January Garden Guide

I have been trying to look after my garden with out using sprays. Everything has been going great, until my tomatoes started developing Mildew. I tried spraying them with Milk, told by a Organic person to do, but I'm not sure that has helped. What can I do. Thanks in advance D

Donna Rigg

I love the garden guides you provide, particularly re planting and feeding.

Anne Clark

I find the info in your news letters very helpful. More in-depth detail would be good on planting some vegie varieties. Thanks

Lorna Rush

My Husband & I are always grateful for help with our gardening. We have extensive flower & vegetables garden, plus hothouse/shadehouse.We get great pleasure producing flowers & vegetables to give to our friends,neighbours and charity shops.Thank you for any help you can give us.Gratefully appreciated.

Shirley-Anne Kivell

Hi Anne, that's fantastic to hear, thank you for this feedback. Thanks, Jenna - Tui Team

jenna

Hi Shirley-Anne, thank you for getting in touch with this feedback. We are glad to hear you find our information useful for your garden. It sounds like you have a wonderful productive garden. Enjoy. Thanks, Jenna - Tui Team.

jenna

Hi Lorna, thank you for this feedback. Check out our How to Guides here for more information - http://www.tuigarden.co.nz/how-to-guide Thanks, Jenna - Tui Team.

jenna

Hi Donna, that is a shame. We suggest trying Tui Disease Control for Fruit & Veges - http://www.tuigarden.co.nz/product/tui-disease-control-fruit-veges-shot it is a natural based spray with no withholding period. Thanks, Jenna - Tui Team

jenna

can you please tell me why our lime and lemon bushes drop their fruit once they are about the size of a pea, thanks in advance

rita

Hi I have had a really bad slug problem this year ... Eating my vegs.. What can help..

Olivia

Any tips on keeping the weeds around the veggies down the weeds in my garden are out competing my vegetables and also my tomato plants are huge but not fruitful

Megan

Hi Olivia, we recommend Tui Quash slug and snail control, see here: http://www.tuigarden.co.nz/product/tui-quash-slug-snail-control All the best, Tui Team

jenna

Hi Megan, mulching around plants will help reduce weeds as it suppresses weed growth. Find out more here: http://www.tuigarden.co.nz/product/tui-mulch-feed Tui Pea Straw Mulch will also help suppress weeds. For tomatoes planted in garden beds feed every four weeks during key growth periods of spring and summer. Tui Tomato Food is a blend of nitrogen, phosphorus and a generous amount of potassium formulated to promote the growth and fruiting potential of tomatoes. For tomatoes in pots and containers use Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser. Between monthly applications of Tui Tomato Food, apply Nitrosol Tomato Liquid Fertiliser made from blood and bone with added potassium at 7 to 10 day intervals. This will give your tomatoes an extra boost. All the best and happy gardening, Tui Team

jenna

Hi Rita, fruit drop is caused by stress ? water (too much or too little), temperature (hot/cold extremes), nutrition problems and/or pest/disease problems. Some things to consider: - How long as the tree been in the pot? It may need repotting, to replenish the growing media as it can become ?hydrophobic? ? which means the mix actually repels water. Use good quality mix like Tui Pot Power. This contains a six month controlled release fertiliser, so it will need feeding after that. - Have you fed the tree enough? For citrus in pots you need to take care to use a suitable fertiliser. Citrus are heavy feeders so need very regular fertiliser to keep the leaves dark green and glossy (no yellowing, curling or discoloured veins), with lots of new growth and fruit production. Use Scotts Osmocote Fruit, Citrus, Trees & Shrubs for citrus in pots, or Tui Citrus Food for trees planted in the ground. - Are you watering deeply enough? There should be enough water applied that it leaks steadily from the drainage holes in the pot, so that the growing media is well drenched. Mulch with Tui Mulch & Feed to assist with moisture retention. Check the moisture levels on the day you don?t normally water by poking your finger down into the dirt. If it?s damp it doesn?t need more watering that day, but if it?s dry, you may need to move to daily watering. - Is the tree exposed to cold snaps? Cover with protective cloth or move into a warm area if unseasonal cold spells/nights are expected. Limes aren?t frost hardy, so must be protected from frosts. Thanks, Tui Team

jenna

Hi Team, I have a problem in the vegetable garden with earwigs....can you supply a solution....

Gaenor

Hi, how late in the season can I plant Apple cucumber and expect to get fruit ?

Bruce Woodcock

Remove all affected leaves and spray with 1 tbs Baking Soda, 1 tbs cooking or horticultural oil + a few drops of dishwashing liquid in 4 litres of water. Spray under/over leaves, fruit and stems at least once every 5 days until it clears up.

Mike

Hi Gaenor, check out our info here on controlling earwigs: http://www.tuigarden.co.nz/garden-problem-solver/fruit-veges/earwig ^Tui Team

jenna

Hi Bruce, it is getting late to plant cucumber. Not sure where you live, but you could try putting some in by the end of this month. They have a harvest time of approximately 60 days. Thanks ^Tui Team

jenna

Hi when should I plant squashes? I have a number of seeds that I would like to plant. I would also like more info on how to plant and care for squash.

Veronica Labuschagne

Hi Veronica, the exact months to plant will depend on where you live: Aug-Feb in the upper North Island, Sept-Dec in the middle and lower North Island and Oct-Dec in the South Island. Choose as sunny position and dig over the site well. They love rich soil, so add plenty of compost and Tui Sheep Pellets. They require a long growing season of approximately four to six months. Water in the morning where possible and avoid getting the foliage wet. Happy gardening from the Tui Team

jenna

When can I plant citrus and stone fruit?

Noel Delany