3 Must-do Garden Tasks – November

#1 – Give Your Citrus Trees Some TLC

Time to check in on your citrus trees! Keep an eye out for aphids and scale. A good oil-based spray will keep them in check. Watch for those sneaky bronze orange bugs (stink bugs), too. These little troublemakers can seriously reduce your crop. Pick them off and toss them into a bucket of water or vacuum them up with an old vacuum cleaner! Make sure you’re wearing gloves, protective eyewear, long sleeves, and trousers. These bugs have a nasty habit of squirting caustic liquid when disturbed – definitely something to avoid! Once the pests are sorted give your tree a deep drink, sprinkle some organic fertiliser, and finish with a nice layer of sugarcane mulch to keep the soil happy.

#2: Plant a sunflower patch

It’s the perfect time to sow sunflowers, and what better way to get the kids involved in a fun garden project? They’ll love planting, watering, and watching these beauties grow into towering giants! You can start the seeds in small pots or punnets, or pop them straight into soil enriched with compost and organic fertiliser. Just pick a sunny spot. For a big impact, plant them in clumps of 10 or more – or, for extra fun, create a secret sunflower hideaway by planting seeds in a large 3m-wide circle! No space? No problem! Dwarf sunflowers thrive in large containers.

#3:Veggie care

As the weather heats up, your veggies need a little extra love to keep thriving.

Check the soil every couple of days and give it a good deep soak when it starts to dry out. Mulching is a must – maintain a 5cm layer of sugar cane mulch around your plants to reduce evaporation and stop those pesky weeds. On scorching days, protect heat-sensitive crops like leafy greens with a bit of shade. A simple frame made from short stakes and 30% shade cloth will do the trick, cooling things down just enough without blocking too much sunlight.

Your veggies will thank you!