Labor weekend gone already! count down now until Christmas.
It takes about 6 weeks from now on from seed to flower... so if bedding plants are put in now they will be flowering beautifully by Christmas.
I have found the growth to be stop start with the cold nights and days we have been experiencing. Some of the bedding plants I have grown with protection then hardened off for a week with no protection are going strong and will not look back when planted out.
Lack of sun and wet soil through the cold nights is not a great start to newly planted annuals, if you see some of yours dying off take them away from the others as soon as possible so that mould and fungus will not spread to the others.
Start feeding everything now, except azaleas... they are fed after they have flowered.
The winter roses have almost finished flowering, now it is time for their lovely leaves, give them a dressing of blood and bone and a spray each time you spray the roses to keep the green fly off them.
The hostas are making lots of growth now, time to spray or water on fish manure or put slug bate around them. Some go as far as putting broken egg shells or gravel as a barrier to the slugs.
The climbers are all taking off now, don't let them be the boss get in and wack them back to where you want them to be.
I have to keep at mine all the time at this time of the year, they are strangling near by trees, growing along the ground, shooting miles up into the air. Don't be afraid to tame them now because with the days warming up it will not hurt them at all.
The longer you leave ivy the harder it is to trim so get into it before it makes hard wood.
Pinch out the tops of chrysanthemums, tall and dwarf, not everyone is as ruthless as me in cutting them back twice before they make their final buds in mid December. But it is important to pinch them out to keep them bushy.
remove tops when they are about 20 cm high and pinch the next lot of shoots they make at about 10cm high. You will find it well worth doing this to end up with a bushier plant with a mass of blooms.
I have been pulling out the self sewn seedlings like honesty and other weedy things while they are still smallish and I can still get into and around the plants. Another 2 weeks and every space will have filled up, the ones I miss I will cut the heads off before they seed and spread if I see them.
I am still ripping out biddy bid by the barrow load, the plan is to get every last bit before it seeds and take note this time next year if I have beaten it.
my grapes are starting to leaf up now, if your grapes suffer from powdery mildew each year you will need to spray them every 2 weeks until the grapes are full size with saprol or home made baking soda spray,( some say this works) For gray mould use copper or bravo. lets hope we have some sunny days to bring the bees out to pollinate the fruit flowers.
All vegetables can be planted now, it's such a battle with the weeds in my conventional ground level veg garden so Bob and I are replacing it with two high raised beds using, yes you guessed it, Oamaru stone with a ravel path between and gravel right around the beds, no more muddy shoes I will be able to just reach into the raised beds and dig the veg out with a trowel. I have planted veg and herbs in my no dig garden which are growing well with not having to compete with weeds.
Our garden out here is looking lovely right now so I have had the open sign out and will keep it out from now on, people are welcome to come and enjoy the garden any time. There is a donation box and the proceeds help with the on going up keep.
Cheers Linda.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Organic container gardening
Organic Container Gardening
If you want fresh organic veggies and flowers but don’t have a garden space, you’re in luck. Organic container gardening fits just about anywhere, and it’s even easier than having an organic garden plot.
Containers
Anything that you can put soil in can be a garden container. Some organic gardeners prefer to use natural containers, such as those made from wood or clay, but you can use anything. You can put a plant in an bucket, a worn-out shoe, a milk carton or any other container that will hold dirt and won’t fall apart when it gets wet.
Make sure the container will drain; few plants like too much water. If necessary, you can drill a few drainage holes in the bottom of almost anything. Add about an inch of gravel to the bottom of the pot. If you want to, you can put a layer of torn up newspaper or shredded leaves on top of the gravel. The gravel helps ensure good drainage, and the leaves helps retain the water so the soil stays slightly moist.
Soil
Organic container gardening relies on organic, living soil. With a regular garden, you start with the soil you have and add organic material to it. With organic container gardening, you have to start out with organic soil.
Because you don’t have any subsoil, you need organic soil that will hold water without letting the plant’s roots get too wet. The best way to do that is to add peat moss to your organic soil. Leaf compost and composted manure, mixed with peat moss, make great soil for organic container gardening. You can also use straight peat moss.
Plants
You can plant the same things in organic container gardening that you would in regular organic gardening. You can plant beans, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, herbs, eggplant - anything you want to – the only difference is that they will be in containers. Make sure you have room for the plant, and that you use a container of the appropriate size. Zucchini takes up the same amount of room on your patio that it does in the garden - and it needs a pot big enough to contain the plant.
Technically, you should use organic seed and/or plants for organic container gardening. Unless you’re planning to sell organic produce, however, the choice is yours.
Organic Practices
Organic container gardening is well suited for organic gardening practices, especially where pest control is concerned. It’s much easier to pick tomato hookworms off of a container tomato than it is in a large garden. You can easily wash each leaf and stem of a plant with aphids when it’s in a pot on your patio. You will rarely have problems with cutworms in organic container gardening. Slugs will still go for your plants but diatomaceous earth will still deter them; just sprinkle it on the surface of the soil in the pot.
Organic container gardening will allow you to have plenty of healthy organic produce to feed your family. If you have a sheltered area and can provide enough light, you can have vegetables from organic container gardening all year round.
If you want fresh organic veggies and flowers but don’t have a garden space, you’re in luck. Organic container gardening fits just about anywhere, and it’s even easier than having an organic garden plot.
Containers
Anything that you can put soil in can be a garden container. Some organic gardeners prefer to use natural containers, such as those made from wood or clay, but you can use anything. You can put a plant in an bucket, a worn-out shoe, a milk carton or any other container that will hold dirt and won’t fall apart when it gets wet.
Make sure the container will drain; few plants like too much water. If necessary, you can drill a few drainage holes in the bottom of almost anything. Add about an inch of gravel to the bottom of the pot. If you want to, you can put a layer of torn up newspaper or shredded leaves on top of the gravel. The gravel helps ensure good drainage, and the leaves helps retain the water so the soil stays slightly moist.
Soil
Organic container gardening relies on organic, living soil. With a regular garden, you start with the soil you have and add organic material to it. With organic container gardening, you have to start out with organic soil.
Because you don’t have any subsoil, you need organic soil that will hold water without letting the plant’s roots get too wet. The best way to do that is to add peat moss to your organic soil. Leaf compost and composted manure, mixed with peat moss, make great soil for organic container gardening. You can also use straight peat moss.
Plants
You can plant the same things in organic container gardening that you would in regular organic gardening. You can plant beans, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, herbs, eggplant - anything you want to – the only difference is that they will be in containers. Make sure you have room for the plant, and that you use a container of the appropriate size. Zucchini takes up the same amount of room on your patio that it does in the garden - and it needs a pot big enough to contain the plant.
Technically, you should use organic seed and/or plants for organic container gardening. Unless you’re planning to sell organic produce, however, the choice is yours.
Organic Practices
Organic container gardening is well suited for organic gardening practices, especially where pest control is concerned. It’s much easier to pick tomato hookworms off of a container tomato than it is in a large garden. You can easily wash each leaf and stem of a plant with aphids when it’s in a pot on your patio. You will rarely have problems with cutworms in organic container gardening. Slugs will still go for your plants but diatomaceous earth will still deter them; just sprinkle it on the surface of the soil in the pot.
Organic container gardening will allow you to have plenty of healthy organic produce to feed your family. If you have a sheltered area and can provide enough light, you can have vegetables from organic container gardening all year round.
Gardening in North Otago NZ October 17th 2009
I have been busy getting my garden presentable for all the Spring Quarry tours that have started, but have still been planting out and weeding madly.
The ground is just right for planting out and not having to keep the water up to get plants established. Remember to keep dead heading and feeding flowering pansies and polyanthus as long as there is a chill in the air they will keep on flowering.
Begonias are shooting now ,they love any fish fertilisers start feeding them now to get them strong.
The coastal gardens will be quite away ahead of inland gardens, I am sure these gardens will be still getting reasonable frosts with the chill we on the coast are still feeling. Don't be in a hurry to plant out summer annuals yet, but most vegetables can be planted now.
Late frosts on roses new growth can be a problem but don't be too concerned because rose leaves recover very fast and will have new buds to open in six weeks time.
Don't et rose foliage go into the night wet, water and spray them early in the day, when the nights start warming up any dampness on them will encourage mildew.
Keep the food up to your roses now, they are making their buds and it's hungry roses that get diseased. nitrophosca is good right now on any summer flowering plants and shrubs for a quick result, use every fortnight to keep the food supply up.
It is about this time of the year that I think about keeping the weeds away from the beds I change from a spring annual show to a summer show. In these beds I cannot use bark covering because I am changing them every season so I use mushroom compost. the trick is to get rid of the surface weeds and past flowering annuals then water the bed well. Then put a thick layer of the mushroom compost on top of the wet soil. it must be a thick layer! do not dig it in! leave it on top and plant your new seasons plants into it. The mushroom compost has been heated to such a heat that it will have no weed seeds left that will germinate up amongst your newly planted plants. I use this as weed suppression method around my roses as well because I feel that bark robs too much nitrogen from the ground around roses.
.I have been spot spraying convolvulus, couch and clover, fresh new growth is coming through the ground now so its the right time to zap it, I use buster because it deals to clover where as round up won't. This must always be done on a non windy day be cause if roses get even a sniff of hormone spray it will deform the foliage and the rose bush will eventually die.
Camellias can be trimmed and shaped now, take out branches from the middle if your bush is dense and bushy. This lets the light in to help form next years buds.There should be enough gaps for a bird to fly through to get the best results from a camellia.
Some are still flowering so enjoy the flowers a while longer.
If you are keen to attract monarch butterflies on the coast, plant swan plants now but protect from late frosts until established.
Keep an eye on potatoes that are through the ground, mine got a little blackened last week... frost cloth is great and a reasonable price to buy.
The ground is just right for planting out and not having to keep the water up to get plants established. Remember to keep dead heading and feeding flowering pansies and polyanthus as long as there is a chill in the air they will keep on flowering.
Begonias are shooting now ,they love any fish fertilisers start feeding them now to get them strong.
The coastal gardens will be quite away ahead of inland gardens, I am sure these gardens will be still getting reasonable frosts with the chill we on the coast are still feeling. Don't be in a hurry to plant out summer annuals yet, but most vegetables can be planted now.
Late frosts on roses new growth can be a problem but don't be too concerned because rose leaves recover very fast and will have new buds to open in six weeks time.
Don't et rose foliage go into the night wet, water and spray them early in the day, when the nights start warming up any dampness on them will encourage mildew.
Keep the food up to your roses now, they are making their buds and it's hungry roses that get diseased. nitrophosca is good right now on any summer flowering plants and shrubs for a quick result, use every fortnight to keep the food supply up.
It is about this time of the year that I think about keeping the weeds away from the beds I change from a spring annual show to a summer show. In these beds I cannot use bark covering because I am changing them every season so I use mushroom compost. the trick is to get rid of the surface weeds and past flowering annuals then water the bed well. Then put a thick layer of the mushroom compost on top of the wet soil. it must be a thick layer! do not dig it in! leave it on top and plant your new seasons plants into it. The mushroom compost has been heated to such a heat that it will have no weed seeds left that will germinate up amongst your newly planted plants. I use this as weed suppression method around my roses as well because I feel that bark robs too much nitrogen from the ground around roses.
.I have been spot spraying convolvulus, couch and clover, fresh new growth is coming through the ground now so its the right time to zap it, I use buster because it deals to clover where as round up won't. This must always be done on a non windy day be cause if roses get even a sniff of hormone spray it will deform the foliage and the rose bush will eventually die.
Camellias can be trimmed and shaped now, take out branches from the middle if your bush is dense and bushy. This lets the light in to help form next years buds.There should be enough gaps for a bird to fly through to get the best results from a camellia.
Some are still flowering so enjoy the flowers a while longer.
If you are keen to attract monarch butterflies on the coast, plant swan plants now but protect from late frosts until established.
Keep an eye on potatoes that are through the ground, mine got a little blackened last week... frost cloth is great and a reasonable price to buy.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Rose Gardening
As one of the most beautiful and distinctive flowers, roses have a reputation of being high maintenance and difficult to grow. However, with a little know how and care, rose gardening can add an attractive and fragrant mainstay to your gardens. Modern hybrids and winter hardy varieties have made rose gardening simpler and more rewarding than ever before.
Roses come in colors from white to almost black, and every shade in between. In addition to a kaleidoscope of colors, roses come in a number of varieties that have different growing habits, from low growing shrub roses to elegant climbing roses. One of the most enjoyable parts of rose gardening is choosing varieties and colors.
Planting
The key to successful rose gardening is choosing an ideal location for planting. Roses need full sun and well-drained soil to thrive. Rich soil containing plenty of organic matter is preferable, but roses tolerate most soil types. Prepare your garden bed before selecting plants, so that the plants you choose can be put in the ground immediately.
When purchasing roses, there are two options: bare root and potted. Bare root roses are less expensive because they are packaged and shipped in their dormant state, but potted roses provide an excellent, quick start for your rose garden. Potted roses take root and bloom more quickly, and are a good choice for beginning rose gardeners.
Once you have prepared the garden and chosen roses, it is time to begin planting. This is the hard work of rose gardening; each hole should be large enough to accommodate the entire root system of the rose, and deep enough to plant the rose to the crown.
Pruning and Care
Rose gardening also involves some ongoing upkeep. Roses should be pruned in both spring and fall to maintain plant health and encourage new growth. Pruning should clear out any dead or weak branches and cut back twiggy, non-productive growth.
Winterizing your rose bushes is an important part of rose gardening, especially in areas with cold or snowy winters. Simply mounding mulch around the base of each rose bush and anchoring it in place with a collar or cage will protect your roses from winter chills.
With a long, rich history, rose gardening is known as the hobby of royalty, Southern belles and modern gardeners alike. All it takes to enjoy this hobby yourself is a little knowledge and a patch of garden space
Laura Fox
Learn more about Organic Gardening here....
As one of the most beautiful and distinctive flowers, roses have a reputation of being high maintenance and difficult to grow. However, with a little know how and care, rose gardening can add an attractive and fragrant mainstay to your gardens. Modern hybrids and winter hardy varieties have made rose gardening simpler and more rewarding than ever before.
Roses come in colors from white to almost black, and every shade in between. In addition to a kaleidoscope of colors, roses come in a number of varieties that have different growing habits, from low growing shrub roses to elegant climbing roses. One of the most enjoyable parts of rose gardening is choosing varieties and colors.
Planting
The key to successful rose gardening is choosing an ideal location for planting. Roses need full sun and well-drained soil to thrive. Rich soil containing plenty of organic matter is preferable, but roses tolerate most soil types. Prepare your garden bed before selecting plants, so that the plants you choose can be put in the ground immediately.
When purchasing roses, there are two options: bare root and potted. Bare root roses are less expensive because they are packaged and shipped in their dormant state, but potted roses provide an excellent, quick start for your rose garden. Potted roses take root and bloom more quickly, and are a good choice for beginning rose gardeners.
Once you have prepared the garden and chosen roses, it is time to begin planting. This is the hard work of rose gardening; each hole should be large enough to accommodate the entire root system of the rose, and deep enough to plant the rose to the crown.
Pruning and Care
Rose gardening also involves some ongoing upkeep. Roses should be pruned in both spring and fall to maintain plant health and encourage new growth. Pruning should clear out any dead or weak branches and cut back twiggy, non-productive growth.
Winterizing your rose bushes is an important part of rose gardening, especially in areas with cold or snowy winters. Simply mounding mulch around the base of each rose bush and anchoring it in place with a collar or cage will protect your roses from winter chills.
With a long, rich history, rose gardening is known as the hobby of royalty, Southern belles and modern gardeners alike. All it takes to enjoy this hobby yourself is a little knowledge and a patch of garden space
Laura Fox
Learn more about Organic Gardening here....
Gardening in North Otago NZ October 9th 2009
October’s a rewarding month in the garden, with plenty to do, much to enjoy and many plants looking at their best but, talk about cold! what a week there was so much warmth in the sun at the beginning of the week but it has been all down hill from there, but spring rain in North Otago is always needed and our gardens will benefit in the months to come.
The Kanzan cherry trees are in full bloom right now and look glorious, these are the bright pink double blossom vase shaped tree's. Most years they come out and the wind takes the blossom within a few days.
My lawns finally took off this week after I fertilised in the last rain so I spayed the weeds and they are sitting up already. Because I spread lime on the lawns in winter clover is always a problem in the spring but I soon get it under control now while it is still young and fresh.
It's a good time to get rid of dandelions too before they go to seed and spread, it's easy to see them now with their bright yellow heads popping up everywhere.
With this wet weather the moss will continue to be a problem, use sulphate of iron in a watering can and water on, the moss will turn black and die then it can be racked out, the grass will soon grow into the gaps at this time of the year.
I have had to pull quite a few lavenders out this year because they have reached the end of their growing, After their trim back at the end of Winter they were not making a lot of new growth. Just a little bit here and there and most of the plant staying woody. If you have the odd lavender doing this pull it out and replace it with a fresh plant. I noticed last year that some plants were not as strong so I put in cuttings from stronger growing ones which I can plant out now to fill the gaps.
Take tip cuttings now dip them in hormone and push them into firm river sand, they will make roots over the Spring and summer then you can plant them out in the Autumn or pot them on to plant out next Spring.
Tip cuttings of fuchsia, hebe's, and chrysanthemum can also be taken now, as long as the stems snap off when bent they are ready, if they don't then they are still too soft. Now is the time to cut back the new growth on tall chrysanthemums for the first time, then when they put up another lot of new growth cut them back again. They do not flower until the Autumn and if you let them flower on their third lot of new growth they should grow shorter and be more manageable.
Prune fuchsias back now and they will make new fresh growth, they flower on their new wood so can be taken well back.
To early to trim my box hedge yet, I was trimming it this time last year but the cold is holding the spring growth back so will leave it for a while yet.
It's time to think about Dahlias in the garden for summer color. If you have a sunny spot that needs a bit of brightening up how about putting in a few dahlia tubers.They are so reliable and there are some beautiful shades about now in so many different varieties, tall, medium and dwarf. They are just starting to make a move now so if you want colour to continue in your garden when the Rhododendrons have finished dahlias will do the trick.They are on offer now in shops, If you choose some and get them into those gaps now they will be up and flowering in no time. Dahlias like a warm full sun free draining spot, the tubas will rot if planted in ground that stays wet.
Begonias are making a move now to, I see the little sprouts appearing on mine so have cut up a few of my larger red flamboyant tubas into quarters to spread them around the garden. Begonia tubas are a good investment because they increase in size annually.
Still too cold to plant out most summer flowering annuals, but a great time to get them started in a sheltered spot to be shifted when the ground warms up.
Keep planting lettuce and other green leaf vegetables in rotation, I have a heap of lettuce come up in a seed tray that is kept in a cool place, I plant out a few of the small plants every second week so they will mature at different times.
The Kanzan cherry trees are in full bloom right now and look glorious, these are the bright pink double blossom vase shaped tree's. Most years they come out and the wind takes the blossom within a few days.
My lawns finally took off this week after I fertilised in the last rain so I spayed the weeds and they are sitting up already. Because I spread lime on the lawns in winter clover is always a problem in the spring but I soon get it under control now while it is still young and fresh.
It's a good time to get rid of dandelions too before they go to seed and spread, it's easy to see them now with their bright yellow heads popping up everywhere.
With this wet weather the moss will continue to be a problem, use sulphate of iron in a watering can and water on, the moss will turn black and die then it can be racked out, the grass will soon grow into the gaps at this time of the year.
I have had to pull quite a few lavenders out this year because they have reached the end of their growing, After their trim back at the end of Winter they were not making a lot of new growth. Just a little bit here and there and most of the plant staying woody. If you have the odd lavender doing this pull it out and replace it with a fresh plant. I noticed last year that some plants were not as strong so I put in cuttings from stronger growing ones which I can plant out now to fill the gaps.
Take tip cuttings now dip them in hormone and push them into firm river sand, they will make roots over the Spring and summer then you can plant them out in the Autumn or pot them on to plant out next Spring.
Tip cuttings of fuchsia, hebe's, and chrysanthemum can also be taken now, as long as the stems snap off when bent they are ready, if they don't then they are still too soft. Now is the time to cut back the new growth on tall chrysanthemums for the first time, then when they put up another lot of new growth cut them back again. They do not flower until the Autumn and if you let them flower on their third lot of new growth they should grow shorter and be more manageable.
Prune fuchsias back now and they will make new fresh growth, they flower on their new wood so can be taken well back.
To early to trim my box hedge yet, I was trimming it this time last year but the cold is holding the spring growth back so will leave it for a while yet.
It's time to think about Dahlias in the garden for summer color. If you have a sunny spot that needs a bit of brightening up how about putting in a few dahlia tubers.They are so reliable and there are some beautiful shades about now in so many different varieties, tall, medium and dwarf. They are just starting to make a move now so if you want colour to continue in your garden when the Rhododendrons have finished dahlias will do the trick.They are on offer now in shops, If you choose some and get them into those gaps now they will be up and flowering in no time. Dahlias like a warm full sun free draining spot, the tubas will rot if planted in ground that stays wet.
Begonias are making a move now to, I see the little sprouts appearing on mine so have cut up a few of my larger red flamboyant tubas into quarters to spread them around the garden. Begonia tubas are a good investment because they increase in size annually.
Still too cold to plant out most summer flowering annuals, but a great time to get them started in a sheltered spot to be shifted when the ground warms up.
Keep planting lettuce and other green leaf vegetables in rotation, I have a heap of lettuce come up in a seed tray that is kept in a cool place, I plant out a few of the small plants every second week so they will mature at different times.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
October’s a rewarding month in the garden, with plenty to do, much to enjoy and many plants looking at their best but, talk about cold! what a week there was so much warmth in the sun at the beginning of the week but it has been all down hill from there, but spring rain in North Otago is always needed and our gardens will benefit in the months to come.
The Kanzan cherry trees are in full bloom right now and look glorious, these are the bright pink double blossom vase shaped tree's. Most years they come out and the wind takes the blossom within a few days.
My lawns finally took off this week after I fertilised in the last rain so I spayed the weeds and they are sitting up already. Because I spread lime on the lawns in winter clover is always a problem in the spring but I soon get it under control now while it is still young and fresh.
It's a good time to get rid of dandelions too before they go to seed and spread, it's easy to see them now with their bright yellow heads popping up everywhere.
With this wet weather the moss will continue to be a problem, use sulphate of iron in a watering can and water on, the moss will turn black and die then it can be racked out, the grass will soon grow into the gaps at this time of the year.
I have had to pull quite a few lavenders out this year because they have reached the end of their growing, After their trim back at the end of Winter they were not making a lot of new growth. Just a little bit here and there and most of the plant staying woody. If you have the odd lavender doing this pull it out and replace it with a fresh plant. I noticed last year that some plants were not as strong so I put in cuttings from stronger growing ones which I can plant out now to fill the gaps.
Take tip cuttings now dip them in hormone and push them into firm river sand, they will make roots over the Spring and summer then you can plant them out in the Autumn or pot them on to plant out next Spring.
Tip cuttings of fuchsia, hebe's, and chrysanthemum can also be taken now, as long as the stems snap off when bent they are ready, if they don't then they are still too soft. Now is the time to cut back the new growth on tall chrysanthemums for the first time, then when they put up another lot of new growth cut them back again. They do not flower until the Autumn and if you let them flower on their third lot of new growth they should grow shorter and be more manageable.
Prune fuchsias back now and they will make new fresh growth, they flower on their new wood so can be taken well back.
To early to trim my box hedge yet, I was trimming it this time last year but the cold is holding the spring growth back so will leave it for a while yet.
It's time to think about Dahlias in the garden for summer color. If you have a sunny spot that needs a bit of brightening up how about putting in a few dahlia tubers.They are so reliable and there are some beautiful shades about now in so many different varieties, tall, medium and dwarf. They are just starting to make a move now so if you want colour to continue in your garden when the Rhododendrons have finished dahlias will do the trick.They are on offer now in shops, If you choose some and get them into those gaps now they will be up and flowering in no time. Dahlias like a warm full sun free draining spot, the tubas will rot if planted in ground that stays wet.
Begonias are making a move now to, I see the little sprouts appearing on mine so have cut up a few of my larger red flamboyant tubas into quarters to spread them around the garden. Begonia tubas are a good investment because they increase in size annually.
Still too cold to plant out most summer flowering annuals, but a great time to get them started in a sheltered spot to be shifted when the ground warms up.
Keep planting lettuce and other green vegetables in rotation, I have a heap of lettuce come up in a seed tray that is kept in a cool place, I plant out a few of the small plants every second week so they will mature at different times.
The Kanzan cherry trees are in full bloom right now and look glorious, these are the bright pink double blossom vase shaped tree's. Most years they come out and the wind takes the blossom within a few days.
My lawns finally took off this week after I fertilised in the last rain so I spayed the weeds and they are sitting up already. Because I spread lime on the lawns in winter clover is always a problem in the spring but I soon get it under control now while it is still young and fresh.
It's a good time to get rid of dandelions too before they go to seed and spread, it's easy to see them now with their bright yellow heads popping up everywhere.
With this wet weather the moss will continue to be a problem, use sulphate of iron in a watering can and water on, the moss will turn black and die then it can be racked out, the grass will soon grow into the gaps at this time of the year.
I have had to pull quite a few lavenders out this year because they have reached the end of their growing, After their trim back at the end of Winter they were not making a lot of new growth. Just a little bit here and there and most of the plant staying woody. If you have the odd lavender doing this pull it out and replace it with a fresh plant. I noticed last year that some plants were not as strong so I put in cuttings from stronger growing ones which I can plant out now to fill the gaps.
Take tip cuttings now dip them in hormone and push them into firm river sand, they will make roots over the Spring and summer then you can plant them out in the Autumn or pot them on to plant out next Spring.
Tip cuttings of fuchsia, hebe's, and chrysanthemum can also be taken now, as long as the stems snap off when bent they are ready, if they don't then they are still too soft. Now is the time to cut back the new growth on tall chrysanthemums for the first time, then when they put up another lot of new growth cut them back again. They do not flower until the Autumn and if you let them flower on their third lot of new growth they should grow shorter and be more manageable.
Prune fuchsias back now and they will make new fresh growth, they flower on their new wood so can be taken well back.
To early to trim my box hedge yet, I was trimming it this time last year but the cold is holding the spring growth back so will leave it for a while yet.
It's time to think about Dahlias in the garden for summer color. If you have a sunny spot that needs a bit of brightening up how about putting in a few dahlia tubers.They are so reliable and there are some beautiful shades about now in so many different varieties, tall, medium and dwarf. They are just starting to make a move now so if you want colour to continue in your garden when the Rhododendrons have finished dahlias will do the trick.They are on offer now in shops, If you choose some and get them into those gaps now they will be up and flowering in no time. Dahlias like a warm full sun free draining spot, the tubas will rot if planted in ground that stays wet.
Begonias are making a move now to, I see the little sprouts appearing on mine so have cut up a few of my larger red flamboyant tubas into quarters to spread them around the garden. Begonia tubas are a good investment because they increase in size annually.
Still too cold to plant out most summer flowering annuals, but a great time to get them started in a sheltered spot to be shifted when the ground warms up.
Keep planting lettuce and other green vegetables in rotation, I have a heap of lettuce come up in a seed tray that is kept in a cool place, I plant out a few of the small plants every second week so they will mature at different times.
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