November brings a burst of growth and colour to our gardens as the warm, humid season approaches. It’s a great month to prepare your garden so it’s looking great for the festive season ahead.
The Flower Garden
Christmas plant pots, containers and hanging baskets can be planted now to create some beautiful Christmas colour for your patio or table centrepiece. There are great plants available such as Bromeliads, Peperomia, Geranium, Vinca, Dichondra, Salvia and Euphorbia that will reward with bright, colourful displays that will last well beyond the festive season. Always use a premium quality potting mix to get the best out of your plants.
Water pots and hanging baskets regularly. Feed weekly with a liquid food such as Triple Boost to keep them looking their best.
Roses are loving the warm dry weather, but remember to water regularly to keep them healthy. Fertilise with a blend of Organix Xtra and Nitrophoska and watch out for aphids.
Repot orchids that have finished flowering.
November is a dry month so give your garden beds a deep soak, and mulch to help to retain moisture and your garden beds will be looking great for Christmas!
Take the time to clean up your yard before cyclone season. Clean up debris, palm fronds and loose branches that may fall in windy weather.
Lawns
Lift the mower blades. A longer lawn mown regularly will help to shade and cool the earth and grow denser and more compact grass. It will also encourage a deep root system for longer lasting green lawn.
Avoid over fertilising in the warmer months.
The Edible Garden
Make the transition to year round greens that will withstand the hot humid season and give you a continuous supply of salad greens and hardy vegetables that will thrive for the months to come. Plant now:
- Aibika
- Brazilian Spinach
- Sweetheart Spinach
- Longevity Spinach
- Snake Beans
- Chillis
- Eggplants
- Sweet Potato
- Pumpkins
Lychee and Mango are beginning to ripen. Check fruits daily for ripeness and pick slightly early to avoid local fauna getting to your crop first. For large harvests, cut and freeze mango to enjoy your crop for longer.
Harvest Pineapples as they begin to yellow and smell of fresh, sweet pineapple.
Other tropicals such as Jackfruit and Paw Paw continue to produce harvests.
Fertilise Citrus trees each month and deep water during the dry month of November.
