Landscape Care: The First 6 Months
Gardens in New Zealand conditions involve a combination of tasks to ensure their health and vitality. Here are some landscape tips to get the best out of your garden and to help it thrive in the first 6 months.
General Watering
New ornamental plants
Water for 1-2 hours, 2-3 times a week for the first 3 weeks especially in dry times of the year to get plants established. Afterwards, once a week for the next month, unless it rains.
Over watering
After the first month more plants die from over watering than under watering. To avoid over watering, do the finger test. Poke your finger into the soil in a few different places. If the soil feels dry, and your finger comes out clean, then it's time for some water. If the soil around your fingertip is still moist then it’s time to sit back and enjoy the garden.
Edible plants
May need daily watering, especially during early fruit set and development.
Weed Control
Manual weeding
Regularly remove weeds to prevent competition, hand picking for best results. Remove weeds while still young and before setting seed. Remove the entire weed, root, rhizome, tuber or bulb.
Chemical weeding
Use chemical weed killers only in still wind conditions and away from desirable plants. Organic options are available at garden and hardware stores.
New Lawns
Watering
The turf mat and the soil beneath must be kept moist until the turf is well rooted. In summer this could mean watering at least once a day.
Use a sprinkler rather than hand watering. Apply water until it has penetrated the turf mat and the first 50mm of soil (lift the corner of a few rolls to check).
Watering in the early morning is best, so it dries through the day, helping prevent fungal diseases.
Avoid watering in hot sunlight, and don’t allow the water to pond.
Mowing New Lawns
Mowing is an important part in success or failure. Mow grass when it is half as high as when laid, and mow to the original height. In practice this means mowing when it reaches 30mm, with the mower set at 20mm. (The lawn could reach 30mm within a week of laying in good growing conditions.)
Remove clippings, especially in the early days.
Keep mower blades sharp. Clean cuts reduce moisture lost and diseases taking hold.
For further information: www.readylawn.co.nz/after-care
Hardscape Maintenance
Timber
If you choose to oil or stain the timber, wait at least 1 month to let the timber weather, then apply the finish of your choice.
Concrete
Avoid placing metal objects directly on the concrete to prevent rust transfer. Remove rust stains promptly using a rust remover.
Green Therapy Seasonal Maintenance
Maintenance Package
$35/30mins on site
We perform seasonal landscape care & maintenance on your garden.
Early Spring to early Summer: Weeding, shrub trimming, and additional planting.
Late Summer tidy-up: Weeding, mulching, trimming, and dead heading.
Late Autumn/Winter: Pruning, trimming, weeding and additional planting.
Coaching Package
$90/hour on site
We show you how to perform basic landscape maintenance with a written summary of key tasks specific to your garden.
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