November

The warmer weather is now in sight and with it comes the weeds, pests and diseases. The focus for this month is keeping these under control and the best way to do that is to make sure your plants are well watered and well fed.

Key Points

• Existing tomato plants will need a little care, ensure they are staked, laterals are taken off and they are fed with tomato food.
• Keep planting salad crops for summer harvesting.
• Finish planting summer vegetables and herbs such as chillies, courgettes, cucumbers, beans and basil.
• Watch for insects on roses. Spray them if necessary.
• Feed all fruiting crops, flowering annuals, perennials and flowering shrubs.
• Plant your colour for Christmas and summer in pots.
• Plant to attract bees into the garden.
• Now is the time to plant a second crop of potatoes.
• Keep on top of weeds.

The Edible Garden

• This month keep making successional sowings of summer veges such as lettuce, beans, beetroot to keep a continuous supply over summer.
• Give established vege plants a side dressing of general fertiliser to keep growth active – remember to water well after feeding plants.
• Spray as necessary with Yates Mavrik to keep insect pests at bay while keeping bees safe.
• Plant Basil and tomatoes together – they are good companion plants.
• Maincrop potatoes can be planted now – more on potatoes here.
• Keep feeding tomatoes regularly with liquid tomato food.
• Dust cabbage and cauliflower plants with Derris Dust to control white butterfly caterpillar.

The Flower Garden

• Plant Fuchsias in shady parts of the garden that get dappled sunlight – they make a colourful summer display. Use lots of compost to get plants off to a good start.
• Fill pots and containers and hanging baskets with geraniums, cape daisies, impatiens, petunias, and Calibrachoa, for bright, colourful summer displays.
• Continue planting annual summer flowers such as cosmos, marigold, lobelia, petunias, impatiens, alyssum and portulaca.
• Feed roses with Rose Food and spray with Supershield to control insects and diseases.
• Water pots and hanging baskets daily. Feed weekly with liquid or soluble plant food such as Phostrogen.
• Repot orchids that have finished flowering.

The Lawn

• Apply lawn fertiliser and water in well.
• Avoid mowing your lawn too short, longer grass shades roots and helps prevent drying out.
• Spray established lawns with a treatment for broad leaf weeds.