The Pest Advice

I have been watching with some anticipation the movement of buds on the rose on my balcony and the Camellia at the front door. There are also new leaves appearing on my honeysuckle and life is returning to many of the winter dormant plants in the garden. Here in Christchurch there have been several days of warm weather including very mild nights. The soil temperature is rising and days are lengthening. Has spring sprung?

Perhaps that is thought is too optimistic as there is still time for some heavy frosts and cold weather to return. But the early signs of spring and growth of plants and weeds suggest to me that I should be protecting the new growth from attack by fungus and disease and dealing with emergent annual weeds before they get established.

I have some NO Insects or Disease Spectrum Powder left from last year. As it contains systemic insecticide and broad range fungicides it will give excellent protection for the next few weeks as the plants come out of their winter slumber.

I will also be encouraged to deal with the moss and weeds in the lawn and on the paths and driveways. NO Moss Mould Mildew is great at clearing the moss and slime from hard surfaces without bleach and NO Moss in Lawns will deal to the mossy patches that have grown through the cool damp winter months. Once the moss has died I will scarify the lawns to remove the dead moss and clear out the dead grass that would otherwise provide fungus and other diseases a place to form.

Broad leaf weeds and annuals are appearing in the lawn and in the gravel driveway so I will give the lawn a treatment with NO Lawn Weeds Turfclean and the driveway with NO Weeds Longterm liquid weedkillers. Turfclean is a selective herbicide that will kill the weeds without harming the grass and the Longterm Liquid Weed Killer gets rid of the existing weeds but also prevents new weeds germinating for some months, saving me from time, effort and a weedy driveway and paths.