1 SPRING 2022 Scoop A Love Affair WITH LAVENDER New love for an old favourite Starting a VEGGIE GARDEN Light on your pockets and on the planet! Introducing STONEFIELDS Peek inside Aotearoa’s most sustainable garden centre ROF T H E LO V E OF P L STNA FREE ISSUE
Professionally designed private gardens Open To The Public Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November Tickets on sale now at Kings and iTicket Proceeds to these wonderful charities: Sincere thanks to Kings and Dawson & Co. our major sponsors www.gardendesignfest.co.nz $55 All gardens entry Earlybird* and Seniors price *Until 31 October Garden Design: Trish BartleetGarden Design: Damian Wendelborn Garden Design: Xanthe White Design Image by: Carme Aguayo
Spring always brings some changes and fresh new life, and here at Kings it’s always an exciting (and busy) time. Most exciting for us has been the opening of our new concept store in Stonefields. It’s the realisation of a vision for the future of garden centres, a space for us to test new ideas and inspire a new generation of plant lovers. It’s our most sustainable store, from the construction materials to the exterior clad in solar panels and the other clever little things we’ve done to protect the future for the next generations. Speaking of next generations, there’s also a fabulous playground and of course a new Garden Kitchen café to enjoy a bite amongst the blooms. If you’ve visited Stonefields, you may have noticed we’ve also given our logo and brand a little refresh. It’s a fresh new look, but you’ll still get the same great service and incredible range of quality plants instore. In fact, you might even find some exciting new things. Our Plant Doctors look a little different in their new uniforms too, but their depth of knowledge hasn’t changed. You’ll start seeing our new logo appearing in different parts of our business, but we’re taking a sustainable approach to introducing our new logo so you’ll see old and new coexisting for the next little while. But don’t worry, everything you know and love about Kings isn’t changing. Stonefields is part of how we’re thinking about our communities and impact. Another initiative that we’re excited to announce this spring is our official partnership with Cancer Society Auckland. We’ll be supporting them through fundraising events, as well as with a donation of plants to enhance the space at their Domain Lodge, bringing their patients closer to nature while they undergo treatment. This spring will also see the launch of our “greener tomorrow” recycling scheme as we take a lead in trying to reduce plastic within our industry. In addition to our swap-a-pot stations and label recycling initiatives, we’ve partnered with Future Post to offer soft plastic recycling for all our mixes and fertiliser packaging. With new collection points at all Kings stores, you can now return those empty compost bags and other gardening soft plastics which we’ll send to Future Post who turn them into fence posts and gardening beds. How good is Asthat!you can see, there’s plenty going on this spring, both in the garden and out. In this Scoop you’ll find more about our exciting new concept store and of course all the tips and tricks to help you grow well in the garden and make the most of our favourite season as the sun starts to shine. Happy gardening!
3
At Kings
WHAT’S HAPPENING
SPRING 2022 ContentsTheStaples Gardeners’ Mail ................................ 6 Celebrating your garden success stories Plant Doctor ...................................... 8 Your questions, our expert advice Passionate Plant People 28 Take a peek at how Helen shares her passion for plants with her community Kids Corner ..................................... 36 Build your own hotel for bugs Indoor Plants .................................. 38 Tips for spring care Garden To Plate Recipes ............... 42 Spring favourites with INSEASON Spring Checklists ........................... 46 What to plant and tend to this spring The Features Introducing Stonefields .................. 10 Get the low-down on Kings newest, most sustainable garden centre What We’re Loving .......................... 16 Some of our favourites this spring A Love Affair With Lavender ......... 18 Tips, tricks, and trivia for the returning spring favourite Starting A Veggie Garden .............. 20 The simple and proven methods for creating your very own veggie garden Growing Tomatoes ........................ 24 Our top varieties and tips for planting your tomatoes this season Growing Roses ............................... 32 The top rose varieties of the season and tips for planting 4 ★★★ 12022 0 22 • Votedby New Zealanders • 20 2 12202 ★★★★★★ 22 Votedby • 2★★★ Garden GCentres arden Centres
EVENTS FOR YOUR
NZ Orchid Society Spring Show
When: Sunday 25th September 10am – Sunflower seed Sundayplanting30th October 10am – Grow your own Sundaybeans 27th November 10am - Herb head flowerpot Where: All Kings Plant Barn Stores Cost: FREE Auckland Horticultural Society Spring Show
The New Zealand Orchid Society’s annual Spring Show will again showcase a large variety of the beautiful, the rare, and the unusual in orchids. Spring is the time when the majority of orchids tend to flower. Come and view the hundreds of plants and thousands of colourful blooms that will be on display.
Franklin Hospice Garden Ramble Wander around 17 unique gardens and enjoy the delightful masterpieces created by each of the garden hosts. As a special feature this year, Lynda Hallinan will be opening her beautiful garden in Hunua. We can’t wait! Where: 17 fabulous gardens in Franklin When: Saturday 12th November 10am – 4pm Sunday 13th November 10am – 4pm Cost: $65 Garden
Calendar 5
Come along and enjoy a collection of stunning spring blooms, plants and floral arrangements. Entries are open to everyone. There are even special categories for children to encourage imagination and creativity. ‘Best buds ‘n blooms’ junior competition classes include ages 5 to 9 years old and 10 to 13 years old. There will be raffles, plant sales, pop-up tea rooms and a coffee truck with snacks. When: Saturday 10th September 10am – 3pm Where: Western Springs Cost: $2 per adult Auckland Garden Designfest Visit 20 stunning private gardens and meet the creative masterminds behind each landscape design. With a range of garden designs on show from small courtyards, to large suburban oases, you’ll leave inspired to bring your garden vision to life, big or small. All proceeds will support local NZ charities, so we’re thrilled to be supporting this event. WhenSaturday: 26th and Sunday 27th November Where: 20 stunning homes around Auckland Central CostFrom: $55, available at Kings Plant Barn
When: Saturday 10th September Where: Mt Albert War Memorial Cost: Gold coin donation National Spring Rose Show & Convention Kings are thrilled to be the leading partner of this spectacular display of thousands of beautiful roses exhibited by enthusiasts throughout New Zealand. Hosted by the AUCKLAND ROSE SOCIETY - this year’s popular event celebrates all the glitz and glamour of a bygone era - ‘ALL THAT JAZZ!’ Where: Mt Eden War Memorial Hall, 489 Dominion Rd When: Saturday 19th November 12pm – 5pm Sunday 20th November- 10am – 4pm Cost: Adults $5, Gold Card Holders $4, Children FREE Little Grower Learning Hub Bring your little gardeners in for a hands-on activity to nurture their love of nature. There’s a different FREE DIY activity each month to keep your little ones busy while you grab a coffee and shop.
CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS Gardeners’ Mail The Succulent Forest Inspired by the “Terrarium Station” at the new Kings Plant Barn in Stonefields, my daughter and I made these “Dry Terrariums” full of cacti, succulents, “Fittonia” and “String of Pearls”. We had a lot of fun creating them and are so pleased with the end result! Maybe our next project will be “Wet Terrariums”?! - Tania & Izzy, Auckland BE IN TO WIN A $50 KINGS VOUCHER Post: PO BOX 31002, Milford, 0741 Email: scoop@kings.co.nz or message us on Facebook or Instagram SEND US YOU R STORYAND Every successstorypublishedwins,sosendusyourgardeningstories! 6
UoA working bee to save the bees
- Helena, Auckland
7
Kia ora Kings
We just wanted to say thank you so much for all your support in helping us with the care and maintenance of our bee sanctuary at Auckland University. In August we held our most successful working bee ever with over 20 people helping to weed, plant and mulch our little garden. We were so grateful to have your Plant Doctor Tracey come down and give us some expert planting advice. As you can see from the pics, our little hive of activity is ready now for our spring plantings to create a space that will feed the bees and other pollinators throughout the next season.
- Livia, Auckland Time to reflect Last spring, when our lives were turned upside, yet again, due to the Omicron outbreak, I found myself spending a lot more time alone in my garden. My usual spring visits to Kings were removed from my calendar as we were forced to spend our days isolated at home for what felt like most of spring. In desperation, I purchased my plants online, (including some new salvias and fuchsia) and was so impressed by the speedy delivery and quality of the plants when they arrived. I pottered and tended to my garden as well as I could, but so missed my weekly visits to Kings. The two chairs I placed in the garden last lockdown for my partner and I to sit, talk and reflect have returned, and I am so looking forward to enjoying time back in the garden this spring. Although this time, I’ll be buying my plants and mixes online from kings by choice.
Hi Plant Doc, As you can see my gardenias are not doing too well. As well as leaves yellowing and falling off it looks like something is eating the leaves. I have been fertilising and also used Conqueror oil. There are buds on the plants but one has been there for months and is not flowering. Would appreciate your advice. - Many thanks, Chris Hi Chris, Gardenias can be a bit fickle especially at this time of the year when they are trying to produce flower buds. Feed regularly throughout the year with Kings Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Food. Apply a dose of Sequestron to keep the leaves from yellowing. Make sure the soil is moist and keep an eye out for scale insect on the branches and stems.
8 PLANT D OCTOR
ASK THE Plant Doctor Got a tricky plant question? Ask our online Plant Doctor at plantdoctor.co.nz
Hi Plant Doctor, Can you please tell me what is wrong with this Aloe Vera plant and let me know how I can make it nice and green again? -Many thanks, Gayle Hi Gayle, I suggest repotting your Aloe into a larger pot, as it has outgrown this pot. Plant it into Kings Potting Mix. As you are repotting, cut away all the dried-up leaves. Although Aloes are a succulent they do best when the soil is kept just moist, but not allowed to sit in any water. Position your plant so that it gets full sun. Start feeding monthly in spring, summer, and autumn with Kings Liquid Fast Food.
Hey Plant Doctor, It’s been a few months since you visited our home to help us with our ficus tuffi hedge, and you can see how they’ve grown since then! When you visited our home, you advised that our ficus tuffis weren’t getting enough water. We were watering and fertilising regularly, but nothing we were doing seemed to help. Over the past few months, some growth has definitely been restored, but our hedges are still looking a little bare. Is there any additional advice you can offer us? - Charlotte Hi Charlotte, Wow there has been a fair bit of regrowth overall since I visited your home. The ones in the middle have been affected the most as I thought. It will take a long time for it to come back to a nice dense hedge from where it is now. Prune out all the wood that has gone brown and is dead. This will allow the growth that has started to grow faster and fill out the tree. Please be aware that it will take a while to fill completely in, so the hedge will look sparse with some gaps for a period. To test if the branches or twigs have died or not - scrape a bit of the bark away with your fingernail. If its green, it is still alive. Brown and it needs cutting away.
Before After The Plant Doctor Got a plant problem you need help with? Our Plant Doctor is now offering personal consultations at your home from as little as $65. For all home consultation enquiries, email plantdoctor@kings.co.nz is in the house!
INTRODUCING KINGS PLANT StonefieldsBARN 10
The shelves carry an incredible selection of products, with the essentials for your everyday gardening needs, be it indoor or out, and a whole lot of new delights. You’ll also find a range of locally sourced designer products, like Moobee planters, specialist teas that capture the essence of nature, and other curated selections from General Collective that will Movingupdate seasonally.throughtowards the playground and café, you enter an atrium with a lush tropical feel achieved through clever use of hanging planters and natives reimagined. Luckily the café is right there so you can sit down and take it all in with a coffee and some fab food. If you’re a local or in the area, and even if you’re not, it’s well worth a visit.
11
Like a good garden, a business will grow and change. Kings Plant Barn was quite a revolution when we first opened in 1992, changing how people shopped for their garden, introducing new plants and making it easy to transform your backyard. 2022 sees another revolutionary moment in our history with the opening of Kings Plant Barn Stonefields. It’s a whole new concept, and Aotearoa’s most sustainable garden centre, with 314m2 of solar panels lining the external walls, harvested rainwater and sustainable materials reducing our footprint. Step inside the building designed by award winning architects, Cheshire, and you’ll find an airy space that captures the simplicity of nature. The clever, restrained use of materials creates a gallery-like space for an exciting range of gardening goodies to shine. To say we’re proud is understatement.an
Life in a bubble
Drive-thru Dirt! Okay, it’s not just dirt. It’s everything!
12
For those looking at ways to express their own style and fuse their love of plants with their décor, step up to the terrarium bar. Our Stonefields terrarium bar provides you a palette to create a unique wonderland in glass, with a selection of glassware, moss and plants that suit life in a bubble. Making your own little microcosm lets you landscape in miniature and it’ll last a lifetime. So no matter where you go in life you can take your garden world with you.
You
The back of Kings Plant Barn at Stonefields features a super convenient drive-thru bay. can pick up click and collect orders, or have the team load your car with those heavy products, like compost, potting mix or that monster lemon tree that’ll look so good at your place. life get any easier?!
Could
13
Tasty Treats Kings Garden Cafés have been a go-to for great coffee, brunching, lunching, and catching up with friends while sitting amongst nature. At Stonefields we’ve lifted the game again, with our new Garden Kitchen. This beautiful café has a seasonal menu focusing on locally grown produce and root-to-stem dishes. From a classic like the Stonefields
Benedict to Green Goodness, where all the amazing flavours of nature do their thing in a vegetarian spectacular, whatever your tastes you’ll find something to love.
Of course, we couldn’t forget the little gardeners to be, with an epic playground that’ll keep them occupied no matter what the weather is doing. It’s close enough to the café that you can keep an eye on them, but not so close they’ll spill your coffee. Best of all it’s made from sustainable and recycled material.
Nestled amongst an amazing forest of foliage, it’s the perfect destination for a brunch with friends, a quick coffee while you shop, or to grab a delicious bite to take away.
Adventure time!
It’s just one of the ways Kings have looked to engage with local makers and creators, offering them a platform to launch their nature-themed products whichout compromising on profit. There will be opportunities instore to meet the makers and participate in workshops, tastings, and demonstrations throughout the month.
14
Another exciting new product release is the bright vibrant range of Moobee planters, exclusive to Kings and designed, cut, and sewn in Kelly’s North Shore studio. The planters come in a range of sizes to give your indoor plants a pop of colour, using upcycled plywood offcuts to give structure to the organic shapes. Better yet, all the designs are printed with sustainable pigments, keeping nasties out of the process, away from your plants and the planet.
100% of profits from our local design showcase go back to the maker.
Supporting Kiwi innovators
Within Stonefields you’ll find a special space where one local designer can display and sell their products, with 100 percent of the profits going back in their pockets. The Designer Showcase is run in partnership with the renowned General Collective and will feature a different Kiwi designer each month.
Pop in and see our new concept store at 86 Lunn Ave, Stonefields.
Introducing our newest recycling initiative in partnership with FuturePost. This spring, every Kings store will have a soft plastics collection bin for our customers to return any garden mix or fertiliser soft packaging from products purchased instore. For more updates and helpful tips on how you can help us on our journey towards a greener tomorrow, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or visit kings.co.nz
RECYCLING For A FutureGreener
Swap-a-Pot recycling bins At each Kings store you’ll find a Swapa-Pot station for our customers to return and take used plastic pots and punnets. We encourage you to take as many pots as you need for planting, repotting, seed sowing, or even crafts! By reusing these pots over and over, you’ll be helping to keep this plastic from unnecessary recycling.
15
Over the last few years, we’ve introduced many new initiatives to lessen our impact on the planet. Here are a few things you can do this spring to help us on our journey towards a greener future.
Plant label recycling Attached to our swap-a-pot bin is a wooden box. Almost all plant tags (even our long tree labels) can be put into these boxes for recycling. Together with our label partners Orion, we send them to a New Zealand factory who chip, process, and recycle the labels into plastic mouldings which are used in construction.
Soft plastic recycling
About FuturePost Kings is proud to announce our official partnership with Future Post, who recycle domestic and commercial waste plastic into premium posts that are used in a wide range of industries. The posts are BioGro certified and approved for organic use, plus they’re UV stabilised and have a life expectancy of 50+ years. For more information about Future Post visit www.futurepost.co.nz
16
An extremely versatile herb that is delicious on pizzas, in pesto and even in cocktails. Basil also makes an excellent companion plant when planted with tomatoes, known to improve flavour and keep pests away.
Basil
With their bright, striking blooms contrasting against evergreen foliage, gerberas will add a splash of vibrant colour to any garden. These hardy perennials are best planted in spring, so you can enjoy them throughout the warm summer months. Gerberas grow well in full sun, in free-draining soil, and look beautiful when planted in cottage gardens. Popular in cut flower arrangements for their tall, upright stems, gerberas are ideal for brightening up your home and garden.
Fill your outdoor areas with our favourite edibles and flowers perfect for pots and garden beds and suitable to plant throughout the season.
SPRING PLANTS
One of the only foods that are naturally blue, blueberries make a tasty addition to your dessert, and your garden! We love how easy blueberries are to grow, and how rewarding it is to harvest berries from your own garden. When choosing blueberries, it’s important to buy two different varieties to ensure crosspollination for high-yielding crops. They can be planted in a large container with Kings Container Mix, or in the garden with Kings Organic Compost. They grow well in full sun and love being fed with Kings Blueberry Food.
Dianthus Gorgeous plants grown as both hardy annuals and perennials; dianthus can be accompanied by a spicy scent and are also known as ‘sweet William’. They are perfect as garden borders, planted in pots, or hanging baskets, don’t forget to water well in summer.
Gerbera
We’re Loving
Blueberries
There are so many reasons to love colourful petunias. They are one of the most popular summer flowers, ideal in hanging baskets and containers. With a wide range of colours and sizes, there is a petunia to suit every style!
A new variety to Kings, set to arrive in our stores in October. Tuxedo Hydrangeas have deep, near-black leaves which contrast beautifully against the bright red and pink flowers produced from spring to autumn. We love how unique this new release is! Whether your yard is filled to the brim with hydrangeas, or you’re just considering your first (of many), Tuxedo Hydrangeas are guaranteed to stand out in your summer garden. Tuxedo Hydrangeas grow well in part shade, and moist, free-draining soil. Perfect as specimen plants in a cottage garden, or as a garden feature when planted in a container, Tuxedo Hydrangeas are highly adaptable and can even be kept inside as a houseplant!
Passionfruit
New!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with new releases and what we’re loving.
Tuxedo Hydrangeas
KingsPlantBarnNZKingsPlantBarn 17
Petunias
An absolute flavour bomb, passionfruit are a tropical fruit that grows well in the Auckland climate. Passionfruit vines are available for planting in both spring and summer and should be planted against a support structure to enable the vines to climb. They are happiest against a warm, north-facing wall in a raised garden bed. Black Beauty is the most popular variety, which grows rapidly and fruits prolifically (making them perfect for beginners). What’s not to love? First drop due to arrive in stores in October!
A LOVE AFFAIR WITH It’sLavenderoneofthemostfamiliargardenfavourites
in Aotearoa. Find out more about the plant that suddenly everyone has a new found love for.
Lavender is beautiful in many forms - fresh, dried and as cut flowers. Decorate your living space with beautiful bouquets of cut lavender to fill your home with its delightful scent. You can even create sachets of dried lavender to place under your pillow and let its calming fragrance promote relaxing sleep. Lavender makes a great addition to your baking for a delicious pairing with lemon, berries or mint. 18
Lavender is one of the New Zealand gardener’s favourite perennials and a popular addition to every type of garden. From the classic cottage garden to planting en masse in a contemporary garden, lavender will thrive and look spectacular wherever you plant it. Hardy and drought tolerant, lavender is a great inclusion to the garden in the Auckland area where the summers are long and dry. Although it technically flowers in spring and summer, from Auckland north it’s not unusual for certain varieties of English and French lavenders to flower all year round. fragrant flowers are loved by bees as much as gardeners making it a brilliant way to encourage these busy little pollinators to your Thebackyard.Spanish lavenders have the bunny ear flowers, and more closely observe the seasons, unlike their hardier cousins. They should be pruned back hard in the autumn after their final flowering to stop them from getting scruffy. The French and English lavenders don’t need quite the same level of tough love, as they hold their compact form better, but do benefit from a tidy-up in the autumn even if they’re still flowering.
When it comes to growing lavender, it will take as much or as little love as you have to give. There are no special tricks for this hardy survivor once established, other than knowing that they hate their roots being wet, thrive in what many consider terrible soil and that they benefit from seasonal pruning. Taking the dead flowers out with a pair of secatuers or scissors and pruning back by about a third in late summer will help keep the plants looking vibrant and encourage flowering. Need help choosing the right lavender? Ask one of our expert team instore, or here are a few of our favourites.
Deliciously Lavender
An early flowering variety of ‘Major’, this has a prolific flowering habit with deep purple flowers appearing from spring to late summer. Grows to 50cm x 50cm. The Princess Famed for vivid colour with deep pink ‘bunny ear’ flowers and a very long flowering time from midspring to mid-autumn. Grows to 70cm x 70cm.
19
Local lavender farmers Trish and Jason Delamore have turned a love of the purple-flowered plant into a lifestyle. They work their own kind of magic at Lavender Hill in Auckland’s Coatesville, putting an innovative twist on those old farming traditions. This boutique farm produces a range of essential lavender oils and dried products as well as their own olive oil. But what got us a bit excited as the sun starts to shine is their award-winning lavender infused gin. With summer just around the corner and the scent of lavender soon to be filling the air wouldn’t it be nice to have it filling a glass too? It’s silky smooth with the juniper and orange peel you might expect, there’s also a whisper of lavender. Jason recommends pairing it with a quality tonic such as Fever Tree. Lavender Hill is open for visitors through summer with tours and tastings. It’s well worth a visit for your chance to see just how fab a field of lavender looks, maybe try the gin, and absolutely snap some amazing pics for the www.lavenderhill.co.nz‘gram.
Dentata Known as ‘French lavender’, Dentata has small ‘toothed’ leaves, perfect for a garden border or small hedge with great floral accents. Grows to 1m x 1m.
Lavender you’ll love
Major Also known as ‘bunny ears’, Major is one of the most popular lavenders in NZ. This flower has bracts on the top of the buds. Grows to 60cm x 60cm.
Bee Brilliant
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO
Taking charge of what you eat and how it’s grown is awesome. You can make sure that what goes on your plate suits you. You know what goes on and into your plants. You can say no to harmful chemical sprays, 20
Starting A Veggie Garden
Starting a veggie garden will help you stay active and get you outside a lot more. We don’t need to tell you that staying active is very important for your mental and physical health. Being out amongst the birds, bees, and broccoli is a great way to get a dose of Vitamin D which helps with mood, mind, and boosting your immune system. The very process of gardening is therapeutic, lowering stress levels and helping the mind relax. It’s also a great way for the family to spend some time together, sharing an experience and a sense of achievement. Better yet, you get to eat it all at the end. Light on your pockets and on the planet! We all know the planet needs a bit of help these days. And, it doesn’t hurt the back pocket either. Plants are their own little perpetual growing machines, once you’ve got broccoli or broad beans, you potentially have an infinite supply. You’re creating your own edible CO2 heroes ready to snack on when you need instead of heading to a supermarket for a plastic wrapped supply that ends up wilting in the fridge. Be a control freak. It’s ok!
When do I grow what?
You’ll know that certain crops are harvested at different times of the year, but knowing when to get your seeds or plants in the ground isn’t always the same. Some pop up in a matter of weeks, others will take a couple of months. Summer crops like tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums, chillies, pumpkins, corn, and melons flourish in the heat, with the plants sprouting in early spring and finishing when autumn arrives. Luckily that’s when the next crops, including members of the brassica family like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts kick into gear. The cool weather does wonders for them. When it comes to figuring out what to get planted, seed packets have handy regional guides, telling you when its best to get started. Of course, the seedlings available in stores are aligned to what will grow in the coming season, so picking up a six pack of tomatoes or chillies in spring will have you sorted for those tasty summer harvests. X marks the spot! Most vegetables need full sun to grow well – it’s that old photosynthesis thing. In shady spots they tend to stretch and stretch, and energy goes into that rather than fattening up and turning into healthy plants with yummy little veggies. Hunt around for somewhere you know they’ll get the best light, and a bit of shelter from the wind is always good.
I like dirt Soil matters. Depending on where you are, you might have heavy clay, which can get waterlogged in winter or rock hard in summer, or you might have rich volcanic soil, which is great but needs frequent watering. It might be in between. You might not really For andorganicmoretipssuggestions,askourfriendlyteam.
So you’ve never grown a veggie? Never fear, veggies are plants, plants are nature and nature is natural, and that’s what you’ll be - a natural. Eventually. Even the best gardener is still learning, and that’s half the fun, because growing veggies does more for you than just put kai on a plate. The process puts us in touch with nature, keeping you active and connected. The food you grow provides all sorts of nutrition through essential minerals and vitamins. But just being out in the garden also gets us some essential Vitamin D and the whole process helps with mental health. Believe it or not, some of the healthy bacteria in soil help produce serotonin – the neurotransmitter that helps you feel happy. You literally grow happier! So it doesn’t matter if you’re looking to teach the kids about nature, you want fresher produce, or you want to stretch the budget, with a bit of help pretty much anyone can get a veggie patch going.
and you have complete control over what goes in your soil and what fertilisers are used. Plant what you want and when you want. Get your hands dirty and eat clean. 1, 2, 3, veggie!
As long as there’s sun and some room for roots, you’re good to grow. You don’t necessarily need to find a spot of ground to dig up. In a pinch you could use big pots and containers, with different plants in each, or go big with a Vegepod – capsules that can be moved to where works best.
21
An organic fertiliser that contains over 70 essential vitamins, minerals, and natural growth hormones. $24.99 5kg
Do a bit of research on the plants you’re growing – they all have slightly different fertilising needs, and some, like tomatoes and potatoes need a bit more feeding to deliver a bountiful crop. Putting in a bit of effort with a liquid fertiliser which is absorbed more quickly by plants will pay off, or if you’re pressed for time and a bit more hands-off you can let a slow-release food do its thing. And of course, no matter where you are in the process the team at your local Kings can help with advice for anything that comes up. How to be an instant expert Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. Gardening is trial and error, success and failure. Lean into the process and the journey. Some things will thrive, and some won’t survive. That’s the learning part that makes you a better gardener, and what makes the successes so rewarding. Talk to other gardeners and friends, share ideas and learn from each other. And you can always drop into your local Kings for advice. We can help with any tips and tricks, or you can bring a photo of your issues and we can explain what’s happening. You can even seek advice from our online Plant Doctor by sending through your photos and questions at plantdoctor.co.nz Together we’ll help you become an expert in no time. Kings Organic Compost Mix into the garden to help improve soil structure in poorer and more compact soils. $6.99 | 4 for $25 Living Earth Organic Veggie Mix Living Earth Organic Veggie Mix is specially created for edibles and can be planted straight into. $17.99 | 2 for $34 40L
know. That’s ok. Just ask one of our team, and they can give you some advice. The important thing is to get rid of any weeds first, then build on what you have with a good blend of Living Earth Organic Veggie Mix and some Kings Organic Compost, which puts the essential microbes and nutrients into the ground to give your veggies something to feed on. Mix in sheep pellets or Natures Organic Fertiliser for an additional organic boost. Avoid the temptation to use that left over potting mix in your veggie patch – it will dry out too fast. If you’re using a large pot or container, filling it with a bag of Living Earth Organic Veggie Mix will give you a great start. The other thing to think about early on is putting in some stakes or support for climbers like beans, or tomatoes, which get top heavy when they fruit. Do this at planting time, before plants get too established to prevent root damage.
Organic
Growing… growing… go on! So the plants are in the ground and it’s a waiting game. And a watering game. Regular deep watering and the addition of an occasional well balanced fertiliser will help get the garden started. Get the hose pointed low so that water trickles down into the root zone rather than onto the leaves and foliage. Soggy leaves grow diseases, or can magnify the sun. Watering in the mornings gives the plants what they need to make the most of the day’s sun.
Kings Natures Fertiliser
OnceTomatoesyou’vetastedyourownhome-grown tomatoes, you’ll never want to buy them from the supermarket again. Tomatoes are one of the easiest veggies to grow and make the ideal first plant if you’re keen to start a veggie patch.
24
GROWING
Growing from seed gives you much more choice, with some interesting varieties only available this way. And because Auckland has a warmer growing season, you can start in mid-to-late August. Tui Seed Raising Mix is a great starting medium - plant seeds about 5cm apart in a tray and mist with water. Put the tray in a warm place until they germinate, then move to a sunny spot once they sproutbut make sure to keep the soil moist. When the plant has two or three pairs of larger, ‘true’ tomato leaves, transfer them to bigger pots or the garden in early spring.
Where to start...?
A punnet of seedlings is the tried and tested way to ensure you have a healthy start. Super punnets with individual pockets also mean root systems aren’t tangled. Simply pop them out of the punnet and into your soil. There’s always a good range of the popular favourites available, and they quickly take off once planted out. You can reuse the punnets for seed sowing or recycle at your local Kings.
Sowing seeds
Growing from seedlings
The great thing about tomatoes is that, with a bit of care, they’re usually pretty successful. Once you’ve grown your first crop, there are plenty of other varieties out there to keep it interesting no matter which of the red, or not even red, fruits you want to grow. In fact tomatoes come in red, orange, purple, green and yellow. The early common cultivars were yellow - hence the Italian name pomodoro or pomo d’oro – Golden Apple. It’s hard to think of Italian food and not think of tomatoes, but its origins trace back to the Americas and the Andes. Over the past few years there’s been a resurgence of love for the heritage varieties and the many shades they come in. We’ve put together a couple of pointers to help you get the most out of your crop.
For a hearty head start (or a catchup if you start late) grab a couple of mature plants with stronger stems, multiple leaves and maybe flowers or fruit later in the season. Mature plants are generally faster growing; their roots establish quickly and they produce fruit faster. Grafted tomatoes will grow larger than a standard tomato, having the capacity to hold much more fruit. Tumbling tomatoes are smaller plants, perfect for pots or hanging baskets, and are almost ready for picking when you buy them. 25
Buying established plants
Tomatoes thrive in full sun; meaning at least six hours a day. They need good airflow but nothing too windy.
Well fed plants will feed you with plenty of fruit. Tomatoes use a lot of nutrients growing and feed heavily once they’re established. After a month you can start feeding them fortnightly with Kings Liquid Tomato Food right through until the last fruit are harvested in autumn. Only water around the roots, avoiding the leaves. This will avoid the leaves burning from magnified water in the sun. It will also reduce the chance of foliage diseases happening. Pruning
In a pot Pots give you the flexibility to grow anywhere, but do tend to dry out quickly. Use Kings Container Mix or Tui Tomato Mix - they have water crystals that will retain moisture for longer and a slow-release fertiliser. Tomato roots can get big so use a large container –at least 40L. Make sure your pot has drainage holes and if possible put a saucer underneath so water will wick back up on those hot summer days. Pots will need daily watering in hot weather.
Maintenance Feeding and watering
If you are planting into a garden bed try to rotate your crops each year, making sure you don’t plant them in the same spot you had plants such as tomatoes, potatoes or eggplants in the year before - they can carry blight which survives in the soil. At planting, put in a stake to support the plant as they fruit.
Tomatoes love a friend! Companion plant them with basil, which helps keep some pests away and can help with flavour. They also taste great together when you harvest! 26
Harvesting
In the garden Good soil grows good tomatoes. If you didn’t grow compost crops over winter, dig in some Tui Vegetable Mix. You will need to dig a hole twice as deep and wide as the pot your plant came in. Add a handful of Natures Organic Fertiliser or a cup of sheep pellets, and a mixture of Tui Vegetable Mix and top soil. Backfill around the plant, making sure you don’t cover the stalk with soil. Firm the soil and water deeply. Space plants at least a metre apart.
Planting
To help channel energy into fruit and flower production rather than into extra foliage, you will need to remove side shoots or ‘lateral’ branches. These are found sprouting at any angle between the main stem and an already-formed branch.
Tomatoes are ready to eat when they have turned red (or orange or yellow) on the vine. Red, orange, and yellow tomatoes can also be harvested when they have reached their full size but are still green, as they continue to ripen even after being harvested. Just leave a small stalk on the fruit and place them in a sunny spot so they can finish ripening. Store with the stalk attached. If you have a surplus of tomatoes, freeze them to enjoy year round.
Tui Vegetable Mix $17.99 | 2 for $32 Tui Tomato Mix $17.99 30L Kings Liquid Tomato Food $13.99 500ml
27
Russian Red A hardy tomato which produces heavy crops of medium-sized fruit. Best eaten fresh, but also great in salads or when used in cooking various dishes and preserves.
Money Maker
Beefsteak Named for its large, fleshy fruit, the beefsteak tomato is perfect for slicing and using in sandwiches and burgers. Give it a good 1.5m width to grow.
Tomatoes come in a range of colours and sizes, with different tastes and culinary uses. Here are our top picks for this spring.
Our top varieties
Sweet 100 These small, sweet cherry tomatoes are perfect for salads, kids’ lunches and eating right off the vine. They produce an abundance of fruit (this is where the ‘100’ comes from) from late spring through to late autumn.
Grosse Lisse Medium to large, sweet-tasting fruit, these are perfect for cooking and using in preserves. Being an heirloom variety, the Grosse Lisse seeds are true to their parent plant and can be collected year after year.
Your classic medium-sized tomato with juicy fruit. This is a prolific cropper and is perfect for using in salads and in fresh dishes. The plant has good resistance to disease. Roma Perfect for soups and sauces, Roma tomatoes are oblong-shaped. The fruit ripens all at once, rather than throughout the season. They have good disease resistance and have less acid than many other tomatoes, but are not technically low acid tomatoes.
THE HEART OF
ForCommunitiesGrowingsomepeopleonebackyardisn’tenoughfor their gardening passion, long-time Kings team member Helen is one of those people. But it’s not just about having more space for the plants she loves, it’s also about sharing the experience and joy that gardens bring her. And to do that she’s taken her passion beyond her backyard into local community gardens.
28 P A SSIONATE P L ANTPEO P L E
Helen has spent more than ten years as part of the Kings whanau, and it was family who got her started in the garden. Watching her dad grow every edible plant imaginable in their Christchurch garden as a child sparked her ongoing love. He had a bountiful garden with row after row of raspberries, strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, beans and more. With so much growing, her mum mastered the art of preserving to make the most of the abundant Sharingharvests.plants and loved cultivars was also something that ran in the family, with her grandmothers often sending Helen and her sister home with cuttings of their favourite plants for them to establish in the garden at home. They’re plants that survive to this day, thriving under Helen’s guardianship and bringing back fond memories each time Helen tends to them. With so many great memories associated with gardening and the value of sharing being instilled through it, it’s little wonder Helen has looked for ways to extend that caring spirit. “I am happiest in my garden, and my dream is to help as many people as possible experience the same wonderful moments I have been fortunate enough to experience.” She says, and she has definitely put those words into action.
Phoebe is a Forrest Hill local, who alongside her husband Dave, wanted to find a way to get more people out in the garden to experience just how good growing your own food can be. More importantly, they wanted to create a space for neighbours to get to know each other, fostering that sense of community we’re losing in our fenced-in suburbs. And so, the Forrest Hill Community Garden was born, at least as an idea over three years ago, and Helen jumped on board. But, there was a lot of organising and behind the scenes activity to get the idea off the groundfundraising, arranging sponsors, and working to get permissions. Finally the Forrest Hill Community Garden at Seine Reserve was opened to the community in 2021.
29
“I believe everyone should have the chance to learn gardening skills... ...its just so good for your physical and mental wellbeing. But mostly it just brings me so much joy seeing different people come together. I’ve made so many wonderful friends at the Forrest Hill Community Garden and am so proud of what Phoebe and the team have created.”
During her time at Kings, Helen has supported local schools and community gardens with donations and through generously giving her own time to help them create beautiful spaces that bring people together.
The garden boasts nine raised beds with seasonal veggies and fruits all grown organically. There is also a composting station where locals can drop off their food waste, with all the goodness returned to the ground. And every Sunday from 2pm – 4pm, rain or shine, the neighbourhood working bee takes place - you’ll find Helen there most weeks. Everyone is invited down to learn basic gardening skills and to help take care of the gardens. Not only do helpers get a taste of how good gardening is, they get a taste of the success, enjoying the fruits of their labour as the harvested herbs, veggies and fruits are shared around those who Ascontribute.youcome into the garden there’s a small market stand where the community share their home garden harvests and swap seedlings. The stand went up during the 2020 lockdown before the garden was even built. It was a way for the little gardening community behind the project to stay connected through sharing seedlings, seeds and harvests from their home gardens when connecting in person just couldn’t happen. Lockdowns may be a thing of the past, but the market stall and caring spirit remains. In fact, during our visit the stand was brimming with bunches of herbs, some freshly harvested lettuces and an arsenal of flower seed bombs rolled by eager little hands, ready to add a burst of wild spring blooms wherever they land. It’s a realisation of the teams ambition to have a next generation learning and sharing the gardening joy with others. 30
“A garden is so much more than a space to grow plants... it’s a place to tune out from the world and connect with nature and the people around you”, says Helen. Whether it’s working with the Forrest Hill team, or chasing her dream of doing even more in the community space to share her gardening love, Helen is determined to make a difference, even if it’s one garden at a time. That’s what passionate plant people do! If you’d like to volunteer or donate to support the Forrest Hill Community Garden, visit communitygarden.co.nz
Phoebe and Dave imagine in the future the garden will become a teaching garden, with a space for locals to share knowledge, prepare food and learn new techniques to apply at home. With Kings Takapuna just around the corner, we have been pleased to support this community project since the beginning, and look forward to helping in this next stage.
Between its prickly stems and delicate flowers, the rose has a reputation as being a bit of a challenge for the novice gardener. But this hardy plant is surprisingly resilient and incredibly rewarding no matter how much gardening experience you have. Half the fun is finding the rose you love because each one is so special. You might be drawn in by the scent or a colour you love, it might remind you of a place you’ve been or a bunch you were gifted. And with so many cultivars available, from the ruffled old-fashioned stylings of David Austin breeds to familiar favourites from our local breeders, choosing just one can be hard. No matter which one (or two, or maybe even three) you decide on, the basics of rose care are universal, and with little work you’ll find yourself enjoying your own bouquets year after year.
32
GROWING Roses
Absolutely Fabulous
An exceptional rose of butter gold, with an appealing old fashioned form, coupled with a strong liquorice fragrance. Absolutely Fabulous is a wonderfully healthy rose. 33
Iceberg Clusters of pure white blooms which just keep on flowering. Strong grower and disease-resistant. An absolute classic and Aotearoa’s best selling standard rose.
An utterly divine climbing rose with bright red floribunda blooms and a long-lasting bloom period. Dublin Bay is a must-have for anyone starting their rose journey. Tranquillity Light-yellow coloured buds that open to pure-white flowers accompanied by a light apple-like fragrance. This David Austin rose produces perfectly formed petals on delicate stems.
Graham Thomas With golden, medium-sized blooms and a light tea fragrance, this David Austin rose is praised for both beauty and performance. Compact growth, and a fantastic repeat bloomer.
Dublin Bay
Our top varieties Roses come in all different colours and scents, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We hand-picked our top varieties for this year: our favourites and our best performers.
Blackberry Nip Named after the liqueur and bred in New Zealand, Blackberry Nip has a gorgeous deep purple, seductively scented bloom, with gorgeous, healthy, and disease-resistant foliage.
A good dose of the sun does humans wonders - and roses are no different. They need full sun for at least 6 hours a day in summer and prefer freedraining loamy soil, rich with loads of organic matter to really do their best. A breezy or airy spot will keep air flow around the leaves to help prevent some of the fungal problems commonly encountered in the humid months. The right spot makes all the difference. Sometimes relocating a sad looking rose is all it needs (but not in spring or summer!).
ROSEESSENTIALSCARE
Planting Roses grow well in the ground - in pots the heat and lack of water can prevent them from fulfilling their potential unless you’re constantly keeping an eye on them. As a rule of thumb, dig a hole at least twice the depth and width of the pot or bag your rose comes in. Add in a mix of Kings Organic Compost or Tui Rose & Shrub Mix and backfill with your original soil. Add some Kings Rose Food to help give an extra boost, especially when repeated each season. For heavy clay soils, it can be worth digging a bigger hole and adding a handful of Claybreaker Gypsum. Break up the edges of the hole to help with drainage, and mound the plant a bit higher with some good soil to help prevent soggy roots. Fill around your rose with the remaining mix, and make sure you press the soil down until firm. Water deeply, and fertilise using Kings Slow-Release Rose Food. A quality mulch finishes the job, making weeding easier and locking in moisture.
Kings Slow-Release Rose Food
Positioning and planting
Care Giving your roses a deep water once or twice a week in summer is good for you and them. You get to enjoy them, and they enjoy the soaking. Leaving the hose for around 5 minutes is about right. A deep water does a whole lot more as it soaks to the roots, but try to minimize wetting the foliage – it encourages fungus and can cause burning. Pruning is seen as a bit of challenge, but don’t be scared to give it a try. They can be pruned back hard in June or July. Keep an eye on your mulch all year round. When deadheading (taking the dead flowers off the bush), aim to cut back to a major leaf – if you only take off the spent flowers, the rose will look scruffy and not flower as well in the future.
Make sure your roses are well fed in spring and summer while flowering with Kings Slow-Release Rose Food.
Positioning
Grow well with these
$14.99 700g
Don’t forget to plant your roses with Tui Rose & Shrub Mix. This will help with water retention, as well as feed your newly planted shrub for the first six months.
$17.99 30L Yates Rose Gun Keep on top of pests and diseases with Yates Rose Gun. This is effective against aphids, scale, and rose black spot. $16.99 750mL 34
Tui Rose & Shrub Mix
Kids Corner Activity DIY HotelBug LITTLE GROWERS
step 1
Find a good spot for your insect hotel. A warm sunny spot under a tree is perfect for insects, especially if it’s sheltered. step 2 Collect your hotel filling. You could use straw, firewood, hollow bamboo sticks, corrugated cardboard, and pine cones. step 3 Pack these tightly into the box so they won’t move around. step 4 step 5 Finally, give your hotel a good name (Like the Air Bee-n-Bee). step 6 Visit your bug hotel often to see if any new insect friends have moved in! Share you pics with us on our facebook page. Get an old drawer or put a wooden box on its side. Cover the top with a compost bag to keep water out of the hotel.
TILTLEGRO WERSCLUB
36
Don’t have the materials to build a bug hotel? We have ready-to-go Bee & Insect Houses instore and online! Large Bee House | $29.99
HYSSOPSNAPDRAGON
37
PLUM/APPLEMANUKA TH E C HANGE PLAN BEE
BORAGE LAVENDER BEE
STRAWBERRIES ASTERS
SPRING PLANTING For Bees
September is Bee Aware Month, and this year the aim is to get all Kiwis taking action to support and protect bees. Planting flowers for bees is a time-honoured tradition, especially now when bees need our help more than ever. We need bees to pollinate our crops and pastures for our own food supply, but sadly over the last 15 years bee colonies have been disappearing as a result of food shortages and climate change. Planting plenty of flowers for bees gives bee health a big boost. Gardeners play a significant role in helping bees because we can plant a diversity of flowers that bloom in each of the seasons throughout the year, providing a regular food source (especially in winter and early spring when flowers are scarce). Here are a few of our top flowers to plant this spring that will keep our buzzy pollinators bellies full all season long.
As the days get longer and the weather starts warming, indoor plants will begin to wake up from their winter slumber. It’s an exciting time for houseplant parents as we start seeing new shoots and leaves unfurl, but there are a few important tasks and changes to your care habits that will ensure happier houseplants throughout the growing season.
38
SPRING TIPS FOR Indoor Plants
Change your winter watering habits
As the temperatures heat up, your plants will start absorbing water much quicker than they did in winter, and excess water will evaporate from the soil and saucers. Break those habits of watering every “X” days and instead check your plants every few days by poking your finger into the soil to see if it’s damp. During spring you want to avoid letting your soil completely dry out, so make sure you keep an eye on them regularly and adjust watering to suit your plant. Move your plants around Spring is a good time to think about where your plants are positioned. Did you move those tropicals closer to the window in winter to get more light? Did you move your foliage plants away from the heaters to avoid leaf burn? Spring daylight hours get longer, so your plants are likely going to want a new spot in your home to make the most of the bright light. Most importantly, move your plants to spots that are going to bring you the most joy. Your plants are hungry! Give them some food If you haven’t recently repotted your plant, it’s time to resume regular fertilising to give your plants some extra nutrients to provide energy for new growth. We suggest a liquid fertiliser like Kings House Plant Liquid Food which has been specially formulated to give your plant everything it needs for healthy foliage and vibrant flowers.
39
Kings House Plant Mix Kings House Plant Mix has been specially formulated for indoor plants. It also contains slow-release fertiliser that will last up to six months. 10L $12.99 Bioleaf Aroid & Hoya Mix Designed to hold enough water without becoming waterlogged, Aroid & Hoya Mix promotes healthy development in all houseplant foliage. New at Kings!
Most plants prefer to be kept slightly root bound, so only replant them into a pot that is up to 5cm bigger than their current one. Fill your new pot to about ¾ with free-draining potting mix like Kings House Plant Mix. A good trick is to press your existing pot into the soil to make the perfect-sized hole to plant into.
Does your plant need repotting?
2. Remove plant from its old pot
By repotting them now, new roots will quickly grow into the extra soil, reducing the risk of root rot, as well as providing a much-needed fertiliser boost.
Gently place your plant into the soil of your new pot. You’ll want to have about 3-4cm of space between the top lip of the pot and the soil, otherwise water will run off the soil before it can soak in. Once your plant is perfectly positioned, fill the rest of the pot with your new mix ensuring all the roots are covered. Always water deeply after planting and wait at least a month before feeding with a liquid houseplant food.
If you’re repotting a plant that has become rootbound, or is in a large, heavy pot, you can loosen the roots with a flush of water to wash away the outer soil. You will need to untangle and trim back any long roots that were rootbound.
Gently squeeze the plastic pot so the soil loosens and lift your plant gently out. You may need to turn the pot upside down with one hand secured around the top of the soil, and gently pull the pot away from your plant.
1. Prepare your new pot
Kings House Plant Liquid Food Kings House Plant Liquid Food is a complete feed which provides the nutrients your plants need to produce healthy foliage, and vibrant flowers. 500mL $13.99
3. Pop your plant into its new home
Step by step
As indoor plants awake from their winter dormancy, they begin to stretch out their arms and legs, producing new growth for the first time in months. Spring is the best time to give your plants a bit of extra room to grow.
42
GARDEN To Plate
Recipes provided by INSEASON magazine. With the garden starting to show all its potential there’s no better time to start dabbling with some fresh recipes and ideas for the kitchen, with new ways to cook using some of those exciting new crops.
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar, and cook, stirring, for 12 minutes or until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Cook gnocchi in batches in a pot of salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until they float to the surface and are firm. Add to pan of tomato sauce; toss to coat. Place in 4 serving bowls; scatter with basil and extra parmesan.
Tomato & basil gnocchi
43
It’s easy to create your own home-made gnocchi with this simple Tomato & Basil Gnocchi Recipe. Coated in a rich and tasty tomato and basil sauce, it’s the perfect way to enjoy your harvests. What you’ll need + 1kg sebago potatoes + ½ cup parmesan, finely grated, plus extra, to serve + ⅔ cup plain flour + 2 egg yolks + ¼ cup olive oil + 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped + 1kg ripe tomatoes, diced + 1 tsp caster sugar + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar + 1 cup baby basil leaves Method Preheat oven to 180°C. Place potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour or until cooked through; let cool slightly. Halve potatoes and scoop out flesh into a bowl. Mash until smooth. Add parmesan and flour, season with salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Add egg yolks and stir until mixture comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Divide dough in half and roll each piece out into a 50cm log. Using a sharp floured knife, cut into 3cm-long pieces and place on a floured baking tray.
44
Spaghettini with zucchini flowers
One of the joys of a bountiful garden is eating your favourite veggies in all new ways – even the flowers. Zucchini flowers aren’t only enjoyed deep-fried – they’re a lovely addition to fresh pasta too. This simple pasta captures the essence of fresh, even more so when you know the flowers were on the plant just a few hours before dinner. What you’ll need + 400g spaghettini + ⅓ cup olive oil + 2 shallots, sliced + 1 garlic clove, sliced + 1 tsp dried chilli flakes + ¼ cup white wine + 200g baby zucchini with flowers, thinly sliced, separatedflowers + zest and juice of 1 lemon + ½ cup mint leaves, torn + 1 ½ cups fresh ricotta + pecorino, grated, to serve Method Cook spaghettini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and chilli, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden. Add white wine to pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until Addreduced.zucchini and cook for 1 minute, then add zucchini flowers, lemon zest and juice, mint, and ricotta. Add cooked pasta to Seasonpan. with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to combine. Divide pasta among four serving bowls and top with grated pecorino.
Spring harvest pizza
A delicious vegetarian pizza with greens and basil. Ingredients + 1 cup tomato passata or pizza sauce + 2 cups grated pizza cheese + 1 bunch asparagus, cut in half crossways, then lengthways + 250g broccoli, cut into florets + ½ cup peas + 210g tub bocconcini cheese, drained, torn + 8 eggs + Basil leaves, to garnish Pizza Dough + 3 cups (450g) bread and pizza flour + 2 tsp dried yeast + ¼ tsp caster sugar + 1 tsp sea salt + 1 teaspoon runny honey (optional)
Method To make dough, combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in bowl of an electric mixer. Pour in 1 ¼ cups warm water and beat on low, using dough hook attachment, until a soft dough forms. Add extra water if needed, then continue to knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springs back when gently pressed. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and keep in a warm area for 1 hour or until Preheatdoubled.ovento 220°C. Grease and line two large baking trays. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 1cm-thick rectangle and place on trays. Spread with passata or pizza sauce, sprinkle with ¾ of the pizza cheese, then divide asparagus, broccoli and peas between pizza bases. Top with bocconcini and the remaining pizza Oncheese.each
pizza, form 4 slight hollows in filling and break an egg into each one. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and egg just set. To serve, cut pizzas into slices and garnish with basil. 45
Flowers annuals,winterfinishedanyoutTake replantandsoilfreshwithpotsrefresh snapdragons,assuchannualsspring marigolds.andpetunias, LivingwithspotsunnyainlavenderPlant PotTuiorgroundtheinMixGardenEarth pots.inPower anforperennialswinterDeadhead feedandseason,floweringextended Food.FastKingswithplantsflowering alyssum,assuchseedsflowerSow moreprovidetocosmosandmarigold, bees.theforfoodtostartedalreadyhavedaffodilsThe mostthesignsureaiswhichup,pop Takebegun.hasyearoftimeexciting andraintheinbreakstheofadvantage garden.theinaheadgettosoilsoft
LISTTO-DOGARDENSPRINGYOUR September Veggies
thebeforeweedsofbedsyourClear evenanbethey’lloff;kicksgrowthspring
wall!thetomePin 46
next month.byjobbigger ofdosegoodawithsoilyourImprove OrganicNaturesKingsinWorknutrients. OrganicKingsandpellets,sheepFertiliser, microbes.healthyforCompost inplantsbasilandtomatograftedPlant pottedkeeporspots,shelteredwarm, mid-spring.untilwindtheofoutplants parsnipandcarrotPlantseeds!Sow zucchini,tomato,Sowbeds.intodirectly andchilli,eggplant,basil,cucumber, andindoorstraysseedlingintocapsicum spot.sunnywarm,ainplace ‘chitted’havetheyoncepotatoseedPlant shoots.15cm-longleastatsproutedor Fruit
OrganicAquaticuswithtreesfruitFeed producetostarttheyasBoosterGarden comingtheforpreparationinfoliagenew season. tovinespassionfruitandfeijoaPrune growth.newencourage plums,peaches,citrus,liketreesfruitGet theintopearsandapples,nectarines, large pots.inincitrusdwarfPlantground. ChristmasthefornowstrawberriesPlant goalsoshouldbushesBlueberrypavlova. in. vigorousfortraysinseedsmelonPlant October.comeplants
plantsIndoor newplantsyourgivetotimetheisSpring nowarethatplantsrepotgrow-tospace pots.theirfilling plantsindoorspring,inplantsmostLike waterfasthowofnoteTakeup.wakingare warms.weathertheasabsorbedbeingis maythatleavesbrowningold,offSnip winter.duringappearedhave stretchingbeenhaveplantsindooryourIf eachslightlythemturnlight,thetowards lean.thecorrecttoweek tasksGeneral oncetulipsanddaffodilsDeadhead theyotherwisefinishedhasflowering seedinenergyunnecessaryusewill development. fornettingandtrelliseserectorRepair pumpkins,beans,peas,likeclimbers inupgrowtoeven melonandcucumbers, months.comingthe forcompostinggardenyouroutPlan intolookseason,growingupcomingthe ifwasteexcessyourforbingreenagetting compost bin.ahavedon’tyou free-withpositionsunnyainrosesPlant withplantsexistingFeedsoil.draining burstupcomingtheirforFoodRoseKings growth.of andshrubs,trees,fruitaroundMulch Hedgesalready.haven’tyouifhedging asmoistureretaintohelpneedespecially theysonowplantedbestareHydrangeas yourewardandestablishedbecomecan summer.comeflowersstunningwith
warmsweatherthe
shrubsandTrees
Lawn lawnsnewcreatetonowseedgrassSow ones.damagedpatchy,repairor WeedwithlawnsestablishedanyFertilise newyourfertilisingcarefulBeFeed.‘n’ andstrongtooarefertilisersmanyaslawn growth.freshburncan lawnyourmowwarms,weathertheAs grassthecutslowlyandsettinghighaon spring.intogetweasshorter andsecateursandspadeyourupSharpen theforglovesandtoolsworn-outreplace season.growingupcoming andveggiesoutplantedhaveyouOnce (roughlyplasticthereturnpunnetsflower forbinswap-a-potKingsatorinsed) reuse/recycling. OrganicAquaticus BoosterGarden seedlings,yourallFeed flowersandshrubs,trees, fertiliser,organicthiswith rootcombathelpswhich dieback.androt $14.99from EarthLiving MixGarden forperfectmixqualityA treesshrubs,perennials, inMixornamentals.and orsoiloriginalyourwith own.itsonuse $34for2|$17.99 Seed Range totimetheisNow seed.fromplant favouriteyourChoose flowers,veggies, natives.andherbs, $2.99from SEPTEMBER ESSENTIALSwellGrow thesewith
KingswithbedsgardenemptyanyFeed OrganicNaturesandCompostOrganic planting.forpreparationinFertiliser andslugsfromseedlingsnewyourProtect aroundsafe(it’s-QuashTuiwithsnails pets).andkids seedlingsveggiesummerfavouriteYour yousuremakesoinstore,arrivingstartwill beans,basil,chillies,tomatoes,yourgrab eggplants.and seedssummergettotimestillThere’s whendateschecktosuremakebutin, Afterpackets.years’previousreusing viable.lessmuchisseedyearsthree andseedsyourlabeltoforgetDon’t growingyou’reifespeciallyseedlings sametheof(types)cultivarsdifferent knowyousohandyincomewillThisplant. caremoreneedswhatandworkswhat year.next Fruit
Veggies
KingswithtreesfruitestablishedFeed citrusForFertiliser.TreeFruitandCitrus CitrusSlow-ReleaseKingsusepots,in Food. healthyaonspotsunnyainrhubarbPlant andCompostOrganicKingsofbed sheep pellets. tastyafornowinstrawberriesyourGet richinblueberriesPlantharvest.summer Compost.OrganicKingswithmixedsoil sametheinvarietiesdifferentPlant cross-pollination.forgarden frominvinespassionfruitnewGet north-sunny,aChooseonwards.October soil.free-drainingwithspotfacing ofriskthewhenseedlingsmelonoutPlant has passed.temperaturescoldandfrost Flowers inalyssumandlobelia,petunia,Plant andnowbasketshangingandpotstall brightlyofcascadeswithrewardedbe andspringlatethroughflowerscoloured summer. withgardentheingapsthoseFill snapdragons,likecolour,annualtaller gazanias.andmarigolds, Yatesflowers.spentanyDeadhead forgreatisFoodFruitandFlowerThrive blooms.andplantsstrongerencouraging
October
turningtheisWeekendLabour whenandcropssummerforpoint spendtraditionallyAucklanders garden,theinweekendwholethe aplantomonthallgotyou’veso planting!ceremonial 48
LISTTO-DOGARDENSPRINGYOUR
plantsIndoor begincanyouupshootsgrowthnewAs indoorpropagateandcuttingsmaketo again.plants PlantHouseKingswithfertilisingStart establishedmorelarger,fororFood, Slow-PlantHouseKingsuseplants,indoor Food.Release frequentmoremeansweatherWarmer plantsindoormost–needediswatering drybecomessoilwhenwateringneedonly carnivorousandferns,fittonia,keepbut moist.plants tasksGeneral kneelergardenAbeds.veggiethoseWeed job!bigaitsifkneesyourcushionwillpad yourfromlateralsoneyeanKeep sturdywiththemstakeandtomatoes stakes.bamboo youraroundplantscompanionAdd offwardnaturallytoshrubsandveggies pests. shrubsandTrees theinspotssunnythoseinrosesPlant EarthLivingeitherofmixaUsegarden. andCompostOrganicKingsorMixGarden growth.stimulatetosoiltopyour in.hydrangeasgettotimeperfecttheIt’s canbutshadedappledinwellgrowThey fencesofsidesouththeonbeingtolerate houses.and daphne,roses,assuchshrubsMulch pierisandgardenias,vireyas,camellias, andMulch,ThanMoreEarthLivingwith GardenOrganicAquaticuswithfeed Booster. Lawn thoseforperfectpicniclawntheGet tackleandFertiliseguests.summer Feed.‘n’Weedwithweedsbroadleaf weeds.tougherthosespraySpot Livingareas.patchyinseedgrassSow withhelpcanMixLawnThanMoreEarth germination.successful OrganicKings Compost togardentheintoMix nutrientssupplement soilimprovehelptoand andpoorerinstructure soils.compactmore $25for4|$6.99 Kings FoodCitrus toupforplantsFeeds isandmonthsthree forformulatedspecially healthyPromotescitrus. growth.fruitandfoliage 700g$14.99 NaturesKings FertiliserOrganic fertiliserorganicAn 70overcontainsthat vitamins,essential naturalandminerals, hormones.growth 5kg$24.99 OCTOBER ESSENTIALSwellGrow thesewith
youroutspreadtoplantingyourStagger goodaisgapweektwoAharvest.summer
garden!anyformustaarePassionfruit aagainstareawarmsunny,aChoose occasionallygrow,theyAsframe.orfence leaves,thearoundairflowallowtoprune todueinfectionsbacterialanypreventing humidity.high dwarfplantspaceonshortareyouIf to1.5reachonlytheyaspotsincitrus tall.2m Usewatering.yourwithsustainableBe reusecanyouthensoapeco-friendlyan trees.fruitthirstythoseforgreywater
November
Flowers
50
benchmark. chillies,tomatoes,beans,gettotimeIt’s courgettes,eggplant,capsicums, ground.theinkumaraandcucumber, now.startedgardenherbpottedaGet getcanitascontainersinperfectisMint gardens.inhandofout FastKingswithfeedandweed,Water, KingswithfedbecanplantsTomatoFood. instead.FoodTomato tostrawpeawithbedsveggieMulch soil.theinretentionwaterimprove
deliciousthoseoneyeanKeep andblackbirdsthebeat–strawberries summeryourforplentyhaveyou’ll smoothies.
Veggies
LISTTO-DOGARDENSPRINGYOUR
Fruit
zinnias,salvias,dahlias,Dianthus, availableareverbenasandsnapdragons, gardens.andpotsfor KingswithstartgreataplantspottedGive Power.PotTuiorMixContainerwork.hardyourundototrying
theonisChristmastodownwindThe up!rampingisgardenthebuthorizon regularwithplants,oneyeanKeep pestsanyoffchaseandwatering
plantsIndoor totimegreataisspringlatetoMid someDoplants.indoorrepottingstart yourformixbesttheonhomework advice.someforinstoreaskorspecies humidityenoughhasroomyoursureMake arelevelsHumidityplants.tropicalanyfor less,haveyouIf60–70%.aroundkeptbest saucersyourofbottomtheinrocksput water.withthemfillingbefore mothWithflowers.spentanybackCut orfirsttheabovejustbacksniporchids, node.second tasksGeneral anyaroundfoodbulblittleaApply summeranytoandflowersspringfinishing sprout.tostartingbejustmightthatbulbs comfrey,withbuzzinggardentheGet tosalviaandlavender,cosmos,borage, ofbottomthearoundPlantbees.attract gardens.veggietonextandtreesfruit mulchforusedbecanlitterleafHealthy abirdsoffersalsoThistrees.largeunder for insects.foragetoplace shrubsandTrees willrosesMostroses!thesmellandStop enjoytotimegreatait’ssoflowerinbe forfavouritesnewdiscoverandyours, year.next bewillbloomsincoveredplantsVining jasmine,starincludinginstore,available bougainvillea.andmandevilla, gardenyourtotropicstheoftouchaAdd ofbloomssummerstunningthewith ofendtheatstoresinarrivinghibiscus, month.the Lawn watertankwithregularlylawnyourWater bitabetohousethefromgreywateror sustainable.more thegettochancelasttheisspringLate thebeforeseedanyPlantsorted.lawn in.kickssummerofheat aroundlowgrasskeeptoimportantIt’s helptotreesaroundmulchandplants weeds.anysuppress &Peastraw Lucerne youraroundApply suppresshelptoplants organicaddweeds, preventandmatter, out.dryingsoilthe $11.99from Kings FoodTomato ensuretowellFeed Greatcrop.gooda tomatoes,feedingfor chillies,peppers, courgettes.&eggplants $8.99900g Tui PowerPot ismixpremiumThis plants.specialforideal ofkindsallforGreat andbasketshanging containers. $14.99from NOVEMBER ESSENTIALSwellGrow thesewith
Love plants? Join the club... Sign up at checkout or online at kings.co.nz. Terms and conditions apply, visit kings.co.nz for more info. Earn loyalty points so you can buy more plants $1 = 1 point. 300 points = $10 voucher Be the first to know Early alerts for sales, new arrivals and the latest plant news and tips. Wednesdays are wonderful if you’re 65+ 10% off plants every Wednesday for SuperGold card holders. Exclusive specials & events just for you Personalised offers plus weekly member only deals & event invites. Members now get a $10 Birthday Voucher! Scan this QR code to sign up, or for existing members you can update your date of birth so you don’t miss out on your birthday freebie! *$10 birthday voucher is valid for 14 days from issue. GARDE N CLUB
