Gardening in Waitaki April 14th 2026

What an early introduction to winter wet received this week! Autumn is a time for reflection and planning. With cooler mornings and brilliant colour all around, April reminds us that although growth slows, the garden is far from sleeping; it is quietly preparing for the promise of spring. Once outside again, it will be back to the inevitable autumn task, leaves, leaves, and more leaves. While the workload can feel endless, the reward is a garden glowing in magnificent shades of gold, red, and orange. Truly, autumn is a second spring, when every leaf becomes a flower.

b>Most fallen leaves make excellent compost, although oak and walnut leaves take much longer to break down. I did compost some mixed with grass clippings, but I burned the excess in my trusty drum, returning the ash to compost heaps later. Keep layering compost bins with leaves, grass clippings, manure, and garden waste, watering between layers to encourage decomposition while warmth remains in the soil. Recent damp conditions have helped retain moisture in the ground, giving shrubs such as hydrangeas, camellias, rhododendrons, and azaleas an opportunity to harden wood before winter. Hydrangea blooms are now turning rich autumn tones, perfect for picking and drying by hanging upside down or leaving in a vase until the water evaporates. Leucadendron, protea, nandina, and nerines also provide excellent winter colour and long-lasting cut flowers. Nerines are now taking centre stage, sending up elegant flowers on tall stems and thriving in well-drained positions with little water during dormancy. Give winter flowering shrubs a dressing of compost as many are already forming buds. Only feed plants preparing to flower now; most others are slowing growth ahead of winter rest. On the coast, prune perennial wallflowers, mignonette, dentata lavender, and marguerite daisies to encourage fresh winter growth. Inland gardeners are better to take hardwood cuttings and overwintering them under protection, as frosts often damage established plants. Divide violas and clumping primulas now — one plant quickly becomes many and provides beautiful edging for spring displays. Trim spent flower heads from hebes to prevent legginess, Ranunculus corms are still available and well worth planting. Soak overnight before planting claws downward in groups for best effect. Lilies may be lifted only if overcrowded, keeping roots moist at all times, and replanted deeply, about three times the bulb height, except Madonna lilies, which prefer shallow planting and limy soil. Autumn remains an excellent time to plant evergreen shrubs and give hedges a final light trim. Small shrubs, conifers, camellias, azaleas, and rhododendrons transplant well now while soils are still warm. Peonies can also be moved once foliage yellows, planting crowns shallowly with buds just 5 cm below soil level. Lawns are responding well to cooler nights and renewed moisture. Repair grass grub damage by raking and resowing. Treat compacted areas with gypsum and fine compost while the soil is soft and moist. During the rain is a perfect time to spread. Vegetable Garden: Green manure crops are valuable in vacant beds, oats are ideal for autumn sowing, while blue lupins add nitrogen. Protect young veg seedlings from birds with raised netting. Broad beans can be planted now, adding a little potash beneath the seeds to help prevent rust. Leeks, carrots, spinach, snap peas, and spring onions can all be sown or planted. Remove shading from glasshouses and reduce watering as growth slows. Harvest pumpkins, always leaving the stalk attached to prevent rot. b>Fruit Garden: Apples, crabapples, quince, grapes, feijoa, and late peaches are ready for harvest and preservation. Pick surplus apples slightly unripe for storage, but leave some to ripen naturally on the tree. Gather walnuts promptly before pests find them, spreading them out in a dry, airy space so the green husks can dry and separate naturally. Feed citrus trees generously now with manure, seaweed, rock phosphate, dolomite, or citrus fertiliser, followed by mulch Cheers, Linda

Gardening in Waitaki April 1st 2026

Autumn in the Oamaru public Gardens:

Easter again soon and day light saving again, Autumn is truly settling in now, a season of tidying, feeding the soil, and preparing the garden quietly for the months ahead. After a slow seasonal start caused by welcome autumn rains, trees are finally beginning to show their autumn colour. Gardens will be gently shifting pace now as growth slows and plants prepare for the dormant months ahead. While my Easter egg hunters are fewer these days as they become teenagers, there will still be a couple eagerly awaiting Nana’s Easter eggs, a reminder that some traditions never fade. Normally, at this time of year, we avoid encouraging too much new growth, allowing plants to harden before winter. However, coastal gardens can still carry lovely seasonal colour. With warmth still in the soil and moisture levels good, compost heaps should now be working efficiently. Stable and poultry manures contain most of the essential plant nutrients — particularly nitrogen, phosphate and potash, in a natural organic form. Not all plants require the same balance, however. Fresh animal manure can cause overly lush growth in legumes such as peas, beans and lupins due to excess nitrogen. Allowing manure to break down fully in the compost heap before use provides a more balanced nutrient supply. The only growth promotion needed before winter would be when planting plants to take you through the winter. Dried blood is High in nitrogen and is an easy way to replenish tired soil before planting those cool-season plants. Some plants dislike phosphate fertilisers altogether. Leucadendrons, proteas, banksias and ericas and callunas prefer a simple organic leaf mulch rather than garden fertilisers. Primula and viola clumps can now be lifted and divided to create new borders or fill gaps at the front of garden beds. Rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias will benefit from feeding with an acid fertiliser specially formulated for them, encouraging strong bud development for spring flowering. Continue deadheading dahlias until frost collapses the plants. Once blackened by frost, cut stems back carefully, ensuring thick hollow stems are not left open where rain can enter and rot the tubers. Dahlias sitting in wet soil after heavy rain are prone to rot, so lift and store tubers in a dry place at season’s end if drainage is poor. A topping of pea straw provides useful winter protection for those left in the ground. Autumn roses have suffered with recent rain. Remove rotting blooms but resist heavy pruning, as roses now need to set seed and harden their wood before winter. In warm, sheltered sunny spots, one final deadheading may still encourage a late flush of flowers. Lawns remain actively growing and grass clippings collected in full catchers make excellent mulch around the garden. New lawns sown now should germinate well while soil temperatures remain mild. Cover newly seeded or patched areas with netting or frost cloth to prevent birds from disturbing seed. vegetables: Spinach and snap peas can be sown now for cool-season harvests. Harvest pumpkins promptly and always leave the stalk attached to prevent rot during storage. Harvest pumpkins promptly and always leave the stalk attached to prevent rot during storage .Divide rhubarb crowns and replant into soil enriched with generous amounts of compost. fruit: Fruit continues to fall heavily from trees. Apples and quince and late peaches are plentiful, and after the recent rain it is an ideal time to repay fruit trees with applications of lime, manure, rock phosphate, liquid seaweed or vermi liquid around the root zone. Prune tamarillo trees hard once the last fruit has been picked. Staggered pruning can help stagger next season’s crop. Prepare strawberry beds by building soil levels with compost and mulch, removing old leaves and runners, and potting up only strong runners growing close to the mother plant to establish new fruiting plants or fill gaps. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in Waitaki March 24th 2026

April will soon be here, and Easter is on its way with so much needed to be done in gardens right now, weeding, hedge trimming, cutting back summer growth, spraying, mulching, building new compost heaps, then all those leaves ....(Whew, no pressure) If looking to improve the look of established gardens a front border will do the trick, there are so many suitable plants that maybe multiplying around your garden like lambs ear, with it's lovely silver textured leaf, variegated and dwarf iris, blue grass, dwarf agapanthus, hosta's, helibours, purple sage, thyme, erigeron daisy and violas, plus heaps of other low growing evergreen plants that cuttings or divisions can be taken from right now to create borders. All these plants I have mentioned look great planted en masse in long rows to change the look of a garden. Lilies: Top dress lilies with blood and bone and compost, one cup of blood and bone to each bucket of compost. If you need to shift lilies, never let them dry out; get them back in the ground straight away or store them in a wet towel until ready to transplant. Cuttings: I mentioned cuttings last week and again this week because the ground is still holding warmth to stimulate root growth. I have deep pots and trays packed with moist river sand full of cuttings. Plants to take cuttings from: Purple sage, geranium, breath of heaven, buxus, fuchsia, escallonia, succulents, lavender, rosemary, lonicera, hebe, can all be taken now. Deciduous. Hardwood cuttings are taken during winter when plants have lost leaves and are dormant. Take time to look around the garden to see what plants flowered well over summer, and those that have not because of trees getting wider and blocking out light. The plants that would suffer most are dahlias; some may not flower at all from lack of light and moisture, and others get hidden behind other plants. Dig up and transplant into a sunnier spot, leaving the top growth on to die off back into the tubers. Other plants suffering the same could be dwarf agapanthus, roses, asters and dianthas; all of these need a lot of sunshine and light to perform well. Sowing seeds: The following flower seeds can still be sown now , aquilegia, calendula (marigold) , lupins, stocks, sweet peas, dianthus, and antirrhinum (snap dragons). Some will already be germinating around where these plants have been growing. I pot up most worthy plants that nature supplies to be planted out either before or after winter, depending on their maturity. Wrenching shrubs to be shifted: Still time for wrenching shrubs and trees that need to be moved by digging around one half of their roots and leaving the other half untouched for a few months. Make a trench around the lifted roots and fill with soft compost. The cut roots will form new feeder roots into the compost, which will make the eventual transplant cope better. Remember, plants that have had their root system reduced should also have their top growth reduced. Lawns: Get new lawns sown now for grass seed to germinate and be well on growing before frosts. Grass growth is slowing down now but Keep moisture up to during dry spells for strong winter root growth. Veg and fruit. Tomatoes need all the daylight hours now to ripen; remove all shading leaves. Sweet pepper plants that need more time to ripen can be dug up, put into a pot and placed under shelter to continue growing if there is any threat of frost. Sow a green crop, adding humus to vacant vegetable plots will improve the soil. Blue lupin, mustard, wheat, barley or oats are good for this purpose. Dug in just before the crop reaches the flowering stage. Fruit: In cooler areas, citrus trees, especially when young, should have a temporary roof for frost protection put in place soon. Grapes will ripen for birds if not covered. Picked bunches do not continue to ripen; they need to ripen on the vine. This has been a good season for apples. Get them picked and stored in a cool place, and remove any damaged apples as they will eventually spoil the others. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in Waitaki March 17th 2926

Comfrey plant tea.

The autumn change is with us some days and not others, and it is hard to determine what season it is right now. Warm, lingering days still feel like summer, yet cooler mornings and the occasional rain remind us that autumn is quietly settling in. The garden reflects this uncertainty too, growth continues strongly, weeds are thriving, but many plants are looking tired after a long growing season. At this time of year, weed seeds are ripe and falling or popping to settle in to germinate during spring, so be one step ahead by hoeing out or removing the ripened heads if time is limited.  Cutting back will be full on now. Once I start, there is no stopping me from leaving destruction in my wake. Cut back, lift and divide summer flowering perennials and shrubs, remove seed heads from ornamental grass if you have not already done so, and the clumps will look a lot tidier.  This is a good time to cut the leaves from comfrey plants while plump, before they disappear for winter. Comfrey leaves chopped and packed into a container with a lid, weigh leaves down, and just cover with water. The leaves will break down to a black tar-like substance packed with nutrients that plants love once diluted down into a comfrey tea. As sap in trees and shrubs declines to harden stems and trunks to cope with winter's chill, watering, then mulching from now on, will set your garden up for its long winter rest while at the same time building up my ornamental gardens and keeping weeds down. Also spread mulch around established plants in the veg garden and as layers on compost heaps.  I have been collecting seed and putting down cuttings daily. So many plants, trees and shrubs can be grown by you for your garden or shared by doing this now. Ponds will not have overheated this summer, so fish will have multiplied amongst oxygen weed where fish lay their eggs. I used to remove all the big fish into a bucket of pond water during early summer to protect eggs from being eaten. Small gold fish are light brown when hatched and hard to see, but they turn orange as they grow. Replace the big fish once the small fish are big enough not to be eaten.If ducks have visited your pond and introduced duckweed, it will increase rapidly. Once fish eggs had hatched, I used to remove duckweed and oxygen weed with a leaf rake and apply it all as mulch onto gardens. Topping ponds up often during hot weather helps to cool the water and keep ponds cleaner. Lawns Get new lawns sown now, the cooler nights and mornings are allowing moisture to remain longer after watering, and a strike will happen pretty fast in the warm ground. For established lawns, dry weather encourages thatch to build up around grass roots, and lawns can become thick with it, killing off good grass. If you feel your lawn is being choked by thatch, this is the time to address the problem; a de-thatcher can be hired from our local garden hire business. Once a good portion of thatch is removed, good grass gets a chance to grow strongly again. Scarification will also help remove moss, and a bonus is that thatch can be used to mulch gardens and added to compost heaps. Grass grubs are on the go, munching grass roots and leaving dead patches. Treat lawns with grass grub granuals from now until May. Vegetables. March is an important month for planting winter veg. Prepare the soil before planting with compost, general garden fertiliser and lime (only if needed to bring the pH up), I add lime to my compost. Keep planting all veg seedlings on offer, cover from birds and white butterflies. Prepare garlic beds with compost/ manure worked in, then left to settle until planting out in June. Heartease (small wild pansy) is a companion plant to garlic and onions. Fruit: Share your harvest if you are loaded with fruit. When picking is over, weed, manure, mulch/compost around fruit trees. Citrus have been producing flowers and fruit well this season, give them citrus food as a reward, or allow the dropped fruit to add the acid needed by breaking down over the tree roots. Cheers, Linda.

Lawn dethatcher.

March 17th 2026

Another up and down time with the weather in the past week, weeding, raking and planting will be full on in some gardens, so rewards will be real. Leaves are turning, and some have begun to fall with the weather in the past week. Silver birch is always the first, along with prolific flowering bougainvillea, dropping a crimson carpet. Cutting back and deadheading has stepped up with me as there is still a lot of flowering ahead before things come to an end before winter's chill. Now is a good time to repot pots and baskets that have been flowering and filling containers with roots. At this time of the year, everything planted will settle in well and put on growth before the colder months slow growth down. It is best to pull all out to see how root-bound a pot or basket is; then, a spade is usually needed to chop through two-thirds of the root ball. Soak potted shrubs with reduced roots in a bucket of water until bubbles stop before replanting them into a new mix. I water plants at this time of the year with comfrey tea. A brewed fertiliser with more potash and nitrogen than commercial feeds, and comfrey leaves are plentiful right now for picking and making plant tea. Comfrey as a Fertilizer has three major nutrients plus high levels of calcium applied as a liquid soil drench or as a foliar spray. Making comfrey tea: A generous bundle of comfrey leaves, A bucket of water. Place chopped comfrey leaves at the bottom of a bucket. Weigh down with a brick, fill the bucket with water, and cover for three weeks before diluting, one part 'tea' to 10 parts water. Keep deadheading roses in the hope of more blooms to make a last vibrant show before they will be left to harden for winter. Rust is always a problem on roses in autumn. Try to eradicate affected leaves from the bushes as well as those on the ground and burn them to reduce this problem for next year. Don't feed roses now; soft growth needs to make a start at hardening. Lawns. As days become cooler and heavy dew is happening again, grass will start to recover from dryness, and if lawns have no spring in them, there will probably be a high content of clay restricting roots. Gypsum applied before a good shower of rain will help, and if applied at intervals over a couple of years, there will be a spring in your lawn. Fruit: Late peaches, walnuts, quince and apple trees are dripping with fruit. If you need to store a small amount of apples, the refrigerator is a good option. Place them in the crisper drawer in a plastic bag with holes, or cover the apples with a damp paper towel. Keep boxes of apples in a cool, dark place, and they should stay crisp. Make sure there are no bruised or damaged apples among the stored boxes. Vegetable Gardens will be growing new crops for the cooler seasons. Leaf veg should not bolt so readily now, and will not mind days getting shorter and cooler, and root veg seeds will germinate well while the ground is still warm. Second sowing of peas should be up, corn picked, and the pumpkins outgrown their space. Onions can be lifted once leaves have bent over. Don't bend or damage leaves before they are ready to bend naturally, if you want them to store and keep well. Once dug, lay them out in a warm place to fully ripen, then store in a cool place. Cheers Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki March 3rd 2026

As the ripening season approaches, conditions across North Otago remain dry, despite having received summer rain, which soon evaporated with the wind. Making watering the top priority in the garden. Consistent deep watering is essential to prevent plants, shrubs, and trees from becoming dehydrated. Particular care should be given to Acer (Japanese maples), which can easily be lost if allowed to dry out during autumn. With nights cooling and days shortening, the major leaf drop is not far away. However, trees are holding their leaves green longer this year, likely due to the summer rain showers. As light levels begin to reduce, low branches on large trees may need lifting to allow more light onto lawns and underplantings. Seed Sowing and Collecting: My seed collecting is well underway. Summer annual seeds should be dried and stored safely until spring sowing, while many hardy spring-flowering plants can be sown now to establish before winter. Suitable varieties include pansy, viola, polyantha, delphinium, antirrhinum (snapdragon), wallflower, cyclamen, stock, sweet pea, primrose, and calendula. Keep an eye out for useful self-sown seedlings such as foxglove, lupin, cineraria, hollyhock, and primula malacoides — these can be transplanted now so they settle in before colder weather arrives. Cuttings: From now until late autumn is an ideal time to take semi-hardwood cuttings from shrubs and woody plants. Choose stems that are neither too hard nor too soft, as these contain the best energy for root development. Cuttings can be soaked overnight in water containing willow leaves and branches, a natural rooting stimulant similar to hormone powder. Plant cuttings into damp, sharp river sand or crusher dust mixed with a little compost to encourage rooting. Cuttings taken now must be protected through winter. A glasshouse or tunnel house is ideal, but a simple cold frame works well — a raised frame covered with heavy plastic, with frost cloth added during very cold periods. Rose cuttings also perform well at this time. Take a slanted cutting about 15 cm long from a flowering stem, ensuring at least three growth nodes, with two buried when planted. Place cuttings into water immediately after cutting, then plant closely together in free-draining river sand. Although most modern roses are grafted, many gardeners believe cutting-grown roses develop stronger root systems. Rose deadheading will soon finish for the season; allow the final blooms to set seed, so plants stop producing soft growth, and wood can harden before winter pruning. Planting and Garden Preparation: March is one of the best planting months for establishing a new garden. Garden centres are well stocked, and warm soil allows roots to grow, harden, and settle before winter. Remove spent summer annuals and prepare beds for winter and spring flowering plants such as primulas, wallflowers, polyanthas, pansies, and violas. Fork compost into the soil and water deeply before replanting. Peonies are available now and are well worth planting. Ensure roots have at least three eyes (buds), plant only 5–7 cm deep, and avoid disturbing new shoots. Peonies prefer sunny, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and, once established, can remain undisturbed for decades. Bulbs: Spring bulbs are already beginning to move beneath the soil, so take care when cultivating around them — even trilliums are showing new growth. Lift gladioli bulbs once flowering is finished and store them in a dry place to prevent pest damage. Climbers such as wisteria, jasmine, and honeysuckle can be lightly trimmed, along with hedges and shrubs, if required. Continue deadheading dahlias, petunias, and geraniums to keep colour going until the first frost. Lawns: Chemical-free lawn clippings make excellent mulch. Spread them thinly over moist garden beds to help retain soil moisture — applied too thickly, they can form a barrier that prevents water penetration. Autumn is also an excellent time to sow new lawns. Cooler nights allow moisture retention, while warm soil encourages rapid germination. Vegetable gardens remain productive with adequate watering. Pumpkins are ripening, corn is ready, and beans remain plentiful. White butterflies are active, laying eggs on brassica crops. Newly planted seedlings can be protected using shade cloth or grape netting stretched tightly over frames to prevent access while still allowing light and airflow. Plant leafy crops now, including lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Green manure crops can also be sown to restore humus to tired soils. Fruit: Stone fruit, pip fruit, and grapes are being harvested, with sugars hopefully well developed after a hot and cold season. Grapes will not ripen further once picked, so always taste before harvesting. After fruiting, give trees autumn attention, deep water thoroughly — soak soil 5–7 cm deep rather than surface watering. Keep grass and debris clear from around trunks. Avoid fertiliser in autumn so trees can harden for winter. Leave major pruning until spring. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in Waitaki February 10th 2026

Summer dead heading roses:

Watering is once again a regular task. With high evaporation rates, it’s far more effective to deep-water directly around plant roots rather than relying on sprinklers. This encourages stronger, deeper root systems and makes better use of the water applied.Cutting back is ongoing now, and while it can feel relentless, removing tired, spent or dead growth is essential to encourage fresh, healthy regrowth. Late summer is also an excellent time for taking cuttings and propagating your own plants. By now, soft spring growth has hardened, reducing moisture loss and increasing success rates. Semi-succulent plants like geraniums (pelargoniums) and impatiens are ideal for beginners, and many shrubs also strike well now, including abelia, buxus, lavender, camellia, azalea, fuchsia and hebe. Take cuttings early in the morning, using 100–150mm tip growth, and keep them in water until potted. Work in the shade with a free-draining mix such as river sand or crusher dust. Trim below a leaf node, remove lower leaves, reduce large leaves, dip in hormone, and insert into prepared holes. Water gently and keep in light shade with a moist mix. After a couple of months, firm stems indicate roots; pot on, feed lightly, and plant out in spring.   Bulbs are appearing in garden centres now and are keen to be planted. Bulbs already contain next season’s flower, formed during the previous growing cycle. In most areas they can remain in the ground year after year, provided soil does not stay wet for long periods. Feeding once shoots appear is key to long-term success. Time is also limited for lifting and dividing congested bulb clumps while they remain dormant. Large lily clumps can be divided straight after flowering.  Anemones and ranunculus are also available now. For best results, place them in paper bags in the fridge for around a month, then soak overnight in tepid water before planting. This mimics winter chilling and stimulates growth. Stagger plantings to extend flowering. Hedges can be trimmed back hard at this time if needed. Regrowth is quick, and secateurs are often impractical in large gardens.  Roses and dahlias benefit from regular dead-heading. Cut roses back to a strong outward-facing bud and remove dahlia blooms right down to the branch. Gerberas, dahlias, delphiniums and chrysanthemums respond well to fortnightly liquid feeds. Removing excess buds on large-flowered chrysanthemums will improve bloom quality. Shrubs and trees are best shifted in winter, but preparation can be done now by wrenching — cutting roots on one side to stimulate new feeder roots while leaving the other side intact. If plants must be moved now, retain as large a root ball as possible, reduce top growth by a third, plant into a generous hole with compost added, water thoroughly, stake securely, and keep moisture consistent until settled. It is great compost weather, plenty of moisture and heat to get compost heaps cooking. If you make heaps (get the sprinkler going if rain is not going to oblige). I know we have a lot of grass clippings right now, but don't pile these onto your compost heap on their own, especially if they are wet; they will form a shield and not let the air and rain in and end up a musty, smelly mess. A compost heap needs air to work well. When starting your compost heap, roll up some wire netting and secure it with stakes. Place this in the centre and build the heap up, around and over it. The wire can be removed when the heap is well-cooked and ready to use. Another way to aerate is to place thin planks of wood at different depths across the width of the pile as you are filling. When filled, you can then move the planks up and down to let air in while decomposing. Where stock is close by, be mindful when disposing of garden waste. Many common plants are toxic to animals and children, including arum lilies, foxglove, yew, rhododendron, kowhai seeds, laburnum, ivy, potato berries and rhubarb leaves, which are found in most established gardens. Lawns show stress at this time of year. Raise mower blades to provide shade and retain moisture. Lawn weeds should be dealt with promptly, as many spread rapidly through mowing. Grass grub damage may appear now; granules can be applied through to May. During the rain is a good time to apply, or water to get where needed. Fruit: Feed citrus with citrus fertiliser and spray scale with winter oil if required. Thin congested growth to improve light and airflow. Grape vines should have fruiting leaders shortened, removing excess bunches if overloaded. Old strawberry plants should be removed; runners close to the original plant can be transplanted and watered well until established. vegetable garden, continue sowing carrots, beetroot, parsnip, spring onion, lettuce, dwarf beans, parsley and silver beet. There is still ample growing time. Seedlings will need protection from birds and white butterflies. Keep mounding late potatoes to improve yields and ensure corn is well watered and mulched — their shallow roots benefit greatly from this. Pea straw is ideal mulch and worth sourcing now.Tomatoes often need encouragement to ripen with so many dull days. Once plants have set four trusses, remove top growth so energy goes into fruit rather than flowers. Gradually reduce watering. Where spacing allows, root trimming around plants can further encourage ripening.There is much produce to harvest, store and freeze now — a satisfying reward for the season’s work and reassurance of fresh, chemical-free food for the months ahead. Cheers,Linda