Issuu

Scoop SPRING 2026

Kitchen Garden

TOMATOES

Make this the season of your best tomatoes yet - see p.14

Spring Guide To

FERTILISING

A little feeding know-how goes a long way this spring - see p.21

More For Less

GROW YOUR OWN

Grow more, spend less, and feel good doing it - see p.36

FREE

for Garden Club Members

$2.99 - or free with sign up!

SPRING 2026

Contents The Staples

The Features

What's Happening ........................... 4

Growing Organic ............................. 12

Spring Calendar ............................... 5

Tomatoes .......................................... 14

Meet Our Team .................................. 6

Spring Colour ................................... 18

Gardeners’ Mail ................................. 7

Spring Fertilising ..............................21

Spring Plants We’re Loving ............10

Auckland Home Show................... 22

Indoor Plants ...................................33

Structure in Auckland Gardens.... 24

Seasonal Recipe ..............................39

For the Bees ..................................... 26

Little Growers Corner ......................41

Summer Bulbs .................................30

Spring Checklists ............................42

Grow Your Own ...............................36

Catch up on all things Kings

Key dates for your spring diary Get to know our expert team

Celebrating your garden success Some of our top spring plants

Spring TLC and repotting advice

Spring flavours from garden to plate Create your own DIY Bird Feeder

What to plant and tend to this spring

Good for you, and the planet

Our top tomato tips and varieties Elevate your garden this spring

A quick guide to fertilising this spring Explore the new Garden Showcase

Top ten essential plants for structure Our top spring plants for the bees

Create a captivating summer display

Fresh food, greater choice and savings

WHAT'S HAPPENING

At Kings Kia ora everyone, I’m always excited to see the first signs of spring. It’s a special time of year, as our gardens begin to wake up and the changing season brings fresh colour, growth and inspiration. Here in Auckland, the past month has brought unusually dry weather and plenty of sunshine. With a warm, dry spring forecast, it should be a wonderful time to get outdoors and into the garden. Just remember to keep on top of watering, particularly while new plants are becoming established. For those of us who love growing vegetables, this is an especially exciting season. Stores begin filling with an ever-growing selection of seasonal vegetables ready for planting including, of course, our much-cherished tomatoes. There is something enormously satisfying about choosing your favourite varieties now and looking forward to that first homegrown harvest. We have so much happening at Kings this spring. We’re thrilled to be the official plant partner for the new garden showcase at the Auckland Home Show.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to explore display gardens created by talented designers and installed by Parrot Landscaping, predominantly using plants and products you can find every day at Kings. We’ll also be at the show with our own pop-up site, offering expert advice and some great deals. At the same time, our annual Spring Festival will be getting underway. You’ll discover inspiring new seasonal ranges, fantastic offers and stores that are vibrant, colourful and fully stocked for spring. This year, we’re also hosting three local late night shopping events at Takapuna, Botany and St Lukes. Our local teams will be putting on an entertaining evening of gardening talks, delicious food, useful advice and some great local specials. We would love to see you there. Our teams have worked incredibly hard this year, and I’m proud that their commitment continues to be recognised through further customer-service awards. They are looking forward to helping you make the most of the new season.

We’re also excited about the many new products arriving this spring from chicken manure pellets and organic slug bait to calla lily bulbs, standard fuchsias, new petunia ranges and spectacular Queen Anthuriums in hanging baskets. Whatever your garden style or level of experience, there will be plenty to discover. There’s no doubt that spring is in the air. I hope this edition of Scoop gives you plenty of ideas and inspiration - and helps you grow to your happy place. Happy gardening, Micah Gamman CEO, Kings Plant Barn

EVENTS FOR YOUR

Spring Calendar THU

Auckland Home Show & Garden Showcase

SUN

10 13 SEP

Auckland Showgrounds, Greenlane

SEP

Kings is the Official Plant Partner of the Garden Showcase. Four days of stunning gardens and fresh inspiration for your space.

TUE

WED

THU

Kings Botany Late Night Event

Kings Takapuna Late Night Event

Kings St Lukes Late Night Event

5:30pm - 8:00pm

SEP

SAT

SEP

SUN

26 11 SEP

OCT

School Holidays at Kings All Kings Plant Barn locations

Kids tattoos, colouring and prizes for the kids, plus our Little Growers Butterfly Search. Fun for the whole family these holidays.

SAT

SUN

03 18 OCT

OCT

Awa Nursery Spring Festival 8:30am - 5:00pm 84 Mahana Road, Waimauku

Amazing specials on already low nursery prices. Free sausage sizzle, drinks and activities for the kids - bring the family out.

SAT

SUN

07 08 NOV

NOV

Auckland Rose Society Spring Rose Show Selwyn Library Hall 10 St Stephens Avenue, Parnell

Hosted by the Auckland Rose Society. Beautiful roses on display, bush and miniature rose plants, plus raffles and calendars for sale.

PASSIONATE PLANT PEOPLE

Meet Our Team The team at Kings are plant people — passionate and enthusiastic about caring for plants. Get to know a few of our team, and the story of how their love for plants came about. With their expertise and passion, they’re here to help you grow well. Luke Taylor

Garden Centre Assistant, Kings Silverdale

Simon Andrews

Store Manager, Kings St Lukes I grew up in Auckland, and gardening was always in the family. My grandparents were keen gardeners, my grandmother grew a beautiful perennial rose garden, and I spent hours with my grandfather in his compost bin and veggie patch. Looking back, that's where it all started. I knew early on I wanted to work outside, so I began my career in a nursery, then moved into orcharding in South Auckland, working with kiwifruit and peaches. From there I spent five years overseas, working in horticulture across Germany, the USA, Great Britain and Yemen, a real mix of orcharding, nursery work, landscaping, and even teaching budding and grafting techniques. When I came home to New Zealand, I found my way into the garden centre world, and then landscaping for a few more years. Kings was just getting started around that time, and I joined as a trainee manager at Remuera. Since then I've helped open several branches, including St Lukes in 1993, Silverdale in 2001, and Takanini in 2007, before coming back to St Lukes around 2012. What I love about this industry is that people don't need to come and see us, they want to. Kings has always backed me and given me the freedom to run my branch my way, within the right boundaries. I love that we keep our focus on plants rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Along the way I've made great friends, both within the industry and with our wonderful customers. Outside of work, I've spent the last five years tackling many of New Zealand's great walks, and I'm constantly amazed by our native forests and wildlife.

Luke comes from a varied background, with qualifications in permaculture, aquaculture, business studies just to name a few, but garden centre life has taken hold, and Luke has worked in garden centres on and off for about 15 years now. He started off working at another garden centre and spent a few years there before joining Kings in 2016 where he developed a love for gardening, and started collecting some of the more weird and wonderful plants. Luke spent several years as the Dry Goods buyer at Silverdale, and has developed an incredible knowledge of all things pest and disease related as well as soils, fertilisers and plants of course. “I love helping customers with their gardens, it’s such a satisfying and rewarding job, it’s nice to be able to help people create a space around them which can bring them joy, or help with any pest or disease issues, so they can get their garden thriving again” “The thing about gardening is, it brings out the best in all of us. If you put your mind to it, you can see the garden as an expression of yourself, you might not be able to change the outside world, but you can affect your own space within it”

Head instore today and meet our team of expert staff and knowledgeable Plant Doctors. Whether you’re a beginner or a gardening pro, our team are here to help you grow well.

CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS

Gardeners’ Mail Heritage Home Harvest The weather has been absolutely perfect, and our kitchen garden at Rose Hellaby House has grown quicker than we can keep up with! This lovely harvest has been shared with a local Pātaka Kai (community food pantry), but it has us thinking… maybe we need to plant more perennial varieties that will keep producing year after year. A huge thanks to Kings Plant Barn Henderson for the beautiful plants that had us harvesting in no time at all. - Rose Hellaby House

Night Sky Petunias One of my all time favourite petunias I've grown while living in Auckland. I was finally on a piece of property that wasn’t riddled with snails and rabbits from all directions and I got to start enjoying being able to grow my own flowers. This is the variety ‘Night Sky’ and though it isn’t ideal for cut flowers, petunias do look amazing en masse in gardens, pots and hangers. - Lee

Every published story wins, so send us your gardening success stories!

Post: PO BOX 31002, Milford, 0741 Email: scoop@kings.co.nz or message us on Facebook or Instagram

Bring On

SPRING FESTIVAL Celebrate the season of growth with us! 10th September - 1st October

29TH SEP - 1ST OCT

Late Night Events Spring is in full swing, and this year we're throwing the doors open after hours at three of our stores to celebrate. Join us at Botany, Takapuna or St Lukes for a Late Night Event filled with everything we love about this season: community, creativity, and the joy of growing. Enjoy giveaways and expert talks, keep the kids entertained with crafts, and grab a bite at the sausage sizzle. Bring the family along and celebrate spring with us. It's an evening you won't want to miss. TUE

29 SEP

Kings Botany Late Night Event 5:30pm - 8:00pm

280 Botany Road, Botany Downs

WED

30 SEP

Kings Takapuna Late Night Event 5:30pm - 8:00pm

11 Porana Road, Glenfield

THU

01 OCT

Kings St Lukes Late Night Event 5:30pm - 8:00pm

118 Asquith Avenue, Mount Albert

A SPRING GIFT FOR GARDEN CLUB MEMBERS

START SPRING

FREE FLOWER WITH A

ON US

Not a member?

JOIN FREE and get yours too!

To celebrate the start of spring, we're giving Kings Garden Club members a FREE flowering annual plant, just provide your member details instore.

Signing up is easy!

Strictly while stocks last | Available from 10th Sep | 1 per member*

Ask instore at checkout or go to kings.co.nz

*T&Cs: Strictly limited to one per member. 8900 plants available, while stocks last. Plants cannot be exchanged for any other plants or products.

SPRING PLANTS

We’re Loving The days are stretching out, the sun's got some warmth back in it, and gardens everywhere are bursting into colour. Here are a few of the plants we can't stop talking about this season: Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas never go out of style, and this spring a beautiful new range of cut flower varieties joins the classic garden favourites. Blooming from spring into summer in blue, white and pink shades, they bring cottage garden charm. Full Sun to Part Shade | Keep well watered

Statice

New Limonium varieties are joining the statice range this spring, in fresh shades from soft apricot through to deep blue. These easy-care, papery blooms hold their colour when dried, lovely on the plant or in a vase. Full Sun | Drought tolerant once established

Queen Anthurium

A true statement houseplant, our new Queen Anthurium hanging baskets bring big, richly veined leaves and drama to any room. A rare and beautiful houseplant release, best shown off somewhere it can steal the show. Bright Indirect Light | Keep soil lightly moist

Basil

No spring herb garden is truly complete without basil. Its glossy green leaves and unmistakable aroma make it a kitchen essential, and planting it alongside your tomatoes helps keep pests away while wonderfully boosting their flavour too. Full Sun to Part Shade | Keep well watered

Blueberries

Homegrown blueberries are one of the simple joys of the garden, plump and sweet, ready to eat straight off the bush. In Auckland's warmer climate, they crop reliably and reward you generously, with two plants together giving even better pollination. Full Sun | Keep well watered, especially over summer

Calla Lilies

This spring we're excited to welcome a colourful new range of calla lilies into store, with fresh shades landing from September. Elegant and easy-going, callas make a beautiful border plant and a long-lasting cut flower too. Full Sun to Part Shade | Keep soil moist

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with new releases and what we’re loving. KingsPlantBarnNZ KingsPlantBarn

YOUR SPRING GUIDE TO

Growing Organic As the soil warms and plants return to active growth, spring is the perfect time to begin growing organically. Organic gardening isn’t simply about replacing one spray with another. It means working with natural processes, reducing reliance on synthetic inputs and creating the conditions for plants and helpful garden organisms to thrive. Start With The Soil

Plant For A Balanced Garden

Stay Ahead Of Spring Pests

Healthy soil is the foundation of any successful organic garden. Start by mixing organic compost thoroughly through the existing topsoil. In Auckland’s heavy clay soils, compost helps improve drainage and aeration while retaining moisture and nutrients. Particularly heavy clay will also benefit from gypsum.

A productive organic garden should contain more than vegetables. Growing flowers and herbs among your crops helps create diversity and attracts the beneficial insects your garden needs.

Inspect new growth regularly, including beneath leaves, so pests can be managed early. Protect vulnerable seedlings with insect netting and remove larger pests by hand.

You now have a great base for your vegetable garden, but not all plants have the same nutritional needs. Most vegetables benefit from additional nitrogen, so mixing in sheep pellets before planting is generally recommended. You can also make your own compost from fruit, vegetable and garden waste using a compost bin or Zing Bokashi system. Once properly broken down, this material can be added to your garden to improve the soil further. Tomatoes, capsicums and other fruiting crops will need additional potassium as they begin flowering and setting fruit. Apply an organic liquid tomato or vegetable fertiliser containing potassium later in the season. Always follow the recommended application rates. Too much compost or fertiliser can burn young roots or encourage soft, weak growth.

Bees and other pollinators help flowers develop into fruit, while ladybirds, hoverfly larvae, lacewings and parasitic wasps feed on aphids and other pests. Marigolds and sweet alyssum are useful additions, providing nectar and pollen for beneficial insects. Allowing herbs such as coriander, dill and parsley to flower will provide further food for these garden helpers. Nasturtiums can be grown as a sacrificial plant to attract aphids away from more valuable crops. Check them regularly, however, and remove heavily infested growth before the aphids spread. Mixing vegetables, herbs and flowers also makes it more difficult for pests to move easily from one plant to another. Rotate crop families between beds each season to help prevent soil-borne pests and diseases from repeatedly targeting the same plants.

Slugs and snails can quickly damage tender seedlings. Hand-picking after dark can help, while Slimax Organic Slug & Snail Bait provides a targeted option when additional control is needed. Organic Diatomaceous Earth Powder controls crawling insects physically rather than chemically. Apply a light dusting in dry conditions, avoid flowers and beneficial insects, and take care not to breathe the powder. Neem-based products such as Grosafe Bioneem can help manage chewing and sucking pests by disrupting their feeding and development. Apply thoroughly, including beneath leaves. Even organic controls should be used thoughtfully. Identify the pest, treat only when necessary and always follow the label directions.

Growing organically isn’t about perfection. Start with healthy soil, encourage nature’s helpers and respond early to problems.

Stop the slime

A Brand NEW Control for Slugs and Snails.

* ACVM registration no: P010530. or more information #isit www.desangosse.co.nz/slimax *allowed for use in organic production. limax is a registered trademar of De angosse ew Zealand LTD

YOUR KITCHEN GARDEN

Tomatoes Spring is here, and there's no better time to get tomatoes into the ground. Garden bed, pot, or container, it doesn't matter, your plants will reward the effort with armfuls of vibrant, juicy fruit for months to come. Learn all about growing your best tomatoes yet, from planting through to harvest.

Growing From Seed

Want to explore some more unique tomato varieties? Growing from seed is a great way to do it. Auckland's mild spring climate means you can start sowing into seed trays from mid-August.

Growing From Seedlings

For a quicker start, tomato seedlings are the way to go. Our Super Punnets keep each root system in its own pocket, so there's no tangling to sort out, just healthy plants set up for fast growth.

Growing From Established Plants

Need a head start, or playing catch-up? Available from mid September, mature plants settle in quickly, giving you a bountiful harvest to get you snacking on them sooner.

Growing From Grafted Tomatoes

After a bigger harvest? Grafted tomatoes pair a strong rootstock with a favourite fruiting variety, giving you a faster-growing, more resilient plant that can produce up to twice the fruit of a standard tomato.

Position

Tomatoes are sun lovers, so give them as much of it as you can. Find a warm spot that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sun a day, ideally somewhere sheltered from strong wind but with good airflow around the leaves. If you're using the same beds each year, rotate your crop placement, avoiding areas where tomatoes, potatoes, or eggplants grew the previous season, to help avoid soil-borne diseases.

Planting In Containers

Choosing the right mix makes all the difference in a pot. Tui Tomato Mix or Kings Container Mix both contain water crystals for better moisture retention, plus slow-release fertiliser to help feed your plants as they grow. Choose your pot wisely too. At least a 40L pot gives a mature plant room for healthy root development.

In Ground Planting tomatoes straight into the garden? Make sure your soil is free-draining and rich in organic matter. Fork through the soil and work in Kings Compost and Kings Sheep Pellets to enrich the soil before you plant. Dig a hole twice as deep and wide as the pot your plant came in, and place it in so the graft sits at least 1cm above the soil line. Backfill with your soil blend, firm it down gently, and water in well with Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster. Pop in a stake to tie your plant to as it grows, some varieties can reach up to 6ft tall!

Care Watering

Consistency is what tomatoes are after. Planted in the ground, water deeply every second day to encourage strong root development. In pots, water daily until it drains from the bottom. Containers dry out faster and need more frequent attention. Just don't let the pot sit in standing water afterwards, as this can lead to root rot.

Feeding

Feeding matters just as much as watering. Once your plant begins to flower, apply Kings Liquid Tomato Food every two weeks. This tomato-specific fertiliser is rich in potassium, which supports strong flowering and fruit production. Supplement once a

month with Aquaticus Garden Booster, an organic liquid fertiliser that helps your plant develop stronger, healthier roots.

Pruning

To help your plant focus its energy on fruit rather than foliage, regularly pinch out side shoots, also known as lateral branches. You'll find these sprouting from the join between the main stem and an existing branch, and left alone, they'll divert valuable energy away from fruit development. Harvest your tomatoes once they've fully ripened on the vine, depending on the variety, they'll turn a rich red, golden yellow, or vibrant orange when ready to pick.

Pest & Disease Prevention

Keep your plants healthy by staying ahead of common pests and diseases. Spray regularly with Grosafe Free Flo Copper to combat blight and other fungal diseases. For protection against insect pests, apply Aquaticus Bugtrol. Whatever product you choose, always read and follow the label instructions carefully to ensure safe and effective use. It's best to apply sprays in the evening hours to avoid harming beneficial insects like bees.

Our Top Varieties

Beefsteak

Sweet 100

Roma

Black Krim

Large, juicy, and meaty with a mild, classic tomato flavour, Beefsteak is perfect for slicing onto burgers and sandwiches. Thick flesh and minimal seeds make it a favourite for fresh eating, hearty salads, and anything that calls for a good slice.

Plum-shaped, meaty, and low in moisture, Roma tomatoes are ideal for sauces, pastes, and canning. Rich, tangy flavour and few seeds make them a staple in Italian cooking and a favourite for preserving.

Small, cherry-sized, and known for their exceptionally sweet flavour, Sweet 100 tomatoes grow in generous clusters and crop prolifically. These bite-sized treats are perfect for snacking straight off the vine, tossing through salads, or roasting whole.

Money Maker

A classic, reliable heirloom known for its smooth, mediumsized fruit and balanced flavour. Vigorous and high-yielding, Money Maker thrives in a variety of conditions, making it a favourite among home gardeners and market growers alike.

A striking heirloom with deep reddish-purple skin and a rich, smoky-sweet flavour, Black Krim is known for its juicy texture and complex taste. A real gourmet favourite, perfect for salads, sandwiches, and fresh slicing.

Kings Liquid Tomato Food

Kings Container Mix

Kings Sheep Pellets

Purpose-built for tomatoes, helping your plants flower strongly and keep fruiting right through the season.

Holds moisture well and keeps roots happy, a solid base for tomatoes cropping all summer in pots.

An organic fertiliser that helps to build the rich, free-draining soil tomatoes need to thrive.

SPRING STARTS WITH

GREAT SOIL • MULCHES • MIXES • COMPOSTS

GET YOUR GARDEN GROWING THIS SPRING WITH LIVING EARTH. Whether you’re planting, refreshing beds or giving the lawn some love, our quality compost and mixes are perfect for home gardens, veggie patches, lawns and landscaping projects.

livingearth.co.nz

ELEVATE YOUR GARDEN WITH

Spring Colour Adding spring colour is one of the simplest ways to lift your garden, whether you're after bold statement blooms, soft trailing accents or cheerful potted displays, there's something to suit every space, big or small, sunny or shaded. Our Top Varieties

Foxgloves There's something almost magical about foxgloves. Their tall spires of bell-shaped blooms rise through the border in shades of lilac, blush and cream, adding height, drama and a touch of fairytale charm that bees and gardeners adore. Part Shade | Keep well watered

Bacopa Bacopa is a low, trailing charmer, softening the edges of pots and hanging baskets with a steady spill of tiny flowers. Undemanding and easy-going, it's a simple way to add movement and softness to any display. Full Sun to Part Shade | Keep evenly moist

Lavender

Alstroemeria

Fragrant purple spikes and silvery foliage make lavender a spring garden favourite. Plant along a path, in terracotta pots, or through a pollinatorfriendly bed, and enjoy its structure, scent and timeless charm right through until summer's end.

Alstroemeria, or Peruvian lily, brings months of colour to the garden with clusters of exotic, speckled blooms. Easy to grow in a sunny, free-draining spot, it also makes a superb cut flower, lasting beautifully in a vase.

Full Sun | Water sparingly

Full Sun | Keep well watered

Cape Daisies

Petunias

Also known as Osteospermum, Cape Daisies bring masses of daisy-like blooms in a huge range of colours from early spring through to the first frosts. Once established, they're impressively drought tolerant, needing just an occasional deep watering.

Few plants deliver as much colour as fast as petunias. Perfect for hanging baskets, pots or garden beds, these hardy bloomers love a warm, sheltered spot and reward you with masses of blooms through spring and summer.

Full Sun | Drought tolerant once established

Full Sun | Keep well watered

The ONE BAG You need! TM

One natural chicken manure fertiliser for pretty much everything in the garden.

Gardening doesn’t have to be rocket science. ONE BAG™ is made from natural chicken manure pellets, packed with the nutrients and organic matter plants and soil need to thrive. Use it on fruit and veges, flowers, shrubs and more. No synthetic fertilisers. No collection of half-used bags and bottles. Just ONE BAG™ to grow it all.

Scan the code or visit www.onebag.co.nz to find out more!

For fruit, veges, flowers, shrubs and more!

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NUTRIENT RICH

Contains ALL essential elements and micronutrients crucial for plant growth.

WORM APPROVED!

Supports worm & microbe activity for healthier soil.

SOIL SUPERCHARGER!

~ 70% organic matter helps improve soil health & support strong roots.

CLEAN & TIDY

Easy-to-use pellets with less mess and fuss.

ONE 10KG BAG COVERS UP TO 20m²

A QUICK GUIDE TO

Spring Fertilising As the days lengthen, and soil warms, your garden shifts into its biggest growth spurt of the year with new leaves, flowers and fruit all demanding energy at once. Winter rain has washed the nutrients out of the soil, so most gardens head into spring running low right when demand is about to spike. Fertilising now fuels new growth, helps plants flower and fruit more freely, and builds stronger root systems needed to cope with Auckland's summer dry spells ahead. Which Fertiliser Is Right For You? Granular

Slow-Release

Liquid

Granular fertiliser comes as small, dry pellets or crumbs that you scatter by hand or with a spreader across the soil surface. Once down, it releases its nutrients slowly as you water or when it rains, feeding steadily through the coming weeks rather than in one big hit. That makes it ideal for borders, lawns and established beds, think roses, shrubs, hedging or a patch of lawn that needs feeding for the season ahead. Because it works with your existing watering routine, there's nothing extra to remember once it's applied.

Slow-release fertiliser looks similar to granular but is coated so its nutrients are released gradually over months from a single application, rather than all at once. That makes it the low-effort choice for pots and containers, where regular watering (and rain running straight through the drainage holes) washes nutrients out faster than they would leach from garden soil. Think patio pots, hanging baskets or potted citrus, plants that would otherwise need feeding every few weeks just to keep up. Apply once at the start of the season and you're largely set until it's due again.

Liquid fertiliser is mixed with water and either poured around the roots or applied as a foliar spray, and because it's already dissolved, plants can take it up almost immediately through both roots and leaves. That makes it the fastest option when a plant needs an instant boost, think new seedlings finding their feet, veggies just coming into flower, or a plant that's looking a bit sorry for itself and showing signs of deficiency. It doesn't last as long in the soil as granular or slowrelease, so it's best used as a top-up rather than your only feed.

New To Fertilising? A Few Basics More isn't always better. Using too much of one fertiliser, or too many types at once, can do as much damage as not using enough, so always stick to the rate on the label rather than guessing. When applying, spread it evenly around the plant out to the edge of its foliage, rather than piling it against the stem or trunk. Still unsure? Pop into your local Kings and we'll help you choose the perfect fertiliser for your garden.

Kings General Garden Food

Kings Slow Release General Garden Food

Kings Fast Food General Garden Food

A granular fertiliser releasing nutrients gradually as you water or when it rains, ideal for beds and borders.

Feeds steadily over months from a single application, perfect for pots and containers.

A fast-acting liquid fertiliser for outdoor plants, trees, shrubs and flowering plants, absorbed quickly for a rapid boost.

At Kings, we are super excited to be the Official Plant Partner of the Garden Showcase at the Auckland Home Show. Running from Thursday 10 – Sunday 13 September at the Auckland Showgrounds The Auckland Home Show is attended by nearly 40,000 home owners and developers, so it excited us when they decided to launch a brand new Garden Showcase this year. The vision is clear – 2500 sqm of garden inspiration through different zones of beautifully landscaped display gardens created by some of Auckland’s leading landscape designers. From peaceful retreats and familyfriendly spaces to contemporary entertaining areas, lush planting and clever solutions for gardens of every size - each zone is intended to showcase a different style of garden. In total, this means we will be bringing in over 4,500 plants for 4 days - no small feat, but we love a challenge.

Check out some of the feature garden zones that will be showcased: Pool Zone

A garden for the smaller pool area focussed on native planting. This has lots of our favourite native plants – Pōhutukawa, Nīkau, and native tree ferns in varying heights sit among mass-planted native grasses. Beautifully designed by Trish & Sebastian Bartleet from Bartleet Landscape Studio

Entertainer's Garden

Who doesn’t love an outdoor fireplace? Imagine sitting outside chatting the night away in this courtyard. But let’s talk plants – this luxurious space is framed by buxus balls, cloud-pruned Podocarpus, and some stunning palms at various heights. Beautifully designed by Val Puxty Landscape Design

Whiria

A garden about connection. Woven fabric panels represent the different cultures that make up Aotearoa, opening into a sheltered “whare” space at its heart. Of course we love the ring of citrus and companying vegetable and herb patch on the outside – a nod to the joy every culture finds in growing their own kai. Beautifully designed by Jill Rice – Get Outside Limited

The Spiral

A garden built around stillness. At its heart sits a circular reflecting pool, ringed by raised natural stepping stones and timber boardwalks that spiral you in toward the water - a calm, contemplative counterpoint to the busier zones of the Showcase. Beautifully designed by Nick Robinson Landscape Architecture

Reflection Garden

At the centre of the Garden Showcase is a beautifully calm central gathering space. This garden features pops of colour with assorted colours and textures featuring some favourite plants that Kiwis love to use both outdoors and indoors, such as Kentia Palms and Strelitzia. Beautifully designed by Mel Robinson

Small Garden

A great example of what an inspirational garden can look like for anyone working with a tighter section. Featuring the structure of Titoki trees and Muehlenbeckia and Pseudopanax offset with an assortment of citrus, herbs and flowering plants. Beautifully designed by Tori Arundel

Brought to Life by Parrot Landscaping

Parrot Landscaping is the official team building this year's garden showcase. Once we source and deliver all the plants, the team from Parrot gets to work building the display gardens and will also showcase a garden or two of their own.

TOP 10 ESSENTIAL PLANTS FOR

Structure in Auckland Gardens Take a look at almost any newly landscaped garden in Auckland and there’s a good chance you’ll spot at least one of these dependable plants. There’s a good reason for that: they are attractive, versatile and, most importantly, reliable performers in Auckland conditions. Creating a great garden isn’t only about seasonal flowers and bursts of colour. The best gardens begin with the structure of hedges, screens, groundcovers, climbers and evergreen plants that define spaces and provide year-round interest. Once this framework is in place, seasonal plants can be layered around it to add colour and personality. The Kings Essentials Range is a selection of high-quality, nursery-grown plants chosen for their reliability, value and strong performance in Auckland gardens. Every plant is grown for Auckland conditions and because they come directly from our own nursery, we can also keep prices down, giving you premium plants at great everyday value.

Star Jasmine

Lomandra 'Lime Tuff'

Pratia Angulata

Star Jasmine is a wonderfully versatile evergreen plant with glossy green foliage which sometimes turns rich bronze or red in winter. It then develops masses of fragrant, star-shaped white flowers during spring and summer. Train it along wires, fences or trellises to create a lush green screen, or allow it to spread as a tidy groundcover.

A tough, upright ornamental grass with vibrant lime-green foliage that adds colour and structure year-round. Its grasslike foliage works particularly well when planted in groups, creating rhythm and movement through landscaped spaces. It will grow quickly to its fully grown size of 40-60cm in height and width. It's evergreen and highly drought tolerant once established.

This charming native forms a dense carpet of small, rounded leaves, dotted with delicate white flowers over a long flowering period. Its soft, spreading habit makes it ideal for underplanting taller shrubs, filling gaps between pavers or gently spilling over garden edges. It creates a lush, natural finish in native, informal and woodland-style gardens.

Coprosma 'Poor Knight' This hardy New Zealand native forms a spreading groundcover of large, glossy green leaves. It is an excellent choice for covering sunny banks, suppressing weeds and helping to stabilise slopes. Coprosma ‘Poor Knights’ is particularly well suited to Auckland’s coastal conditions, tolerating wind, salt and poor soils once established.

Ficus 'Tuffi'

Griselinia 'Broadway Mint'

Corokia 'Geenty's Green'

If you need a fast-growing hedge or screen, Ficus ‘Tuffi’ is a proven Auckland favourite. Its bright green foliage and naturally tidy form create a lush backdrop for both contemporary and traditional gardens. It also looks beautiful when spaced out and trimmed as a topiary. It can grow to about 4m tall and 2.5m wide and has limited leaf drop so is great around pools.

Known for its broad slightly wavy lime-to-mint foliage, Griselinia ‘Broadway Mint’ is a favourite for landscapers who want a New Zealand native hedge. Windtolerant and hardy, it copes well in coastal areas and grows quickly, reaching up to 5m tall by 3m wide.

Corokia ‘Geenty’s Green’ is an exceptionally tough New Zealand native shrub with small green leaves and masses of tiny yellow flowers in spring. It tolerates wind, frost, dry conditions and coastal exposure, making it a reliable option for many challenging Auckland sites. Its bushy habit works well as a hedge or container specimen.

Dichondra 'Silver Falls'

Pittosporum 'Little Kiwi'

Gardenia 'Radicans'

Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ adds a completely different texture to the garden. Its long, cascading stems are covered in striking silver, kidney-shaped leaves that shimmer in the sunlight. Use it to spill over the edge of a container, trail down a wall or spread across the ground to soften hard landscaping.

Compact, hardy and naturally rounded, Pittosporum ‘Little Kiwi’ is a dwarf New Zealand native shrub with dense, applegreen foliage. Its neat growth habit makes it an excellent choice for low hedging, clipped shapes and container planting. It provides dependable evergreen structure without becoming too large, making it particularly useful in smaller gardens.

Low growing and spreading, Gardenia ‘Radicans’ combines glossy evergreen foliage with beautifully fragrant white flowers in summer. It works well along borders, beneath taller plants or in pots near entrances and outdoor living areas, where its perfume can be fully appreciated. It only grows to 30 to 50cm tall but can spread up to 1 metre wide and suits warm but sheltered spots.

ESSENTIALS range

Chosen by growers. Loved by gardeners.

Learn more about Kings Essentials and view the full range online: 25

TOP SPRING PLANTS

For The Bees September is Bee Aware Month, making it the perfect time to welcome our buzzing pollinators back into the garden. As spring flowers begin to bloom, planting a variety of bee-friendly plants can provide a valuable and ongoing source of food throughout the season. As the days grow warmer, bees become increasingly active in our gardens, searching for pollen and nectar. Planting a mix of flowering plants is a simple way to give them plenty to forage on while bringing colour, fragrance and life into your outdoor space. For the biggest impact, grow a variety of plants that flower at different times. This helps provide a more consistent food source as one display finishes and another begins. From flowering herbs and colourful annuals to established shrubs and fruiting plants, there are plenty of ways to make your spring garden a little more bee-friendly.

Snapdragons

Lavender

Borage

Cosmos

Bring plenty of spring colour to garden beds, borders and pots with snapdragons. Their tall flower spikes make a striking display while providing another food source for visiting pollinators.

With its distinctive blue, star-shaped flowers, borage is a favourite with bees and other pollinators. This fast-growing herb is a great companion for the veggie garden and adds a splash of colour too.

A garden favourite for good reason. Lavender's fragrant purple flowers are a great food source for visiting bees, while adding beautiful colour and scent to sunny garden beds and pots.

Easy to grow and packed with colour, cosmos produces masses of open flowers that make it easy for bees to visit. Plant them through sunny garden beds for a colourful display that continues into the warmer months.

Create your perfect

indoor or outdoor entertaining space…

Aloha Mandevilla

Dianthus Picture Perfect

Petunia Pink Macaw

Anigozanthus Gems

Available at your local Kings Plant Barn. enrichwithnature.co.nz

NEW FOR

SPRING 2026

Scan to explore!

Vibrant new colours. Outstanding performance. Exceptional garden success.

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Felicia Sea Spray

Stardiva™ Pink

Stardiva™ Blue

Aromance Supertunia® Vista Supertunia® Plum Honey Cool Jazz Really Red

Mojave Mango

Mojave Fuchsia

Aromagica Purple

Rockin’ Blue Suede Shoes

Endless Flirtation

Endless Ilumination

ELEVATE YOUR GARDEN WITH

Which Spring Crop Are You? Follow the path to discover your garden personality. How do you like to start your day? Jump out of bed, or Slowly, with coffee ready for adventure! and calm vibes.

Which activity would you prefer to wind down?

What's your perfect weekend plan: Hanging out with friends, maybe a picnic or festival.

Getting my hands

or dirty with a garden or home project.

Curling up with a book or doing a craft.

Organising your space and catching up on chores.

Pick up a spring accessory:

What motivates you most?

How would your friends describe you?

Bright floral or Colourful hat or sun quirky boots dress. or gloves.

Getting Challenging things done or yourself & feeling & trying productive. something new.

Sweet and Calm, nurturing, or dependable the go-to for and always support. steady.

Choose a spring scent:

Pick a cookie:

Pick a flavour:

Introvert or Extrovert:

Fresh like Earthy, soil sunshine! or after rain.

Hundreds & or Gingernut. Thousands.

Crisp, Sweet, peppery & or crunchy & bold! wholesome.

Extrovert. or Introvert.

Strawberry

Pea

Radish

Carrot

Bright, cheerful, and social. You bring sweetness to life!

Gentle, nurturing and calming - the heart of the garden.

Bold, spicy and fun - you add zing to any situation!

Reliable and grounded. You're the steady support.

ADD A SPLASH OF COLOUR WITH

Summer Bulbs Spring is the perfect time to get summer bulbs into the ground, giving them a head start to burst into bloom as the weather warms. Whether you're filling a floral border or brightening pots and containers with vibrant hues, summer bulbs are a must. Here's our guide to the basics.

Planting

Care

Plant summer bulbs in spring. Once you see them arriving in stores, this is your cue to get planting. They grow best in full sun, whether in the ground or in pots. In the garden, fork over the soil and work in Gypsum ClayBreaker and Kings Potting Mix to improve drainage, planting into a slight mound if the spot tends to stay wet. In pots or containers, choose something with plenty of room to grow, and use Tui Bulb Mix or Kings Potting Mix. As a general rule, plant bulbs two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall, pointy side up, then water thoroughly to kick-start root growth.

Water regularly, especially during dry spells, but don't overdo it. Bulbs hate soggy roots, and too much moisture can cause them to rot. Every three months, give your bulbs a side-dressing of Kings Bulb Food to boost flower bud development, and use monthly applications of Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster to promote strong, healthy roots. Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage more blooms, and stake taller varieties like Dahlias and Gladioli to protect them from wind damage. With just a little planning and care, summer bulbs will reward you with months of colour and fragrance, so grab your trowel, pick your favourites, and let summer bloom in full glory.

Our Top Summer Bulbs

Dahlias

Calla Lilies

Gloriosa

Gladioli

Begonia

Hymenocallis

Dahlias are the showstoppers of the summer garden, with an incredible range of shapes and sizes to choose from. From soft pastels to bold, saturated colour, there's a dahlia for every corner and every mood.

Gladioli bring real drama to the garden, with tall, striking spikes reaching up to a metre high. Available in an enormous range of colours and patterns, they make a bold statement in beds, borders or pots.

Calla lilies bring effortless elegance to the summer garden, their smooth, trumpet-shaped blooms unfurling in shades from creamy white to deep burgundy. Easy to grow from bulb and just as easy to fall in love with.

Begonias turn shady, forgotten corners into lush pockets of colour. Their glossy, textured foliage and delicate, cascading blooms in pink, orange, red and yellow make them one of summer's prettiest surprises.

Gloriosa lilies bring a wild, climbing energy to the garden, their curling, flame-shaped petals glowing in fiery reds, oranges and yellows. Trained up a trellis or fence, they turn any corner into a spectacle.

With its slender, ribbon-like petals and star-shaped blooms, Hymenocallis has an almost otherworldly beauty. Delicately fragrant and elegant, it suits a quiet border or a spot near water just as well.

Flower Fanatic's Crossword Across 3 Shade-loving bulb, velvety leaves 5 Native shrub, bee magnet 7 Shade brightener aka polyanthus 8 Classic shade-loving mophead shrub 11 Tall spiked bulb, striking spires 14 Māori common name for Leptospermum 15 Herb with bee-friendly, purple blooms 16 Lavender variety, bunny ears Down 1 Hanging basket favourite blooms 2 Winter to spring shrub, glossy leaves 4 Nectar-rich perennial loved by bees 6 Variety in the Supertunia range 9 Botanical name for foxglove 10 Sweetly scented spring favourite 12 Spring shrub with trumpet-shaped blooms 13 Common name for Zantedeschia

1. Petunia 2. Camellia 3. Begonia 4. Aster 5. Hebe 6. Vista 7. Primula 8. Hydrangea 9. Digitalis 10. Dianthus 11. Gladioli 12. Azalea 13. Calla 14. Manuka 15. Rosemary 16. Major

Discover the wide range of Elho Pots at Kings Plant Barn Premium Quality, Frost Proof, Lightweight with UV protection Manufactured in The Netherlands

SPRING RESET FOR

Your Houseplants Longer days, warmer temperatures and fresh new growth mean spring has arrived for your indoor plants too. After a quieter winter, now’s the perfect time to check in on your houseplants and give their care routine a seasonal refresh. As your plants move back into active growth, their needs will start to change. A little extra attention to light, watering and feeding now can help keep them looking lush and healthy through spring and into summer.

Find Their Spring Sweet Spot

With the sun hanging around for longer, take another look at where your plants are positioned. Most indoor plants enjoy plenty of bright, indirect light, but every variety has different needs. Plants that were moved closer to a window over winter may now be getting stronger sunlight, while others might benefit from a brighter position. Keep an eye on how the light changes throughout the day and move plants around where needed to find their happy place.

Water When They Need It

Warmer weather and active growth can mean your houseplants start using water more quickly than they did over winter, but that doesn’t mean watering should automatically become more frequent. Instead, check the potting mix regularly by pushing your finger into the soil or using a moisture meter. If it still feels damp, give it a little longer. If it’s dry and your plant is ready for a drink, water thoroughly and allow excess water to drain away.

Feed Fresh Growth

New leaves and shoots mean your plants are actively growing again, making spring a good time to resume regular feeding. For an easy nutrient boost, use Kings House Plant Fast Food every four to six weeks during the growing season. If you prefer a lower-maintenance option, Kings Slow-Release Houseplant Food can be applied in spring and again in summer to provide nutrients over time.

The key is to follow the plant rather than the calendar — and avoid leaving roots sitting in soggy soil.

Grow well with

Time For A New Home? Spring is also a great opportunity to check whether any of your houseplants have outgrown their pots. Roots growing through the drainage holes, noticeably slower growth or potting mix that dries out much faster than usual can all be signs that a plant is becoming root-bound. Not every plant needs repotting each spring, though. Some houseplants prefer being a little snug in their pots, so only move them up when they genuinely need the extra room.

INDOOR ESSENTIALS

Repotting Made Simple 1. Choose your pot Select a new pot around 5cm wider than the current one. Avoid jumping to a pot that’s much too large, as excess potting mix can hold more moisture than the plant needs. Add fresh Kings House Plant Mix ready for your plant.

Kings House Plant Mix

2. Gently remove your plant

Specially formulated for indoor plants. It also contains slow-release fertiliser that will last up to six months.

Ease the plant from its existing pot, squeezing the sides of a plastic container if needed. Support the plant and soil as you remove it, then gently loosen tightly packed roots.

Kings House Plant Fast Food

3. Settle it into its new home Position the plant at a similar depth to where it was growing previously, leaving around 3–4cm between the potting mix and the top of the pot. Fill around the roots with fresh mix, water thoroughly and allow everything to settle.

A complete feed which provides the nutrients your plants need to produce healthy foliage, and vibrant flowers.

After repotting, give your plant some time to adjust before feeding again.

A Little Spring TLC

Spring is the perfect opportunity to spend some time with your indoor jungle. Wipe dust from leaves, remove tired or damaged foliage and check for any signs of pests while you’re there.

Kings Slow-Release Houseplant Food

With the right light, thoughtful watering, fresh nutrients and a little more room where needed, your houseplants will be ready to make the most of the growing season ahead.

Provides plants with up to six months' worth of nutrients and minerals. Promotes healthy growth and lush flowers.

THE BIG

SPRING FESTIVAL

3RD - 18TH OCTOBER

Celebrate spring with amazing specials on our already low nursery prices! Bring the family out for a weekend visit with a free sausage sizzle and drinks, plus activities and fun for the kids!

FREE BBQ & DRINKS EACH WEEKEND

FUN ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS!

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GROW MORE FOR LESS

Grow Your Own With food prices continuing to put pressure on household budgets, growing some of your own herbs and vegetables makes plenty of sense. But saving money is only the beginning. A kitchen garden can give you fresher food, greater variety, everyday convenience and the simple satisfaction of serving something you've grown yourself.

Grow More For Less

For maximum value, start with seeds. One packet can produce dozens of plants or provide several successive sowings, making crops such as lettuce, basil, parsley and silverbeet particularly economical. Seedling punnets are the next step up. They cost a little more but save time and give you several established plants ready for the garden. Productive crops can deliver repeated harvests: pick loose-leaf lettuce and silverbeet from the outside, harvest herbs regularly, and one healthy cherry tomato or courgette plant can produce generously over summer. The best approach is to grow the things you buy regularly, particularly herbs and vegetables that can be picked again and again. Larger-grade plants provide a faster harvest, but seeds and seedling punnets will generally deliver the greatest savings.

Packet of Seeds

Six-cell Seedling Pack

Maximum value, with one packet producing enough plants to grow and share.

Six seedlings offering great value and a reliable head start.

Potted Tomato or Vegetable

Grafted Tomato or Ready To Eat Vegetable

An established plant for an easier start and earlier harvest.

Extra vigour and resilience, with the shortest growing time and potentially more abundant harvest.

Fresh Food At Your Fingertips

There is something wonderfully convenient about stepping outside to pick basil for a pasta sauce, lettuce for a sandwich or parsley to finish dinner. There is no extra trip to the supermarket, no discovering that the shelf is empty and less chance of buying more than you need. A few pots near the kitchen can make fresh ingredients part of everyday cooking. Pick only what you need and leave the rest growing until next time.

Better Choice, Flavour and Freshness

Growing your own opens up a much wider world than the standard supermarket selection. Basil alone comes in sweet, Thai, purple, spicy globe and compact varieties, each offering a different flavour or use. Tomatoes provide even more choice, from sweet cherry varieties to colourful heirlooms and large slicing Beefsteak tomatoes. Turn to page 16 to discover some of our favourites. Because you decide how your plants are grown and harvest them when they are ready, produce can travel from garden to plate in minutes. Picked at its best, homegrown food is hard to beat for freshness and flavour.

Good For You, Too

Gardening gets you outdoors and encourages regular movement through planting, watering, weeding and harvesting. Growing food can also inspire you and your family to add a greater variety of fresh herbs and vegetables to meals. Just as importantly, gardening gives you time to slow down, focus on something practical and enjoy watching your efforts develop into something you can eat.

The Satisfaction Of Growing Your Own

The first tomato of summer always feels like an achievement. So does making pesto from your own basil or arriving at a barbecue with a courgette you grew yourself. There is pride in sharing a homegrown harvest and perhaps even a little showing off. Whether you begin with a full vegetable garden or one sunny pot, growing your own delivers rewards that go well beyond the grocery bill.

YOU DO THE MATHS Sweet 100 lives up to its name, with one wellgrown plant capable of producing 100 or more sweet cherry tomatoes.

1 Sweet 100 tomato plant

↓

100+ cherry tomatoes, weighing around 15-20g each*

↓

Around 1.5-2kg of fruit*

↓

6-11 supermarket punnets* Choose your starting point Grow multiple plants from a packet of seeds for maximum value, choose an established seedling for a faster start, or invest in a grafted tomato for a vigorous plant with the potential to produce a particularly generous harvest. You’ll also need to allow for growing costs such as compost, fertiliser and stakes, although stakes and other equipment can be reused. Because you can pick tomatoes only when you need them, growing your own can also mean fresher produce and less food waste.

* Fruit numbers, weight and harvest size will vary depending on growing conditions and plant care. Supermarket punnets vary between 180g and 250g.

S DAY

ONDER

L WE

Wonderful Wednesdays SuperGold card holders can make every Wednesday wonderful by getting 10% off almost everything when you sign up to our Garden Club and show your SuperGold card instore!*

*Wonderful Wednesday Club is only valid for Super Gold Cardholders. 10% discount is only valid on Wednesdays and excludes Kings Gift Cards/vouchers, Vegepods, greenhouses, Birdies garden beds, and magazines. Discount is off the original individual price and not valid in conjunction with any other specials.

GARDEN TO PLATE

Recipe Rosemary Berry Galette

This galette can be made with pretty much any fruit you have to hand, but is particularly delicious with the berries we begin to see fruiting in spring, such as strawberries, blueberries and boysenberries. Serves 4 What You’ll Need ∙ 2–3 cups berries (cut strawberries into quarters) ∙ Leaves from 3 sprigs rosemary, chopped ∙ 1 tbsp caster sugar (or more to taste), plus extra for crust ∙ 1 tbsp lemon juice ∙ 1 block butter puff pastry ∙ 1 tbsp melted butter or cream Method Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine berries, rosemary, sugar to taste and lemon juice in a bowl and leave to marinate slightly. Dust the bench with flour and roll pastry into a rough circle around 5mm thick. Transfer to lined baking tray. Mound berries on top of pastry, leaving a 5cm border around the edge. Fold the pastry up over the edges of the fruit layer and in towards the centre, pleating as needed. You will end up with a pastry border framing a pop of berry colour in the centre. Brush the pastry border with butter or cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the berries are soft and juicy and the pastry is golden. Cool and serve as is, or with cream or ice cream. Garnish with other fresh herbs or edible flowers.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG TIME TO CLEAR THE CLUTTER Make room for a fresh start with FlexiBin. Spring is the perfect time to tackle those garden jobs, clear out the clutter and get your home looking its best.

Perfect for: • Garden tidy-ups • Spring cleaning • Home renovations • Decluttering flexibin.co.nz 0800 874 353 for T&C’s and collection areas

C LU B S

LI T T LE

OWE

Little Growers Corner What You'll Need: •

MAKE YOUR OWN

Bird Feeder Win!

Email a photo of your finished Bird Feeder to scoop@kings.co.nz before 1st December 2026 and go in the draw to win a $50 Little Growers prize pack!*

• • • • •

An empty, clean milk or juice carton String or twine Scissors A small stick or wooden spoon Bird seed Paint, markers or craft supplies for decorating

1 Start with a clean, empty carton. Ask a grown-up to help cut a large opening in the front, leaving enough space at the bottom to hold your bird seed.

2 Now for the fun part! Design your bird feeder however you like. Paint it, draw on it or decorate it with your favourite colours and shapes. Let everything dry before moving on.

3 Ask a grown-up to make a small hole below the opening and push a stick through to create a perch. Make two holes at the top and thread through some string for hanging.

4 Pour a little bird seed into the bottom, then find a sheltered spot outside to hang your feeder. Keep an eye out and see who comes to visit!

*One winner will be randomly selected and notified by email by 9th December 2026. One entry per person.

Refresh tired pots and planters with fresh potting mix and colourful spring annuals.

Plant feijoa and passionfruit vines now and give them plenty of room to establish and grow.

Give your garden a nutrient boost with sheep pellets or compost to encourage strong, healthy spring growth.

Prepare your veggie garden for the season ahead by clearing weeds and refreshing the soil.

Deadhead winter annuals regularly to encourage more flowers and keep plants looking their best. Give them a feed to help extend their display.

Add a fresh layer of mulch around fruit trees to help conserve moisture and keep weeds down.

Brighten up a sunny garden spot with spring colour. Plant flowering favourites in beds, borders or pots.

Start planting tomatoes now, but give them some protection from chilly spring winds until the weather settles.

Sow summer favourites such as alyssum, marigold and cosmos now for plenty of colour when the warmer weather arrives.

Flowers and Perennials

It’s strawberry planting time! Get plants in now for delicious homegrown berries around Christmas. Blueberries are another great option to plant this month.

Give citrus, peaches, plums and other fruit trees a spring feed to support healthy new growth and fruiting.

Fruit

Spring is starting to stir, bringing longer days, fresh growth and plenty to get excited about in the garden. Now’s the time to get your hands dirty, tackle those seasonal jobs and set your garden up for the warmer months ahead.

Get potatoes underway in a warm, sheltered spot. If you’re in a cooler area, keep them protected from late frosts.

Sow beetroot, carrot and radish directly into the garden. Start zucchini, cucumber, basil and tomato seeds in trays somewhere warm and sunny.

Veggies

September

YOUR SPRING GARDEN TO-DO LIST

Pin me to the wall!

SEPTEMBER ESSENTIALS

Grow well with

All purpose, organic soil conditioner made from NZ green-lipped mussels. Safe for pets and people.

Aquaticus Organic Soil & Plant Conditioner

Yates Weed 'n' Feed Provides selective control of most broadleaf weeds in lawns with added fertiliser for healthy green lawns.

Kings Sheep Pellets A great organic fertiliser for all of your plants, trees and shrubs, helping to improve soil structure.

Once you’ve planted out your spring veggies and flowers, clean and reuse pots where you can and recycle suitable plastic pots through Kings’ swap-a-pot recycling.

Plan ahead for the months to come — succession planting can help keep your veggie garden productive for longer.

Clean, sharpen and organise your garden tools so they’re ready for a busy spring season.

Get ready for climbers by putting supports in place early, before new growth becomes difficult to manage.

Feed established lawns and keep an eye on weeds. A little attention now will help create a lush lawn for summer.

Raise your mower height slightly and mow regularly as grass starts growing faster.

Check trellis, stakes and netting and make any repairs before spring growth really takes off.

Sow new lawns or repair any bare patches while spring conditions are ideal for fresh growth.

General Tasks

Turn plants regularly towards the light to encourage balanced, even growth.

Mulch around established trees and shrubs to help retain moisture and keep roots protected as temperatures rise.

Lawns

Give indoor plants a fresh start by repotting any that have become root-bound over winter.

Spring means more active growth for your indoor plants too. Start feeding again and increase watering as needed.

Indoor Plants

Hydrangeas are a great choice to plant this month, giving them time to establish before the heat of summer arrives.

Plant trees and shrubs now while the soil is still holding plenty of moisture from winter.

Trees and Shrubs

Protect tender new seedlings from slugs, snails and other hungry garden visitors.

Feed established citrus and other fruit trees, including those growing in pots, to support strong spring growth.

Keep an eye on young fruit as it develops and protect crops from frost or cold snaps where needed.

Passionfruit vines can be planted now in a sunny, sheltered position. Give them sturdy support to climb as they grow.

Keep on top of weeds while they’re small and easy to manage, before they have a chance to take over.

Give empty veggie beds a boost before planting by working in compost or other organic goodness.

Add summer colour with favourites such as snapdragons, marigolds and gazanias.

Plant blueberries into rich, well-prepared soil and choose more than one variety where appropriate to encourage a great crop.

It’s a great time to sow warm-season favourites such as beans and courgettes. In cooler areas, give heatloving crops a little longer before planting out.

Give flowering plants a regular feed to encourage healthy growth and plenty of blooms throughout the season.

Fill pots, baskets and garden beds with colourful spring and summer annuals for an instant seasonal refresh.

Flowers and Perennials

Give fruit trees and berries a spring feed to support healthy growth and help set them up for the season ahead.

Fruit

Spring is in full swing, with warmer days, fresh growth and gardens bursting into life. October is the perfect time to plant for summer, keep new growth well fed and watered, and stay on top of those little jobs that will help your garden thrive in the months ahead.

Keep planting summer veggies for a steady supply of fresh homegrown produce. Sow little and often to help spread out your harvest.

Veggies

October

YOUR SPRING GARDEN TO-DO LIST

Pin me to the wall!

OCTOBER ESSENTIALS

Grow well with

Sow grass seed into bare or patchy areas, keeping the soil consistently moist while it germinates.

Keep weeds under control before they become established and compete with your lawn.

Get your lawn ready for summer with a spring feed to encourage lush, healthy growth.

Lawns

Kings Compost Mix into your original garden soil for organic nutrients, as well as helping to improve drainage.

Kings Citrus Food Improves taste, colour and size of citrus and fruit trees, while also promoting growth and healthy foliage for plants in the ground.

Kings Fast Food General Garden Food

The ideal liquid fertiliser for all outdoor plants including trees, shrubs and flowering plants.

Stake tomatoes and other tall-growing plants early, before they become too large and difficult to support.

Add compost and organic matter around your plants to nourish the soil and support healthy spring growth.

Stay on top of weeds in veggie beds and garden borders while they’re young and easy to remove.

General Tasks

Give tomatoes, veggies and other plants growing indoors or under cover plenty of support as they put on new growth.

Repot plants that have outgrown their containers and refresh tired potting mix where needed.

Keep newly planted trees and shrubs well watered as the weather warms, and add mulch around them to help the soil hold moisture.

Spring is a great time to plant flowering shrubs and other garden favourites. Feed established plants to encourage strong new growth.

Start feeding houseplants again as they move into their active growing season.

Fresh spring growth means indoor plants may need more regular watering. Check the soil first and water when needed.

Indoor Plants

Hydrangeas are looking great at this time of year and are a lovely way to add long-lasting colour to the garden.

Plant roses in a sunny position where they can enjoy plenty of light and good airflow.

Trees and Shrubs

Add a layer of mulch around your veggies to help the soil hold onto moisture as the days get warmer.

Keep veggie beds well watered and stay on top of weeds as temperatures rise. Feeding regularly will help support strong, productive growth.

Stagger your veggie planting to help spread your harvest across summer, rather than having everything ready at once.

Get potatoes planted now for a fresh homegrown crop. Choose a sunny spot with free-draining soil and plenty of room to grow.

Make the most of the warmer weather by planting summer favourites like beans, tomatoes, chillies, capsicums, eggplant, courgettes and cucumbers.

Veggies

Keep citrus and other established fruit trees well fed and watered to support healthy summer growth.

Keep an eye on those delicious strawberries- beat the blackbirds and you'll have plenty for your summer smoothies.

Keep an eye on young passionfruit vines and guide new growth onto their support as they establish.

Give potted plants a boost with fresh potting mix and regular feeding to encourage plenty of flowers through summer.

Fill gaps in garden beds, pots and containers with colourful summer flowers such as petunias, dahlias, salvias, zinnias, snapdragons and verbenas.

Flowers and Perennials

Summer is just around the corner and the garden is hitting its stride. November is all about keeping up with rapid growth, enjoying the colour and getting plants ready for the warmer weather ahead.

Plant passionfruit in a sunny, sheltered position and give the vine a strong frame, fence or trellis to climb.

Fruit

November

YOUR SPRING GARDEN TO-DO LIST

Pin me to the wall!

Give indoor plants a feed during their active growing season to support healthy new leaves and growth.

Add tropical colour with flowering favourites such as hibiscus. Choose a warm, sheltered position and keep plants watered while they establish.

NOVEMBER ESSENTIALS

Grow well with

Keep grass a little longer as conditions become hotter and drier to help protect the soil and retain moisture.

Get on top of weeds before they have a chance to spread through the lawn.

Keep lawns watered during dry spells, particularly newly sown or repaired areas.

Give your lawn a final spring boost before summer arrives with a suitable lawn fertiliser.

Lawns

Tui Pot Power High quality mix, ideal for outdoor containers, pots and hanging baskets. Contains water-storage crystals.

Kings Fast Food Tomato Food Great for chillies, capsicum, eggplant, and other fruiting veggies. Liquid feed once every two to four weeks.

Living Earth More Than Mulch

Contains bark which creates a barrier between the sun and earth, keeping plants hydrated for longer.

Mulch garden beds and around established plants to help conserve moisture and prepare the garden for hotter summer weather.

Stake and support tomatoes, climbers and other tallgrowing plants before they become too large to manage easily.

Stay on top of weeds while they’re small. Warm spring conditions can encourage them to grow quickly.

Deadhead flowering plants regularly to encourage more blooms and keep the garden looking fresh.

General Tasks

Trim away tired or damaged foliage and keep an eye out for common indoor plant pests.

Check houseplants more regularly for water as warmer temperatures can dry potting mix out faster.

Keep an eye on hydrangeas as they come into flower, watering regularly as the weather gets warmer.

Feed established trees and shrubs to support healthy new growth heading into summer.

Spring growth makes November a great time to repot indoor plants that are becoming cramped in their containers.

Indoor Plants

Roses are putting on plenty of fresh growth and flowers now. Keep them well watered and remove spent blooms to encourage more.

Trees and Shrubs

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