SO M A N Y
flowers
It’s so important for us all to grow lots of flowers, to provide food for insects such as bees, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators throughout the year. Flowers also have the magical ability to lift our spirits and bring beautiful colour into our gardens and outdoor spaces. Here are some Yates® flower seeds that you can sow in spring all around New Zealand:
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Alyssum – Carpet of Snow, Magic Circles Mix (cool areas)
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Asclepias Silky Mix (late spring)
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Calendula Pacific Beauty (cool areas)
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Catmint
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Dahlia Cinderella Mix
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Nasturtium – Jewel Mixed, Cherry Rose
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Nigella Love-in-a-Mist
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Petunia – Neptune Shades & Plum Carpet (late spring)
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Phacelia (cool zones)
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Statice
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Verbena Imagination
Bee Pasture Butterfly Field California Poppy – Goldrush, Sunshine Mix, Thai Silk
Cosmos – Bright Eyes, Sensation, Tango Delphinium Pacific Giants (cool zones) Echium Cottage Charm Everlasting Daisy Mixed Gerbera Mix Gaura Sparkle White Gypsophila Baby’s Breath Linum Blue Dress
Here are the easy steps to starting a fabulous flower patch:
step 1 Choose a sunny spot in a garden that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day. If there are any weeds or grasses in the area, spray with Yates Zero® Weed Killer and let them die back completely (usually around 2 weeks).
step 2 Mix some Yates Thrive® Natural Blood & Bone into the soil, to enrich and improve the quality of the soil and help give the new flowers the best possible start. Follow the directions on the seed packet and either sow seed direct where the flowers are to grow or sow into trays of Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Water gently and keep the soil moist. For seedlings grown in trays, transplant them into their final home once they’re large enough to handle.
step 3
Marigold – Crackerjack, Cupid Mix, Safari Mixture
Pansy – Giant Supreme (cool zones)
Portulaca Sun Dancer Salvia Blue Bedder Snapdragon – Tetra Mixed, Twinny Appleblossom Strawflower Sunflower – Moonwalker, Dwarf Sensation, Yellow Empress, Bronze Shades, Ginormous FlowerZilla Village Green Border Wildflower Meadow Mix Zinnia Gold Medal
Once the seedlings are established, encourage lots of healthy growth and promote masses of vibrant flowers by feeding each week with Yates Thrive® Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. It’s as easy as adding 1–2 capfuls into a 9L watering can and applying around the plants and soil. No backyard? No worries! Many flowers are also perfect for growing in pots. Seed packets include helpful information about whether your chosen flower is suitable for growing in pots. Compact flowers that are perfect for growing in containers and window boxes include ‘Dwarf Sensation’ sunflower, alyssum ‘Magic Circles’ and marigold ‘Cupid Mix’.
Seedling tip Protect seedlings from damaging snails and slugs with a light sprinkling of Yates Blitzem® Snail & Slug Pellets. G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S
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