How to look after your winter garden vegetables

With winter fast approaching, it's easy to think more rain, it's ok! But your garden still needs regular attention and help to get the most out of your crop. Check out our handy tips to keeping your vegetables happy through the colder months!

Control pests, disease and insects
As the weather changes to Autumn the pests start to come out again, slugs, snails, aphids, caterpillars and white moth are some of the most common around NZ.

McGregor's Derris Dust
Caterpillars, white moth and aphids can be tackled with our organic Derris Dust. It controls most chewing and sucking insects on vegetables and flowers. Derris Dust is an organic insecticide derived from the South American Barbasco plant.

McGregor's Pyrethrum Insect Control
Pyrethrum is broad spectrumn insecticide designed to control a wide range of pests on vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, including Aphids Passionvine Hopper, Earwigs and Pear Slug.

McGregor's Organic Copper Oxychloride
Copper Oxychloride control fungus and bacterial diseases on fruit, vegetables and ornamentals such as Blackspot Fire Blight, Leaf Curl and Brown Rot. The easy to use shaker pack is compatible with most insecticides and fungicides.

McGregor's Spraying Oil
Spraying Oil is an all-purpose spraying oil for the control of scale insects mites and aphids on a range of plants.

Fertilise your garden
There is an old wives tale that you don't need to fertilize your garden in winter, this is not true! Your garden will flourish if fertilised with the correct product. In Autumn, a high nitrogen fertiliser is best used and a high potassium is best for winter.

McGregor's VegeMax Fertiliser (liquid)
Improves appearance, health and growth of your garden vegetables and ornamentals. VegeMax instantly starts working plus includes a controlled-release fertiliser one application at planting will feed most veges and herbs through to harvest. VegeMax promotes leaf growth accelerates healthy root establishment, maximises flowering and fruiting. Made of 8% Nitrogen, 8% Phosphorus and 6% Potassium.

McGregor's FruitMax Fertiliser
FruitMax is a complete liquid fertiliser for flowering, fruiting and root-crop plants, it is absorbed by plants through their foliage and/or roots. The high ratio of potassium maximises the production and development of flowers, fruit and root crops while the trace elements enhance general plant health. Made of 5% Nitrogen, 8% Phosphorus and 12% Potassium.

McGregor's VegeMax (granules)
VegeMax instantly starts working plus includes a controlled release fertiliser one application at planting will feed most veges and herbs through to harvest. VegeMax promotes leaf growth accelerates healthy root establishment, maximises flowering and fruiting and improves appearance, health and growth. Made of 20% Nitrogen, 4.4% Phosphorus, 12.5% Potassium and 3.6% Magnesium.

Keep them warm
Just like we like to stay warm during winter, so do the roots of your plants! Apply a layer of pea straw to the roots to restrict weeds and keep them warm. For colder, frost prone areas - a frost cloth is a great investment.
Add mulch around fruit and berry trees to prevent weeds, weeds compete for vital nutrients - so cutting them off early is great practice.

Top Tip! Cut the bottom off a soda bottle and pop over the top of your seedlings, this will act as a mini greenhouse and help give them a good start!