Autumn in

Autumn in the garden - March

Autumn is here and the growing season is slowing. March is a major harvesting period so the garden will be full of delicious crops to enjoy.

The garden will be laden with crops like tomatoes, beans, sweetcorn and beetroot, all ready to be picked, bottled, preserved, and prepared for use over the colder months. As it's a major harvesting period for both fruit and veges it's the perfect time to plant more for continuous harvests over the cooler months. Follow our guide below for your region.

Remember if you are growing from seed to dry and save seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and beans, and store them in labelled envelopes ready for sowing next spring.

With autumn's arrival the widest variety of bulbs are now in-store, so it’s time to pick your bulbs to plant for a stunning spring show.

Harvest time is from seedling planting to harvest. For seeds, depending on variety, it will take an extra 6-8 weeks from germination to planting.

Download our planting poster

Our handy calendar shows you when to plant in your region, including harvest dates.

When should I plant

Passionfruit Growing Guide

This time of the year's great to start planting:

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The Canterbury Vegetable Gardener's Diary

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Plant

Beetroot, bok choi, broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, leek, lettuce, mesclun, onion, parsley, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spinach.

HARVEST

Basil, beetroot, beans, broccoli, carrot, capsicum, celery, chilli, coriander, courgette, cucumber, eggplant, kale, leeks, lettuce, mesclun, parsley, parsnip, potatoes, pumpkin and squash, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spinach, tomatoes, sweetcorn.

Maintenance

Pumpkins - harvest and store any remaining pumpkins.
Many summer crops will be harvested and pulled out of the ground now. While any garden areas are empty take time to replenish the soil with a new layer of compost or Tui Sheep Pellets.

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The Canterbury Fruit Gardener's Diary

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Plant

Blueberry, strawberry, Chilean guava, feijoa, lemon, orange, mandarin, lime.

HARVEST

Apples, pears, grapes, Chilean guava, passionfruit, blueberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches, plums.

Maintenance

Remove runners from strawberry plants and pot into Tui Strawberry Mix, ready for planting out in the winter.
When planting fruit trees keep in mind that fruit requires a position in full sun. Shelter from prevailing winds is preferable.
Keep the soil moist and water fruit trees through dry periods.
Add Debco SaturAid to soils to help hold onto water.
Aphids, whitefly, mites and scale insects may be about, blast off with a hose or select a suitable spray from your garden centre.
Birds will spot ripening grapes too, use netting to protect your crop.
Bunches of grapes will begin to ripen, prune back excessive leaves to allow more sunlight into the crop.
Once nectarines, peaches and plums have finished fruiting, prune to shape and to remove any dead or diseased branches.
Add a layer of Tui Mulch & Feed around the base of fruit trees, this will enable the soil to better retain moisture and keep the area weed free.

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The Canterbury Flower Gardener's Diary

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Plant

Alyssum, gerbera, lobelia, polyanthus, flowering kale, primula, snapdragon, wildflowers, sweet William, calendula, chrysanthemum, daffodil, tulip, hyacinth
impatiens, marigold, pansy and viola, poppy, sweet pea, snapdragon, daisy, delphinium, dianthus, lavender, forget-me-not.

PICK

Marguerite daisy, leucadendron, scabious, Peruvian lily, Japanese anemones, roses, coreopsis, echinacea, strawflowers, dahlias, lilies, gladiolus, sweet peas, gypsophila, cosmos, zinnia, cleome, agapanthus, hydrangeas.

Maintenance

Apply Tui Bulb Food to bulbs already in the ground.
Apply a side dressing of Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser to shrub borders and flower gardens.
Aphids and whitefly are all still moving about now, particularly if the weather is still very warm. Be vigilant and spray with a suitable spray as soon as they appear. If infestations are small blast them off with the hose.
Lay Quash every few weeks to keep slugs and snails at bay.
Bulbs: as soon as the soil cools down, plant new bulbs or fertilise existing ones with Tui Bulb Food. Watch the Tui Bulb Growing Guide for more information.
Roses: depending on how hot and dry the season has been is the last time to cut back roses to get another flush of flowers before winter.
Prune back perennials that have finished for the season.
Add thick layers of Tui Mulch & Feed or Tui Pea Straw Mulch to garden beds and pots to conserve water, reduce weeds and add valuable nutrients back to the soil.
Mulching also keeps your garden looking tidy and cared for!