The cold blast was predicted and it sure did arrive along with all that snow now on the Kakanui's, gardens and Gardeners will have felt winter had arrived very quickly after all the balmy weather of late. It made me feel I should make a start now on bedding gardens down for winter with compost on first then pea straw, this will be on going for a while in our garden. Leaf raking has cranked up a gear now as trees shed more and more leaves and still lots with cutting back, bulb planting and shifting shrubs that have become over crowded. Shrubs, plants and hedges will be starting to harden off to cope with the cold so get any hedge trimming done but don't be too hard on them, spring is the time to take them back hard.
Roses can be left now, no more dead heading they need to make seed heads now which will help to harden wood.
Hydrangea stems are hardening and flower heads are either going brown or changing into new stunning autumn shades, keep water up while they are looking so pretty and leave the flowers on for ages yet, especially further inland they can be left all winter to protect new growth. If wanting to take old flower heads off on the coast cut the stem right back to the second bud from the bottom and leave all stems that did not flower, these will be next summers flower stems.
Leucodendrons develop rich colour as days and nights become colder, picked bracts will last in a vase for weeks, even months. Picking the bracts is a must to keep both leoucodendrons and proteas from becoming top heavy and blowing over. They resent any form of phosphates. potassium and nitrates fertiliser a little blood and bone in spring will keep them looking good.
Camellias are budding up now and some of mine need opening up to let in light needed for buds to develop well, remove inward facing and cross over branches. Feed camellias and rhododendrons with acid fertiliser, water in well and mulch with pine needles, then forget about them until they reward you in spring. Azaleas need food, as soon as they have finished flowering but if you did not feed them then feed them along with Rhododendrons and camellias.
On the coast prune back perennial wall flowers now to encourage new growth for a good winter flowering, do the same to Marguerite daisies. Further inland take hard wood cuttings, pot up and protect over winter. Break up clumps of viola like Maggie Mott and the clumping primula vulgaris, plant sections with root attached into pots or trays, they will grow and clump up ready to be planted out in spring, both of these make lovely edging plants. Keep planting all the bulbs on offer, ranuncula an anemones also for a vibrant or soft mid height colour to an early spring garden.
I really enjoyed the drifts of blue from Agapanthas around town and in our garden this year which have now finished flowering, I have started breaking up clumps of both large and dwarf varieties to fill gaps, once shifted they need a lot of water to get them started in a new spot. Keep planting well grown evergreen shrubs as there still time to get them settled in before winter.
Vegetable garden I have mentioned growing a green crop in vacant areas of the vegetable garden, oats is probably the best one to plant in the autumn, it will grow in no time, dig in while still soft and green. First timers might like to follow the green manure suggestion of using blue lupin as a nitrogen additive . other wise, use mustard as a good soil conditioner in spring and summer, changing back to oats in the autumn. Vegetable seedlings will be targeted by birds right now so best to cover them with strawberry net or open weave frost cloth raised above the plants while plants are small, birds will not be so interested when the plants plump out a bit. Broad beans can be planted now, try a little potash in the soil just below the bean when planted, it is said to help prevent rust. Bring pumpkins in and store in a dry aired place, protect the last tomatoes and peppers from frost, the sun is still warm enough to ripen them a little longer. When nights become really cold vines can be dug up and hung in good light on a warm porch under cover to ripen further.
Fruit Walnuts are falling along with the leaves, late ripening peaches should be picked now before the birds take them all. I have been told the peach raised in North Otago, SWEET PERFECTION is growing and fruiting well. A chance seedling from an orchard on the banks of the Waitaki River - strong resistance to leaf curl - bountiful and regular crops of excellent quality fruit. One to put an order in for. Feijoas seem to be plentiful right now as well, Feijoa, vanilla and fresh ginger jam on a warm scone is an autumn treat.
We have the last wedding here at Rockvale gardens on Sunday after 26 years of couples making a commitment to each other in our garden, it has been a privilege being involved in so many special days
Cheers, Linda.
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