Lovely Autumn days over the last week, what a great place to be.
I inflicted the garden to more chain sawing and hedge trimming this week, it took only a couple of hours to create havoc and the whole of the next day to clean it all up. If shrubs and climbers need cut back it needs to be done now while there is still time for things to recover, harden off and bud up again before June. This is the main time to plant lilies and divide over crowded existing clumps. Never allow bulbs to dry out while out of the ground.
Apart from the Madonna lily which should be planted just below the ground surface, all common varieties are stem rooting and should be put about 15cm down.They require well drained conditions and benefit by being placed on a small pile of river sand when planted as well as compost and blood & bone.Then mark where you have planted them and forget about them until they pop up and reward you for all your trouble.
Do not disturb peony roses, just cut back the dead tops and lay on top of the clump to protect the new growth during winter. If a clump needs divided wait until Spring.
Hellebores will benefit from fortnightly feeding now to encourage better blooms. I have been removing the old foliage from mine, but in colder areas it is best to leave their top growth on to protect the new growth. It will soon shoot up past the old leaves. Cut all old leaves off and destroy when you can because green fly seem to winter over underneath hellebore leaves.
Only feed bulbs and plants that are due to flower now, all other plants will be slowing their growth right down now to sleep through the winter. Don't waste good fertiliser on plants that won't use it, unless as I said last week it is blood and bone which will not push out new growth.
Move all spring flowering plants in pots into a sunny spot now, plants like camellia, azaleas & rhododendrons that have been tucked away in a shady spot over the hot months. If you fed them with acid fertiliser when they finished flowering, they should be fine. If not then give them a little and water in well to give them a boost. Shrubs get hungry in pots.
I shifted all my potted seedlings to a sunny spot where they should fine through the winter months, seedlings need as much sun shine as they can get over the colder months, they may not look as though they are growing as they will not put out any new growth on top but with the warmth of the sun on the pots they will be making lots of feeder roots.
Keep layering leaves on the compost along with animal manure, soft garden weeds, un-sprayed grass clippings and left over compost from your last lot. Give the heaps a good watering from time to time to get things started. With the very warm days we have been having damp compost heaps should be building up heat now which will remain working away through the cold months
I spot sprayed the lawns this week, I had quite a lot of clover spreading and I usually only spot spray where needed because I would hate to kill any wonderful hard working worms.
If you have apple trees laden, pick most of them unripe and store them a cool dry place for later. But leave as many as you intend to eat on the tree to ripen naturally, nothing nicer than ripe fruit straight from the tree.
I am still picking late peaches and quinces, I am determined not to wast them so have had the recipe books out.
I planted broad beans and carrots this week and have had to have the hose out again to give the veg garden a good soak, lets hope we get the rain that is promised this weekend.
Cheers, Linda.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Gardening in North Otago 17th April 2010
What a great rain last night and so heavy, a few more nightly rains like that would be great!
We are well into Autumn now with seeds ripening all over the place on these nice sunny days, I am collecting some seed from the garden every day and also taking lots of cuttings.
These i leave in a bucket of willow water until I get time to plant into crusher dust, this is the very best time to do this as the days are still warm but not long and hot like the summer days that dry out cuttings. The cooler nights retain the moisture in the ground and seedling and cutting trays which means they can be forgotten about until the spring.
By then cuttings should have enough feeder roots to be potted up in their own individual pots to grow on ready for planting at the end of spring when the ground is warming up.
The cuttings I have been taking are, lavender, Margarette daisy, Hebe, hydrangea, choisya, geranium, roses, (always use a steam that has flowered) Fuchsia. These plants are all semi hard wood plants and should push out roots in no time.
Even though there is some moisture in the ground from the recent rain the ground is still very dry, so keep the hoses going and then when really soaked in get the compost and mulch on to keep it there.
Feed plants and shrubs that have been busting themselves flowering with blood & bone, this is good right now because it is not high in nitrogen which will only push new growth out and it's hardening off we are wanting from plants now to take them into the winter. All bulbs would benefit from a dressing of blood and bone as well.
Remove shading from glass houses now and reduce the watering, more light less watering for pot plants inside as well.
It is still possible to divide border plants and perennials or rock plants. In very cold districts by leaving the dead top growth on, it can be cut but spread over the clump and left. If you are strawing your gardens this will do the same job.
If you have small evergreen shrubs and conifers that need shifted do it now, as long as the root ball is not to well spread they should transplant well. Rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas can be shifted now as well.
Lawns have really picked up since the nights have cooled, they can have a dressing of lime now which will condition the soil and work its way in over the winter months to sweeten sour ground in time for new spring growth. Moss in a lawn is a good indication of sour ground.
Lime can also be spread around clematis, lavender, lavatera, dianthus, carnations and all herb clumps.
Keep picking fresh herb growth and dry by spreading out on news paper and leave in a dry place inside where they can be left undisturbed until dry enough to be crushed and stored in glass jars for cooking when there are no fresh herbs about.
The vegetable garden is holding it own again now that it is not being baked through long summer days, plants are sitting up again and growing well with out bolting. Leeks are available now for planting, they are planted laying down in a trench that will hold water to get them going, then they sit up and grow fast.
I planted some wheat in vacant areas of my veg patch this week, I will dig it in before it gets past the leaf stage and this will add nice humus to the soil.
Cheers, Linda.
We are well into Autumn now with seeds ripening all over the place on these nice sunny days, I am collecting some seed from the garden every day and also taking lots of cuttings.
These i leave in a bucket of willow water until I get time to plant into crusher dust, this is the very best time to do this as the days are still warm but not long and hot like the summer days that dry out cuttings. The cooler nights retain the moisture in the ground and seedling and cutting trays which means they can be forgotten about until the spring.
By then cuttings should have enough feeder roots to be potted up in their own individual pots to grow on ready for planting at the end of spring when the ground is warming up.
The cuttings I have been taking are, lavender, Margarette daisy, Hebe, hydrangea, choisya, geranium, roses, (always use a steam that has flowered) Fuchsia. These plants are all semi hard wood plants and should push out roots in no time.
Even though there is some moisture in the ground from the recent rain the ground is still very dry, so keep the hoses going and then when really soaked in get the compost and mulch on to keep it there.
Feed plants and shrubs that have been busting themselves flowering with blood & bone, this is good right now because it is not high in nitrogen which will only push new growth out and it's hardening off we are wanting from plants now to take them into the winter. All bulbs would benefit from a dressing of blood and bone as well.
Remove shading from glass houses now and reduce the watering, more light less watering for pot plants inside as well.
It is still possible to divide border plants and perennials or rock plants. In very cold districts by leaving the dead top growth on, it can be cut but spread over the clump and left. If you are strawing your gardens this will do the same job.
If you have small evergreen shrubs and conifers that need shifted do it now, as long as the root ball is not to well spread they should transplant well. Rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas can be shifted now as well.
Lawns have really picked up since the nights have cooled, they can have a dressing of lime now which will condition the soil and work its way in over the winter months to sweeten sour ground in time for new spring growth. Moss in a lawn is a good indication of sour ground.
Lime can also be spread around clematis, lavender, lavatera, dianthus, carnations and all herb clumps.
Keep picking fresh herb growth and dry by spreading out on news paper and leave in a dry place inside where they can be left undisturbed until dry enough to be crushed and stored in glass jars for cooking when there are no fresh herbs about.
The vegetable garden is holding it own again now that it is not being baked through long summer days, plants are sitting up again and growing well with out bolting. Leeks are available now for planting, they are planted laying down in a trench that will hold water to get them going, then they sit up and grow fast.
I planted some wheat in vacant areas of my veg patch this week, I will dig it in before it gets past the leaf stage and this will add nice humus to the soil.
Cheers, Linda.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Gardening in North Otago April 10th 2010
What a wonderful Autumn week it has been, I have been clearing out my herbaceous borders of spent summer flowering annuals and perennials in readiness for each clump and plant to have a shovel or two of the wonderful compost I have had delivered from the freezing works. After the compost is spread around I will water the gardens well then cover all with new pea straw for the cold winter months.
I have taken the time this week to look around the garden to see what plants have been flowering well over the summer months and which plants have not because of trees getting taller and wider and blocking out light. The plants I found most suffering were dahlia's.
Some bushes have not flowered at all from lack of light and moisture. I have dug them up and transplanted them into a sunnier spot and watered them in well, leaving the top growth on to die off back into the tubers. Other plants that have suffered the same are dwarf agapantha, roses, asters and dianthas, all of these need a lot of sunshine and light to preform well.
I have also been looking to improve the look of established gardens by planting a front boarder, there are so many plants multiplying around my garden like lambs ear, a lovely silver shade that will break up and transplant easily to form a front boarder to give a garden a whole new look. Other plants that will allow you to do this are, the variegated iris, blue grass, silver clump dianthus, dwarf agapantha, perennial primula, Helibours, and succulents. Plus heaps of other low growing evergreen plants that cuttings can be taken from right now to create borders like purple sage, thyme. erigeron daisy, hebe's, all of these plants I have mentioned look great planted on mass in long rows to change the look of a garden.
The following annual seeds can still be sown anywhere around the country, aquilegia, calendula (marigold) perennial lupins, stocks, sweet peas,
Top dress lilies with blood and bone and compost, a cup full of blood and bone to each bucket of compost. If you need to shirt lilies never let them dry out, get them back in the ground straight away or store them in a wet sack or towel until ready to transplant plant and water well once planted.
If you have trees and shrubs that need to be moved, wrench them now, this means digging around one half of their roots and leaving the other half untouched for a few weeks. The roots you dig around, make a trench and fill it with soft compost, the cut roots will form new feeder roots into the compost which will make the eventual transplant cope better. Remember plants which have had their root system reduced should also have their top growth pruned to correspond, or they may die back.
In cooler areas citrus trees, especially when young should given a temporary roof for frost protection.
Pumpkins and squash should be bought in before the frosts starts, always picking them with a short length of stem attached.
Tomato plants threatened by frost can be dug out and hung in a shed for the last of the tomatoes to ripen.
Sweet pepper plants that need more time to ripen can be dug up and put into a pot and placed under shelter to continue growing.
Improve the soil in vacant vegetable plots by sowing a green crop which can be dug in just before it reaches the flowering stage.
Blue lupin, mustard, wheat, barley or oats are good for this purpose.
Cheers, Linda
I have taken the time this week to look around the garden to see what plants have been flowering well over the summer months and which plants have not because of trees getting taller and wider and blocking out light. The plants I found most suffering were dahlia's.
Some bushes have not flowered at all from lack of light and moisture. I have dug them up and transplanted them into a sunnier spot and watered them in well, leaving the top growth on to die off back into the tubers. Other plants that have suffered the same are dwarf agapantha, roses, asters and dianthas, all of these need a lot of sunshine and light to preform well.
I have also been looking to improve the look of established gardens by planting a front boarder, there are so many plants multiplying around my garden like lambs ear, a lovely silver shade that will break up and transplant easily to form a front boarder to give a garden a whole new look. Other plants that will allow you to do this are, the variegated iris, blue grass, silver clump dianthus, dwarf agapantha, perennial primula, Helibours, and succulents. Plus heaps of other low growing evergreen plants that cuttings can be taken from right now to create borders like purple sage, thyme. erigeron daisy, hebe's, all of these plants I have mentioned look great planted on mass in long rows to change the look of a garden.
The following annual seeds can still be sown anywhere around the country, aquilegia, calendula (marigold) perennial lupins, stocks, sweet peas,
Top dress lilies with blood and bone and compost, a cup full of blood and bone to each bucket of compost. If you need to shirt lilies never let them dry out, get them back in the ground straight away or store them in a wet sack or towel until ready to transplant plant and water well once planted.
If you have trees and shrubs that need to be moved, wrench them now, this means digging around one half of their roots and leaving the other half untouched for a few weeks. The roots you dig around, make a trench and fill it with soft compost, the cut roots will form new feeder roots into the compost which will make the eventual transplant cope better. Remember plants which have had their root system reduced should also have their top growth pruned to correspond, or they may die back.
In cooler areas citrus trees, especially when young should given a temporary roof for frost protection.
Pumpkins and squash should be bought in before the frosts starts, always picking them with a short length of stem attached.
Tomato plants threatened by frost can be dug out and hung in a shed for the last of the tomatoes to ripen.
Sweet pepper plants that need more time to ripen can be dug up and put into a pot and placed under shelter to continue growing.
Improve the soil in vacant vegetable plots by sowing a green crop which can be dug in just before it reaches the flowering stage.
Blue lupin, mustard, wheat, barley or oats are good for this purpose.
Cheers, Linda
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Easter weekend already! and the promise of rain tomorrow, fingers crossed although Easter bowls and other sports tournaments will not like it I am sure.
April is a cooling down month, evenings and mornings cool down but days stay warm a bit longer yet for growing to continue.
I am busy keeping the water up to all the shallow rooted shrubs like rhododendrons, azalea's, hydrangea and newly planted plants and shrubs. I notice even some of my large established trees are suffering and have had to have turn about with the dripping hose.
I have been viewing the light situation around my garden before all the leaves fall, trees and shrubs get taller and wider every year and block out light. I have made a note of what trees & shrubs to top and which trees and shrubs to remove altogether. Some times one tree or shrub will do the job of two or three that are in one spot. I am ready to sacrifice trees that give little interest for trees close by that offer more through the year and shrubs that have grown too big in the front of a garden hiding what is behind. I have at times changed the whole look of gardens by removing a few things, letting more sun in then planting out sun loving plants.
Keep cutting back large daisy and lavatera bushes to encourage new buds that will flower over the next two months. Also get all hedges cut back now before frosts start and it should be there last cut until the new growth in spring. Photinia bushes and hedges cut now will put out nice bright red leaves for dull winter days if trimmed now.
Easter is a great weekend clean up garden areas that have been flowering all summer and to visit the garden centres to choose more plants for planting now that will bud up and bloom through the winter, as long as they are planted while the ground is still warm to get the roots going and in a place they will get winter sun they will bloom.
Plant: Viola, snapdragon, pansy, polyantha's, stock, calendula and good old primula malacoidies.
If you want to plant evergreen shrubs other than conifers now is the time or wait until the frosts are over in spring, once frosts start it is only deciduous trees, shrubs and conifers that will cope with the really cold nights.
Still time to get spring bulbs in if they are still on offer, make sure they are planted in a sunny spot for the best result.
Hybrid clematis are still on offer and love being planted into warm autumn ground, they are so pretty growing in with other climbers that flower at a different time to them.
Lawns: If you notice dead patches in the lawn that birds are interested in then you have grass grub, sprinkle grass grub granuals around the green grass areas at the first sign of rain.
This is a good time to apply sifted compost ( a bucket to the square metre) with some lime added, the compost will improve the humus content and the lime will condition and sweeten the soil.
If you have had a good strike with a newly sown lawn delay cutting until grass is 7-8 centimetres high, set the blades high and avoid cutting when the ground is wet and soft.
Veg: I have planted out carrot and onion seeds with the promise of rain, cabbage, spring and winter can go in now but leave broad beans until the end of this month but a vegetable garden will not thrive without a good rain or two I have found.
Cheers, Linda.
April is a cooling down month, evenings and mornings cool down but days stay warm a bit longer yet for growing to continue.
I am busy keeping the water up to all the shallow rooted shrubs like rhododendrons, azalea's, hydrangea and newly planted plants and shrubs. I notice even some of my large established trees are suffering and have had to have turn about with the dripping hose.
I have been viewing the light situation around my garden before all the leaves fall, trees and shrubs get taller and wider every year and block out light. I have made a note of what trees & shrubs to top and which trees and shrubs to remove altogether. Some times one tree or shrub will do the job of two or three that are in one spot. I am ready to sacrifice trees that give little interest for trees close by that offer more through the year and shrubs that have grown too big in the front of a garden hiding what is behind. I have at times changed the whole look of gardens by removing a few things, letting more sun in then planting out sun loving plants.
Keep cutting back large daisy and lavatera bushes to encourage new buds that will flower over the next two months. Also get all hedges cut back now before frosts start and it should be there last cut until the new growth in spring. Photinia bushes and hedges cut now will put out nice bright red leaves for dull winter days if trimmed now.
Easter is a great weekend clean up garden areas that have been flowering all summer and to visit the garden centres to choose more plants for planting now that will bud up and bloom through the winter, as long as they are planted while the ground is still warm to get the roots going and in a place they will get winter sun they will bloom.
Plant: Viola, snapdragon, pansy, polyantha's, stock, calendula and good old primula malacoidies.
If you want to plant evergreen shrubs other than conifers now is the time or wait until the frosts are over in spring, once frosts start it is only deciduous trees, shrubs and conifers that will cope with the really cold nights.
Still time to get spring bulbs in if they are still on offer, make sure they are planted in a sunny spot for the best result.
Hybrid clematis are still on offer and love being planted into warm autumn ground, they are so pretty growing in with other climbers that flower at a different time to them.
Lawns: If you notice dead patches in the lawn that birds are interested in then you have grass grub, sprinkle grass grub granuals around the green grass areas at the first sign of rain.
This is a good time to apply sifted compost ( a bucket to the square metre) with some lime added, the compost will improve the humus content and the lime will condition and sweeten the soil.
If you have had a good strike with a newly sown lawn delay cutting until grass is 7-8 centimetres high, set the blades high and avoid cutting when the ground is wet and soft.
Veg: I have planted out carrot and onion seeds with the promise of rain, cabbage, spring and winter can go in now but leave broad beans until the end of this month but a vegetable garden will not thrive without a good rain or two I have found.
Cheers, Linda.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Gardening in North Otago 2nd April 2010
April is a cooling down month, evenings and mornings cool down but days stay warm a bit longer yet for growing to continue.
I am busy keeping the water up to all the shallow rooted shrubs like rhododendrons, azalea's, hydrangea and newly planted plants and shrubs. I notice even some of my large established trees are suffering and have had to have turn about with the dripping hose.
I have been viewing the light situation around my garden before all the leaves fall, trees and shrubs get taller and wider every year and block out light. I have made a note of what trees & shrubs to top and which trees and shrubs to remove altogether. Some times one tree or shrub will do the job of two or three that are in one spot. I am ready to sacrifice trees that give little interest for trees close by that offer more through the year and shrubs that have grown too big in the front of a garden hiding what is behind. I have at times changed the whole look of gardens by removing a few things, letting more sun in then planting out sun loving plants.
Keep cutting back large daisy and lavatera bushes to encourage new buds that will flower over the next two months. Also get all hedges cut back now before frosts start and it should be there last cut until the new growth in spring. Photinia bushes and hedges cut now will put out nice bright red leaves for dull winter days if trimmed now.
Easter is a great weekend clean up garden areas that have been flowering all summer and to visit the garden centres to choose more plants for planting now that will bud up and bloom through the winter, as long as they are planted while the ground is still warm to get the roots going and in a place they will get winter sun they will bloom.
Plant: Viola, snapdragon, pansy, polyantha's, stock, calendula and good old primula malacoidies.
If you want to plant evergreen shrubs other than conifers now is the time or wait until the frosts are over in spring, once frosts start it is only deciduous trees, shrubs and conifers that will cope with the really cold nights.
Still time to get spring bulbs in if they are still on offer, make sure they are planted in a sunny spot for the best result.
Hybrid clematis are still on offer and love being planted into warm autumn ground, they are so pretty growing in with other climbers that flower at a different time to them.
Lawns: If you notice dead patches in the lawn that birds are interested in then you have grass grub, sprinkle grass grub granuals around the green grass areas at the first sign of rain.
This is a good time to apply sifted compost ( a bucket to the square metre) with some lime added, the compost will improve the humus content and the lime will condition and sweeten the soil.
If you have had a good strike with a newly sown lawn delay cutting until grass is 7-8 centimetres high, set the blades high and avoid cutting when the ground is wet and soft.
Veg: I have planted out carrot and onion seeds with the promise of rain, cabbage, spring and winter can go in now but leave broad beans until the end of this month but a vegetable garden will not thrive without a good rain or two I have found.
Cheers, Linda.
I am busy keeping the water up to all the shallow rooted shrubs like rhododendrons, azalea's, hydrangea and newly planted plants and shrubs. I notice even some of my large established trees are suffering and have had to have turn about with the dripping hose.
I have been viewing the light situation around my garden before all the leaves fall, trees and shrubs get taller and wider every year and block out light. I have made a note of what trees & shrubs to top and which trees and shrubs to remove altogether. Some times one tree or shrub will do the job of two or three that are in one spot. I am ready to sacrifice trees that give little interest for trees close by that offer more through the year and shrubs that have grown too big in the front of a garden hiding what is behind. I have at times changed the whole look of gardens by removing a few things, letting more sun in then planting out sun loving plants.
Keep cutting back large daisy and lavatera bushes to encourage new buds that will flower over the next two months. Also get all hedges cut back now before frosts start and it should be there last cut until the new growth in spring. Photinia bushes and hedges cut now will put out nice bright red leaves for dull winter days if trimmed now.
Easter is a great weekend clean up garden areas that have been flowering all summer and to visit the garden centres to choose more plants for planting now that will bud up and bloom through the winter, as long as they are planted while the ground is still warm to get the roots going and in a place they will get winter sun they will bloom.
Plant: Viola, snapdragon, pansy, polyantha's, stock, calendula and good old primula malacoidies.
If you want to plant evergreen shrubs other than conifers now is the time or wait until the frosts are over in spring, once frosts start it is only deciduous trees, shrubs and conifers that will cope with the really cold nights.
Still time to get spring bulbs in if they are still on offer, make sure they are planted in a sunny spot for the best result.
Hybrid clematis are still on offer and love being planted into warm autumn ground, they are so pretty growing in with other climbers that flower at a different time to them.
Lawns: If you notice dead patches in the lawn that birds are interested in then you have grass grub, sprinkle grass grub granuals around the green grass areas at the first sign of rain.
This is a good time to apply sifted compost ( a bucket to the square metre) with some lime added, the compost will improve the humus content and the lime will condition and sweeten the soil.
If you have had a good strike with a newly sown lawn delay cutting until grass is 7-8 centimetres high, set the blades high and avoid cutting when the ground is wet and soft.
Veg: I have planted out carrot and onion seeds with the promise of rain, cabbage, spring and winter can go in now but leave broad beans until the end of this month but a vegetable garden will not thrive without a good rain or two I have found.
Cheers, Linda.
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