Gardening in North Otago 23rd September 2010

Hi Terry & Frances,
What a cold week, so much damage done in our garden with magnolias and camellias browning of and new growth blackened and wilting.
Spring is so unpredictable and now we are getting the cold wind chills, very difficult gardening weather.

This week all our gravel paths have had a work over, they pack down hard over winter and need grubbing and raking to get them weed free and looking fresh again. We use crushed marble from the Dunback Quarry this includes a good amount fines in the mix which help the gravel settle nicely.
Lawns;
Weeds and moss need to go, spot spraying flat weeds is better than weed spraying the whole lawn and upsetting the worms and other little do gooders in the soil. I watered sulphate of iron on my moss this week at the rate of 300grams / 10 liters of water will cover 10 sq miters. I used a watering can and the moss is now black an almost ready to rake out.

When the wind dies down I have had the sprayer on the go again to beat the weeds, if only the annual flowers I have planted would grow as fast!
If you do not want to use chemical sprays on annual weeds why not try some of the natural alternatives on sale, these work on hot sunny days when plants are very thirsty.The leaf of the plant collapses which means there is nothing left to support the roots causing the plant to die.
Perennial weeds like convolvulus and couch grass are not so easy to kill with alternative weed spray because their roots are long and strong but if you are prepared to keep at them, spraying what they send up you will beat them.

The most economical weed control is good old common table salt, purchased in bulk or in kilo bags at agricultural outlets. Use it at the rate of 240 grams (about 12 heaped tablespoons) to a litre of warm or hot water to dissolve it, and then spray it on the foliage of the weeds, again in sunny dry conditions.
This works very fast on annual weeds but perennials probably needing further salt treatment.
If spraying only the foliage, at the above rates, there will be, little residual damage done to the soil. To make absolutely sure, give the area a good watering after the weeds have died.

Trim shrubs that flowered in late winter now before they put out new growth on past growth and get leggy, this partially applies to ericas, callunas and hebes which should not have old flowers left on to make seed.

All of this month is the time to layer azaleas and rhododendrons and low growing magnolias by pinning a low growing slim branch down to the soil and firming in with compost and soil. Hopefully by the end of this growing season this branch will have developed strong roots allowing it to be cut free from the mother plant and potted up to grow on as a new bush.

The wind is putting stress on plants, trees & shrubs producing new growth, their roots are working hard and moisture is a must deep root watering is best and newly planted shrubs and trees need to be really well staked, if trunks and roots are moving around growth will be slow and stunted or not at all.

I mentioned tubular begonias last week and should have added to bed them down into damp(not wet) sawdust or peat until they are sprouting well before potting or planting out. Once you you do this they must never dry out again until its time to store them again.

With the days warming up soft cuttings can be taken from plants and shrubs this month and dipping in hormone to get them started is beneficial to encourage roots quickly. Cuttings can be taken from new growth on delphiniums, chrysanthemums, and many perennial herbs. Try soft cuttings from any plants you would like to have more of.

Herbs
If you have not cut your herbs back yet do it as soon as possible because they are really starting to grow now, feed manure rich compost with lime added and keep picking often to encourage continual new growth all season for your salads and cooking.

Vegetables:
Still no white butterfly's about (in my garden) keep planting out but with the winds deep watering is required. Keep mounding up potatoes as they push leaf through and cover at night should there be another cold snap which will blacken off new growth.
My peas are well up and starting to climb. Like climbing beans they need to be planted in an open sunny place and support has to go in when they are planted so they are not disturbed once they start growing. Once supported well you will not have to keep propping them up in the strong winds we get.

Cheers, Linda.