Summer is fast approaching and now is the time to prepare and plant for Christmas and the coming warmer months. Summer is a great time of the year for entertaining so by putting in some effort now you will ensure that your garden and living areas are looking bright, colorful and healthy for summer!
November is a month that food almost seems to jump out of the earth. There is a lot to achieve this month to ensure you have a supply of tasty freshness for your summer entertainment events.
Now that the Hobart Show day has passed it is a great time to get your tomato plants cranking. As the sun's embrace lengthens days and warms the soil, tomatoes flourish. Supplement with dolomite lime or crushed eggshells, rich in essential calcium, warding off blossom end rot. Yet, in this dance of elements, let's not forget the humble hero - water. Consistent, mindful watering, just enough to keep the soil evenly moist, ensures a thriving tomato crop. With these simple yet vital steps, you're on your way to a bountiful harvest of delicious, sun-ripened tomatoes, connecting with the rhythms of nature along the way.
This is probably the most important month for planting vegetables. Now is the time for asian greens, beans, beetroot, capsicum, chilli, celery, cress, cucumber, eggplant, kohlrabi, herbs, leek, lettuce, okra, onions, pumpkins ,squash, radish, spinach, swede, seed potato, strawberries, tomato, turnip, zucchini and sweet potato runners. Sow sweetcorn, carrot, parsnip and peas. Plant brassica seedlings in a sunny position, which benefit from afternoon shade as this will help stop them bolting to seed as the summer months approach.
Lawns
Now is the last opportunity to sow or mend lawns in Tasmania before the warmer weather sets in. It is crucial to take the right steps for a resilient, vibrant lawn. First and foremost, adjust your mower blades to leave the grass a tad longer.
This extra length will act as a natural shade, cooling the soil and retaining essential moisture. These measures promote the development of a robust root system, ensuring a lush, enduring green lawn. Additionally, consider applying water retention granules. This strategic move will bolster the lawn's ability to hold onto moisture during the impending warmer months, safeguarding its health and vitality.
November Garden tasks
- Water pots and hanging baskets regularly. Feed weekly with a liquid food such as powerfeed or maxicrop, or a soluble plant food such as bloom booster or flourish.
- Plant annual summer flowers such as Alyssum, Celosia, Cosmos, Impatiens, Lobelia, Nasturtium, Marigold, Petunias, Phlox, Portulaca and Zinnias
- Fertilise roses with Sudden Impact for roses and watch out for aphids and thrips.
- New season’s hydrangeas are beginning to flower and are an excellent spring/summer colour for both pots and shady parts of the garden
- Mulch garden beds. This will have the gardens looking great for Christmas and help with water retention and weed control.
- Feed citrus and spray with scale gun to control sooty mould.
- Prune old flowers off proteas.
- Mulch fruit trees with sugar cane mulch or pea straw.
- Stake tomato plants and remove lower leaves as they establish
- Remove spent flowers on azalea, camellia and rhododendron, then feed with an acidic plant food (once finished flowering)
- Control 'white curl grubs' or lawn grubs in the lawn by flushing them out with soapy water and letting birds feed on them or consider using an insecticide in severe infestation
This November, embrace the opportunity to create a show-stopping flower garden that bursts with color and joy, setting the stage for a bright and beautiful holiday season.