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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For a real punch of colour in the cool dreary winter months, you cannot look past Polyanthus (Primula x polyantha). They produce many lovely flowers in bright vibrant colours from pinks, reds, blues, yellows and white, all with a contrasting bright yellow centre or eyes. Very popular with kids due to their bright and cheerful appearance.
How to grow polyanthus in a garden
- Choose a spot in the garden that receives full sun to part-shade with well-drained. Enrich the soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food.
- Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots.
- Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Form a raised or doughnut-shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed. Always water in well after planting with diluted Yates Thrive Natural Seaweed Tonic to settle the soil around the roots and help reduce transplant shock.
- Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, woodchip or pea straw, keeping it away from the base of the plant.
- Feed throughout the season with Yates Thrive Rose & Flower Granular Plant Food. TIP: For an added boost apply Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food.
How to grow polyanthus in a pot
- Choose a pot at least 200 mm wide and deep. Position in full sun to part shade.
- Fill the chosen pots with quality potting mix, such as Yates Premium Potting Mix.
- Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots.
- Position in hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.
- Feed during the season Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. TIP: For an added boost apply Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
Growing tips
- Remove spent blooms to encourage further flowering.
- Plants will grow in full sun, however, you will get a more intense flower colour when grown in part shade.
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 Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food
Releases nutrients slowly, improves the structure and moisture retention of the soil and encourages earthworms and beneficial soil micro-organisms.
Yates Thrive Natural Seaweed Tonic
A 100% bull kelp seaweed tonic. Great for improving plant resistance and protection against pests, drought and frosts -also reduces transplant shock.
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.
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