Growing With You NZ - Autumn Edition

AU T

UMN

EDI

TIO

N

be a

proud plant parent!

HOW TO GROW MONSTERAS AND FIDDLE LEAF FIGS

GET INSPIRED » Time to plant spring flowering bulbs

» Transform your outdoor spaces

Lawn & Order

more out of

your citrus PLUS H OW TO G ROW KU M QUATS

grow beautiful CAMELLIAS

Y O U R U LT I M AT E L AW N C A R E G U I D E

END K E E W CTS: PROJE

IT'S SWEET PEA TIME!

SOMETHING JUST FOR MUM!

Mother's Day

made with love

TRANSFORM YOUR OUTDOOR SPACES! G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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1 5 7 9 11 13 17 21 23 25 27 31 33 W H AT ' S

SPRING

GROWING

FLOWERING

ON

BULBS

CAMELLIA

DREAMING

BRING

YO U R S O I L TO LIFE

SWEET PEAS

L AW N & ORDER

INDOOR

MOTHER-

HOW TO

PLANTS

I N - L AW ' S

GROW

TONGUE

S T R AW B E R R I E S

CONTROLLING

CITRUS

OUTDOOR

R AT S & M I C E

GROWING

S PAC E S

GUIDE

ORGANIC

GARDENING

G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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PLANTS TO GROW IN AUTUMN

what's growing on:

top vegies 5 F O R YO U R AU T U M N V E G I E PATC H Growing your own vegies, herbs or fruit is so rewarding and much easier than you think! Whether you have a pot, a small patch or a paddock – with a little love and care, you can grow and harvest your very own goodies. And with cooler temperatures and warm soil during early to mid autumn, there is no better time to get started.

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Carrots

STE P O N E Choose a sunny spot in the garden. Carrots need soft and loose soil, otherwise they won’t grow nice and straight. Before sowing, dig the soil really well to break up any clumps and hard pieces.

If growing in pots, look for baby carrots and plant in troughs at least 400 mm wide and 250 mm deep.

STE P T WO

Who doesn’t love carrots? The sweet crunch in your salad or dipped into hummus, this versatile vegie is well worth growing.

And did you know that they can even be grown in pots?

Broccoli

Sow seed direct where the carrots are to grow, cover with 6 mm of soil, firm down and keep moist. To help keep the soil moist, in addition to regular watering you can cover the row with a plank of wood. Check under the plank every day and as soon as the first few seedlings emerge, remove the cover. Seeds may take up to 3 weeks to germinate, so be patient!

STE P T H RE E Thin seedlings after 4 weeks, giving each plant 3 - 5 cm to grow.

STE P F O U R Once established, feed each week with Yates Thrive All Purpose Liquid Plant Food.

STE P F I VE Harvest when the top of the carrots are just poking out of the soil, but if you’re unsure, use a fork to gently remove the soil for a better look. Stagger the harvest so you can let the remaining carrots grow bigger.

S TEP O N E

ST E P F O U R

Choose a sunny spot in the garden with well-drained soil and mix in some Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone to give the broccoli plants the best possible start.

Watch out for destructive snails & slugs. Control with Yates Blitzem Snail & Slug Pellets.

STE P T WO Sow seeds, lightly cover and firm down. Water regularly to keep the soil moist.

ST E P F I VE Using a sharp knife, cut the head once it's well formed but still tight and before the flowers open. Removing the central head will encourage smaller side shoots to form - they'll be ready for picking in a few weeks.

STE P T H RE E

Nutritious and delicious, broccoli is a must grow in your vegie patch!

Once seedlings have established, feed regularly with Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food.

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S TE P O N E

Peas

Choose a sunny spot in the garden with well-drained soil and mix in some Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone to give the pea plants the best possible start.

STEP T WO

3.

Unless you know your soil is already alkaline, you can help sweeten the soil by applying some Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite.

STEP T H RE E Dampen soil and sow seeds approximately 25 mm deep.

Don’t water again until seedlings appear.

STEP F O U R

Whether you prefer sugarsnap or snow peas, they’re a delight for the taste buds and tummy.

Once seedlings emerge, feed weekly with Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food.

STEP F I VE Peas will need a supporting trellis to climb on as they grow. Choose a wire panel or bamboo trellis as they allow air movement through the plants. Alternatively, dwarf peas don't need a support and can be grown in a vegie patch or in pots.

STEP S I X Harvest once pea pods are plump or snow pea pods are slender and crisp. You may be picking every 2-3 days and this will also help promote more peas!

Beetroot

4.

S TE P O N E Choose a sunny spot in the garden with well-drained soil and mix in some Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone to give the beetroot plants the best possible start.

STEP T WO To help germination, soak beetroot seeds in water for 2 hours before sowing.

STEP T H RE E Sow seeds 10 - 12 mm deep and 7 - 10 cm apart and keep moist.

STEP F O U R Feed regularly with Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food.

Turn the ‘beet’ around and start growing some beetroot! Delicious roasted and in salads and relishes, they're easy to grow in 5 simple steps!

STEP F I VE Harvest approximately 10 weeks after planting or when the beetroot crown is just sitting above the soil surface.

Beetroot tips! Add some colourful, young and tender

beetroot leaves into salads. And for small spaces, try growing Yates Baby Beets, which are perfect for growing in pots.

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STEP ONE

Baby Leaf Spinach

5.

Choose a sunny or partly shaded spot in a vegie patch or baby leaf spinach can also be grown in pots.

S T E P T WO Sow seed direct where the plants are to grow, firm down and water gently. Keep the soil or potting mix moist.

S T E P T H RE E To encourage lots of lush leafy growth, feed each week with nitrogen rich Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food and pick outer leaves regularly.

Baby leaf spinach leaves are smooth and tender, with a delicate nutty flavour.

They’re perfect for adding to salads and pasta.

ST E P F O U R Watch out for hungry caterpillars! Pick them off by hand or spray with Yates Nature's Way Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray, which is approved for use in organic gardening.

What else to sow & grow in Autumn

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HOW TO PLANT SPRING FLOWERING BULBS

spring

flowering

bulbs

Sensational spring flowering bulbs like jonquils, hyacinths and freesias fill the air with fragrance during late winter and spring.

Tulips, daffodils and anemones create swathes of gorgeous colour in garden beds or can delightfully brighten an outdoor area when grown in a pot. Whatever your favourite spring flowering bulb is, it’s time to start planning and planting! Spring flowering bulbs are planted in autumn and a little preparation now will result in much healthier bulbs and a gorgeous floral show.

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Here are some helpful tips to help create a fantastic display:

» In a sunny location out in the garden, enrich the soil in the planting area with Yates Thrive Rose & Flower Granular Plant Food. It contains a concentrated blend of nutrients, specially formulated for flowering plants, that will nourish the bulbs as they establish and grow. » For potted bulbs, choose a pot or bowl with good drainage holes and fill with a quality potting mix such as Yates Premium Potting Mix. When planting bulbs in a pot, they can be grown quite close together, which helps create a lovely dense look. » Follow the directions on the bulb pack as to how deep to plant your chosen bulbs and ensure that you plant them the right way up! » Water the garden bed or pot after planting to help settle the soil or potting mix around the bulbs. Potted bulbs will need regular watering to ensure they have enough moisture. » After the leaves have emerged, feed the bulbs every 1 - 2 weeks with Yates Thrive roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. It will encourage healthy growth and help promote future flowers.

Continue feeding into late spring until most of the leaves have died down.

S E N S AT I O N A L S W E E T P E A S

easy peasy sweet peas Love the sight and scent of sweet peas?

These magical flowers are one of the easiest plants to grow and while you won’t get a floral show until spring, now is the time to be sowing seeds. You can grow sweet peas in a fragrant teepee, create a wall of colour by growing them up a fence or if you're short on space, plant dwarf sweet peas in pots, window boxes or hanging baskets.

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Getting Started STEP 1 Choose a spot in the garden with full sun, protected from strong winds.

S W E E T P E A VA R I E T I E S I N T H E YAT E S R A N G E Yates Sweet Pea 'Colourcade' A vibrant colour mix of early flowering and heavily perfumed sweet peas.

STEP 2 Enrich the soil with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone before sowing or fill a pot with Yates Premium Potting Mix.

STEP 3 Sow seed direct where the sweet peas are to grow. For tall growing varieties, sow beneath a 2 m tall frame, trellis or tripod.

Yates Sweet Pea 'Old Fashioned' Large ruffled sweetly scented blooms that continue well into spring.

Yates Sweet Pea ‘Hammett’s Surprise’ From large flowered to frilly and striped, or bi-coloured to pure vibrant colours, this mix will delight with its surprise offering from a selection of Dr Keith Hammett’s finest varieties.

Yates Sweet Pea 'Blue Reflections' A glorious tall growing sweet pea from the world renowned breeder Dr Keith Hammett. Stunning large blooms in shades of blue, mauve and white.

STEP 4 Water gently and keep the soil or potting mix only slightly moist while the seeds germinate.

STEP 5 Once the seedlings have established, feed every 1-2 weeks with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food.

STEP 6

Yates Sweet Pea 'Brilliant Fragrance' A delightful, unique and beautifully perfumed sweet pea with soft cream petals that change to pastel pink as they mature.

Pick fragrant bunches of sweet peas for a vase. Regularly picking blooms will help promote further flowering.

Yates Sweet Pea 'Original' A highly fragrant heritage sweet pea with richly coloured blooms.

watch out, pests & diseases about PR O BLEM Powdery Mildew

P R OBL EM Snails and Slugs

PROBLEM Thrips

SYMPTOMS White or ash-grey film that spreads over the upper surfaces of the sweet pea leaves, usually the older leaves.

SYM P TOM S Silvery trails over the soil or plants, holes in leaves or seedlings chewed off at the base.

SY M P TO MS Thrips are tiny sap feeding insects that can cause spots and damage on both leaves and flowers.

S O LUTION Yates Rose Gun

SOLU T I ON Yates Blitzem Snail & Slug Pellets

S O LU TI O N Yates Rose Gun G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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CAMELLIA PLANT PROFILE

camellia dreaming

As the weather cools, most plants tend to slow down and prepare for a much needed rest over winter. But not camellias - now is the time they spring to life! Their bold and beautiful blooms are available in single through to double flowering forms in a range of deep pinks and reds through to pastel pink, cream and white. They truly brighten the garden, especially on those cold, dreary days.

Sasanqua and japonica camellias are the most commonly grown species, with sasanquas being the first to flower in autumn followed by japonicas from late autumn to early spring.

Favourite Camellias SASANQUA CAMELL I A

JA P ON I C A C A M EL L I A

TE A P L A N T

R E TI C U L ATA

Aspect: Full sun, with protection from the hot afternoon sun Height: 3-6m Width: 4m While often used as a hedging plant, sasanquas can also be left to grow into small feature trees. Where space is an issue, consider dwarf forms or espaliering against a wall.

Aspect: Part shade/filtered sun Height: 4-5m Width: 4m Japonicas have stunning single or double flowers borne above attractive glossy green foliage.

Bring their beautiful blooms inside and float them a shallow bowl of water.

Aspect: Part shade/filtered sun Height: 1-2m Width: 1-2m Grown for the leaf tips rather than the flowers, the new leaves and buds can be harvested and dried for tea (white, green and black). Tea plants can be grown into an attractive hedge or used as a screening plant.

Aspect: Part shade/filtered sun

(C. sasanqua)

(C. japonica)

(C. sinensis)

(C. reticulata)

Height: 3-5m These plants are a real show stopper! Reticulatas are mainly grown for their large voluptuous flowers that appear from late winter to mid spring. Due to their open growth habit, they’re best grown as feature trees in the garden.

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H OW TO G R OW C A M E L L I AS Step 1: Choose a well-drained spot in the garden that receives the required amount of sun for the chosen variety and is protected from the hot afternoon sun. Enrich the soil with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone.

If the soil is clay based, add gypsum and fork in well. When growing camellias in a pot, choose a pot at least 40 cm wide with good drainage holes and fill with a quality potting mix like Yates Premium Potting Mix.

Step 2: Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Remove the shrub from the container and gently tease the roots.

Step 3: Position in hole and backfill with soil or potting mix, gently firming down. For camellias growing in the garden, form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil

around the outer edge of the plant's root zone – this helps keep water where it's needed. Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes. Container grown camellias will need regular watering.

Step 4: Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk.

Step 5: Water deeply, 2-3 times a week, depending on weather.

Step 6: Feed every spring and autumn with Yates Thrive Granular Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Food to encourage healthy green leaf growth, strong root development and lots of beautiful flowers.

GREEN THUMB CAMELLIA TIPS Camellias, as well as azaleas and rhododendrons, prefer a slightly acidic soil (soil with a pH of less than 7). If your soil is alkaline, apply some Yates Soil Acidifier Liquid Sulfur to reduce the pH of the soil.

If you’ve had problems with camellia bud balling in the past, where buds form but go brown and don’t open, an application of liquid magnesium might help.

Yates Leaf Greener Magnesium Chelate is a concentrated source of fast acting magnesium that can help correct magnesium deficiency in camellias.

watch out, camellia pests about

Growing tips

P R OBL EM Sap sucking and chewing pests like aphids, thrips and caterpillars

»Camellias

are remarkably drought tolerant, but the plants will perform at their best if water stress is kept to a minimum.

SY MP TO MS Distorted or chewed foliage, petal spotting S O LUTI O N Yates Mavrik Gun Insect

»Watch

out for sunburn.

Even the sun-hardiest camellia can burn on an extra-hot day, which can lead to leaf fungal problems.

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P R E PA R E YO U R G A R D E N I N A U T U M N

bring your soil to life Autumn is a fabulous time of year to be out in the garden!

The scorching heat of summer has faded, but the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth – perfect conditions for planting! But before you do, it’s important to improve the soil so your plants will have the best start to life.

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the secret is in the soil

The key to planting success is soil preparation.

Enriching your soil before planting with a concentrated source of organic matter, like Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone has multiple benefits.

What does it do?

• The rich concentrated organic matter in Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone enables better water and nutrient holding capacity in the soil.

• It’s boosted with NZ Seaweed to promote strong roots and healthy plant growth.

• Feeds worms and micro-organisms to help build a healthier soil.

• Assists drainage and aeration for better root growth.

• Good source of slow release organic nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium).

H E R E ' S A F E W I D E A S TO

kick start your autumn growing journey

» Sow and plant some vegies & herbs like broccoli, cabbage, Chinese wombok, kale, peas, lettuce, spring onions, silverbeet, spinach, onions,

?

D I D YO U K N OW

rocket and parsley. Check plant tags and seed packs for the correct timing for your area. » Choose autumn foliage trees & shrubs like Japanese maples and crepe myrtles while they're at their colourful best. » Plant gorgeous spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths and freesias in sunny garden beds or decorative pots and cover a bare fence by sowing seed of beautifully fragrant sweet peas. » Add flowering plants to your garden, like lavender, salvia and calendula to attract and feed bees and other beneficial insects.

Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone is certified for use in organic gardens by BioGro NZ, so it's perfect for people wanting to feed their plants and nurture their soil organically.

» Love citrus? Autumn is a great time to plant citrus trees in the garden or in pots. This provides the young trees plenty of time during the cooler months to settle in to their new home before bursting into life in spring. Just be sure to remove any fruit that is growing on the newly planted trees to help the tree develop. A small loss of fruit now, will be worth the abundance of fruit in the years to come! » Regularly reapply Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone in the vegie patch and around trees, shrubs and flowers to provide plants with gentle, slow release nutrients and continue to help improve the quality of the soil.

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A U T U M N L AW N C A R E

lawn and order Did your lawn cop a beating this summer?

Whether it was backyard cricket, festive gatherings or getting scorched in the heat, it may be looking a little worse for wear. . . But don’t despair, now is the time to restore ‘lawn and order’ and get it looking as good as new! Plus, by giving your lawn a bit of love now, it will be better prepared for the chilly months ahead and ready for a fantastic spring.

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Cutting it fine Does your lawn feel spongy underfoot? If so, you can lower the mower to help remove the thatch to encourage new growth. Otherwise, for most lawns, keep the mower high and catch the clippings.

FEED ME: The air temperature is cooler but the soil is still warm enough to promote growth, so it's a great time to feed your lawn. Use an organic lawn food like Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Lawn Food, which contains nitrogen for rich green grass growth and potassium to promote lawn health.

Weed control Get on top of weeds now to help prevent the grief later!

Control weeds like thistles and clover with Yates Weed'n'Feed.

Yates Weed'n'Feed comes in an easy to use hose-on applicator, a concentrate for dilution in a watering can or sprayer and also granules, to control the most common broadleaf weeds in lawns.

Yates Weed'n'Feed will also give the lawn a quick burst of nutrients to promote healthy green growth.

Moss can develop on lawns in moist, poorly drained, compacted and shady areas.

If not controlled, moss can start to compete with the lawn and make it look untidy.

Here’s how to help keep your lawn free from moss: • Trim back overhanging trees and shrubs to allow more sunlight into shaded lawn areas.

• In compacted spots, aerate the soil by pushing a garden fork into the soil across the area multiple times.

• Apply Yates Weed’n’Feed Mosskiller over the mossy areas. It’s a fast and effective way to kill the moss and also fertilise the lawn, which encourages strong grass growth which helps prevent the moss from regrowing.

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Create a brand new lawn: Mild conditions in early to mid autumn are ideal for starting a new lawn from seed or rolls of turf. The warm soil will encourage new root growth and lawn establishment before winter and cooler air temperatures make it easier to keep the new lawn moist.

H O W T O S TA R T A N E W

H O W T O S TA R T A N E W

L AW N F R O M S E E D

L AW N F R O M R O L L S O F T U R F

» Remove any existing lawn grasses and

» Remove any existing lawn grasses and weeds

weeds by spraying the area with Yates Zero

by spraying the area with Yates® Zero®

Weedkiller. After the grass and weeds have

Weedkiller. After the grass and weeds have

died (in around 2 weeks), rake up all the

died (in around 2 weeks), rake up all the

dead foliage.

dead foliage.

®

®

» Lawn seed needs a nice soft surface to grow in. Using a rake, loosen the soil and create shallow furrows across the area.

» Yates has a fantastic range of professional seed to suit every lawn. Yates Sow Any Time grows a sun and shade tolerant blend of rye & fescue, Yates Tuffgrass is quick to establish and creates a hardwearing lawn, Yates Kikuyu Blend is a vigorous warm

» If the soil surface is hard, loosen with a rake, apply a layer of lawn top dressing.

» Lay rolls of turf in a brick pattern, fitting each piece together snugly.

» Water the area thoroughly. It’s very important to keep the soil moist while the new turf establishes.

climate grass that's great for high traffic areas and Yates Luxury Lawn grows a uniform, fine, deep green lawn.

» Measure out the required amount of lawn seed for your area.

» Broadcast the seed over the area and then lightly rake it into the top soil.

» Gently water the area. It’s very important to keep the soil moist while the seed germinates and the young grass seedlings establish.

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TIME FOR

LAWN ACTION! Do you need to sort a patchy lawn by over-sowing with lawn seed, or perhaps start from scratch with a new lawn? Choosing the right lawn seed (with fungicide & bird repellent) is vital.

Yates® Sow Any Time A clever Rye & Fescue blend, developed to germinate from 3°C all year round. Tolerant of both sun and shade – re-sow your lawn now, and then oversow to thicken your lawn throughout the year if needed.

Yates® Tuffgrass Specifi cally developed as a quick to establish lawn that withstands substantial wear and tear.

Perfect for kids’ play areas.

Yates® Kikuyu Blend A vigorous, warm climate grass, suited to high traffi c & play areas, coastal gardens and drought prone districts in frost free regions.

Ryegrass germinates fi rst and protects Kikuyu until it establishes.

Yates® Luxury Lawn A fescue blend for those who love a fi ne grass, with a uniform and luxurious appearance to their lawn.

Produces an excellent deep green coloured lawn.

For a fast lawn reno – Yates® Quick Fix is perfect. It contains both lawn seed & fertiliser, and is perfect to reinvigorate an existing lawn or patching/ oversowing high traffi c areas.

an existing lawn or patching / oversowing high traffi c areas.

Go to yates.co.nz for more lawn tips & tricks G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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INDOOR PLANT PROFILE

G R E E N S P OT L I G H T

monstera

MAGIC & FABULOUS

fiddle leaf fig G R O W I N G W I T H Y O U - YA T E S

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LO O K I N G TO A D D S O M E L E A F Y L U S H N E S S I N TO YO U R H O M E ?

Monsteras and fiddle leaf figs are two of the most popular indoor plants and their impressive large leaves bring an instant jungle feel into indoor spaces.

How to grow a monstera Monstera (Monstera deliciosa), also called the Swiss cheese or fruit salad plant, has large deep green heart shaped leaves with interesting holes and splits.

It’s a real statement plant and being a climber can be trained up a support or left to trail.

POSITION Place in a brightly lit spot, out of direct sunlight.

POTS & POTTING MIX Use a pot with good drainage holes and fill with a good quality potting mix like Yates Thrive Indoor Plants Potting Mix. WAT E R I N G Keep the potting mix slightly moist. To check moisture levels, insert your finger into the top few cm of mix. If it feels dry or dusty, it’s time to rewater.

MAKE MORE

little MONSTERAS Looking to multiply your monstera collection?

It’s easy to do! Look for nodes along a stem and then carefully cut just below a node. Insert the cutting in a glass of water and position in a bright spot, out of direct sunlight.

Top up the water weekly (or as needed) and hopefully, you’ll see roots forming over the next few weeks.

FEEDING To promote lush healthy green growth, feed your monstera with Yates Thrive Indoor Plants & Ferns Drippers or Yates Thrive Houseplant Liquid Plant Food.

Keeping your monstera looking fantastic Remove any old or yellow foliage and stems and dust the leaves regularly. Spray with Yates Leaf Shine to promote a glossy appearance.

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How to grow a fiddle leaf fig A tall fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) with its super sized leaves is an impressive plant for the corner of a room. It can be used as a fabulous backdrop for other indoor plants or used as a lush focal point on its own.

POSITION Place in a brightly lit spot, out of direct sunlight.

POTS & POTTING MIX Use a pot with good drainage holes and fill with a good quality potting mix like Yates Thrive Indoor Plants Potting Mix. WAT E R I N G Keep the potting mix consistently slightly moist.

To check moisture levels, insert your finger into the top few cm of mix. If it feels dry or dusty, it’s time to rewater. During hot dry weather, your fig will appreciate having its leaves being misted with water.

FEEDING To promote lush healthy green growth, feed your fiddle leaf fig with Yates Thrive Indoor Plants & Ferns Drippers or Yates Thrive Houseplant Liquid Plant Food.

Keeping your fiddle leaf fig looking fantastic Dust the large leaves regularly. If your fig grows too tall, pinch out the top of the stem, which will encourage bushier growth. And to promote upright symmetrical growth, rotate the pot by 90 degrees every few weeks so all sides of the plant are given access to sunlight.

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Indoor Indoor Indoor plant care plant care plant care made easy! made easy!

made easy!

NEW Yates® Thrive® indoor ® plant Yates care range is®specially NEW Thrive indoor formulated to help your plant care range is® specially ® NEW Yates indoor Thrive indoor precious plants Thrive® formulated to help your plant care range specially precious indooris plants Thrive®

HOW TO USE 1

HOW TO USE

formulated to help your precious indoor plants Thrive®

Write start date on the dripper to help 1 remember to Write startwhen date on feed next. to help the dripper remember when to feed next.snip off the tip 2 Carefully of date the dripper Write start on as indicated by the 2 the dripper Carefully snip offcut theline. tip to help Do not cut into the ofwhen the dripper as rememberupper to tube wide area. indicated by the cut line. feed next.Do not cut into the 3 Insert at area. the upper dripper wide tube edge of the pot. Do Carefully snip off the tip 3 not insert right next to Insertstem. dripper at the of the dripper as plant of cut the pot. indicated edge by the line.Do not insert right next to Do not cut into the plant stem.

HOW TO USE

upper wide tube area.

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M O T H E R I N L AW ' S T O N G U E

Mother-in-Law's Tongue

Whether you call them mother-in-law’s tongue, snake plant or viper’s bowstring hemp, sansevieria (Sansevieria trifasciata) has become super trendy over recent years and potted specimens feature prominently in modern landscape and interior design. They’re very hardy, are slow growing, don’t mind drying out, require minimal maintenance and will tolerate low levels of light, making them ideal for growing indoors and also for beginner and time-poor gardeners.

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How to grow

Mother-In-Law's Tongue STEP 1: Choose a well-drained pot at least 200 mm wide (or larger, depending on the size of your plant).

Position in a brightly lit spot, out of direct sunlight.

It will also grow well in low light areas.

STEP 2: Half fill the pot with Yates Specialty Potting Mix Cacti & Succulents.

STEP 3: Remove the plant from its original container, and gently tease out the outer roots if they’re compacted.

STEP 4: Position the plant in the middle of the new pot and backfill around the roots with fresh potting mix.

Keep the level of new potting mix the same as the original level of mix around the plant, so that all the roots are covered. Water well to settle the potting mix around the roots.

STEP 5: Allow the potting mix to dry out almost completely before re-watering. Check moisture levels in the potting mix by inserting your finger into the top few centimetres of mix.

STEP 6: To promote healthy growth, feed with Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Cacti & Succulents every 2 months from spring to autumn.

GREEN THUMB TIPS Mother-in-law’s tongue does not like wet feet so make sure you don’t overwater.

You can create more plants by dividing up the pot every few years and also taking leaf cuttings during the warmer months.

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H O W T O G R O W S T R AW B E R R I E S

How to grow

strawberries

If you love devouring sweet fresh strawberries, or enjoy a home made strawberry cheesecake, pavlova, trifle or muffins, then it’s time to grow a patch or pot of these delicious berries at your place.

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It’s easy to grow your very own strawberries and autumn is the perfect time to start strawberries from crowns, runners or small potted plants.

Before planting strawberry plants into a sunny well-drained garden bed, enrich the soil first with some Yates® Thrive® Natural Blood & Bone. For potted strawberries, use a quality potting mix like Yates Premium Potting Mix and position the pot in a warm sunny spot. Strawberries look fantastic in a window box, hanging basket, trough or special strawberry pot.

Keep the soil or potting mix moist and feed each week with Yates Thrive® Strawberry & Berry Fruit Liquid Plant Food.

It’s a complete fertiliser that’s boosted with extra fruit-encouraging potassium to help promote a great berry harvest. Pick strawberries regularly to help promote an extended harvest.

Strawberry PEST WATCH Snails and slugs love chewing into strawberries.

Keep strawberries well mulched with Lucerne or pea straw, which helps keep the berries up off the soil, and lightly sprinkle Yates Blitzem® Snail & Slug Pellets around the strawberry patch to help attract and kill damaging snails and slugs. You may also need to net your strawberry plants to protect them from hungry birds.

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C O N T R O L L I N G R AT S & M I C E

Controlling

Rats & Mice

IN YOUR GARDEN

Rats and mice can become an increasing problem during the cooler months, as they’re searching for food and shelter.

There are two common types of rats that live in suburban New Zealand. The black rat (also known as the roof rat) and the brown rat (also called the Norway rat). They’re both around 16 – 20 cm long with a smooth coat and big, thin ears.

Mice are usually around 7.5 – 10 cm long with a smaller tail.

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Out in the garden, rodents can infest compost bins, worm farms and chicken coops, dig tunnels in garden beds and eat home grown fruit and vegetables like tomatoes, sweet corn, citrus and strawberries. They can also eat freshly sown seeds, seedlings and bulbs.

Rats and mice need warmth, shelter, food and water. To reduce rat and mouse problems, it’s important to try and minimise their access to these 4 things.

In the garden, ensure that worm farms have barriers in place to stop rodent access, consider using a sealed compost bin or tumbler that prevents rats and mice from entering, reduce clutter around the garden that provides hiding and nesting spaces, move water sources (such as bird baths) and bird feeders up off the ground and use rodent-proof chicken feeders.

And remove any fallen or old fruit and vegetables in your vegie patch and orchard that could provide a source of food for rodents.

Hearing scratches in your roof or walls? Or seeing chewed food packets or small droppings?

Then rodents might be venturing into the house! To control rats and mice that are coming inside, place Ratsak Fast Kill Mouse Traps or Ratsak Waxblocks in rooms where they can be most active, such as in the laundry, garage or kitchen.

You can also place trap stations in the garden to control rats and mice. RatsakÂŽ Trap Station is a strong, reusable, durable and poison-free station that features a lock and key to help keep children and pets away from the traps.

The station contains a powerful, easy to bait and set trap, that is effective against both mice and rats. The trap can be baited with peanut butter or hazelnut spread. Place the trap station where there are signs of rodent activity, in dark sheltered places and along fences, garden beds and retaining walls, with the entry holes parallel and close to the wall.

Continue using the trap until rodent activity in the garden ceases.

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CITRUS GROWING GUIDE

when life gives you

lemons, limes & oranges...

What’s life without citrus? Lemon tarts, orange and poppy seed muffins, kumquat marmalade and a slice of lime in your gin and tonic‌there is so much variety to be had from these juicy fruits. So, it pays to grow your own! The trees can grow up to 4-6 m depending on the variety, but you can also buy dwarf forms, which grow up to 1.5-2 m and are perfect for pots.

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H OW TO G R OW C I T R U S I N A G A R D E N :

Step 1:

Step 3:

Choose a sunny spot (at least 6-8 hours of full sun) with well-drained soil. If the soil is clay based, improve soil structure by adding gypsum and forking in well.

In poorly drained areas, citrus can also be planted in a raised mound of free-draining soil.

Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down.

Form a raised or doughnutshaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone - this helps keep water where it's needed. Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil moist for several months while the new plant establishes.

Step 2: Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Mix some Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone into the hole to improve the quality of the soil and help give the new tree the best possible start. Remove the tree from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

Step 4: Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk.

Step 5: Water deeply, once or twice a week, depending on weather conditions.

Step 6: Feed your citrus regularly with Yates Thrive Citrus food.

H OW TO G R OW C I T R U S I N A P OT:

A potted citrus tree looks fantastic on a sunny deck, veranda or patio. Choose dwarf varieties of citrus for growing in pots.

Step 1:

Step 3:

Choose a pot at least 500 mm wide. Position in full sun (at least 6-8 hours of full sun) and fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates Premium Potting Mix.

Position in hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.

Tip: Consider placing the pot on wheels if you live in a cold area, so it can be easily moved inside or to a more protected spot in winter.

Water thoroughly, 2-3 times a week, depending on weather conditions.

Step 2:

Feed potted citrus regularly with Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food.

Remove the tree from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

Step 4:

Step 5:

top tips for healthy citrus • Citrus trees are always hungry, so it's important to feed them regularly with a specially formulated citrus food, like Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food or Yates Thrive Granular Citrus Food, to encourage healthy green leaf growth and lots of flowers and juicy fruit. • Keep the soil around citrus trees moist. It helps to apply a layer of mulch around the root zone to retain moisture. Citrus grown in pots will dry out faster than in-ground plants, so regular watering is essential.

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Kumquats: Kumquats are known for their very tart citrus flavour and are most commonly used in jams, marmalades and preserves. Many people also enjoy eating kumquats whole, including the fragrant skin, which can be sweeter than the flesh itself.

There are several different varieties of kumquats, also called cumquats, including oval fruited 'Meiwa' and 'Nagami'.

Kumquats can be very decorative trees, with their white fragrant flowers in spring and brightly coloured fruit covering the trees during winter.

Kumquats are often grown purely as ornamental trees, however marmalade makers will appreciate a basket of fruit!

Kumquats can grow up to 5m tall or around 2.5m for dwarf grafted trees, which are ideal for growing in smaller spaces and also pots. They’re hardy trees and will grow well in cool climates as well as warm areas. They need a spot with well-drained soil that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day.

When planting into the ground, mix some Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone into the bottom of the planting hole. Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone improves the quality of the soil and supplies the newly planted kumquat with gentle, organic nutrients as it establishes.

Keep the new tree well watered, particularly during its first summer. Kumquats are heavy feeders and require lots of nutrients to support all the foliage, flowers and developing fruit.

Feed kumquat trees every 1 - 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food. It contains a special blend of nutrients including nitrogen to encourage healthy green leaf growth, phosphorus for a strong root system and potassium to promote lots of flowers and fruit.

Early to mid autumn is an ideal time to plant a new kumquat tree. When growing a kumquat in a container, choose a well drained pot that’s at least 40 cm in diameter and use a good quality potting mix like Yates® Premium Potting Mix.

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Citrus pest watch During late summer and early autumn, citrus can produce a new flush of foliage. These tender new leaves can be vulnerable to attack from aphids. Aphids are small sap feeding insects that can be green, brown or black and cause young leaves to twist and curl under. The leaf damage caused by aphids is permanent, so it’s very important to control the aphids before they have a chance to affect the leaves. Prevention is the key!

Green thumb pest tips Sap feeding insects like aphids and scale excrete a sweet substance called honeydew. Ants feed on this honeydew, so if you spot ants crawling up and into your citrus trees, it’s a sign of a sap feeding insect pest. Honeydew also attracts a disease called sooty mould, which appears as a dark grey ash like film over leaves and stems. Once the insect pest is controlled, the ants and sooty mould will disappear.

Regularly spraying citrus trees with Yates Nature’s Way Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray will control destructive aphids. It contains an effective combination of pyrethrin, a natural extract from the pyrethrum daisy, and vegetable oil, and is approved for use in organic gardening.

Scale is another common citrus sap feeding pest and appears as small white, brown, pink or black raised bumps on leaves, stems and fruit.

Yates Nature’s Way Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray will also control scale infestations. Spray trees thoroughly to ensure direct coverage of the scale insects.

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O U T D O O R S PAC E S

Transform your

outdoor

We all love spending time in our ‘outdoor rooms’ like decks, verandas and patios. It’s easy to jazz up these spaces with a few potted plants, which can be both decorative and delicious! Here are a few ideas to transform your outdoor spaces into leafy and colourful havens.

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DECK SALAD Growing your own leafy greens means you have an ongoing supply of fresh and healthy salad ingredients when you need them. Find a sunny spot on a deck, patio or veranda that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day, fill a 40 cm diameter pot with Yates Premium Potting Mix, and sow or plant a range of vegies like loose leaf lettuces, baby spinach, rocket, tatsoi and spring onions. Keep the potting mix moist, feed regularly with Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food and you’ll have a delicious home grown deck salad!

BBQ HERBS A bunch of herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil and oregano are perfect to use as a fragrant BBQ basting brush or to take back into the kitchen to add to your gourmet creations. It’s easy to grow a few pots of herbs in sunny outdoor spaces, so you’ll never have to buy supermarket herbs again. Grow warmth loving Mediterranean type herbs like rosemary, thyme and oregano together (they look great in terracotta pots) and combine lush leafy herbs like parsley, basil and coriander in a decorative trough. They’ll look and taste fantastic.

FLOWER POWER The cooler months don’t have to be drab if you include a few pots of vibrant flowers in your outdoor spaces. Pots, window boxes and hanging baskets of violas and pansies, alyssum, lobelia, English daisies, cornflowers, lavender and salvias help make your outdoor entertaining and relaxing areas inviting and colourful. Don’t forget to feed your potted flowers each week with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food, to help promote lots of fabulous flowers.

POTTED CITRUS Citrus trees like oranges, mandarins and lemons have lush green leaves, fragrant white spring flowers and colourful and delicious fruit. They could almost be the perfect plant! Dwarf varieties of citrus are compact and perfect for growing in pots and half wine barrels in sunny outdoor positions. Keep the most common citrus insect pests, such as aphids and scale, under control with Yates Nature's Way Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray. It’s based on natural ingredients and approved for use in organic gardening. Citrus make a lovely leafy addition to a deck or patio and you’ll have fresh and juicy fruit to enjoy too.

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ORGANIC GARDENING

Organic

gardening

Growing fruit and vegies at home is so satisfying and you’ll be rewarded with super fresh and amazingly tasty produce. Gardeners wanting to care for their plants using organic methods can grow a healthy and productive garden with these simple tips:

FEEDING

HOME MADE COMPOST

Well fed plants are healthier, will give you more fresh produce, a fantastic flower show, and are better able to resist pests and diseases. Vegies, herbs and fruit trees, as well as flowers, shrubs, trees, roses and potted plants all need feeding with a complete fertiliser, that contains the right blend of the important nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food is a rich blend of composted chicken manure, blood & bone, fishmeal and seaweed that provides your plants with the nutrition they need for healthy growth. Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food also helps breathe life back into your soil.

You can organically feed all plants, all year round with Dynamic Lifter.

Deciduous trees can provide you with wheel barrows of fantastic fallen leaves during Autumn.

Rake them up, mix with some kitchen scraps, garden prunings and some Yates Nature's Way Compost Maker and turn them into compost.

Yates Nature's Way Compost Maker contains biological accelerators to help speed up the composting process and help create fabulous compost that you can then mix into vegie and flower beds in a few months time.

K E E P I N G C AT E R P I L L A R S UNDER CONTROL Turn your back on cool season vegies like cabbage, broccoli and kale and caterpillars can rapidly skeletonise leaves. If you’ve noticed small white butterflies hovering around the vegie patch, these are likely to be ‘cabbage white butterflies’. They lay small yellow oval shaped eggs on the leaves, which hatch into very hungry caterpillars! Organic gardeners can control caterpillars effectively with Yates Nature's Way Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray, which is based on pyrethrin, a natural extract from the pyrethrum daisy and vegetable oil. To keep caterpillars under control, spray foliage each week, including the undersides of foliage where caterpillars often hide.

There are lots of different composting systems available, ranging from enclosed compost tumblers to do it yourself bays or frames in the back corner of the yard. Whatever you have space for, creating your own compost helps makes the most of organic materials that could otherwise end up in land fill.

APHID CONTROL Aphids are commonly attracted to tender new leaves and stems of cool season vegies like broccoli and kale. Aphids are small sap sucking insects that can multiply rapidly and damage plants. Organic gardeners can control aphids quickly with Yates Nature's Way Natrasoap Vegie Insect Gun, which is an insecticidal soap that targets soft bodied insects like aphids. Spray foliage every 10 - 12 days, including the undersides of foliage where aphids hide, to help keep aphids under control.

Yates Nature’s Way Organic Citrus, Vegie & Ornamental Spray and Yates Nature’s Way Natrasoap Vegie Insect Gun are approved for use in organic gardening by BioGro New Zealand.

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