Agapanthus
Vibrant, colourful flowers with shiny green leaves, Agapanthus can really brighten up your garden.
Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) are real heroes in the garden. Not only do their annual blooms smell fantastic, they can be used in salads, as cut flowers and they attract bees to the garden, making them great companions for many vegetables. They are also very hardy, making them great for kids and low care garden beds.
How to grow marigolds in your garden
- Choose a spot in the garden that receives full sun and prepare the planting area well by digging in Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser.
- Fill starter pots or trays with Yates Seed Raising Mix. Sow seeds, cover, firm down and water well. Keep the soil moist so the seeds don’t dry out. Alternatively, you can sow the seeds directly where they are to grow.
- Water gently and keep moist through germination period.
- The seedling are ready to transplant when they are approximately 5 cm in height.
- When transplanting them into your prepared garden bed, ensure seedlings are well spaced – at least 30 cm apart. Water in well.
- Mulch with an organic mulch, such as bark chips, sugar cane or pea straw.
- Feed every 1 to 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Roses and Flowers Liquid Plant Food.
How to grow marigolds in a pot
- Choose a pot at least 200 mm wide and deep. Position in full sun.
- Fill the chosen pots with quality potting mix, such as Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter.
- Plant directly into the pot by pressing the seeds lightly into the surface of the pot.
- Water gently and keep moist through germination period.
- Feed every 1 to 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Roses and Flowers Liquid Plant Food.
Growing tips
- Remove spent flowers to encourage further blooms.
- French Marigolds (T. patula) are known to be more effective than the African Marigolds (T. erecta) in attracting the root knot nematodes. These may help in control in the garden and vegetable patch.
- Plant Marigolds around the vegetable patch to encourage beneficial insects and bees to the garden and assist with repelling other insects such as the whitefly, cabbage butterfly and other pests.
- Flowers can be used in salads to create colour and texture.
- Kids love the bright yellow and orange colour of these flowers.
- There are two main varieties:
- French Marigolds – Tagetes patula
French Marigolds flowers are shapely but are flatter than their African counterparts and are relatively smaller in height reaching to about 40cm. Available in a variety of shades of yellow and orange
- African Marigold – T. erecta
Large pom pom like flowers in different shades of orange and yellow. Taller variety of marigold can reach up to 90 cm in height. There are compact cultivars available for those who prefer a smaller plant in their garden.
Ageratum
Ageratum flowers are tough plants that can even handle a bit of shade. They are the truest blue annuals you can find for your garden.
Ajuga
Looking for options for groundcover, try growing ajuga. Ajuga has a wide variety of foliage colors usually in the rich deep burgundy realm.
Allamanda
How to grow yellow Allamanda! A tropical evergreen shrub features large golden-yellow flowers. Please note in QLD it's an invasive plant.
Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser
Create organic nutrient rich soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter for better root growth, stronger plants and more flowers and fruit.
Yates Seed Raising Mix
An ideal mix for germination of vegetable, herb and flower seeds and for cutting propagation.
Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter
A high quality all purpose organic-based potting mix suitable for most indoor and outdoor potted plants.
Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food
Liquid plant food that provides your flowering plants with the balanced nutrients they require for healthy growth and flower production.
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