Summer in the garden

Great results can be achieved by pruning roses in summer. Not only does it promote a fresh flush of new growth and flowers, it also helps to reduce the amount of pruning needed in winter.

Summer rose pruningWinter is traditionally the time to give roses a thorough prune, however great results can be achieved by also pruning roses in summer. Not only does it promote a fresh flush of new growth and flowers, it also helps to reduce the amount of pruning needed in winter.

Rose pruning can appear slightly daunting, with thorny stems trying to attack you and not knowing exactly how to go about it. So what’s the easiest way to summer prune roses? Remove around a third of all the growth. Don’t worry about which way the buds are facing, just prune! Sharp secateurs will really help the pruning go smoothly —there’s nothing worse than battling with rusty old and blunt secateurs.

After pruning, it’s an ideal opportunity to give roses a summer spray with Yates Rose Gun Advanced, to control the sap-sucking pest two spotted mite (which is very common during hot summer weather) and also the diseases rust and powdery mildew. Spray thoroughly over the pruned rose.

To encourage the new leaves and flowers that will develop after the summer prune, feed each week with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. It’s rich in potassium to enourage lots of autumn flowers, which will arrive in around 6 – 7 weeks time.

Summer sap suckersKeep summer vegies productive by keeping on top of insect pests and regular feeding.

Mites, often called spider mites or two spotted mites, just love warm dry weather and become a real problem on tomatoes during summer. They are tiny sap-sucking pests that deplete plants of important nutrients and sugars.

They are almost impossible to see with the naked eye, but initial signs to look out for include yellowing and mottled tomato leaves. If left untreated, mite populations can explode and the colonies create masses of spidery webbing in between leaves and stems. Mite-infested tomato plants will suffer and the harvest reduced significantly.

Mites can be controlled with regular sprays of Yates Nature’s Way Natrasoap Vegie Insect Gun, a soap spray based on natural vegetable oils. It’s important to spray both the upper and lower leaf surfaces, as the spray works via contacting the mites directly.

It comes in both a handy ready to use pack and also a concentrate for larger gardens. It’s also certified by ‘BioGro’ for use in organic gardens, so is great for people wanting to use organic insect pest control methods in their vegie and herb patch.

Continue to keep tomato plants well watered during January and feed them each week with Yates Thrive Tomato Liquid Plant Food. Healthy, well fed tomatoes can be productive for many months, so keep up the TLC!

French inspirationLettuce is always fantastic to have on hand during summer, to create a healthy salad and add to a sandwich or wrap. Home grown lettuce is not only convenient but also you can pick it at its most tender and sweet and forget buying bagged salad that quickly goes slimy in the fridge.

Yates Mesclun French Salad Mixed is a gourmet selection of colourful greens like loose leaf lettuce, endive, corn salad, peppery rocket and chicory. Individual leaves can be picked fresh as you need them after only 4-10 weeks. Yates Mesclun mix is also a great choice if you’re short on space, as it’s perfect for growing in a pot.

Seed can be sown direct where plants are to grow in a sunny spot or raised in trays of Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and the seedlings transplanted when 3-4 cm high.

To encourage lots of rapid green growth, once the seedlings are established feed each week with Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food. It’s rich in nitrogen to encourage lots of delicious leaves.

Dwarf beansCrisp and crunchy beans eaten straight from the garden are delicious and they make a great addition to stir fries and salads. Dwarf (or bush) beans are super easy to grow at home, don’t require a trellis and are ideal for beginner gardeners.

Yates Dwarf Beans Chef’s Choice is a hardy variety that produces a large crop of flavoursome medium-sized, straight round stringless beans that can be eaten fresh or frozen. January’s hot weather is perfect for sowing dwarf beans in cool and temperate areas as they require soil temperatures consistently above 20 degrees celsius.

It’s best to sow beans direct where they are to grow, in well drained, damp soil in a sunny position. They can also be grown in a medium to large size pot. Cover the seeds with some Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and don’t water for a few days. Seeds will germinate in 7–10 days and mature in only 8–10 weeks. Once the seedlings emerge, feed each week with Yates Thrive Flower & Fruit Soluble Plant Food, which contains additional potassium to encourage lots of flowers and bean pods. To promote a long harvest, pick beans regularly.

Snails & slugs: protect young bean seedling from snails and slugs with a light sprinkling of Yates Blitzem Snail & Slug Pellets.

Tabbouleh anyone?Whether used in tabbouleh, pesto, soups or as a not so humble garnish, parsley is one of the must-have herbs at home. Yates Italian Plain Leaf Parsley is an upright growing variety with large, flat leaves. It has a stronger flavour than curled parsley and can be picked continuously for up to two years.

Italian flat leaf parsley seed can sown all around New Zealand during January. It grows well in full sun to part shade, in either garden beds or pots. To keep parsley productive, keep it well watered, feed every 1 – 2 weeks from spring to autumn with nitrogen rich Yates Thrive® Vegie & Herb Liquid Plant Food, harvest leaves regularly and remove any flowering stems. Sow more seeds during spring to ensure you have a constant fresh supply of this delicious herb.

• Design tip: parsley, both flat leaf and curled, can also be used as a rich green border plant in and around flower gardens.

— Courtesy of Yates