The recent rain at the end of a long hot summer, has promoted an autumn flush in the garden. Now is an opportune time to get some fertilizer on your lawn, trees and shrubs to optimize plant growth before the winter sets in.
I have noticed a mass of new growth on our Murraya hedges at home and have given them and the Ficus pumilia (below), a well needed trim. I also gave the plants a top up mulch to keep the moisture in the soil.
Mulching
A 50-75 mm top up of mulch on your garden beds now, will also help to keep the weeds at bay and keep those soil micro organisms happy within the plants root zone.
The warmth and the rain have also brought out the bugs, as conditions are optimal, so be vigilant and give your plants a protective organic spray, or a power feed or seasol treatment to fortify the plants against pest and disease attack.
Vegetable planting
Now is a perfect time to get those vegetables planted. Lettuce, beans, aubergine, tomatoes, cucumber and zucchini can go in the ground now.
Don’t forget to mulch around the seedlings and give them some Seasol post planting, to help their roots develop quickly and maximize the autumn flush.
Spring will be here before we know it!