Summer Planting Guide

PLANTING

• Dig in Tui Compost and Tui Super Sheep Pellets before planting to replenish nutrients used by previous crops. Compost is an excellent water saver; it improves the soil by increasing moisture holding capacity, particularly in sandy soils.
• For best results plant into a mix specially formulated for the crop you’re planting e.g. Tui Vegetable Mix for veges, or Tui Tomato Mix for tomato plants.
• Keep planting over the summer season for a continuous supply. Regularly plant salad greens such as lettuce, mesclun, radish and spring onions for your summer salads.
• Soak seedlings in Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic before planting to help prevent transplant shock, then apply every 2-4 weeks to promote strong root growth and keep your garden thriving.
• Slugs and snails will be looking for food, and they will love your leafy salad greens. Apply Tui Quash slug & snail control to help stop them munching on your seedlings.

The following are popular veges to plant in summer - check which month is best to plant these crops in your region using the key below.

MAINTENANCE

• Harvest your veges regularly, this helps promote more growth throughout the season.
• Keep your garden weed free – don’t let your plants compete for water and nutrients.
• Feed your plants and they will feed you. Keep topping up with nutrients to replace those used. Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser can be used throughout the garden, or use the Tui Food range.

WATERING

• Keep an eye on the moisture level of your soil. If the soil is moist 10cm below the surface it should be fine, if it is dry at this level it needs to be watered. In hot weather you may want to check the moisture every 2–4 days.
• Water in the morning or evening to avoid water evaporation. A good deep soak every few days is better than shallow watering every day. This will encourage deep roots and helps plants to better survive short term drought.
• Take care to water the soil rather than the foliage, as this can spread disease.
• Apply Debco SaturAid granular soil wetter to garden beds and pots to assist water reaching the root zone of plants, this will help your plants make the most of water, and can reduce water use by up to 50%.
• Protect your plants from extremes in temperatures, keep roots moist, and suppress weed growth with layers of Tui Pea Straw Mulch.

Click here for our Tomato Growing Guide