Summer Scoop

FREE ISSUE

Summer Scoop 2020/21

Indoor PLANTS

Summer tips and common myths

Growing HYDRANGEAS All you need to know

Little GROWERS DIY pot painting

Sensational

Passionate

Plant Doctor

Easy seasonal dishes

Take a peek into one of our team's backyard

Our expert advice

SUMMER RECIPES

PLANT PEOPLE

YOUR QUESTIONS

FLOWERING GUIDE FOR BEES SUMMER

HEBES

ALYSSUM

EE

PL

ECHINACEA

THE

C HA

NG

E

B

CORNFLOWER

AN BEE

LAVENDER

ROSE

BERGAMOT (BEE BALM)

SALVIA

MORE FLOWERS

MORE BEES

Contents Summer 2020/21

Features

Every Issue

14 Passionate Plant People

4

Gardeners’ Mail

Celebrating your garden success stories

Take a peek at the beautiful garden of one of our team

20 Dry Tolerant Gardens

6

Summer Checklists

What to plant and tend to this summer

How to create a hardy summer garden

22 Choosing the perfect Hydrangea

26 Kids Corner

All you need to know

28 Indoor Plants

24 Growing Chillies

30 Garden to Plate

Use fresh ingredients you have grown

Use your harvested produce in these tasty summer recipes

38 Plant Doctor

36 Tropical Plants

Tips for summer care

A beginner's guide

34 Summer Cocktails

DIY pot painting

Your questions, our expert advice

Choosing plants for your own tropical oasis

Connect with us /kingsplantbarn

@kingsplantbarnnz

kings.co.nz

Gardeners’ Mail Celebrating your success Growing with Family There’s no two ways about it! I first developed my love of gardening in all it’s glory when I would have been 8. My Grandfather had an amazing garden of all sorts of vegetables. The most outstanding to me as a small child were the currants he used to grow and harvest. I remember standing in awe as he showed me how he had cared for them and how they had got to their small black juicy stage.

Then there was the time my Dad gave me a bulb. I planted it, watered it and eternally waited and waited for this little green shoot to rise from the soil and finally it produced several purple flowers, namely a crocus. What pure joy. I was 9. Now all grown up and with my own family we have a herb garden and an all year round vegetable garden, not to mention all the other tropical type plants around our house. Hopefully my girls will continue the tradition of planting the seed.

- Bernadette, Auckland

Expert Advice Many thanks for the great tips I received earlier this year via Facebook regarding how best to prune my hydrangea. After following the advice, to my delight they have now come out in beautiful blooms! Thank you also for the advice I was given on how to get rid of aphids in the garden this spring.

- Inga Hall, Pakuranga Heights

4

The Garden Railway Our G-scale garden railway has been three years in the making. We have combined our interests – trains and gardening – into one hobby we both love, share and enjoy. Many hours are enjoyed in the garden tending, planting, trimming, clearing leaves and of course running trains, which run on track power or are battery-operated. The garden goes through many stages with the changing seasons. Spring and summer see it come alive with new growth and bloom. Apart from the existing griselinias and some hydrangeas, we have planted baby tears, needlepoint ivy, conifers, mondo grass, fuchsia procumbens and buxus shaped into miniature trees or hedges, all while trying to keep some sort of scale and balance with the buildings, etc. The tunnels, bridges and some buildings are named after our grandchildren. Whenever they visit, they always love spending time in the garden railway. It was built for the grandkids – and of course us big kids too!

- Grant and Ag Allen, Palmerston North

WIN Send us your stories and be in to

a Kings $50 Voucher

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

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

5

Your

December Checklist Plant Now

December is a great month in the garden. The cold is well behind us and there’s still time to get the garden tidied up before Christmas.

Vegetables

Trees & Shrubs

Summer Veggies Plant large-grade tomatoes, capsicums, chillies and eggplants in pots and in the garden now for an instant, delicious and productive harvest.

Roses Roses are now in bloom and looking stunning. Keep them well watered, especially while they are getting established after planting. Watering deeply less often is more effective than a light watering daily. Feed while they are in bloom.

Planting Stagger your planting so that you can harvest over a longer period: tomatoes, courgettes, chillies, beans, peppers, and basil can go into the garden. Lettuce, coriander and parsley should be planted in part shade, and watered regularly, to help prevent bolting (going to seed).

Tropical Plants Looking at creating a summer-themed garden? Create a tropical oasis in your backyard by growing hibiscus, tropical frangipani, gardenia and mandevilla.

Fruit Citrus Plant right through summer, making sure you keep them well watered. Add instant zest to your summer by planting a large-grade Meyer lemon that is already flowering.

Passionfruit A must for every Auckland garden!

Choose a warm sunny fence to plant up against. As it grows, prune it occasionally to increase airflow and reduce the chance of disease.

Flowers & Perennials Instant Colour We’ve got a great range of instant colour for any home, whether you’re tidying up in the garden or planting hanging baskets on the balcony. There are loads to choose from, including asters, alyssum, petunias, dianthus, dahlias, salvia, zinnias, snapdragons and verbenas.

Perennials Check out some of our long-lasting flowering perennials, including nemesia, petunias, geraniums, alstroemeria, calibrachoa, lavender, verbena and bacopa. Great in mass plantings or as part of a cottage garden.

Brighten up shady spots by planting tropical impatiens, fuchsia, hostas and heucheras.

Subtropical Fruit Plant subtropical fruit, such as natal plums, pawpaws, guavas and tamarillos.

For best results add compost and sheep pellets when planting and keep well-watered.

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Tropical Impatiens

Tend

Harvest

Vegetables Water, feed, mulch and stay on top of the weeds before they take over. Feed your plants regularly with Kings Fast Food to keep them happy and healthy.

When watering tomatoes, courgettes and cucumbers avoid wetting the foliage to reduce the chance of disease.

December is berry time! Harvest succulent strawberries, tangy red and black currants, raspberries, blueberries and early blackberries. It’s also harvest time for Māori potatoes, tea leaves, eggplants and early tomatoes.

Fruit Trees Protect developing fruit from birds by carefully netting your trees and plants.

Deeply water newly planted trees (regularly) every 1–2 weeks and mulch well with Living Earth More Than Mulch.

Lawn Continue to keep your lawn looking lush by feeding and getting rid of weeds the easy way with spray on Yates Weed ‘n’ Feed.

Blueberries

Essentials for all your summer needs

Kings Fast Food Feed your plants and improve the soil with our fast-acting liquid fertiliser.

500ml $11.99

Living Earth More than Mulch

Kings Rose Food

Mulch around your roses, trees and shrubs to help suppress weeds and keep the soil moist.

Feed your roses while they are in bloom with Kings Rose Food.

Sprinkle around the root line and water in deeply.

40L $13.99

900g $7.99

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Your

January Checklist

Marigo

Plant Now

Happy New Year from everyone at Kings! January is filled with gorgeous summer flowers and delicious produce – just make sure you stay on top of the watering, weeding and feeding, and plan before you go away on holiday.

Vegetables Summer Veggies The window to plant large summer veggies in the garden is quickly closing, so don’t miss out on homegrown produce including tomatoes, courgettes, basil and beans.

Large-grade chillies and peppers will be available this month – stores will be filled with unusual, tasty and sometimes dangerously hot varieties!

Summer Salads Grow the makings of delicious summer salads by planting rocket, beetroot, silverbeet, sorrel and nasturtiums.

Stagger your planting of lettuce, coriander, rocket, spinach and parsley to spread out your harvest.

Fruit Fruit Trees Don’t miss out on planting citrus and subtropical fruit. Make sure that you keep plants well-watered during these warm months using collected rainwater or reusing greywater. We’ve got some great plants coming in so check out some of our new stock, including cherimoyas, pawpaw and natal plum.

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Flowers & Perennials Blueberries Once blueberry bushes are established, they produce masses of delicious fruit.

For best results, plant two different varieties in slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter such as peat and compost.

Trees & Shrubs Tropical Plants Enjoy a tropical getaway in your own backyard. You can still buy and plant tropical and subtropical plants, including canna lilies, mandevilla, bromeliads, hibiscus, vireya, palms and gardenia.

Instant Colour Fill in gaps in the garden with annuals such as petunias, marigolds, impatiens, and gazanias for instant colour.

Perennials Struggling to keep on top of watering?

Plant drought-resistant perennials such as portulaca pizzaz, ice plants, osteospermums and kangaroo paws to ensure you have a garden full of colourful, hardy flowers.

Nandina’s foliage (except for the lemonlime variety) change to a deep orange-maroon in late autumn to winter.

Being hardy shrubs, they are perfect for any garden.

Colourful Foliage Add a dash of colour with stunning foliage that lasts all year round.

We’ve got a range of hardy, drought-resistant grasses like lomandra tanika, tropical cordylines or shrubs such as nandina or loropetalum.

Nandina

Osteospermum

old

Avocado

Tend

Vegetables Make sure you keep on top of watering and weeds in the veggie garden and ensure plants are fed with Kings Fast Food.

Fruit Trees Mulch and deeply water fruit trees (especially those planted in the last year) to ensure they stay happy and healthy.

Feed when needed with Kings Slow Release Citrus Food or, for an organic option that improves soil health, use Aquaticus Garden Booster.

Flowers Weed flower gardens and feed plants with Kings Fast Food, watering often.

Remove spent flowers regularly to keep plants looking great and encourage prolonged flowering.

Lawns Give your lawns a mow every two weeks, making sure not to mow them too short as this will expose gaps and encourage the growth of broadleaf weeds.

Harvest

There will be a lot to harvest from January onwards. Loganberry, blueberry, boysenberry, strawberry and raspberry are all on the menu, and don’t forget to harvest your tomatoes, lettuce, okra, eggplant, cucumber, watermelon and avocado (Reed/Hass).

Essentials for all your summer needs

Water Control Flex Timer

Kings Slow Release Citrus Food

Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster

Get more control with your watering. Connect directly to the tap and regulate watering times – perfect for drip irrigation systems.

Feed your citrus and fruit trees for up to 3 months at a time. Sprinkle around plants and water in.

Feed all your outside pots and garden plants to help keep them happy and healthy, as well as conditioning the soil and protecting from root rot.

$99.99

700g $14.99

500ml $14.99

9

Your

February Checklist Plant Now

Between running off to the beach and enjoying the sun, try to keep your garden well watered, stay on top of the weeds, and be sure to enjoy the bounty of your harvest.

Vegetables

Fruit

Trees & Shrubs

Chillies Don’t miss out on some of the interesting large-grade chillies instore.

Plant them out into larger pots or in the garden as they produce fruit.

Citrus Ensure that future summers are filled with zest by planting some of our citrus trees.

Fragrance Grow a sensationally scented garden by planting some evergreen star jasmine, gardenias or the tropical climber stephanotis.

Herbs Plant herbs and leafy vegetables such as basil, lettuce, coriander, parsley and spinach but make sure you keep them well watered. Spray for caterpillars and whitefly with Bugtrol.

Passionfruit Plant passionfruit in fertile, free-draining soil rich in organic matter. Plant in a spot with good airflow and ensure that you avoid wetting the foliage when watering.

Feijoa For best results with feijoas, plant two different varieties to ensure good pollination. Plant an earlier season and a later season variety to extend your harvest.

Start planning and planting some of your winter crops toward the end of the month including broccoli, cauliflower and silverbeet.

Tropical Plants You can still bring the tropics home by planting mandevilla, vireya, frangipani, hibiscus and bird of paradise.

Make sure anything planted now is kept well watered to keep plants happy and healthy.

Flowers & Perennials Instant Colour Add a delightful dash of colour by planting some of our annual flowers, including dianthus, penstemon, marigolds and gazanias.

Perennials Plant flowering perennials now to enjoy their gorgeous blooms. Petunias, geraniums and alstroemeria all look particularly beautiful.

Spring Bulbs As spring bulbs start arriving in stores, start planting them out to ensure a glorious display of colour next spring.

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Tend

Harvest

Vegetables Keep your veggie garden well fed and watered this summer to help plants stay healthy and productive, as well as being less likely to fall victim to pest insects.

When watering tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkins try to avoid wetting the foliage.

You can still harvest your Reed and Hass avocados, as well as delicious cape gooseberries, passionfruit, capsicum, chillies, melons, sweetcorn, tomatoes, beans and berries.

Chillies

Fruit Trees Deeply water fruit trees once a week and net trees before fruit starts to ripen to ensure the birds don’t get it all. As deciduous fruit trees finish fruiting, start to summer prune.

Flowers Deadhead spent flowers regularly with bypass secateurs to keep your plants flowering for longer. Water and feed regularly.

Lawns Sprinkle your lawn with SaturAid to help it to retain moisture, and water with collected rainwater or grey water.

Essentials for all your summer needs

SaturAid

Aquaticus Bugtrol

Bypass Secateurs

Make your watering more effective this summer. Great for hanging baskets, pots and in the ground.

Keep pests under control with this effective organic pesticide.

Spray in the evening to avoid harming bees.

Perfect for all your summer pruning needs, including opening fruit trees and passionfruit up for better airflow, and deadheading perennials and roses.

500g $11.99

275ml $19.99

From $13.99

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Our Top

Summer Plants Here are some of our most popular flowering plants for this summer.

Try planting one or more of these, and enjoy their blooms each year.

Tropical Vireya

Also known as tropical rhododendron, vireyas are well suited to Auckland’s climate and most varieties produce stunning bursts of flowers multiple times a year. Much more compact compared to their rhododendron cousins, they’re a perfect shrub for an urban garden.

Vireyas enjoy slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter, in part shade and though tolerant of a full-shade position, plants may grow less compact.

Some of our most popular varieties include Kisses and Cherry Glow, both under 1m tall with soft pink blooms, while our taller varieties include Fire Plum, with brilliant ruby flowers, and Gilded Sunrise, with bright yellow blooms, both at 2m tall.

Best grown in dappled light under trees, or part shade against fences or structures.

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Tropic Glow

Fireplum

Jasmine Sambac have larger white flowers and are perfect for pots.

Jasminum Sambac

Native to tropical Asia, Jasminum sambac (also known as Arabian jasmine) is the most popular variety of jasmine in the world, well known for its white, strongly scented blooms, which are used in religious offerings, perfumes and tea. The plant can either be trained as a vine, or cut back to be kept compact. Grow in well-draining soil in the ground or in a pot in full sun. Prefers warm temperatures and needs to be protected from frosts.

Jasminum Sambac (Arabian Jasmine)

Star Jasmine

If you are looking for an evergreen vine that is fast growing and has gorgeous scented blooms, you can’t go past the star jasmine. Also known as Chinese jasmine, star jasmine can be easily trained up a trellis, across a fence or even pinned down and used as a ground cover. It is hardy to compact soils and can tolerate clay soil once established, and is best planted in full sun or part shade.

Star Jasmine is hardy and will grow in clay soils and hot, dry areas.

Star Jasmine (Chinese Jasmine)

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PASSIONATE PL ANT PEOPLE

The Euphoria of Euphorbia The staff at Kings are plant people. Passionate, kind, and enthusiastic about growing and nurturing plants, including their own.

From the gardens they grow and specimens they nurture, to where their love of plants began; each issue we’ll take a peek into their backyards and share their stories.

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Geoff Goodwin’s garden is a sea of greens, yellows and limes, with mass plantings of single specimens and plenty of hardy succulents, appropriate for the seaside North Shore location. And while he’s consciously planted to suit the area, his garden is also a mix of interesting plants he’s collected over the years, each with a story.

Geoff’s garden reflects a lifetime love of plants and how he has shared that love with others. As you walk through the garden he tells of how he got some of his plants, and it’s clear this garden is also a story of friendships. Geoff’s passion for plants saw him head to Lincoln University as a young man, beginning a career in horticulture that’s taken him around the country, working for local government and councils, overseeing parks and public spaces.

It was only a hiring freeze by DOC in the nineties that stopped him chasing a career as a parks ranger, and we’re lucky because he’s been associated with Kings now for over 30 years. Geoff manages

the Kings Nursery at Takanini, putting the same care into the plants we grow to sell as he does his own garden.

In Geoff’s own garden, euphorbia is a clear favourite. Part of the reason for that is the colours: Geoff is colourblind, and these are one of the things that he can see without correcting lenses. He describes how at the end of the day he likes to sit and watch the breeze blow through the gentle blue foliage, and admire the vibrant pops of colour of the lime-yellow flowers.

which he has shared with friends.

They’re a labour of love, but it’s nowhere near finished. Geoff explains that once they get tall enough, they’ll be underplanted with hellebores sourced from a friend – naturally. ...Continued on the next page

The large areas of Euphorbia lambii are the result of over a decade’s work, all grown from a couple of seed pods saved from a garden that was about to be cleared and concreted over.

He estimates that those seed pods have turned into over 600 plants, many of

Dendrobium Orchids

Bromeliad

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Geoff is also fond of Euphorbia wulfenii, a plant he’s had to work hard to cultivate over the years. He is now finally seeing some success, much to his satisfaction.

As well as the euphorbia, Geoff’s gardens are filled to the brim with lavenders, clivias, ferns, echium, bromeliads, magnolia and more, and the deck, which is partly covered, houses potted orchids, cacti, kalanchoe and assorted succulents. Sansevieria (snake plants) fill the windows indoors.

Geoff’s energy is boundless, and he still has plenty he wants to achieve in his garden; as he says, it’s only a young garden, and still taking shape. We can’t wait to see how it comes together.

Kalanchoe

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Euphorbia Milii

Conserving Water this Summer With Auckland on strict water restrictions over the last year, and with a hot, dry summer predicted ahead, gardeners are looking at different ways to save water while still keeping their plants happy and healthy. Here are some water saving tips to help keep your garden green the greener way.

WA

EROE

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H

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R SA TE V

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Water Saving Heroes We have a range of products available to help reduce your watering needs and make it easier to keep your plants hydrated.

SaturAid and Water Saving Crystals SaturAid is a granular soil wetter that is great for gardens, lawns, hanging pots and containers. Once added to the soil, they can help reduce water loss by up to 50%. Water Gel and Water Storage Crystals absorb water and slowly release it back into the soil. These can last for up to 5 years, and are biodegradable.

Yates Soil Wetter Helps water penetrate hard-to-wet soils, such as compact, clay soils (which is most Auckland soils), or bone-dry soils. Use in pots, around established trees and shrubs in the garden or on your lawn. It is also a soil conditioner, so it will help improve the soil structure and fertility.

Mulch Help keep moisture in the soil for longer with Living Earth More Than Mulch. It contains both bark and compost, which adds nutrients, helps suppress weeds and keeps the soil wet for longer.

Apply around the base of your plants, including shrubs or dwarf trees in pots.

Magic Mulch contains sphagnum peat moss (farmed sustainably) and seaweed.

Use as a feed, mulch and water retainer in soil mixes for hanging baskets, in containers or in the garden.

Yates DroughtShield Spray onto your plant’s foliage to help protect it from water loss by up to 50%, and from dry wind, sunburn and droughts. It will also help with light frost damage and transplant shock. This lasts up to 90 days, is biodegradable and means that you can water your plants less.

Watering Cones Hozelock watering cones are attachments for used water bottles, that slowly release moisture into the soil as your plant needs it. Just screw onto the top of a filled 1.5–2 litre bottle and sit the nozzle into the soil of pots around 30–40cm wide.

SaturAid 2.5L $25.99

Yates Soil Wetter 1L $23.99

Water-Control Systems Help conserve your garden water usage by using a Gardena water control system. Connect directly to the tap or water tank.

Hozelock Aquasolo Watering Cones $20.99

Water Tanks MAZE water tanks come in a range of sizes including 100L and 300L, and are super easy to install to your downpipes to catch rain water.

Yates Water Storage Crystals 200g $15.99

Gardena Flex Timer $99.99

Yates Droughtshield 750ml $16.99

Maze water Tank 300L $179.00

Egmont Mulch Seaweed 10L $13.99

Our Top Tips Prevent water loss for healthier plants

Drought shield protects plants from extreme conditions. Spray on leaves to help prevent water loss by up to 50%.

Add mulch and seal in the moisture.

Adding mulch increases water penetration, improves soil fertility, and protects soil against evaporation and erosion.

Use a watering can & reuse water if possible Don’t use a garden hose.

Where possible use water from a rain tank or reuse water from the sink or fish tank.

Learn the watering needs of your plants

Talk to our garden experts about how much water your plants need and group plants with similar needs together.

Add a soil wetting agent

Add granular or crystal wetting agents to soil, around plants or even on the lawn to help retain moisture for longer.

Don’t water during the heat of the day

Deep morning watering helps your plants better endure heat.

Avoid watering in the heat of the day from mid morning till 5pm.

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How to plant a

Dry-tolerant Garden With dry weather on the way, try planting a low-maintenance, dry-tolerant garden. From vibrant colour to statement structure, an easy-care garden can be functional and beautiful.

Protea

20

Olive Tree

Starting Dry-tolerant with the Soil Plants Planting is a bit like building, you need a good foundation to build your garden, and the foundation is the soil. Most of Auckland’s soil is clay and needs a little work before planting, so introduce organic matter such as Kings Organic Compost, sheep pellets, leaf mould or well-rotted manure as well as Clay Breaker Gypsum. Condition the soil by mixing it in with the clay instead of just putting it on top. This will help retain moisture for longer, and encourage worms back into the area. Healthy soil means healthy plants!

Here are some suggestions of dry-tolerant plants to plant this summer.

Herbs and Edibles ‘Dry herbs’ enjoy full sun and can withstand heat: sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano. Tough edibles include natal plum, dragon fruit, grapes, chilean guava and artichoke.

Grasses and Native Plants Native plants tend to do well in New Zealand’s climate: try astelia, carex, cordyline (cabbage trees), phormium (flax), pseudopanax, corokia, coprosma and hebe.

Pots and Hanging Baskets Try ice plants, chrysanthemum daisies, calendula, gazania, salvia, nasturtium, silver falls dichondra and livingstone daisies.

Lasting Colour for the Garden Try planting petunia, lavender, euphorbias, echium, sedum, paper daisies, portulaca, convolvulous, and statice.

Trees and shrubs Certain trees and shrubs can survive without being given water once they have become established (after around 2 years). Try olive trees, banksia, laurus nobilis (bay), albizzia and jacaranda.

Proteas, manuka, leucadendrons, grevilleas and leptospermums are also fantastic dry-tolerant shrubs, however they are primarily available in winter.

Ask to get your name in our order book for next winter.

Both sedum and rosemary flowers are also loved by bees and butterflies.

Sedum Reflexum Gold

Rosemary Tuscan Blue

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Choosing the perfect

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas come in a remarkable variety of shapes and sizes. Whether you are a fan of the classic mopheads, lacecaps and compact snowballs, or the more unusual oakleafs or paniculata, there is something stunning for any garden setting.

Our Top Varieties

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Snow Ball

Renate Steiniger

Raspberry Crush

Growing only 1 metre high, this is one of the smallest hydrangeas, which makes it perfect for small gardens.

The deep green foliage is beautifully offset by huge white blooms.

With large blue mophead flowers, Renate Steiniger is one of the most sought-after varieties and grows to around 1.5m tall.

Growing to 60cm x 60cm, this small variety produces brilliant raspberry-coloured blooms against compact foliage.

Bridal Bouquet

Ayesha

Nightingale

Bridal Bouquet has large creamy white flowers that bloom from spring until late summer. These are one of the best hydrangeas to use as cut flowers, and they can grows to 1.2m high.

This striking bush can grow to 1.8m tall.

It has unusual globular flowers with a mild fragrance, which range from cream to pink and blue depending on the pH of the soil.

Deep blue-purple lacecaps with soft green foliage on a bush with upright growth habit. Grows to 1.5m tall.

Tolerant to sun and coastal conditions, Nightingale is known to have the best blue lacecap blooms.

Planting and Care

Most hydrangeas need part sun to full shade and like to be in free-draining soil rich in organic matter. Choose a spot where you want colour in the summer, but are fine with it being a little bare in winter.

Planting

Care

Hydrangeas (much like roses) are best planted in the ground. If you have clay soil, dig the hole twice as deep and wide as the pot it comes in, put a handful of Claybreaker Gypsum in the bottom, and backfill halfway with a mix of compost and the clay soil. Sprinkle a handful of Kings 24 + fertiliser, and then fill the remaining hole with the compost/clay mix. Mulch with Living Earth More Than Mulch, then water deeply to finish.

Once established, your hydrangeas won’t need a lot of maintenance.

Feed from early spring to early autumn with Kings Fast Food liquid fertiliser, or Kings Rose Food. If you have an older hydrangea, you can strengthen the colour with Yates pinking or blueing agents.

Water once or twice every two weeks, and when the hydrangea shrubs lose their leaves for a well-earned rest in winter, cut back two-thirds of the new growth to improve growth and blooms the following year.

Hydrangea

Essentials for all your hydrangea needs

Living Earth More Than Mulch

Yates Hydrangea Agents

Kings 24+

Mulch around the bottom of the hydrangeas, as well as other shrubs and trees, to help suppress weeds and improve water retention.

Aluminium Sulfate makes your soil more acidic, intensifying blue flowers. Lime & Dolomite makes the soil more alkaline, improving pinks.

Sprinkle into the bottom of the hole you have dug before planting your hydrangea bush. Kings 24 + will slowly release nutrients and feed your plant for up to 24 months.

40L $13.99

500ml $14.99

700g $17.99

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Chillies Spice things up a bit by growing your own chillies this season. To help ensure that you can stand the heat, here are some quick tips on growing chillies, and a guide to what’s hot (and incredibly hot and merely mild!).

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Other things to consider Most chillies in New Zealand are grown as an annual. If you want to try growing one that is more likely to last through winter, try Rocoto or Manzano. These two varieties are members of the Capsicum pubescens family, and they can withstand much colder temperatures than other members of the capsicum family (though they won’t survive frost). They also taste great and can grow to an impressive height.

Growing Chillies Position and Planting

Choosing your Chilli How hot any given chilli is can vary wildly. The growing conditions, and how ripe the chilli was when picked, can have a big impact on hotness. Their hotness is usually measured in ‘scovilles’; the higher the scoville rating of a chilli, the hotter it is.

Approximate Scoville Rating of some popular chillies Bell Pepper/Sweet Capsicum

0

Banana Pepper

100−1,000

Jalapeno

3,500−10,000

Hungarian Wax Pepper

3,500−10,000

Manzano

12,000−50,000

Tabasco

30,000−50,000

Cayenne

30,000−50,000

Rocoto

30,000−100,000

Habanero

100,000−350,000

Bhut Jolokia

855,000−1,105,000

Trinidad Scorpion

1.2 million

Carolina Reaper

1.7 million!

As the scoville rating isn’t available for many of the chillies we sell at Kings, the table below may also help when you are deciding what to plant.

Very Hot

Hot

Medium-Hot

Medium

Carolina Reaper

Tabasco

Mazano

Banana Pepper

Trinidad Scorpion

Cayenne

Rocoto

Hungarian Wax

Bhut Jolokia

Serrano

Apache

Anaheim

Habanero

Black Olive

Jalapeño Chilli Fire

Kings Tomato Food also works well for chillies, eggplants and capsicum.

Chillies are best grown in full sun in a spot with free-draining soil. Plant Rocoto- and Manzano-type chilli plants in a frost-free spot to maximise the chance of them lasting more than one season. Where possible avoid planting them where you planted tomatoes, potatoes or eggplants last year; by rotating where you plant members of the solanum family you help reduce the risk of diseases. (This is more important when planting tomatoes and potatoes, however.) To plant in the ground, prepare the soil by weeding, forking and then mixing in compost and sheep pellets. Most varieties will need at least 30cm between each plant (and some will require even more space). When planting in a pot, use container mix.

For best results use a pot no smaller than 20L. Care Water the plant regularly, keeping the soil moist but not damp. Where possible, avoid wetting the foliage. Feed regularly with Kings Tomato Food, or for a natural option use Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster.

Drying Chillies Choose fruit that are very ripe and free of cuts or blemishes. Cut lengthwise and discard seeds. If you live in a dry, warm environment, hang them from a string outside or in a sunny spot inside (if the air is humid, they may go mouldy instead of drying). Alternatively, place chillies on an oven tray and cook for six to eight hours at 80°C. Store in an airtight jar.

Kings Liquid Tomato Food from $12.99

Little Growers

Kids Corner DIY Pot Painting

Looking for something easy to do with the kids for a a gift, or over the summer holidays? Terracotta pot painting is super easy to do and fun for kids of any age.

What you will need: A medium Terracotta pot Pot Sealant (optional) Old newspaper or tarp for the paint area Paint brushes Glass of water – for cleaning brushes Acrylic Paint

step 1

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Set up your area. Choose a sunny day outside on a table, put down old news paper or a tarp, and wear old clothes.

step 2

How to paint a pot Choose your terracotta pot. A small one is best for growing seeds, but a medium one is better if you are growing herbs or cacti.

Pot sealant.

This isn’t a necessity, but this means your paint will sit on top of the sealant and last much longer, especially in full sun. Spray and leave in the sun until dry.

step 3 Paint the pots!

Sometimes the paint will need a couple of layers to have a solid, smooth finish, so you can let the pots dry inbetween painting.

step 4 Once dry, plant up your pot! Make sure your terracotta pot is larger than the pot your plant comes in, and water well after planting. Cacti like full sun and a little water, and herbs like water once every day to every second day.

These also make perfect gifts – wrap a ribbon around the pot and give to a teacher, family member or neighbour.

Join the Little Growers Club!

Join the Little Growers Club instore for monthly colouring competitions, school holiday events and more!

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Indoor Plants Summer is an exciting time for plant parents, as you will still be getting a flush of new growth. Here are some tips on how to continue to look after your indoor plants.

Watering

Light

Feed

Different indoor plants require different levels of watering. Dry-tolerant plants such as cacti, dracaena, snake and ZZ plants only need water when the soil is completely dry. Plants such as the peace lily, calathea, fittonia (nerve plant), begonia rex, ferns, pitcher plants, venus flytraps and caladiums need to be kept moist – do not let them dry out completely.

Light levels can affect plants. Never keep indoor plants, other than cacti, in full sun. Instead, keep indoor plants in bright, indirect light. Some plants such as hoya can take early morning sun.

Liquid feed your plants once every 3–4 weeks in summer with Kings Houseplant Food. If you have flowering plants, use a liquid orchid fertiliser (which contains a higher potassium (K) rating) to encourage new flowers.

Essentials for all your indoor plant needs

Kings House Plant Mix

Kings House Plant Liquid Food

Specially formulated to help hold Liquid Food in moisture as well as offer good 500ml $12.99 drainage, the Kings Houseplant mix is perfect for all your general houseplants.

Designed to be quickly absorbed by your houseplants, this liquid fertiliser will ensure fast growth and optimum plant health.

An all-natural rooting stimulant and growth booster, which you can also use alongside liquid fertilisers.

Perfect for smaller plants or to help with propagation.

10L $12.99

45gm $19.99

Kings House Plant

500ml $12.99

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Groconut

Philodendron Golden Queen

Sansevieria Snake Plant

Philodendron Birkin

Scindapsus Marble Queen Monstera Deliciosa

Kokedama

Zamioculcas ZZ Plant

Common Myths 1. MYTH: Always repot straight away.

We do not recommend repotting any indoor plant you get from Kings within the first year of buying it. This is because many of our plants have been recently repotted already, so they need to grow into their current pot before being transplanted. If you repot them too early, they can get transplant shock, have their roots damaged and in severe cases, die. Instead, use a Kentia Palm cover pot (without holes) to hide the plastic pot if you wish.

2. MYTH: Soak a banana in water overnight and it will release potassium, which you can use to feed your plant.

While bananas do contain a high amount of potassium, keeping a banana skin in water over a 24-hour period will not do much for your plant nutrient-wise. We recommend using Kings House Plant food which is specially formulated to encourage flowering instead.

3. MYTH: You can take cuttings from all indoor plants.

While you can take cuttings from many plants, those that have a clumping growth (such as peace lilies or calatheas) need to be separated once they are old enough (with roots attached) to survive on their own.

Calathea Orbifolia

4. MYTH: Too many indoor plants There is no such thing!

Kokedama

Calathea Orbifolia Anthurium

Ficus Tineke

Terrarium

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Garden to Plate Try one of our tasty new summer recipes

Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad This is a beautifully fresh – and refreshing – salad to enjoy during the warmer months. Pair it with barbecued meat or fish for a more substantial meal.

Ingredients 1 medium watermelon 1 telegraph cucumber 150g crumbly feta Handful of fresh mint leaves Balsamic vinegar Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

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Method 1. Slice watermelon and then dice into bite-sized cubes. Place into a large, shallow serving dish.

2. Cut cucumber in half lengthways and then slice. Scatter over watermelon.

3. Crumble over feta and scatter over mint leaves.

4. Combine preferred ratio of vinegar and oil in a jar, season, and shake to emulsify.

Drizzle over salad just before serving. (And leftover dressing will keep for weeks in the sealed jar.)

Parsmesan Crêpes with Asparagus and Ham These delicious filled crêpes can be served as an entrée or canapé, or as a main meal. Put all the ingredients in the middle of the table and let people help themselves. Best with asparagus that has been cooked for as little time as possible to enjoy its freshness.

Ingredients Filling 2–3 bunches asapargus 200–300g shaved ham Hollandaise, ranch dressing or other creamy dressing of your choice Chopped dill, spring onion, chives or italian parsley Crêpes 1 cup flour 2 free-range eggs, whisked Pinch salt 250–300ml milk 50g melted butter, plus extra for cooking Salt and pepper to taste ½ –1 cup finely grated Parmesan (to taste)

Method 1. To make crêpe batter, sift flour into a medium-sized bowl, then add egg, salt and melted butter. Stir to combine and then add milk a little at a time until you have a smooth, runny consistency. Put in fridge for half an hour to chill.

2. Wash asparagus and remove woody ends.

3. Bring a large (big enough to fit whole asparagus spears) pot of salted water to the boil.

4. While water is heating, remove crêpe batter from the fridge and stir in the Parmesan.

5. P ut a knob of butter into a large frying pan over medium heat. Once melted, add spoonfuls of crêpe batter to the pan until the bottom is thinly covered. Cook for a minute, then lift a corner to check that it is cooked and golden. Carefully flip over and cook for a futher 30 seconds to 1 minute, then remove to a serving dish and keep warm. Repeat with remaining mixture.

6. While crêpes are cooking, add asparagus spears to boiling water. Cook according to taste – just a minute or two will give you bright green, al dente asparagus with still a little crunch.

7. Serve crêpes, asparagus and ham on individual serving dishes with sauce/dressing and chopped herbs on the side and invite everyone to help themselves.

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Middle-Eastern Braised Okra and Tomato (Bamya) Some people are put off cooking okra because of its potential to get a little slimy. The key to avoiding this is using small, young okra pods, and keeping them intact while cooking. Variations of this stew, which is vegan (though can also be made with meat), are enjoyed throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

Ingredients Olive oil 1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped 1 small chilli, finely chopped, or chilli flakes to taste 500g small okra pods, trimmed 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp cumin ½ allspice ½ tsp sumac 1 cup vegetable stock 1 can chopped tomatoes juice of ½ lemon, or to taste, plus wedges to serve salt and pepper to taste

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Method 1. Heat a generous amount of olive oil over medium heat and once hot, add onion and cook until transparent.

2. Add okra, stir to coat in oil and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add garlic, stir and cook until fragrant, taking care not to colour or burn.

4. Add chilli and other spices, stir and cook for 1–2 minutes.

5. A dd stock, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 20 minutes or until okra has softened and cooked through.

6. Turn off heat and stir through lemon juice to taste.

7. Serve with cooked rice and lemon wedges.

Cheesy Sweetcorn (Kids) This is a super easy and fun recipe that makes the most of fresh in-season sweetcorn. You can skip the barbecue step and it will still be totally delicious.

Ingredients 4 tbsp mayonnaise juice of ½ lime 4 fresh corn cobs, husks removed 4 tsp butter 3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan handful finely chopped Italian parsley (optional) Ground praprika

Method 1. Combine mayonnaise and lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

3. Lower corn cobs into the water (you may need an adult to help with this). Cook for a few minutes, until the corn has brightened in colour. You may need to use tongs to turn the corn as it cooks to ensure all sides are cooked.

4. If using the barbecue to grill, have an adult help you to grill the corn cobs until they are golden on all sides. Otherwise, just ensure the boiled corn is fully cooked.

5. S mear a teaspoon of butter on each cob, roll to coat, and then sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley, if using.

6. S erve corn cobs with lime mayonnaise on the side to dollop, and get stuck in. Yum!

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Summer Cocktails Try one of our delicious, thirst quenching cocktails, made using fresh in season produce from your garden!

Mojito Ingredients 45ml Helmsman White Rum 30ml lime juice 15ml sugar syrup 8 mint leaves Soda water

Method

Don’t clap the mint before adding. If you do, all of the delicious mint oil will end up on your hands and not in your drink. When garnishing with mint leaves, gently press the leaves with your finger tips to release the aroma!

Bloody Mary Ingredients 45ml Rutte Celery Gin, Scapegrace Vodka or Herradura Reposado Tequila 120ml tomato juice Worcester sauce Tabasco

Method Pour the liquor into a tall glass. Fill the glass with ice and top with tomato juice and add some Worcester and tabasco to taste. Garnish with a celery stick, some cherry tomatoes a cucumber stick and bacon!

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Pour the Helmsman, lime juice, sugar syrup and mint leaves in a glass. Use a flat surface to gently press the mint leaves. Do not totally crush them into small pieces. Fill the glass completely with ice. Stir. Add more ice and then top with soda. Stir again. Garnish with a mint sprig. For a twist, add some berries to the drink before pressing.

Frozen Berry Margarita Ingredients 45ml el Jimador Reposado Tequila 30ml lime juice 15ml sugar syrup Berries of your choice

Method Put all of the ingredients into your blender or nutri bullet. Add 1 cup of ice and blend till smooth. If the consistency is too runny, add a little more ice and blend again. If it is too thick, add a little water and blend again. Garnish with a berry or mint sprig.

Turn your berries into a compote and freeze them in an ice tray. When you want to make cocktails, simply take out a few cubes and add them to your blender. This way there will be no wastage!

Mock Mojito Ingredients 12 fresh blueberries/raspberries A few bunches of fresh mint Juice of 1 lime Soda water

Method Add sugar, lime juice and blueberries to a tall glass and muddle well. Add mint and a touch of soda. Stir well to extract all flavour but keep mint leaves intact.

Half fill glass with ice. Stir lightly, top glass with ice and add a touch more soda. Garnish with fresh mint and blueberries.

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Create an exotic oasis with

Tropical Plants

While we can’t jet off to an exotic location you can enjoy lounging around under palm trees in your own backyard. Teamed with hibiscus, tropical impatiens and cannas, you can create your own tropical oasis.

Palms Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiamum): A graceful palm that grows well in warmer areas.

A fairly vigorous grower with non-symmetrical feathered fronds. Plant in full sun or part shade. Grows to around 15m high.

King palm (Archotophoenix alexandrae): A graceful, tall palm that forms a pale grey trunk, with 2.5–3m arching fronds.

Does best when grown in full sun.

Grows to 10–12m.

NZ Nikau (Rhopalostylis sapida): New Zealand’s only native palm. The fruit is a favourite of the kererū. Best grown in part-shade, though it will tolerate full sun. Best planted in free-draining, moist soil. Slow growing, eventually reaching 10m. Take care when planting as they have relatively delicate roots.

Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana): With graceful arching fronds and a delicate slender stem, Kentia palms can be grown both indoors or outdoors. Full sun to shade, suitable for coastal areas. Slow growing, they eventually reach 15m high.

Plant palms in free-draining soil with organic matter, water deeply until established and as a general rule, keep young palms in dappled shade. Mulch well and feed sparingly with Novatec.

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Tui Novatec fertiliser 5KG $37.99

Living Earth More Than Mulch 40L $13.99

Nikau Palm

Mandevilla

Stephanotis

Tecomanthe

Add instant height and colour to a small fence or trellis.

Tropical flower trumpets of reds, whites and pinks and evergreen glossy foliage.

Otherwise known as Madagascar jasmine. This is an evergreen climber with stunning white flowers and a high fragrance. Growing as tall as 6m. Plant in a sheltered position or in a large pot.

An NZ native known as the Three Kings Vine, this thick-leaved, evergreen native vine produces stunning displays of huge white trumpet-shaped flowers in summer.

Others Hibiscus One of the most iconic tropical flowers, hibiscus are best suited to a sunny position and can grow to 1.5m high.

Canna lilies A deciduous perennial that pops up every summer. Beautiful tropical flowers perched on long elegant stems, and coloured foliage. Best planted outside along a fenceline.

Alstroemerias A wonderful flowering plant with stunning, lily-like flowers in a range of colours with a compact growing habit, perfect for both the garden or containers in full sun.

Vireya Also known as tropical rhododendrons, these are perfect for subtropical climates and produces eye-catching bunching flowers in shadier parts of the garden. Great for underplanting palm or evergreen trees.

Bird of Paradise

Bird of paradise A popular plant grown for its wide lush leaves and flower, which resembles a bird of paradise. Great in a full sun part of the garden or in a large container.


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+

Ask the

Plant Doctor Giving you expert advice for your seasonal gardening woes

Hi Doctor, I have this black disease on my plant’s leaves, which is sticky to the touch. What is this?

How can I make my plant healthy again?

- Jim, Rosedale

Hi Jim, This is sooty mould. It is usually made up of different types of fungus that are growing off the sugary excretions from sap-sucking insects (called honeydew). Though the sooty mould itself isn’t directly affecting your plant, it may affect the vigour of the plant if a lot of the leaves are covered and are unable to photosynthesise properly. To treat it, you will need to find out which sap-sucking insect has infested your plant, and treat it with Bugtrol. Once the insects are gone, the sooty mould will subside as well.

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Aquaticus Organic Bugtrol 200ml $19.99

Dear Plant Doctor, I have some annoying tiny white moths that sit under the leaves of everything – my citrus trees, tamarillo trees, even under my cape gooseberry.

What are these? They are driving me insane!

- Robyn, Papakura

Hi Robyn,

Yates Nature’s Way Citrus, Vegie and Ornamental Spray 750ml $18.99

These are whitefly, a small sap-sucking insect that lays its eggs on the underside of certain trees and edible plants. Both the nymphs and adults suck the sap, which can harm the vigour of the plant and can help spread disease.

To help prevent them, feed and water your plants well, as weakened plants are more attractive to pest insects. To treat them, use Yates Nature’s Way Citrus, Vegie and Ornamental spray on the undersides of the leaves, making sure to smother the eggs. Do this in the evening, and take off any flowers that get sprayed to avoid harming bees.

Hi there, My pumpkins, melons and zucchini all have a white, fuzzy film over their leaves. What is this fungus?

What products can I use? Help!

- Zara, Flat Bush

Hi Zara, It sounds like you have powdery mildew. This white film is a fungal disease that spreads over leaves and can significantly reduce a plant’s fruit yield, attractiveness and length of life expectancy.

It is usually caused by overhead watering or a damp environment.

To prevent it, feed plants well and water around the roots only early in the morning, and if possible offer better airflow around plants.

To treat it, use FreeFlo Sulphur, which is organic and can be used on edibles as well as ornamentals.

FreeFlo Sulphur 100g $12.99

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.

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Grow with

Confidence EXPERT ADVICE

Our knowledgeable team is passionate about gardening.

They can help you find landscape inspiration, choose the right plants for your home, garden or patio and give you tips on care and maintenance so you can grow with confidence!

PLANT DOCTOR

If your plants aren’t feeling 100%, bring in a photo or sample and the Plant Doctor will prescribe a solution. Look for the red shirt instore or go online to plantdoctor.co.nz

SURE TO GROW GUARANTEE

We back all our plants with a full guarantee.

This means that if for some reason one of our plants fails to grow, we’ll replace it absolutely free.

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