Gardening in North Otago April 24th 2010

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.