sheets and spray or very lightly drizzle with olive oil. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and the rosemary. Toss to coat. Then arrange in a single layer, making sure the slices aren’t touching. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and slightly brown. Be sure to watch closely past the 15-minute mark as they can burn quickly. Remove from oven. Let cool slightly.

• • • • • • • • •

1 can chickpeas 60 ml fresh lemon juice 60 ml well-stirred tahini 1 small garlic clove, minced 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Salt to taste 30-45 ml water Dash of ground paprika or sumac

Method In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended. Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes. Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika. 39

SPINACH FIG SALAD This Spinach Fig Salad is made with fresh figs, avocado, toasted walnuts, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette for a delicious fall salad that will fill you up.

Salad • • • • • •

2 large handfuls fresh spinach 4 figs cut in half 1 small avocado sliced 1/2 cup blueberries 1/3 cup walnuts 1/4 cup red onions chopped

Balsamic vinaigrette • • • • • •

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1-2 cloves garlic minced 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon maple syrup salt and pepper to taste

Method In a small blender combine the ingredients for the Balsamic Vinaigrette and set aside. Roast the walnuts at 220 C for 5-7 minutes, until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Divide spinach between two plates and top with the remaining salad ingredients. Serve immediately with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Note This salad is best eaten within an hour of assembling as the avocados and figs will quickly start to brown.

Serve with mountains of ice cream!

PEACH GALETTE This simple, sweet dessert easily adapts to feature whatever seasonal fruit you have on hand (peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, blueberries… you name it!).

Ingredients • • • • • • •

1 pkg (500g) thawed puff pastry 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar 3-4 tbsp almond flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 6 medium firm peaches halved, pitted, and cut into thin slices 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for dusting the working suface 1 small beaten egg

Method Thaw the frozen puff pastry on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes. Then preheat oven to 180 C. Clean the peaches and cut them in small thin slices about 1/4 inch thick. Place them in medium bowl and sprinkle with sugar, almond flour and ground cinnamon over them. Gently toss them with your hands and try to coat all peaches with the mixture. On a large sheet of baking paper, sprinkle 1 tbsp of flour and place two sheets of puff pastry on each other, so the corners create the shape of a star. Start placing peach slices about 1 inch from galette edge, overlapping each slice slightly, continue until you reach the centre of the galette. Fold the outer edges of the pastry over the peaches. The shape doesn't need to be perfect. Brush the pastry edges with 1 beaten egg. Lightly sprinkle the edges with granulated sugar. Bake in preheated oven 180 C for 35–40 minutes or until the crust is golden. Let the galette cool on the baking sheet. 41

ASK THE

PLANT DOCTOR Giving you expert advice for your seasonal gardening woes

Hi Plant Doctor, I've had a feijoa tree on my property for years now and always enjoyed the fruit, but I have noticed almost all my fruit have little maggots in them this year. What are these, and how can I stop them from ruining my fruit?! -Joe, Henderson Hi Joe, These little larvae are the juvenile form of tiny moths called 'Guava moths'. They lay their eggs on young guava, plum, peach, nectarine and feijoa fruit; then, the larvae eat the fruit's flesh before dropping to the ground to pupate. Once flowering has finished, use bug netting on the whole tree or around the fruit for prevention.

Easy Trap Guava Moth Trap $31.99 Little Bugga Guava Moth Trap $89.99 Bioneem 200mL $39.99

For treatment, determine how many are in your area. Use a Guava Moth Trap that captures male moths or a "Little Bugga" moth trap that traps all moths in the area. If you trap more than five moths in two weeks, treatment measures must be taken. Spray the fruit with neem oil twice a week until you stop getting moths in your trap. Remove infected fruit and dispose of them, but not in the compost.

Hey there, I have recently moved into a house with a Griselinia hedge and noticed that the hedge had wilted leaves. Recently the leaves have started to go brown and die. What's happening? -Jean, Mt Albert Hi Jean, This damage sounds like dieback (aka Phytophthora), which is a soil-borne, fungus-like pathogen that causes roots to rot. As roots die off, whole branches or even entire plants will start to die back - usually evident in late summer to autumn.

Egmont Plantmate 50g $14.99 Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster 500mL $14.99 Buxus Blight Fighter 200mL $28.99

Prevention includes regular deep watering in the summer heat – even for established plants. Clay soils can easily become hard and dry or wet and soggy, depending on the weather. Introduce beneficial microbes by using Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster and Kings Organic Compost and water in Claybreaker gypsum around the base to help with drainage. To treat, cut back any dead/dying wood. If your plants have around 1/3 damage, you can still use the organic solution by drenching the soil with Plantmate. This product contains Trichoderma, which help stimulate new root growth, protect the roots and condition the soil, encouraging other beneficial animals such as worms. For more severe cases, spray the infected hedge and around the plant base with Buxus Blight Fighter. Repeat 28 days later if necessary.

Hi, I have a three-year-old lemon tree that doesn't look well. The new leaves are coming out with bumps all over them, and the fruit has thin, bumpy dried scabs over them. Help! -Will, Remuera Hi William, This is a fungal disease called 'Lemon scab', also known as Verrucosis. Leaves look distorted with bumps and curling, and lemons have thicker skins and scabbing. Though less attractive, the fruit is still edible. The disease doesn't cause major problems but will affect the health and vigour of your citrus plant. This is common for plants that are in shadier areas of the garden, so first, make sure your plant is in full sun. Cut back any surrounding branches and encourage new foliage growth. Water well, especially over the summer period. To treat, remove flowers and ripe fruit, and spray the tree thoroughly with copper oxychloridde at 3-4 weekly intervals until harvest. Repeat later if necessary. Only spray up to four times a year.

Ask the Kings Plant Doctor

Got a plant problem you need help with? Visit www.plantdoctor.co.nz for free expert advice or look out for the red shirts instore. 43

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