October checklist for your garden

Pests can wreak havoc on our early spring gardening efforts. However, there are steps you can take to help control the problem.

The flower garden
Protect your young seedlings from slugs and snails with Efekto Snailban.
To get the best out of your spring flowers, liquid feed them with Wondersol All Purpose.  Keep removing any dying flowers.
Feed flowering spring bulbs in your garden with Multifeed Flower Grow or Nitrosol. Feeding spring flowering bulbs now will ensure good flowers next year.
Protect new growth on roses from aphids with Efekto Plant Protector or Efekto Insecticide Granules Plus.
Feed roses, flowering shrubs and flower with Wonder Vitaliser Rose and Flower 8:1:5 (17) + C (8) SR*.
When caring for your flowers, look for fluffy and white wax on the underside of leaves. It could indicate Mealybug. Control with Efekto Malasol or Efekto Plant Protector.
With prolonged wet weather, it is good news for some diseases. Check plants, especially roses  for black spot and powdery mildew. Spray with Efekto Rosecare 3 or Efekto Funginex.

In the house
Re-pot and feed houseplants with Seagro or Wondersol All Purpose.
Plant hanging baskets, use Stockosorb water retaining granules, this would require less watering than usual.
Look out for cockroach droppings and empty egg sacks in the house. Control with Efekto No Insect Indoors Cockroach spray or Efekto Fendona 6 SC. For an easy alternative, use Efekto Zero Roach Bait.

The edible garden
Complete your vegetable garden preparation by digging in Wonder Vitaliser Plant and Veg 2:3:4 (15) + C (8) SR* before sowing.
To protect young seedlings from fungus diseases, spray with Virikop.
Protect seedlings from slugs and snails with Efekto Snailban.
Cutworms are caterpillars of night-flying moths that lay their eggs in the soil.
After the caterpillars emerge, they chew young plants and seedlings at ground level, sometimes eating right through the stem, which falls over (hence the name cutworm). Control with Efekto Garden Ripcord or Efekto Cutworm Bait.
Feed citrus and fruit trees with Wonder 3:1:5 (26) SR.
Spray peach trees with Efekto Virikop to protect from leaf curl disease and to prevent brown rot, especially at blossom time.

The lawn
Now is the perfect time to sow a new lawn. Mayford has a great range of lawn seed from hard-wearing areas to easy care options.
Top dress existing lawns with Wonder Vitaliser Lawn and Leaf 7:1:3 (15) + C (8) SR* and water in well.
Spray now for broad leaf weeds with Efekto Hormoban or Efekto Turfweeder.