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.