February Gardening Guide
Theme for the month
Keep the garden moist during dry weather with a thorough and gentle watering every 5 – 7 days. This will seep into the subsoil and be more beneficial than a quick sprinkle every day.
Mulch around plants after watering thoroughly, and make use of water storage granules, re-wetting agents and irrigation systems.
Dig plenty of Kiwi Garden Compost “plus”into the vege garden in preparation for planting of winter crops including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauli, leeks, kale and silver beet.
Continue dead heading roses and perennials to promote a flush of autumn flowers.
General
Water deeply during dry periods. Deep watering trains roots to grow down, making plants less vulnerable to heat and drought. Use mulches, water storage granules, re-wetting agents and irrigation systems to help retain moisture during autumn.
Fungal diseases spread rapidly in humid weather. Spray with Kiwi Garden Copper Oxychloride to help prevent and control fungus in your garden.
Keep the garden clean of disease by cleaning garden tools after use; maintaining good airflow through the garden by trimming overcrowded plants; ventilating glasshouses.
Feed seedlings with a side dressing of Kiwi Garden Liquid Blood n Bone to give them a good boost early on.
Apply Liquid fertiliser, every two to three weeks, to keep plants growing actively.
Turn your compost heap regularly, using a large garden fork, to aerate the heap and encourage the micro-organisms and bacteria that help break down organic matter, turning it into rich compost.
Pull weeds, before they flower and go to seed. Place them in the compost bin (or rubbish bin if they are already seeding).
Avoid cutting lawns too closely. Leaving some length will prevent the lawn from drying out.
Edible Garden
February is the time to prepare the vege garden for winter crops. Build up the soil first by digging in plenty of Kiwi Garden Compost “plus”. Add a dressing of Kiwi Garden General Fertiliser for an even balance of plant food.
Check out our range of seasonal Growfresh vege seedlings in stores. Fresh plants are arriving weekly. Vegetables ready for planting include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, leeks, onions, silver beet, spring onions, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, spinach & peas.
Dig potatoes when the tops die off. Lift, dry and store garlic, shallots and onions. Hang up inside to ripen before cleaning and storing. Harvest pumpkins and store in cool dry place.
In warmer areas, continue to plant dwarf beans and runner beans for autumn harvest.
Plant rhubarb now to use in delicious, warm winter desserts.
Side dress all winter maturing vegetables with Daltons 7 in 1 Vegetable Fertiliser Pellets or Kiwi Garden Blood n Bone.
Continue taking laterals off your Tomatoes and harvesting ripe Tomatoes daily. Remove any fallen or diseased fruit to prevent disease spreading and spray regularly with Kiwi Garden Marvel Insect Spray to guard against Tomato/Potato Psyllid.
Cabbage, broccoli and leeks will be making rapid growth - keep them well watered and side dress with Daltons 7 in 1 Vegetable Fertiliser Pellets.
Sweetcorn, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, courgettes, garlic, onions, early carrots, capsicums, new and mid-season potatoes, peas, beans and lettuces all come ready for harvest.
Pick sweetcorn when the tassels have begun to dry and turn brown.
Pick cucumbers and courgettes daily, as they come ready, to encourage continuous fruiting, and before the courgettes turn into marrows!
Continue to sow radish and lettuce seeds (lettuce will thrive best in shade in the hottest months).
Continue to harvest apples, pears, plums and peaches. Keep all fruit trees well-watered to encourage larger fruit.
Maintain a regular fruit tree spray programme and apply Kiwi Garden Citrus Fertiliser to all Citrus fruits and other autumn fruiting plants including feijoas, kiwifruit, and guavas.
Prune raspberries once fruiting has finished. Remove the canes that have borne fruit, leaving the unfruited canes for next season.
Use bird-netting to protect all ripening fruit – especially soft stone fruit and berry fruit.
Spray passionfruit, peaches and nectarines with Kiwi Garden Marvel Insect Spray to control insect pests.
Flower Garden
Check out our range of seasonal Growflora flower seedlings in stores. Fresh plants are arriving weekly. Try our super colour 4 packs for more advanced flowering plants to give instant colour to patio pots and gardens.
Flowers to plant for autumn colour include marigolds, petunias, asters, zinnias, Livingstone daisies and portulaca.
Continue dead heading roses and perennials to promote a flush of autumn flowers.
Spray plants for powdery mildew, which spoils roses, begonias and many others. Control with Kiwi Garden Copper Oxychloride.
Trim summer flowering shrubs and perennials that have finished flowering.
Plant spring bulbs including: Freesias, Anemones, Ranunculus, Daffodils, Crocus, Iris and Hyacinths. Prepare soil with plenty of Kiwi Garden Compost “plus” and some Daltons 7 in 1 Garden Pellets.
Plant pots of Anemone and Ranunculus bulbs every 2 weeks to provide staggered flowering right through spring.
Bulbs in the ground (or pots) are best divided every few years – lift bulbs, divide off the baby bulbs and replant them in well-composted soil (or fresh Dalton’s Premium Bulb Mix in pots).
Fertilise existing and newly planted bulbs with Kiwi Garden Bulb Food to help them form strong roots before they sprout in spring.
Control whitefly with Kiwi Garden Derris Dust. Apply at three-day intervals for two weeks to break the breeding cycle.
Stake dahlias to protect and support large blooms. Liquid fertilise regularly to promote more autumn blooms.
Feed Rhododendrons, Daphne, Azaleas and Pieris with Kiwi Garden Acid Fertiliser to ensure good bud development for spring flowering.
Repot cyclamens into fresh potting mix. Feed with Kiwi Slow Release Fertiliser or a soluble fertiliser like Kiwi Garden Houseplant Fertiliser.
Sow Violas, Pansies, Polyanthus and Primulas in trays of Kiwi Garden Seed Raising Mix. Once established, transplant seedlings into pots or the garden for winter colour.