An alphabetical guide to spring gardening
Here’s a practical alphabetical checklist for the spring garden:
A – Abelias can be cut back (as hard as you like) and fed with Dynamic Lifter pellets.
B – Beans should be sown as soon as the soil is warm. Don’t overwater.
C – Check camellias for scale insects and, if found, spray with Scale Gun or PestOil.
D – Dahlias tubers can be planted in spring but remember to protect new shoots with a sprinkling of Blitzem or Baysol pellets.
E – Everlasting daisies grow easily from seed and are favourites with kids.
F – Frangipanis come into leaf in spring. Watch out for frangipani rust and keep a Yates Rose Gun on hand to treat this fungal problem.
G – Grevilleas are some of the best shrubs for attracting birds to the garden.
H – Hibiscus flower beetle can be controlled with long-lasting, systemic Confidor.
I – Irises make a sensational display in spring. Make sure bearded iris are planted in full sun with their rhizomes (fat, sideways roots) at ground level.
J – Just one feed with Yates Acticote will be enough to keep pot plants in good health right though spring.
K – Kitchen gardens are top of the fashion stakes these days. This is the time to plant tomatoes, zucchinis, sweet corn, cucumbers, beans and basil.
L – Late blight, early blight (both are fungal diseases) and most of the common tomato pests can be controlled with the new Yates Tomato Dust (available October 08).
M – Mandarins, oranges, lemons and other citrus will all appreciate being given a spring feed with Dynamic Lifter for Citrus.
N – New colours in Yates Tuscan range will increase the popularity of these Australian-made plastic pots that are UV-protected to stand up to the hot Australian sun.
O – Orchids can be divided in October and re-potted into Yates Orchid Potting Mix. Feed with Acticote or Dynamic Lifter pellets.
P – Prune azaleas after flowering, feed with Yates Blood & Bone and spray with Confidor to protect leaves through summer from azalea lace bug.
Q – Quick-growing, leafy vegies such as lettuce and rocket should be fed every week with Thrive Soluble Plant Food. Because it’s a liquid, it gets into the leaves as well as the roots.
R – Roses are at the height of their glory in spring. Keep them looking at their best with the help of Dynamic Lifter for Roses and regular protection with Rose Gun (or Rose Shield in bigger gardens).
S – Sunflowers provide weeks of bright, cheerful summer colour. Yates Yellow Empress grows up to 2 metres tall but, if you’re short of space, try the pot-friendly Dwarf Sensation sunflower (pictured).
T- Tomatoes grown at home taste the best. Feed with Dynamic Lifter for Tomatoes and, in fruit fly areas, protect with Yates low toxic Nature’s Way Fruit Fly Control.
U – Under eaves, plants are much more likely to be attacked by sap-sucking insect pests (which flourish in dry conditions). Water leaves regularly and use Nature’s Way Natrasoap for non-toxic pest control.
V – Vegetable varieties that do well in pots include: silverbeet, baby carrots, chillies, beans, lettuces and baby beets.
W – Weedbusters are busy raising awareness of weeds and the damage they cause. For more information visit www.weeds.org.au
X – Xeriscaping is a term for landscaping with less water.
Y- Yates Garden Guide has been the trusted source of gardening information since 1895.
Z – Zucchinis started from seed in spring will be cropping in a matter of weeks.
