As the days shorten, it reminds gardeners that one growing season is nearly finished and another is about to begin.
Autumn can be a busy time in the garden, harvesting the spring and summer crops and then preparing the soil for planting the cooler season crops.

After harvesting summer veges such as corn, beans, lettuces, tomatoes, potatoes and other edible goodies its time to replenish the soil with a few essentials to ensure autumn and winter plants are healthy and tasty.
This can be done by adding a thick layer of compost. Use home-made compost if possible; if not, use a high quality commercial product. The planting area can be further enhanced by incorporating products such as Tui Super Sheep Pellets into soil to add vital nutrients and encourage earthworm activity. Use specially formulated vegetable mix for building up raised beds and re-filling vegetable grow bags and containers.
The combination of these garden goodies creates the perfect base for encouraging and sustaining growth of new crops.
For those giving themselves and their garden a rest over the cooler months, it's a good idea to plant a green crop to quickly and efficiently boost and replace lost nutrients in the soil. Cover crops like mustard seed and lupins these improve soil structure, fertility and micro-organism activity in a completely natural way. Once dug back into the soil, the broken down organic matter helps to provide optimal soil conditions for the following season's planting.

To go in the draw to win an $80 autumn gardening pack (1x Mustard, 1x Lupin, 1x Tui Organic Compost, 1x Tui Super Sheep Pellets and 1x Saturaid) simply register on www.sunlive.co.nz then send us an email telling us two cover crops which are good for restoring soil health over winter.

Send your answer, along with your name, contact address and phone number to [email protected] with the subject line 'SunLive Winter Gardening Pack Competition”. Entries must be received by March 22.

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