September Box Instructions 

Plants for September

• Buttercrunch lettuce
  
  

• Golden beetroot
  
  

• Money Maker tomato
  
  

• Rainbow chard
  
  

• Viola (companion planting)

Basic Planting Instructions 

• GrowBox: Seedlings, mulch, compost and slug trap

• Tool: A stick or trowel for making holes

• Time: 20-30 minutes

1) Mulch: If this is your first box spread around your planting area, trying to cover the soil but only a thin layer. If this is a repeat box – top up.

2) Lay out your seedlings and count them.

3) Using a stick or trowel, make holes ~twice as deep and wide as the root ball.

4) Add a small amount of compost into each hole. Mix it around gently with your finger.

5) Each seedling goes in a hole. Backfill with a mix of the compost and the surrounding soil.

6) Gently pat around the base with your fingers and push the surrounding mulch under the leaves.

7) Add existing compost around the base of existing seedlings for a top-up.

8) Using a hose or watering can, water the entire area until the soil and mulch appear thoroughly wet.

Weekly Task 

GrowBox September After-Planting Care Plan

For September & October in New Zealand (temperate conditions)

Week 2

Goal: Encourage root establishment and reduce stress.

• Check soil moisture often, make it part of your daily stroll around the garden — early spring winds can dry out the soil quickly.
  
  

• Feed with a diluted liquid seaweed tonic or GrowBox planting boost (all September varieties benefit, especially tomatoes and lettuce).
  
  

• Pinch off any damaged leaves to focus the plant’s energy on new growth.
  
  

Week 3

Goal: Start training and pruning to allow light through.

• For Money Maker tomatoes, secure stems loosely to stakes as they start climbing. Make sure not to overly pressure the stem with tight twine.
  
  

• Begin gently removing any lower yellowing leaves on chard and lettuce to improve airflow.
  
  

• Top up mulch if the soil starts drying quickly. You might have some leftover in your box, you can find dried leaves around the garden or grab a bundle of GrowBox mulch.
  
  

Week 5

Goal: Support strong vertical growth and pest defence.

• Tie up tomatoes higher as they gain height. It's optional to remove any side shoots below the first fruit cluster. Experiment with a plant and see how it turns out.
  

Week 6

Goal: Maintain growth momentum and airflow.

• Lightly prune overcrowded chard leaves to prevent mildew. Go sauté them off, impress somebody.

• Watch for tomato flowers forming. If you have become totally obsessed with your garden, you could... as some people do, get little paint brushes and go flower-to-flower brushing to help pollinate.
  

Week 8

Goal: Transition to steady production.

• Tomatoes should be setting fruit. You could give a potassium-rich feed to support flowering and fruiting. Something like GrowBox Tomato Magic.
  
  

• Begin pulling a few early golden beetroot if they’ve reached golf-ball size.
  
  

• Collect viola flowers regularly — they’re edible and keep the plant blooming longer. Use them to garnish salads or baking.
  
  

Extra Pro Tips

• Watering: Best done early morning; avoid wetting foliage to reduce disease risk.
  
  

• Companion Planting: Violas help attract pollinators; keep them close to tomatoes.
  
  

Continuous Feeding: Alternate between liquid seaweed and a balanced organic fertiliser every 2–4 weeks for best results.