Gardening

Gardening advice with Daltons

We all need a bit of gardening advice now and then. The Daltons experts are here to help! Send in your question and you could win a Daltons prize pack - see entry details below.

I have this climber (see image) on the wall beside the new house we have just purchased. I don’t know what it is and how often to trim it. The climber you have is Ficus pumila ‘minima’ - an extremely vigorous climber that will attach itself to most walls and fences. It has lovely little heart shaped leaves that have a bronze tint when young. It’s an ideal plant to cover any unsightly walls or fences – providing a lovely green ‘screen’ instead. The key to controlling this climber is to prune little and often. As the small new leaves attach to your wall and continue to grow, darker thicker green leaves will follow, growing on top of the existing leaves. These new denser leaves need controlling as they will multiply rapidly and expand away from the wall. Growth will be slower in winter but once summer arrives start pruning roughly every six weeks. You may also find it helpful to read our free How To Grow Guides for more gardening advice: daltons.co.nz/

how-to-guides.

Congratulations to Barbara Turnbull who has won a Daltons gardening pack with her question.

Win a Daltons Tree and Shrub Planting Pack

Trees and shrubs really are the backbone of a garden - they offer privacy, provide shade and a beautiful background. When planting, use plenty of compost and pop in a Daltons Premium Planter Tab to give them the best start. Regularly fertilise existing trees and shrubs to promote healthy growth and foliage. Dalton’s Tree and Shrub Planting Pack, valued over $95.00, has everything you need, including Red Back gardening gloves from Omni Products. To enter, email your gardening question to

nelsonmag@daltons.co.nz with Daltons prize pack in the subject

heading. Giveaway entries must be received by Friday 20 May.

AVAILABLE AT

Check out our website for useful Gardening Guides & How To Videos! www.daltons.co.nz