Green Living

We answer your vegetable garden and lawn questions

Article by Your Home and Garden

From the experts at Kings Plant Barn

How often should I water my vegetable garden?
With summer in full swing, you will have to increase the amount and frequency of water application. It is better to water less often but more deeply so that the water sinks down to the roots where it is needed the most. A good water every second day should be enough to get your veggie garden through to the end of summer.

I always seem to plant too many vegetables and they are all ready at the same time. How can I change this?
There are several ways to avoid having a glut in the garden. Try sowing from seed, planting into seed trays or small pots, or planting directly into the garden – this way you can control how much you grow. Stagger your planting and plant vegetable crops three weeks apart, so that your harvest is not ready all at once. If you are planting seedlings, why not share the punnet with a friend, and only plant three plants at a time? When planting, don’t fill the entire garden up – leave some empty space to be planted into later.

My neighbour has said that I cut my lawn too short and that this is not good for it. Is this correct?
Many people cut their lawns too short, which is called scalping. This is not good for the lawn for several reasons. Shorter lawns will dry out more quickly in hot weather, and weeds will fight for space more on shorter lawns as well. The best way to cut your lawn is to make sure that you have sharp blades on your mower, as blunt blades will tear the grass rather than cut the grass. Most grass grows best when it is cut to a height of 40-50mm, depending on the type of grass. Mow your lawn higher in summer and lower in winter.

I have a lot of dead flowers on my daisy bushes, what do I do about it?
Deadheading (removing old flowers) is an essential part of gardening. Deadheading allows the plant to put its energy into producing more flowers rather than trying to put its energy
into flowers that are already dying. To deadhead, use a sharp pair of scissors, then follow the flower stalk down to the end and snip it off at the base.

Head to kings.co.nz for more gardening advice and inspo.