Benefits of mulching
When mulching, timing is important. Organic mulches in spring and autumn keep the soil cool, slowing plant growth when we want to encourage it. Other mulches help reduce water loss, warm the soil, suppress weeds and add nutrients. Rich dark compost added to the soil surface will not only supply all or most required plant nutrients, but also encourages soil warming, and plant growth.
Seaweed and seagrass are great mulches. They help minimise water loss from soil, suppress weeds, supply valuable minerals and get you to the beach! They carry certain weed seeds.
Straw, hay and old baleage feed soil organisms by adding carbon, but also remove nitrogen, so feed the soil well. Using them in early spring encourages slugs and snails. Potatoes love these mulches. Some hay contains weed seeds and pea straw will likely contain fungicide residues.
Grass clippings are great around the vegetable garden. Citrus love them too. Avoid mulching too thickly or your plants may cook.
Weeds and crop residues can be left on the soil as a mulch, especially in hot weather, though they also attract molluscs.
Black plastic is great for warmth-loving plants (eg pumpkins and watermelon). Cut a T and plant through it. Ideally, run a leaky hose underneath. Plastic is a great weed suppressant but will compact soil and shelter slugs and snails.
Weed mat has similar benefits to plastic, but lets water through. It’s OK for ornamental and perennial plants, but their roots can get entangled after a while, and it’s difficult to remove.
Bark, wood chips and sawdust (untreated) are best under ornamental shrubs and perennial plants, fruit bushes and trees. They feed beneficial soil fungi, which in turn feed the plants. They’re suitable path material and in the chicken run, and can be recycled later around your fruits.
Cardboard and newspaper both supply carbon, are free, and good around perennials and for pathways (under sawdust/bark). Remove sticky tape first.
Stones and rocks act as a heat store, and are best around heat-lovers like cactus. They also provide habitats for slugs and snails.
Fruit care
Plant subtropicals, eg avocados, in a sheltered, well-mulched site.
Hang pheromone traps to prevent codlin and leafroller moth damage.
Plant passionfruits in warm, free-draining soil
Sow beneficial understorey annuals around fruit trees.
Plant comfrey and other beneficial herbs around the orchard.
Keep fruits well mulched.
Strawberries need fortnightly liquid fertilising with comfrey. Mulch with pine needles.
Spray fruits with liquid seaweed as a tonic.
Spray citrus with copper oxychloride fortnightly vs dieback and verrucosis disease (scab), and all-purpose oil for scale insects and aphids.
Prune citrus as you harvest. Do heavy pruning now.
Prune grapes back to two leaves past the last fruit truss.
In sunny periods, prune out water shoots low on the trunks or centres of fruit trees, especially stonefruit.
Thin pipfruit to doubles and single fruit on ends.
Herb Care
Sow coriander and dill direct fortnightly.
Build a herb spiral.
Plant parsley and perennial herbs.
Vegetable Care
Main planting time NOW!
Lightly till ground for parsnip and leeks (and other roots) to sow/plant November or December.
Sow salads fortnightly for continuous summer supply.
Plant outside peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, melons and basil now.
Earth up potatoes.
Hoe and weed beds, especially around onions, carrots and beetroots.
Liquid fertilise in the morning once a week.
Make frames for climbing beans, cucumbers and tomatoes.
Remove tomato laterals and lower leaves.
Watch for pests and diseases, especially slugs and snails. Hothouse
Prick out ready seedlings into pots or trays.
Plant hothouse crops like tomatoes and cucumbers.
For transplanting: Leafy greens (leeks, celery, summer spinach, silverbeet/chard, lettuce, endive, cabbages and Brussels sprouts (best 18th Nov). Sweetcorn, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes. Flowers, eg calliopsis.
Sow direct: Mesclun salad (best 18th Nov). Radish, spring onions, carrot and beetroot, parsnip (best 13 – 15th Nov). French beans, climbing and runner beans. Flowers, e.g portulaca, asters.
Plant: 20th November – 2nd December. Salad greens, silverbeet/chard, spinach, cabbages, potatoes, yams (oca), kumara, sweetcorn, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Flowers, eg canna lilies.
General garden care
Collect seaweed/seagrass.
Make lots of compost. Turn heaps.
Mulch citrus and ornamentals with grass clippings.
Check irrigation system.
Sol Morgan, GroWise Consultancy
