Gardening in Waitaki December 4th 2024

Drying Herbs:

Wow the last month of the year already and so hot for the start of summer. If you are playing catch up before the Christmas break you can be assured gardens just keep on doing what they are supposed to regardless of weather conditions or people intervention. Endless cutting back will be going on as late spring flowering ends, It is disposing of everything that creates a problem for most, however, at this time of the year the cut-back growth is soft and with the help of daily heat it will break down in heaps or on the compost, so pile it up and leave until all moisture has gone and this will drastically reduce the green waste. Gaps left can be replenished with fresh compost and planted out in summer annuals. Catmint edging can be cut right back now, it will grow back and flower again if left clumps will make seed and collapse and flatten. English lavender will need cutting back now, it is worth, bunching and hanging once stems have firmed. Dried lavender will continue to give off that lovely fresh lavender fragrance for months if kept inside. Rhododendrons need spent flowers and seed heads removed, it will be impossible to do on very large bushes but beneficial to smaller bushes as you want them to put growth into the bush, not seeds. There is a point on a spent rhododendron flower /seed head when bent will break cleanly without damaging new growth. Roses: Keep moisture up to roses, deadhead to encourage new buds, and remove and destroy leaves showing rust or black spot. Lilies also need moisture kept up as the heat we are now experiencing dries the soil. Lilies prefer moist roots but like most bulbs will rot if water-logged. Hedge trimming will be ongoing, trim hedges if you feel they have put out all the spring growth they are going to. Buxus (box hedges) can be trimmed as soon as stalks snap cleanly when bent. Herbs are beginning to flower so if trimmed back now you will prevent them from running to seed and becoming woody. Herbs should be harvested before they flower when flavor and aroma oils are at their peak. Harvest early in the morning after the dew dries and before the heat of the day. Culinary herbs to pick and dry: rosemary, thyme, sage, dill, basil, chives, parsley, oregano, tarragon, and nasturtium (leaves and flowers) Once dried and rubbed glass jars can be filled. Fruit: black currants, raspberries, and gooseberries all need continuous sunny days to ripen. Large top leaves on strawberries can be removed to let more air and light in but will need to have a net cover if exposed to birds. Elder flowers are blooming so elderflower cordial is on the go again for me. It is so refreshing after a hot day in the garden, Gin, tonic, ice, and a splash of elderflower cordial. Make enough to give as a gift at Christmas along with a jar of dried mixed herbs, Elderflower cordial, 25 elderflower heads, zest and juice of 2 lemons and 1 orange, 1.5 litres boiling water 1kg sugar 1 heaped teaspoon citric acid. Method: Wash flower heads to remove any bugs, and place in a large bowl with orange/lemon zest. Bring water to boil, pour over flower heads and zest, cover, and leave overnight. Strain, pour into a saucepan, and add sugar, lemon /orange juice, and citric acid. Heat gently to dissolve sugar then simmer for a couple of minutes, bottle (sterilized), and seal. Vegetable garden: Weeds, as well as veg, are romping away but easy to pull while young. Keep potatoes mounded, not long now to harvest for Christmas dinner. Corn will be well up, add compost over roots as they need a good hold in the soil when windy. I find they get support from each other if planted in squares rather than a row. Pumpkins, zucchinis, and the like will not be coping with the early heat. The large leaves dehydrate quickly, covering them with shade cloth would be beneficial on very hot days. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki November 26th 2024

So much growth is happening now and roses are early to bloom but we should still have picking to do at Christmas before the need to do a summer prune. As the blooms die off, head back to a strong out-facing bud. For those with box hedging it is now time to trim as regrowth will be limited now, choose an overcast day or two to hold back the sun -fade on the new undergrowth. Young box hedging will only need the top evened up to encourage more side growth. A dressing of compost and blood & bone will give hedges what is needed to take them through a hot summer & autumn. Viola clumps can be cut back and divided now, I just dig up part of a large clump and basically pull it to bits planting sections with roots into pots and sitting them in a shaded spot over summer & autumn. By the start of next winter, the small pots will be filled with roots, new leaves, and buds ready to be planted. The same for polyanthus and primulas, break up clumps; plant out only fresh new growth, and throw away knotted old spent roots. There is still time to divide agapanthus, large and dwarf varieties. They can get a bit rootbound which reduces their flowering, dig out the whole clump (if it is still manageable enough to do this), then pull off smaller root clumps and plant them out on their own using fresh compost to get the roots going again. Agapanthus are great gap fillers in new gardens, they can always be removed as you fill your garden with permanent plants. If you have, or can get hold of some aged compost that has finished working and is ready to put in the garden you will be able to make compost tea.Compost Tea is a nutritionally rich, well-balanced, organic plant food made by steeping aged compost in water. The water is then diluted and used as a root / or foliar feed. It is also noted for its ability to control various plant diseases (blights, molds, wilts, etc. when used as a foliar spray), to repel and control insect pests and their damage when used regularly, and to encourage the growth of beneficial soil bacteria which results in healthier, more stress-tolerant plants. The basic recipe most often recommended is as follows:1 large container with lid (plastic rubbish bin works well) enough aged, completed compost to fill an old pillow case 1/2-3/4 full. Fill the container with water, place the compost-filled pillowcase (cheesecloth bag or pantyhose also work well), tie off the top, and submerge in the container of water. Cover (to prevent odor and insect problems) and let steep for a MINIMUM of 2 weeks. This steeping time is crucial to the formation of beneficial bacteria and the required fermentation process. When finished, dip out the tea and dilute it (3 parts water to 1 part tea) and use it weekly as root food for all plants.  (It is important to note that COMPOST TEA AND MANURE TEA ARE NOT THE SAME THING. Manure tea can be made in the same way but is not generally recommended as a foliar spray and is not as nutritionally well-balanced, I found that roses do well when liquid manure is applied around roots. Roses:If you are having trouble with aphids, black spots or mildew on roses, spraying now will keep them in check. Shield takes care of all, follow the instructions, and spray at the suggested intervals but not on a sunny day when bees are about, Keep food up to roses, it's hungry roses that are more susceptible to disease. Slow-release rose fertiliser will feed each time you water.  Weeds are starting to mature and make seeds, get them out before they do, most are easy to pull when they have grown a bit. Convolvulus will need to be dug out, making sure to remove every root.  I find it too risky to spray around the plants Convolvulus is clambering over so a ground-level zap on new growth is a much shorter distance for the spray to be effective.  Lawns are lush as we seem to have missed the October drying winds this spring, I am keeping the catcher up and mowing every second mow without it on to help retain the growth and ad humus as we head into the hottest seasons.  Fruit: Gooseberries, currants, raspberries, and strawberries should be plumping up nicely, nice sun-filled days are needed now for them to ripen. Vegetables: Keep mounding potato rows to keep light out as they grow bigger, consistent watering is important for potatoes now, this goes for all root vegetables. Leafy veg doesn't need any extra feeding at this time of the year, it will just encourage them to bolt. Plant only as many seedling plants as you think you would use when ready and hold back in shade other small seedling plants from the same batch until needed. Keep pumpkin and squash plants mulched, their roots are fragile until large leaves grow to create the root shade needed. All new small plants can be over-watered to the point where their roots cannot cope and then collapse, the soil should be dry on top between watering and good drainage is essential. Corn requires a long ripening season so should be well on now.  Cheers, Linda

Gardening in Waitaki November 19th 2024

Beautiful November peony blooms.

Still so much change in the weather but we get some lovely days leading us into summer. Growth is full-on now and the first flush of weeds will need removal or a cut-back before they go to seed and spread. Dahlias are pushing out new growth fast now. They need to be positioned in full sun and with at least 10 cm of soil cover above the tubers. If dahlias remain in the ground through winter, tubers tend to push up from the soil so if needed, top up over the tubers before full growth. Daisies bushes: Prune where needed to encourage summer flowering, and prune spring-flowering shrubs as well now if they are taking up too much room in the spot they are planted, take back to the past growth now before the flower seed is set and new growth hardens. Summer bedding annuals: will thrive if planted now in the warm soil. Petunias, lobelia, nemesia, nasturtium, saliva, marigolds and many more to choose from in retail outlets now. For pots, and hanging baskets choose annuals that make minimum roots. Geraniums are now available, plant in a sunny, dry spot and deadhead often to keep them flowering. Fuchsias are also available for planting now, they prefer semi-shaded areas as do hydrangeas. They take over from the spring flowering of rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, and peony roses. Tuberous begonias: Those who store tubers over winter will be seeing leaves are starting. If new to tuberous begonias choose a well-drained site that is protected from wind in a semi-shaded spot. Early morning and late afternoon sun is ok. Plant tubers with soil just barely covering them at 20-30cm apart with the indented side facing up, and water well, roots and sprouts will form in a few weeks. Keep watered enough to keep the soil around the plants very slightly damp, never enough for it to be soggy, avoid watering on top of the plants, this encourages mildew. At the first sign of a white patch on any of the leaves apply a fungicide. Feed Begonias with a well-balanced (fish-based) plant food every 2 to 3 weeks. Buxus hedging is still too soft to be trimmed, when you can bend new growth and it snaps cleanly then it will trim cleanly, if too soft the hedge will still be growing and you will not get a sharp cut. Lawns: Have some lawn fertiliser on hand for the next rain (which never seems far away this month) to encourage strong roots able to withstand the hot months ahead. Vegetables: Changeable weather is affecting tomatoes, leaves curl and can turn bluish in colour when affected by a cold snap but soon recover once the heat returns, best not to water late in the day while the days are swinging from hot to cold. The odd chill keeps leaf veg from bolting to seed so it's not all bad. Fruit: All fruit seems to be doing well, nutrients and moisture are the important elements while fruit is forming. Berries and plums mature first and birds have it all worked out! Berry bushes and strawberries will need a covering to keep birds off, if they see them they will eat them. Cheers, Linda.

Summer bloom to come.

Gardening in Waitaki November 13th 2024

It is time once again to cut back plants that have finished flowering, alyssum, ground cover phlox, aubrietia, aquilegia, and forget-me-not. if you cut them back now they will green up and look good over summer. The same goes for Erica's, cut all the brown spent flower stems back and they will green up again in no time.After spreading compost, I fill every gap with flower seedlings such as cosmos, petunias, static, blue salvia, nasturtiums, lavatera, and lobelia, not leaving any room for weeds to grow, now some more gentle rain, please.  All deciduous trees have leafed up now. Don't be afraid to cut out overcrowding branches to let light into the plantings underneath. If two branches fill the same spot, take the lower one out. Maples and Oak trees tend to grow thick canopies; thin them out as required. I used to remove heaps at this time in my past garden, but when I stood back and looked, it was not noticeable, and dappled light was coming through. Dahlias are now showing leaf, once in bud they can be pinched out like chrysanthemums to encourage bushiness' but if the larger growing type they will still get tall so put stakes in now before they get up too far and begin to bend and fall. If your daffodils did not flower well this spring, It's a good time to break up large clumps while you can still see where they have been, flowering gets restricted when the clumps get overcrowded. Plant into about 20 cm of compost in small groups and feed with blood and bone then mulch so they don't dry out over summer. Thinking ahead, there are autumn flowering bulbs in Garden centers now, belladonnas, crocuses, and nerines, plant in full sun where they will not be disturbed. Water lilies can be added to ponds now as pond water is warming, if buying one make sure it is showing leaf, plant it into a plastic basket lined with thick newspaper or woven cloths like chux, then some aged manure and garden soil, plant the lily in the soil and top with a thick layer of stones or gravel. It is important not to let any fertiliser or manure leach out into the pond water because it will encourage the water to go green with slime which is harmful to fish when caught in gills.If your pond is stagnating it means that it is not working as it should. To correct this add some un-sprayed barley straw weighed down with a rock to stop it floating about. There is also  a product called Barley Clear https://www.gardensalive.co.nz/product/Ecopond_Extract_of_Barley_Straw, At first the pond water will not look too healthy but soon you will be amazed at how fast it will clear and stay clear once things start working naturally. To work naturally the bottom of the pond can and should be a little muddy, but the top should be clear, so you can easily tell when it is. If you would like to introduce baby fish to your new pond, acquire some oxygen weed from a pond already filled with fish because at this time of the year, fish blow eggs into oxygen weed so there is sure to be eggs that will hatch out in your pond with no big fish around to eat them. Fish do not need to be fed as the warmer months attract plenty of bugs to the pond.   Lawns: Keep mowers up a notch and try mowing without the catcher now and then, rake the clippings out over the lawn to add humus and feed regularly through the growing and cutting seasons. Have some fertiliser on hand for the next rain. Lawn seed sown now should germinate quickly in damp warm soil. Pop-out daisies, clover, and flat weeds with a blade if not too many, or spot spray with a lawn weed spray. Fruit: Check your fruit trees now for overcrowded bunches, thin bunches out by snipping small fruits off with sharp scissors if winds do not do it for you.   Vegetables: Potatoes are well up, and corn and pumpkins should be going well now. Snails and slugs are on the hunt for newly planted seedlings to chew on, once planted have a look about for these munchers and sprinkle some crushed egg shells or coarse grit around each seedling. Keep planting all vegetables but not too many of the same at one time.    Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki November 5th 2024

As we near the end of the blossom season, the Rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas are taking the spotlight, displaying blooms as stunning as any tropical flower. A few roses have also begun flowering, the evening chill and intermittent rain should help maintain their vigor. However, aphids may have begun colonizing new rose buds, these can be removed by gently pinching them off with your fingers. Look beneath hellebore leaves and no doubt you will find green flies living a good reproductive life, cut the leaves back and destroy them before the aphids fly off into your garden. If you don’t want hellebore seedlings throughout the garden, trim back seed pods. Peonies are budding now, so adding supports can help manage the weight of the blooms. Tall wire supports shaped like a “U” are ideal for keeping the stems upright. For newly planted crowns, it’s best to limit flowering to just one bloom for now to allow the plant’s energy to focus on root development. Avoid letting them bloom during the first couple of years for better long-term growth. Peonies thrive in full sun, without competing plants nearby, and need plenty of water, especially before and during blooming. Lavender is budding as well. If spittlebugs become an issue, note that spraying won’t be effective due to the spittle barrier. Instead, a forceful hose spray should dislodge them. Hybrid Clematis look lovely in garden centers, these large-flowered varieties (not the invasive Montana type) need early training while the stems are still pliable. For successful growth, clematis benefits from rich, well-manured soil with a bit of lime. Don’t worry if your hybrid has no buds yet, as flowering times vary. If planted recently, let it flower before cutting it to the ground to encourage bushier growth. If a hybrid wilts, cut it down instead of digging it out—many come back strong the following year. Filling Gaps: To fill garden spaces, consider planting cottage-style flowers such as cosmos, love-in-a-mist, blue bedder salvia, Clary sage, and lavatera. These taller annuals can be planted densely to support each other and crowd out weeds. Regular deadheadings will keep them blooming through Christmas and beyond. Lawns have enjoyed the rain as have worms getting busy in the soft soil aerating as they go and with them rising up to the top layers in saturated lawns birds are happy with their easy meals I'm sure. There will be lush grass growth now but don't be tempted to lower the mower blades, leave a little length to shade roots as lawns dry, and use the lush clippings as thin layers of mulch around your gardens. Fruit Trees: Night beetles have not appeared yet, but they’re expected soon and may target young trees. While mature trees will show minimal damage, newly planted fruit trees, and prunus varieties may lose leaves to beetles. Don’t worry—leaves will regrow, and the trees will continue developing. Vegetables: Spring weather is perfect for growing vegetables, with warm, moist soil benefiting beans, peas, corn, pumpkins, courgettes, and cucumbers. Staggering seed planting will ensure a continuous harvest. Sticky traps for whiteflies can help detect early infestations in greenhouses. Make DIY sticky traps by coloring cards yellow and coating them with petroleum jelly mixed with a bit of dishwashing liquid. If whiteflies appear, start with a strong water spray, focusing on the undersides of leaves. Follow up with organic insecticidal soap (like Neem soap), spray at a cool time of day, and repeat a few days later. Attract whitefly predators, like hoverflies and ladybirds, by planting calendula, oregano, fennel, parsley, and even thistles near your greenhouse. Cheers, Linda

Keep lawn mower blades up a little so as not to scalp the lawn.

Gardening in Waitaki November 1st 2024

And now it is almost November and this spring weather is proving to be a challenge with all the rain but here in North Otago we cannot turn down spring rain.  The spring blossom is still lasting without the usual strong October winds.  Roses are ready to take over from the camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas, Iris's are also pushing through fat buds. Remove mulch from iris rhizomes, they push themselves out of the ground now to be exposed to the sun,  I love to see iris planted in large drifts to make an impact but most town gardens do not have the room for this. If you have a display of forget-me-nots putting on a show now, don't pull them out when finished but cut them back, they will soon green up for summer and then flower again next spring.Some suggestions for planting garden colour are cosmos, marigolds, petunias, bedding dahlia, and blue salvia. Cat-mint edging is starting to show colour,  cat-mint is such a pretty edging that can be cut back after the first flowering to flower again. While this is happening sections with roots can be pulled from the main clump and potted up to grow a root ball, then planted out as edging in another part of the garden. Trim spent blooms from flowering perennials and daisy bushes often to keep them bushy and continuously in flower, if you let flower heads go to seed the bush or plants will become woody.Chrysanthemums and tall perennial asters flowering time is not until the end of summer, if cut back now they will grow up a second time but hopefully not so tall and fall all over the place.  Chrysanthemum tips can be put into river sand to make roots for new plants.  Planting on a slope: Spring is a good time to plant out a slope or bank, the ground is moist and plant roots are growing fast which means they will get a good hold before the dreaded winds arrive. Spray out all competing weeds. If it is possible terracing a steep slope with rocks or sleepers would be beneficial to hold moisture around the roots. If this cannot be done try not to disturb soil/clay in areas that are not being planted. If the soil is disturbed and broken up it will wash away with rain and watering.  Planting; Dig a hole that is deep into the bank and shallow at the front, (an angle hole) this will create a hollow reserve for water. Make sure it dips down at the back for water to pool. Use stones around each plant, this will help prevent wind from blowing soil away from the roots. Choose plants that grow in dry conditions. South African plants grevillea, leucadendron, and Proteas would work.  Ask at a Garden center what survives well in a pot without a lot of watering,  plants that can be left for a while without water and they still look good.    Lawns:  Grass, Grass. Grass...So much mowing! If like me you have not had to spray lawn weeds you can sprinkle your clippings around the garden as humus but not in thick piles, spread it out so it can break down fast. Your garden can take as much fresh green growth as you throw at it now the warmth is here. Resown patches left from grass grub and moss removal damage will repair fast now if birds are kept off, try covering them with shade cloth until the seed has germinated, works for me.  Fruit bushes and trees are responding to spring as they should, the bees have done a wonderful pollinating job and we should all get bumper crops with the right amount of sun and moisture. Mulch around the drip line of all fruiting trees and shrubs to keep moisture from evaporating while the fruit is forming.....it's all on now for growing our own food.  Veg Garden Growth is amazing this spring with the warmth and moisture, potatoes are up for mounding, root veg is ready for thinning, leaf veg is heartening up and no white butterflies here to annoy them yet, young broad beans are ready for picking, no rust nor an aphid to be seen yet! Corn, runner and French beans have popped through and the snails were waiting so they have been covered and it is warm enough to plant tomatoes, cucumber, and all from the pumpkin family.  Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki October 23rd 2024

A  couple of lovely summer days snuck in last weekend to give us a taste of what is to come, followed by a soft drizzle, perfect growing weather.Weeds are in full growing force now! but the soft damp ground makes them easy to hoe and pull out. Weeds need to be removed before they make seed or, you will be chasing them through the months to come. I have been potting up seedlings I have grown from seed, lupins, Oriental poppies, delphiniums, penstemons, and nasturtiums. To give small seedlings the best chance to survive chewing pests it i best to pot seedlings into punnets or individual pots for roots to become established and top growth to become less tasty before planting out. Strong growing plants like sunflowers and delphinium seeds need to be planted straight into peat pots and once the pot is filled with new roots plant pot and all into the ground, the strong roots will grow out through the pot as it breaks down. Planting wildflowers can be a waste of time if the patch of ground becomes full of weeds before the wildflower seeds germinate. This year I am using the method of clearing the soil of weeds, then laying out sheets of newspaper soaked with a hose before piling potting mix on top to sow a wildflower mix into. The wet newspaper should suppress weed seeds from germinating, giving the wildflowers a chance to grow thickly. Hostas are pushing fresh new leaves up for waiting slugs! put sharp gravel under hostas and spray with fish emulsion to deter them. In our past garden I had 6 little Pekin bantams who took care of snails and slugs, they are very short in the leg and their scratching is minimal compared to long-legged hens Compost: The compost I have been cultivating over winter has lately been getting the heat needed to start working again, I was able to use bottom layers for adding to pots and the garden, it was full of worms and beneficial invertebrates. Start now to layer on the ground so worms can be drawn up (not on concrete). Layer soft growth, seedless weeds and brown stalky growth, aged manure, kitchen scraps (no meat) soil and old compost. Keep water up to the layers as you build and you will have ready compost for autumn. Lawns: Gypsum went on my lawn this week to help break down the clay, so far I have aerated, spread fine compost and fed with lawn fertiliser during rain and popped out many weeds with the blade of my secateurs, now I wait to see how it performs during summer. Vegetables: This is a good time to consider companion planting in the veg garden now all herbs are clumping up again. Nasturtium attracts caterpillars, so planting it alongside or around vegetables such as lettuces, broccoli, and cabbages should mean the nasturtium will get attacked rather than your edible crop. Marigolds have a scent that repels aphids and attracts hoverflies, which are predator insects, the lovely little tagetes, or French marigolds, are invaluable in companion planting. Cabbage white butterflies are attracted to their host plant by smell and planting rows of targets is effective in masking the smell and reducing cabbage moth damage. Secretion from the roots of Mexican tagetes deters eelworms and your potatoes and tomatoes are left alone. Tagetes and calendula marigolds planted near tomatoes will attract hoverflies to feast on pests. Basil and tomatoes are a well-known combination. Dill is popular with bees so attracts them into the garden,  dill planted with corn will ensure a bumper crop with more bees to pollinate the corn strings. Sage is a herb to plant around a celery crop, Hyssop repels white butterflies from all brassica crops. Carrots and leeks work well planted together, they both have strong aromas, which repel pests. Fruit: With all fruit trees in blossom, it's sunny days we need to keep the bees busy working along with the help of windy days for pollination.  Keep the water up to them and mulch with un-sprayed grass clippings right out to their drip line, they have a lot of work ahead of them growing plump, juicy fruit. Cheers, Linda.

Wonderful Hostas.