With summer on the way, it’s time to get your garden ready for vibrant florals and bursts of colour. It’s also wise to prepare your garden for the summer heat. Here are some useful tips to focus on in October:

Plant Vegetables

Raddicho, Bean Scarlet, Chilli, Beetroot, Carrot, Parsnip, Basil, Cauliflower, Kale, Lettuce, Mesculin, Peas, Radish, Rocket, Silverbeet, Spinach, Spring Onion, Tomato, Rhubarb, Mizuna, Rock Melon, Lemon Grass, Leek, Kohl Rabi, Fennel, Cape Gooseberry, Celeriac, Chinese Cabbage, Artichoke, Watermelon, Turnip, Swede, Pak choy, Parsnip, Tarragon, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Mint, Lavender, Dill, Chives, Chamomile Lawn, Gherkin, Brussel Sprouts

Plant Flowers

Wildflower, Poppy, Cosmos, Swan Plant, Phacelia, Gypsophilia, Dahlia, Zinnia, Sweet Pea, Sunflower, Stock, Snapdragon, Pansy, Nasturium, Marigold, Lupin, Lobelia, Livingstone Daisy, Hollyhock, Foxglove, Cottage Garden, Cornflower, Calendula, Aquilegia, Alyssum

Feed and grow

• Labour weekend is the best time to plant tomatoes - get growing with our range of tomato seeds and don't forget to feed them with McGregor's Fruit and Flower Fertiliser
• As your tomatoes grow - make sure to trim laterals to encourage bigger fruit using 200mm Garden Snips
• Cut back herbs such as sage, thyme and mint to encourage fresh new growth for Summer
• Mint is a super helpful garden companion deterring moths, aphids ants and rodents. But it is invasive so make sure to plant it in its own container.
• Make sure you get the best from your crop this season with McGregor's FruitMax or McGregor's VegeMax. FruitMax and VegeMax are a complete liquid fertiliser that will maximise the production and development of your crop.
• October is one of the best months for roses: after pruning in July and rain in the winter months, roses produce some of their best blooms at the very start of summer while the weather is still mild and the soil still moist. Feed them once and have it last the whole growing season with McGregor's Plant Max.
• Don't forget to plant some vibrant flowers in your vege garden, bee's love colour and help to pollinate your tomatoes and beans - Marigolds are a great companion flower for vegetables!

Tidy up and control weeds

• Prune spring-flowering shrubs as soon as their flowerings finished with our 195mm Bypass Secateurs, made with stainless steel blades - perfect for tough pruning tasks.
• Slugs and snails will begin to make an appearance with the warmer weather - protect your edibles with McGregor's Slug & Snail Pellets
• Protect your garden from pesky white butterfly and caterpillars with McGregor's Derris Dust - an organic insecticide that controls most chewing and sucking insects on vegetables and flowers.
• Catch weeds early with McGregor’s Weed Out Advanced - it's a non-selective weed killer that will control annual and perennial weeds.
• The safest way to apply Weed Killers is to ensure you follow the instructions carefully and use a well-sealed sprayer such as the McGregor's 5L Pressure Sprayer. Be sure to store in a secure place out of reach of children and pets.

Summer is coming

In preparation for the hottest summer months, think seriously about planting hardy, heat-loving plants. This doesn’t mean you have to compromise on colour – think Capsicum, Chillies, Cucumber, Zuchinni, Leeks and Silverbeet!