Page 23 - HW September 2020

lawn & garden
Here’s to a prickle-free summer
New in-store this season, Tui LawnForce Prickle Kill & Lawn Feed’s dual-action formulation eliminates prickle weeds and other common weeds and delivers a rapid green up. It features a convenient hose-on application system that is simple and effective to use.
Meanwhile, on the small space gardening front, Tui is also extending its range of self- watering planters designed to help Kiwis home-grow a range of produce even when they have limited space. Joining the popular Tui Mobile Vegetable Patch and Tui Tomato Tower is the Tui Urban Oasis planter.
www.tuiproducts.co.nz
Lockdown has also promoted another surge in people wanting to grow their own vegetables.
“We were seeing the trend emerge over the past couple of years but now it’s on steroids,” says David, resulting in Yate’s sales of seeds, seed mixes, potting mixes, fertilisers all “exceeding expectations”.
In July, Yates launched 39 new seeds into an already extensive range, just under half of them vegetable seeds.
“ ere’s been staggering demand heading into spring. Even through winter, we were selling a surprising amount of seed, showing where peoples’ heads are during what is traditionally a very quiet time for gardening.”
HOME-BOUND, HOME & GARDEN-PROUD
Agreeing with much of the above, Nick Bright, General Manager of Gardena NZ (www.gardena.com), says typically, at this time of year, “gardeners are doing the last of their winter pruning with loppers, secateurs and branch pruners, starting to trim any early spring hedge growth and setting up irrigation systems for summer watering.”
What’s trending strongly, he adds, is people being at home more, working on their gardens or starting new gardens, and making improvements and plans for summer.
“ e core gardening demographic remains strong, passionate, engaged and reinvigorated,” he says.
“More people are investing in edibles for food security, and are interested in irrigation systems to maintain plant health and productivity.
“And there is interest from some younger people and/or rst- time gardeners, and beginner gardeners. Our retail partners report signi cantly increased online orders, but also (when possible) busy foot tra c in-store.”
Yates’ David Mortimer reckons that, as many gardeners may be completely new to the category, they’ll therefore “need unique tailored and ‘obvious’ products to support the many areas of indoor plant health – from choosing the right potting mix, the right plant food for the job and pest control.
“Our latest launches have hit the nail on the head – with Yates rive Plant Food Drippers an easy no mess, no mixing solution and Yates rive Plant Food Spikes such an easy push, feed and forget solution for the time-poor.”
LOOKING TOWARDS REVIVAL
Asked whether the long, dry summer and autumn are still having an impact on gardens around the country, Nick Bright says he believes it is, and will continue to through the forecast dry spring and possible dry summer ahead, especially in Auckland.
As a result, he says: “Using water e ciently and responsibly is more important than ever in every NZ garden, and this messaging is resonating with end consumers.
“It is healthier for plants to be watered less frequently but more deeply at times when evaporation is less likely to occur. Water timers are designed for exactly this purpose.”
After some very hot dry months earlier this year, many lawns and plants will certainly be in need of a spring revival.
Gemma Hignett, Marketing & Product Development Manager at Tui Garden Products (www.tuiproducts.co.nz), says fertiliser is critical to getting the best results from lawns and gardens, however it is important to follow the application rates.
“Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic is something that can be used more regularly, as it is a tonic rather than a fertiliser, so there isn’t the same risk of overfeeding.
e other key area of growth is indoor plants, and hence products to support those plants.
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SEPTEMBER 2020 | NZHJ 21