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  1. Home
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  4. August

August in the Garden

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August

It’s ALMOST spring…

This month there’s a sense that winter is almost over. Flower and growth buds on deciduous trees and shrubs, roses and fruit trees start to swell and show tinges of colour, the early daffodils and jonquils burst into flower and camellias and magnolias are at their peak of flowering.

 

Gardening in August

  • Vegetables
  • Fruit & Citrus
  • Flowers & Bulbs
  • Indoor Plants
  • Lawn Care
  • Plants, Trees & Shrubs
Learn How to Grow Chillies in Simple Steps | Love The Garden

Chilli

It seems that most people now have at least 1 or 2 chilli plants at home – it’s become incredibly trendy. Growing...

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How to grow potatoes

Potatoes

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are tubers that grow and form at the plant’s roots. Plants also produce flowering shoots...

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how to grow peas

Peas

Nothing beats home-grown peas for their tenderness and taste. That's because when they’re picked, their sugars start to...

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How to grow & care for asparagus

Asparagus

Asparagus is a classic spring vegetable worth establishing in your garden. You’ll need to wait 2 years from planting...

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How to grow & care for cauliflower

Cauliflower

Drizzled with olive oil and baked whole or sliced into steaks, cut into individual florets and wok-tossed in a stir fry...

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How to grow & care for broccoli

Broccoli

Broccoli is a must have in every home veggie patch - it’s productive, nutritious and very easy to grow. Although they're...

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How to grow & care for rhubarb

Rhubarb

Rhubarbs edible stalks grow from a central crown and this popular vegetable is most commonly eaten as a sweet! Once...

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Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts

You might not like the cold weather, but Brussels sprouts do! Brussels sprouts grow best in cool climates with cold...

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How to grow spinach

Spinach

Spinach is rich in iron, fibre and other essential vitamins and this easy to grow veg is ready to harvest, leaf by leaf...

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How to grow kale

Kale

Kale is an easy to grow leafy vegetable that has become popular thanks to its superfood status because it’s rich in...

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How to grow & care for cabbage

Cabbage

Cabbages are an easy and versatile vegetable for you to grow and enjoy at home! It can be eaten raw, cooked into...

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How to grow & care for silverbeet

Silverbeet

Silverbeet is also commonly referred to as Swiss chard, chard or rainbow chard. The rainbow variety has brightly...

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A pile of avocados with one on top cut in half.

Avocado

Avocado trees, once established, are very productive, beautiful evergreen trees that will supply you with plenty of...

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Bunch of Beetroot

Beetroot

Beetroot is the ultimate vegetable to grow for root-to-tip eating! Its young tender leaves can be eaten raw in salads or...

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Celery

Celery

Celery can be a fussy vegetable to grow, it doesn’t like it too hot or too cold! But once you’ve got it growing happily...

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Watercress plant

Watercress

Watercress is a peppery, nutrient-rich leafy green that’s delicious on sandwiches and in salads. It’s easy to grow in...

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Turmeric in a bowl

Turmeric

Turmeric is bright yellow, pungent spice, native to the monsoon rainforests of Asia, that you can easily grow in your...

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grow radishes

Radish

Radishes are one of the easiest and speediest vegetable crops to grow! Perfect for the time poor or beginner gardener...

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Growing Leeks

Leeks

Leeks are a sweet and mild member of the onion family. They thrive in cold and warm temperate climates but can be...

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Globe Artichoke small

Globe artichokes

Globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) are thistle like plants that produce edible flowers - harvested and eaten in their bud...

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Horseradish

Horseradish

Horseradish is a vigorous plant related to broccoli, cabbage and kale - but unlike its brassica cousins, horseradish is...

Read more about Horseradish
Parsnip

Parsnip

Parsnips are a nutty and sweet root vegetable that can take 5-6 months to reach maturity! But the flavour of homegrown...

Read more about Parsnip
Shallots

Shallots

Shallots ( Allium cepa var. aggregatum) are a member of the onion family loved by chefs and home cooks for their mild...

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Lettuce

Lettuce

Lettuce is an easy to grow, staple leafy green that can be easily grown year round. You can grow lettuce quickly from...

Read more about Lettuce
How to grow small Okra

Okra

Okra, also known as Lady’s Fingers or Gumbo, produces long pod-shaped fruit that can be used in stews, curries and stir...

Read more about Okra
Snow peas

Snow Peas

Snow peas are heavy croppers that are easy to grow in home veggie beds or potted gardens. Snow peas flat pods can be...

Read more about Snow Peas
Turnips

Turnip

Turnip are a fast and easy to grow root crop that’s related to other broccoli, cabbage and other brassicas. Although...

Read more about Turnip
Mustard Greens

Mustard greens

Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) are a cool season vegetable, grown for their peppery edible leaves. You can eat young...

Read more about Mustard greens
How to grow blueberries

Blueberries

Eaten fresh, baked in muffins or as the star attraction in jams or desserts, blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are...

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How to grow strawberries | Love the Garden

Strawberries

Who doesn’t love strawberries? If you’re a strawberry fan, there are many varieties easy to grow at home, allowing you...

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How to grow raspberries

Raspberries

What could be better than a bowl of sweet, fresh-picked raspberries in summer? These delicious fruits are easy to grow...

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How to grow & care for cherry trees

Cherries

Homegrown cherries are sweet, juicy and delicious. Many varieties will be dripping with ready to pick cherries around...

Read more about Cherries
How to grow & care for apple trees

Apple

Apple trees love a garden with cool winters, but if you choose the right variety (with ‘low chill’ requirements), you...

Read more about Apple
Choko

Choko

Chokos are an old-fashioned crop that’s making a comeback! Once upon a time, these vigorous vines covered pergolas...

Read more about Choko
Harvesting Blackberries

Blackberries

Blackberries sometimes get a bad wrap thanks to the wild, thorny, weedy ones! But growing blackberries in your garden is...

Read more about Blackberries
Growing grapes

Grapes

Growing grapes from your own grapevine really are the perfect summer snack! Fruiting grapevines are fast-growing...

Read more about Grapes
Fig Tree

Fig Trees

Fig trees originate from the Mediterranean where the summers are hot and dry, and winters cool - so they happily grow in...

Read more about Fig Trees
Mango

Mango

Mangoes are the classic summer fruit, loved for their sweet and juicy flesh. Mango trees thrive in tropical and...

Read more about Mango
Persimmon

Persimmon

Persimmons are medium to tall growing deciduous trees that produce apple sized, orange coloured persimmon fruits in...

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Pineapples

Pineapples

Pineapples are an easy care tropical fruit, that will also grow in other frost-free climates around Australia too...

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How to grow Lychee

Lychee

Lychee fruit grow on medium to large evergreen trees that love growing in subtropical and tropical climates. They love a...

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Paw Paw

Paw Paw

Paw Paw or Papaya (Carica papaya) originate from tropical and subtropical climates, so they thrive in warm, frost free...

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Mulberry

Mulberry

Mulberry trees are a fast and easy to fruiting plant for every home garden! You’ll rarely find mulberries at the...

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Pear

Pear Trees

Pear trees love a garden with cool winters, but if you choose the right variety (with ‘low chill’ requirements) you can...

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Kiwifruit

Kiwifruit

Kiwifruit grow on large, vigorous vines that need a lot of space to grow. To produce kiwifruit you’ll need to plant both...

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Gooseberry

Gooseberries

Gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa) are native to parts of Europe, but they’ll happily grow in the cooler parts of southern...

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plum

Plum Trees

Plum trees are productive fruit trees, ideally suited to growing in the average backyard or in a large pot. There are...

Read more about Plum Trees
pomegranate

Pomegranate

Pomegranates (Punica granatum) are heat-loving trees, native to the Middle East, that grow well here in Australia. The...

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Growing orchids

Orchids

Orchids are a great addition to any home, with their exotic, delicate and diverse flowers and their beautiful shapes and...

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How to grow roses

Roses

Roses are among our favourite garden plants – and deservedly so. They are versatile, produce vibrant colour through...

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How to grow & care for lavender

Lavender

Lavender is a beautiful, fragrant small shrub perfect for cottage gardens, perennial borders and pollinator patches...

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Azalea small

Azalea

Azaleas have the power to fill winter and spring gardens with masses of colourful blooms. Azaleas will tolerate a range...

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Lilies

Lilies

Lilies or lilium are summer flowering bulbs with showy blooms that are often heavily fragrant. Lilies will grow in most...

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Snapdragons

Snapdragons

Snapdragons are bright and cheerful flowering plants that grow in most climates. If you live in a region with heavy...

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How to grow hydrangeas

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas ( Hydrangea macrophylla) are the perfect flowering shrub for part shade AND their big blousy flower heads...

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poinsettia

Poinsettia

Poinsettia is a Christmas favourite - their red and green colours are commonly used to bring festive cheer indoors over...

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Begonias

Begonias

Begonias come in a range of sizes and forms, and they’re loved by gardeners as indoor or outdoor plants for their...

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Rhododendron

Rhododendron

Rhododendrons are spring flowering shrubs or trees that are closely related to azaleas, so they like similar growing...

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ranunculus

Ranunculus

Ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus) make the perfect spring and early summer cut flower. They grow from dormant corms...

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Fuchsia

Fuchsia

Fuchsia plants produce delicate and colourful hanging flowers that look like twirling ballerinas in spring, summer and...

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Purple foxglove flowers in a green garden.

Foxgloves

Foxgloves, also referred to as fairy gloves or digitalis, add colour and life to Australian backyards from spring to...

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African Violet

African Violet

Cheerful, bright and compact, African violets are the perfect indoor pot plant. They have eye-catching purple, red, pink...

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Snake Plant

Snake Plants

Snake Plants are the easiest houseplant of all to grow. This undemanding plant will grow in the most challenging of...

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Weeping fig

Weeping Fig

Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) are elegant houseplants loved for their glossy leaves that hang gracefully from arching...

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An indoor Pilea, also known as a Chinese money plant, in a pot. 

Pilea peperomioides/Chinese money plant

With its iconic round leaves and vibrant green colour, the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) has become a...

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How To Grow & Care For Kikuyu Lawn

Kikuyu Grass

Kikuya grass, or Pennisetum Clandestinum, is a vigorous plant often used in Australian lawns and common in public...

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Bromeliad

Bromeliads

Bromeliads ( Bromeliaceae) are a diverse group of plants with a very tropical vibe. With over 3000 different species in...

Read more about Bromeliads
Growing almond

Almond Tree

Almonds (Prunus amygdalus) are the edible nuts produced inside the hard-fleshed velvety fruit, that grows on a tree that...

Read more about Almond Tree
bougainvillea

Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas put on a showy display of vibrant colour throughout summer. These vigorous vines are drought tolerant and...

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Magnolia

Magnolia

Magnolia's magnificent blooms arrive at the end of winter, announcing that spring isn’t far away. On deciduous magnolias...

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Birds of Paradise

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise plants are tropical beauties with big leaves and flamboyant, colourful flowers that resemble birds...

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dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia spp.), also known as Dumb Cane or Leopard Lily, are fast-growing tropical plants popular as...

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Boston Fern

Boston Fern

Boston Ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) are elegant plants with long, slender leaves that cascade over the sides of their...

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Kentia Palm

Kentia Palm

Kentia Palms (Howea forsteriana) are tall, elegant palms with arching fronds on long stems that will happily grow as a...

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Lilly Pilly

Lilly Pilly

Lilly Pilly plants range from small shrubs to large trees - you can grow them in the ground or pots and you’ll find a...

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bottlebrush

Bottlebrush

Bottlebrush gets their common name because their fluffy, blooms are shaped like old-fashioned bottle brushes...

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Waratah

Waratah

Waratah (Telopea species) are Australian native plants loved for their large flowers that come in a range of colours...

Read more about Waratah
Lemon Tree

Lemon Trees

Lemon trees are a classic backyard staple! These productive trees are long-lived and will grow in a large pot or in your...

Read more about Lemon Trees
English Ivy

English Ivy

English Ivy (Hedera helix) is a fast growing, creeping vine that is a serious environmental weed in many parts of...

Read more about English Ivy
Microgreens

Microgreens

Microgreens are the young and immature seedlings of plants with edible leaves that you can harvest and use for garnish...

Read more about Microgreens

Vegetables

What to harvest now:

Winter veggies, including cabbage, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, silverbeet and leafy greens like lettuce, should still be going strong. The very first of the new season’s asparagus tips may pop up later in the month – keep an eye out and cut them when about 15cm tall – they will be tender and delicious!

Click on the fruit or vegetable image below to find out more about them.

 
What to plant now:

Continue planting certified virus-free strawberry plants and runners. Rhubarb and asparagus crowns may still be available and should be planted as soon as possible.

In cooler areas, later in the month, sow seeds of: 
  • Broad bean
  • Carrot
  • Celery
  • French bean
  • Lettuce
  • Onion
  • Parsnip
  • Dwarf pea
  • Climbing pea
  • Silverbeet 
In temperate to warm areas plant seedlings of:
  • Beetroot
  • Carrot
  • Chinese cabbage
  • Kohl rabi
  • Potato tuber

Tray of vegetables about to be planted.

 
Veggie patch tips for August:
  • Give newly planted seedlings a good start with regular applications of a liquid fertiliser for vegetables and herbs such as Osmocote Boost+Feed Vegetables, Tomatoes & Herbs or a certified organic fertiliser once a month.
  • Water every few days if the weather is dry.
  • Hand pull or hoe out weeds as they appear – they compete for nutrients and moisture and may also harbour pests that could attack your crops.
  • As winter crops finish, pull out the plants and put them into the compost bin if they are disease-free.
  • Start preparing empty beds now for planting out seedlings next month. Dig over to break up the soil, fork in plenty of compost and a complete fertiliser.

Fruit

What fruits to harvest now:

In late winter, it’s only the warmer parts of the country that will have any ripe fruit to harvest, and most of it will be citrus – mandarins, tangelos, grapefruit and lemons.

Bowl of mandarins, tangelos, grapefruit and lemons.

 
What fruit to plant:

Evergreen fruiting plants such as passionfruit vines and citrus may still be planted in warm to tropical areas. Bare-rooted deciduous fruit and nut trees and vines should be planted as soon as possible before they start to shoot and flower. Some garden centres may already have them potted up and in flower.

Choose from: 

  • Fig 
  • Apple
  • Pear
  • Cherry
  • Plum
  • Apricot
  • Plumcot
  • Nectarine
  • Peach
  • Persimmon
  • Almond
  • Walnut
  • Mulberry
  • Pomegranate
  • Quince
  • Raspberry
  • Blackberry

Pink and white flowers growing on a tree.

 

Flowers

What flowers to plant:

Bare-root roses are still available and, like fruit trees, should be in the ground very soon! Some nurseries sell them already potted up – they can be planted now or left until they are fully in leaf before transplanting into the garden. Spring flowering annuals will in full bloom now, but it’s not too early to start thinking about summer flowers.        

In cool areas, sow seeds into seed trays of:
  • Amaranthus
  • Bedding begonia
  • Candytuft
  • Carnation
  • Celosia
  • Eschscholtzia
  • Geum
  • Hollyhock
  • Linaria
  • Lupin
  • Nasturtium
  • Petunia
  • Scabiosa
  • Sweet William
  • Verbena
  • Wallflower
In warmer areas, plant annual seedlings of:
  • Dianthus
  • Gaillardia
  • Geum
  • Gypsophila
  • Honesty
  • Impatiens
  • Nasturtium
  • Statice

Indoor Plants

Tips for Indoor Plants:

Plants inside the home assist in purifying the air as well as lending a touch of greenery to your living areas. 

Indoor plant growing inside a pot

 

  • Natural light is important but don’t stand pots on north or west-facing windowsills where they will be exposed to direct sun through the glass. 
  • Keep plants away from heaters and air conditioners that can dry the atmosphere.
  • Place a saucer or bowl of water near your plants to humidify the air.
  • Wipe leaves occasionally with a damp cloth to keep them clean.
  • Feed every few weeks with ready to use Osmocote Pour+Feed Indoor Plants – no mixing required.

Lawn

Maintenance tips:

If you didn’t have time to give the mower a service last month, do it now before spring when it will be called into service quite frequently. As winter gradually recedes and the days become longer and a little warmer, the lawn will have quite a growth spurt - now is the time to fertilise. The type of fertiliser you use will depend on the health of your lawn. 

Person fertilising lawn

 

  • A general purpose fertiliser like Lawn Builder All Purpose Slow Release Lawn Food, Lawn Builder Buffalo Slow Release Lawn Food or Lawn Builder Extreme Green Slow Release Lawn Food (all granular fertilisers that will feed your lawn for up to three months and suitable for all types of grass) will suit most situations.
  • However, if you have a broadleaf weed problem, then you may need to use Lawn Builder + Weedkill Slow Release Lawn Food but READ THE LABEL FIRST!  This fertiliser cannot be applied to buffalo grasses and some other lawn substitutes. 
  • Buffalo grasses and lawn substitutes can be treated and fed with Lawn Builder Buffalo Weed, Feed & Green Up, a hose-on product that can be safely used on all lawn types. However, it is not a slow release, long lasting lawn food. An application of Lawn Builder All Purpose or Lawn Builder Buffalo after eight weeks will keep the lawn growing strongly through to Summer. 
  • Control moss in shady areas with a solution of iron sulfate (30 grams in 4.5L of water) applied as a spray or with the watering will help control it. Re-apply if necessary.
  • If you’ve already fertilised the lawn when you notice broadleaf weeds including bindii spreading, use Lawn Builder Bindii, Clover & Broadleaf hose-on to eradicate them.
In the warmer north:  
  • Water lawns deeply once a week if there’s no rain.
  • Remove weeds either by hand or with Lawn Builder Bindii, Clover & Broadleaf hose-on.
  • Apply a Lawn Builder Slow Release granular fertiliser to feed the lawn for up to three months.

Garden Tasks

Things to look out for and do during the month:
  • Keep flowering annuals and bulbs growing and flowering well with regular applications of Osmocote Boost+Feed All Plant Types.
  • Finish pruning deciduous trees and shrubs as soon as possible. DO NOT prune blossom trees (Prunus, etc) or Spring flowering shrubs – wait until after they have flowered. 
  • As soon as “bud swell” is noticed on fruiting and flowering trees and shrubs, apply a copper-based spray to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases like mildews and leaf curl. Apply to fruit trees again after flowering, when fruits are just starting to form.
  • Last chance to sow a “green manure” crop of oats, peas and field lupins into empty vegetable beds; dig it in to add nitrogen to the soil when about 300-400mm in height.
 
Pest Control:
  • Watch for the caterpillars of the White Cabbage Butterfly on cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other brassicas. Pyrethrum will assist or try a cabbage dust.
  • Slugs and snails can be active whenever there are young plants around – Defender Snail & Slug Pellets in a bait trap will protect your plants and keep your pets safe.
     

 

Pests on a plant outside.​

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