Proteas
Not just any old blossom, protea flowers are blooms with attitude. If you can give them full sun and reasonable drainage, proteas will love you.
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These flowers are always “glad” to see you. Gladiolus or Sword Lilly (Gladioli spp.) are a bright and cheerful addition to the garden. Generally flowering in early summer, their tall flower spikes with orchid like blooms in an array of bright and cheerful colours, provide a great backdrop for those gorgeous summer days.
How to grow gladiolus in a garden
- Choose a spot in the garden that receives full sun, has well-drained soil and is protected from any strong winds.
- Enrich the soil with some compost and Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food well before planting.
- Place the bulb directly where the plant is to grow at a depth of 10cm and 20cm apart. Cover with soil and water in well.
- Keep the soil nice and moist, ensuring not to overwater.
- When the shoots begin to emerge feed with Yates Thrive Rose & Flower Granular Plant Food. TIP: For an added boost apply Yates Thrive Roses & Flower Liquid Plant Food.
How to grow gladiolus in a pot
- Choose a well-drained spot in the garden that receives full sun and is protected from strong winds.
- Fill the pot with Yates Premium Potting Mix.
- Place the bulb directly into the pot at a depth of 10cm. Cover with soil and water in well.
- Keep the soil nice and moist, ensuring not to overwater.
- When the shoots begin to emerge feed regularly with Yates Thrive Roses & Flower Liquid Plant Food. TIP: For an added boost apply Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
Growing tips
- These bulbs perform well when planted in clumps and if planted along side dwarf flowering annuals will give you a lovely display when in bloom.
- Gladioli don’t like strong winds, so staking may be required if winds do pick up. Make sure that you stake these before the flower buds appear.
- After planting, it can take 90 to 100 days before flowers appear. To reduce any loss, especially in the hotter weather, try to plant out as early as possible in the late winter or spring to reduce heat stress.
- In warmer districts, you can plant out in May to September to avoid the hotter weather in summer.
- Corms (bulbs) can be lifted once the plant starts to yellow and die off. This is generally around 4-6 weeks after the last flowers have appeared. Once the corms have been lifted, allow the leaves to dry out then cut them off as close to the base of the corm as you can, without damaging the corm and store in a cool dry place.
Azalea
Azaleas vary from small, delicate shrubs that are happy in pots, up to hardy 1.5m shrubs ideal for border planting. Here's how to grow azaleas in your garden.
Lavender
Lavender are hardy perennial plants with silvery-grey, aromatic foliage & dense spike of flowers in shades of purple, blue, pink and white.
Echinacea
Echinacea is a hardy herbaceous perennial with large fragrant pink daisy-like flowers. Used for therapeutic purposes and as a delicious tea.
Recommended products
Yates Thrive Rose & Flower Granular Plant Food
Specially formulated to grow all types of flowers. With high potassium for large & abundant flowers, added calcium & iron for stronger flowers.
Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food
Provides your flowers & roses with the balanced nutrients they require for healthy growth and flower production.
Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate
A complete plant food enriched with natural fish, seaweed, humates, molasses and more - boosted with NPK to improve plant and soil vitality.
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