Tony's Tips - October 2026
We have reached the middle of spring and there’s plenty happening at Acorn Nursery!
Our benches are bursting with fresh arrivals, from Dwarf Alstroemeria and the first Calibrachoas to a beautiful selection of Salvias. Our seedling range is growing, too, with Impatiens, more chillies, cucumbers and over 30 varieties of tomatoes to choose from!
Thinking about planting basil? Hold off until later this month when overnight temperatures are consistently above 10°C, as basil is sensitive to the cold.
Meanwhile, our roses are flowering beautifully, joined by fragrant Gardenias, colourful Fuchsias and the first of our early perennials. It’s a wonderful time to get out into the garden and enjoy everything spring has to offer.
Plant of the month: Dwarf Alstroemeria
These little beauties are making a big impression! Dwarf Alstroemeria are neat, hardy and wonderfully long-flowering, with a more compact, less invasive habit than their taller relatives. They’re ideal for garden beds, borders and their toughness is proven by the spectacular displays they produce in public spaces, even with minimal care.
Colour that keeps on giving
Our African daisies are putting on a spectacular show right now! Easy to grow and packed with vibrant colour, they’re a fantastic choice for adding long-lasting flowers to your garden this spring. With so much new stock arriving and colour popping up everywhere, there’s never been a better time to visit us.
Come on in, explore what’s new and let us help you find something lovely for your garden!
Plant of the month: Dwarf Alstroemeria
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Things to Do:
1. Repot your orchids
Repot Cymbidium orchids that need it into a pot one size larger, using a quality orchid mix. Avoid dividing them unless necessary and if you do, keep the divisions in large clumps. Finish with a top dressing of high-K Osmocote. Take good care of your orchids, as they’re in short supply!
2. Tend to tomatoes
Dust your tomato plants to help prevent pests and disease. Start tip-pruning new growth to encourage bushier plants and more fruit!
3. Time to trim
Prune spring-flowering plants such as Wisteria, Azaleas and Spirea after flowering to improve their shape and encourage fresh new growth. Follow up with a light prune around Christmas to keep them looking their best.
4. Focus on potted plants
Dose all long term potted plants (indoors and out) with Rapid Soak wetting agent to ensure water penetration and therefore food availability. Old potting mix (more than a year old) becomes water repellant.
5. Keep feeding
Keep feeding your Gardenias with Harry’s Gardenia Food, and continue feeding your other plants throughout spring to encourage healthy growth and beautiful blooms.
6. Spray roses
Spray roses with Rose Shield/Rose Gun to prevent disease problems and control pest problems.