Kings Plant Barn Say Plant Now!

October is planting time for tomatoes, peppers, herbs and lavender, and Kings Plant Barn have everything anyone could ever need in the garden this year including all the vegetables and flower plants, and the essentials such as liquid tomato feed and potted veggie mix.

The team at Kings say now is the time to weed, feed, mulch and protect from pests, with October being one of the busiest months of the gardening calendar as conditions are perfect now for plants to start growing. However, that includes weeds so we need to stay on top of these to give veggies, flowers and lawns a head start.

Seedlings can now be planted straight into the garden and Kings have a full range available, including tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplant and basil. They have unusual varieties including heirloom tomatoes such as Brandywine. However there is still plenty of time to get veggie seeds sown, either in seed trays or straight into the ground. It is also time to plant basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary in warm sunny spots in free-draining soil rich in organic matter. Coriander, parsley and rocket shoould be grown in part shade to protect them from the afternoon sun.

Passionfruit can now be planted in a warm sunny spot, top-dressed with sheep pellets. Similarly, rhubarb is so easy to grow, again with sheep pellets from Kings. Strawberries can be planted before the end of the month to reap fruit in December, and citrus can also now be planted in free draining soil, rich in organic matter.

There is still a good selection of roses in-store to choose from which can be planted now to enjoy their blooms all spring and summer. October sees the arrival of everyone’s favourite tropical plant, the Hibiscus, perfect for a hot spot in the garden. Larger trees and shrubs can also go in now with a mix of Kings Compost, sheep pellets and topsoil so that they still have time to get their roots down while it’s still cool and moist.

Finally this month we can add some potted colour for instant colour to our garden beds and patio. Kings have a large selection, including Alyssum, Snap Dragons, Calendula, Gazanias, Lobelia, Marigolds and Petunias, so visit their website now at http://www.kings.co.nz .