Poppy always said that: August is the time to plant Roses, Fruit Trees, Lilies, Asparagus, Strawberries, and get your potatoes sprouted.

What's happening

 We have had a very busy week with the good weather! And the change in Covid level.

Gardeners have stepped up with the thought of becoming more self sufficient especially since we don't know what this Covid is going to throw at us...

Anyone can grow a few potatoes and with our own brand of seeds at $2.49 per packet it is very affordable to plant a garden out.

Nothing better than picking fresh from the garden. Seed potatoes have been in huge demand and we have sold out of quite a few varieties but we are due new stock next week so hopefully you should still be able to get your favourites. 

Tomatoes are out for sale. 6 packs of all your usual varieties like moneymaker, potentate, best of all, and these are all $5.99 per pack.

Grafted are $7.99 so feel free to call in and ask which sort would be best suited to your taste buds. All sized tomatoes from the cherry ones like sweet 100 to the average sized scarlett sunrise, & poppy's great taste to the largest fruits of the beefsteak.

This variety is great for sauces & pickles.

Our seed racks are full. So now is the time to plan your planting for the up and coming year. We also stock Kings Seeds if you want heritage varieties and MacGregors & Yates for other varieties.

The nursery is full to the seams now!!

Fruit trees are all in as are the Roses which by the way are about to break into leaf. Daphnes are in full flower and would have to be the best perfumed shrub at the moment.We have had some more Rhodo's come in so there is quite a range to choose from now. 

Still a few Lilly bulbs to be had for anyone keen...

A few yam tubers that can be planted now but the garlic is all finished apart from what we have put into punnets...

A great bench full of Polyanthus that are in flower now. These are great for pots.

Lobelia is out for sale although it could be a weeeeee bit cold for them yet.

Pansies, Cornflower and Sweet William are hardier. Plant these now and they will flower in spring.

What you should be doing

Getting ready for spring. Weather is warming up fast. 

Come into our Garden Centres for all your supplies.

Lawns will need some attention now. After the 1st cut apply Sulphate of Iron for moss control. Topdressing is also a good start for a summer lawn. 

Most plants appreciate fertiliser at this time of the year as the plants bud & flower especially Rhodo's, roses & fruit trees. We have a special fertiliser for each variety of plant...

Don't forget to bring in your own bags or boxes. or purchase one of our baskets for $5.00. Renew and recycle. Yours to keep for future purchases.

What's new this week

PRODUCT

 Asparagus Pacific Purple

High quality purple asparagus spears that are low in fibre for consumption either cooked or raw in salads.

Pacific Purple asparagus is also extremely sweet, making it a premium food item in the kitchen

Wallys Silicon plus Boron Soil Drench

•  Contains micronised diatomaceous earth which is (approx) 90% silica.

• Recently boron has been identified as a silica synergist so this formula contains boron at around 0.7%

• Silicon helps increase flowering & fruit set 

• Silicon helps increase yields and quality of crops & plants 

• Silicon helps strengthen plant cells making for better pest and disease resistance 

Hikari

VIBRA BITES

•  Incredible colour enhancing effect!

• A worm like stick with a purpose

• A completely safe live food alternative

• Unique ingredients offer outstanding taste 

 Ideal for most community tank species, especially those who prefer live foods like discus 

POTATO FACTS

A potato is a root vegetable, the Solanum tuberosum. It is a small plant with large leaves. The part of the potato that people eat is a tuber that grows under the ground.

A potato contains a lot of starch and other carbohydrates. Potato usually has a light-brown or yellowish skin and is white or yellow inside. If the potato gets light on it, the tuber turns green and will be poisonous.

Potatoes are almost always eaten cooked. People cook potatoes by boiling, baking, roasting, or frying them. French fries or "chips" are potatoes cut into long pieces and fried until they are soft. Potato chips, often called crisps, are potatoes cut into very thin round pieces and fried until they are hard.

Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to swell the starch granules. Most potato dishes are served hot but some are first cooked, then served cold, notably potato salad and potato chips (crisps).

Common dishes are: mashed potatoes, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with milk or yogurt and butter; whole baked potatoes; boiled or steamed potatoes; French-fried potatoes or chips; cut into cubes and roasted; scalloped, diced, or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes.

Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a microwave oven and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided they are covered in ventilated plastic wrap to prevent moisture from escaping; this method produces a meal very similar to a steamed potato, while retaining the appearance of a conventionally baked potato.

Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient. Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft.

Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as vodka, poitín, or akvavit.

They are also used as fodder for livestock.

KEEP WARM

   www.diacks.co.nz

  HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND