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Daltons answers your gardening questions. Plus, your chance to win!
Send us your gardening question and be in the draw to win! Each month Daltons will answer one of your questions, which we’ll feature here. Email your question to the address below (make sure you mention which area of the country you live in – it might be important to the answer – and if possible include a photo) and be in the draw to win a prize pack.
Last month’s winner was: Vicki Briggs of Taumarunui. See her question and answer, below.
September 2015
This month’s prize: 1 x Daltons Daltons Easy Lift
Transporting growing media such as soil mixes just became a whole lot easier. Building on the recent success of their Easy Lift Potting Mix, Daltons has expanded its Easy Lift range with even more lightweight options. The new Easy Lift Container Mix and Easy Lift Garden Mix are easy on the back, but heavy on performance.
The new Easy Lift Container Mix has been specially designed to meet the high nutrient demands of outdoor container growing for potted plants including bulbs, shrubs and ornamentals. For those with garden beds, the new Easy Lift Garden Mix improves soil structure and drainage while adding many much needed nutrients back into the soil. It’s also ideal to use in raised garden beds.
We have 1 Daltons Easy Lift prize pack worth over $40 to give away. The prize pack contains 1 x Daltons Easy Lift Container Mix, 1 x Easy Lift Garden Mix, PLUS a pair of comfortable, versatile Red Back gardening gloves from Omni Products.
To be in to win, EMAIL YOUR GARDENING QUESTION and glove size to: sweetliving@daltons.co.nz and put Daltons Easy Lift Pack in the subject heading. Entries must be received by end of day Friday 30 October 2015.
Q. With my roses, I have about three with bad scale. I have tried every remedy I can think of, including natural. I even resorted to scrubbing last year and lo and behold its back. What can I use to eliminate this problem and stop it recurring? It has not spread to others yet. Is moving them the best idea? Vicki Briggs, Taumarunui
A. It is essential to attack the scale during the winter months, with repeated sprays of winter strength horticultural oil. The oil smothers the scales’ body preventing breathing and leading to the insects’ death. After two or three applications the scale will be dead. However, they will still be attached to the rose bush, which may be confusing in that they may still appear alive. At this stage, spray the rose bushes with your garden hose at high fine pressure, which should wash off the dead scale insects. If this doesn’t remove all the scale, it may be necessary to attack the problem with a soft scrubbing brush or a firm sponge. This should quite easily remove the dead scale.
It is worth noting that some rose bushes are more prone to scale infestation than others. It may be worthwhile checking the rest of your garden to ensure there are no host plants which may reinfect your rose bushes. If this is apparent, you will need to remove the infected host plant.
As we enter into the drier summer months, apply Daltons Garden Mulch around the base of the rose plant to help retain moisture in the soil and prevent weed growth. Apply Daltons Premium Rose Fertiliser every 5-6 weeks from late October until early December and then recommence late February through to early April. Throughout summer, you can still apply horticultural oil (summer rate) at the first sign of infection and repeat a few times.
For more gardening advice and tips, check out Daltons range of How To Grow Roses guide on our website www.daltons.co.nz.
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