First of all sorry this issue is so late. As you can guess we are super busy in the garden centre as you would be in your garden!

Oderings Live & Grow magazine will be in store later next week but we will send you a preview next week before it hits the stores (hopefully on Monday).

As promised in this issue we will talk about tomatoes.

• General Care of your Tomatoes...
• Temperature: The optimum temperature for tomatoes is 18-22 degrees; they do not like temperatures below 10 degrees however they will survive if it occasionally gets to five degrees. If planting in pots or bags the size should be the equivalent to a PB28 or PB40 planter bag. Tomatoes are sun loving plants. If your tomato fruits are not ripening the most common reason would be low light levels.
• Soil: For best results plant in Oderings Tomato & Veggie Mix; this will keep watering manageable and help keep diseases and weeds to a minimum.
• Feeding: Don’t fertilise until the plants are one metre tall or start fruiting. We recommend Oderings Garden Replenish, Tui Tomato Food or Wally’s Secret Tomato Food. Neem Granules around the base of the plant are helpful for pest control, reapplying at three week intervals.
• Watering: Give tomatoes plenty of water directly onto the soil, not on the leaves which encourages disease. Adding a layer of mulch or weedmat around the base can help conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Never keep plants wet, but water regularly to encourage firm fruit. A good point to remember is water your plant a little less at harvest time; this makes the fruit sweeter and tastier.
• Removing laterals: Too many shoots inhabit fruit growth, therefore laterals need to be removed regularly (see diagram below). Once the tomato has reached 1.8m, the top of your stake or the top of your greenhouse pinch out the tips. No laterals should be left to grow and should all be pinched out.

OTHER JOBS THIS MONTH...

• Plant veggies and seed potatoes for Christmas harvest.
• Sow new lawns & Feed existing ones. Spray for weeds such as Onehunga.
• Continue your spray programme on stone fruit, spray with Copper and Oil at early bud movement. If they are in flower don’t spray, however once finished flowering you can start again.
• Add mulch to the garden for moisture retention and to suppress weeds.
• Remove winter annuals and replace with new seasons bedding plants.
• Start a spring/summer spraying regime for roses. Alternating two different sprays will help prevent pests from developing immunity.
• Feed all citrus, fruit trees, vegetables, roses, flower beds, shrub gardens, houseplants, strawberries and container plants.

Once again sorry this is so late. If you have any suggestions don't hesitate to flick me an email at pamela@oderings.co.nz