Labour Day has finally arrived. If your thoughts turn to the garden when contemplating how to spend your long weekend, you’re not alone. Labour Weekend is traditionally the time many of us get out in the garden and start planting. To help you think about what you may want to pick up for the garden if you’re doing a local staycation at your place this holiday, we’ve put together some green-fingered tips for you.

It’s tomato planting season. This holiday is a great time to get those seedlings in. The soil has warmed up here and is still enough water in the soil to grow strong roots. The plants will respond well to longer growing days as the sunlight hours increase.

When planting, water well. Deep watering encourages roots to go downwards, rather than remain shallow, reducing the stress during the hotter months. Remember to check irrigation pipes for repairs, and the batteries in your controllers, so you’ll be ready for the heat.

I know it’s too early to be thinking of Christmas, even though the decorations and irritating music are already in the shops, but Labour Weekend is when you want to get those new potatoes, beans, peas and carrots in, so they’ll be perfect for Christmas lunch. Carrots prefer the cool of spring and you should sow the seeds in rows 2cm deep and 10-15cm apart, and then cover lightly with soil.

Gardens also need feeding, so give them sheep poo, horse manure, or actually any manure will do. They all provide matter to help break down the clay of our region.

Containers need food too, and mulching. Petunias are great for the bases of planted pots, ascending or descending, and they too will put on a great show for Christmas, so plant them now.

Speaking of long hot days, you’ll also want to get some pea straw thrown about. Once you’ve watered and fed, mulch. It helps to retain moisture in the soil, suppress weeds, keep the soil cool, and just makes everything look pretty.

So, things are looking spick and span at your place, it is also a good time to aerate the lawns, apply seasonal weed killer and fertiliser.

Don’t forget the roses. They love a pile of good manure mixed with some rose fertiliser. Top that lot off with a generous dose of pea straw and you will be rewarded with a gorgeous bouquet from the garden to brighten up your day.

If you don't have your own garden to potter around in, the Matakana Community Garden, next to the Matakana Hall, can always use some green-fingered helpers. The community gardeners meet every Monday Morning, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. to tend, plant and harvest produce.

Everyone is welcome to join.

There’s nothing more rewarding than a day in the garden, so get in there and enjoy yourself; it’s your Labour Weekend.