Gardening in North Otago 5th November 2010

Wonderful November weather leading up to last Friday's change to the south which lead to soggy blossom.
My roses are full of fat buds waiting to burst open, they still have no green fly or black spot attacking them , no doubt both will arrive eventually. I have just sprayed with Winter oil and fish emulsion combined to discourage them, the leaves are so soft and new it pays to do your spraying on a dull day so the sun will not burn through droplets and damage the leaves. No problem when the leaves have toughened up to spray in the sun. Never spray or water the leaves at dusk, they should be dry going into warm nights to prevent mildew growing.

Spring is the best time for transplanting seedlings that have popped up from existing plants in the garden, like last years hellebore seedlings. ( Winter rose) they should be nice strong small plants now so plant them out in groups under deciduous trees, or around rhododendrons, camellias, hydrangeas and fuchsias, they all like the same shady conditions.

Trim spent flowers from perennials and daisy bushes often to keep them bushy and continuously in flower, if you let flower heads go to seed the bush or plants will become woody.

If you would like to increase your chrysanthemum display for this coming autumn take tip cuttings NOW, put into river sand, keep them moist and every one should form roots to give you as many new plants as you need. Why not do more than you need to give to friends or the School or Church fair.

Planting on a slope:

Spring is also the time to plant out a slope or bank, the ground is moist and plant roots are growing fast which means they will get a good hold before the dreaded winds arrive.
Spray out all weeds, they will compete with moisture that your plants will need. If it is possible terracing a steep slope with rocks or sleepers would be beneficial to hold moisture around the roots.
If this cannot be done try not to disturbed soil / clay in areas that are not being planted. If the soil is disturbed and broken up it will wash away with rain and watering.
Planting;
Dig a hole that is deep into the bank and shallow at the front, (an angle hole) this will create a hollow reserve for water.
Make sure it dips down at the back for water to pool. Use stones around each plant, this will help in preventing wind blowing soil away from the roots.
Choose plants that grow in dry conditions, like South African plants; Greviller, leucodendron, Proteas, ask the Garden center assistant what survives well in a pot without a lot of watering. The plants they can leave for a while and they still look good when dried out. I have mass planted lupines to fill the gaps on my bank until all the other plants get bigger,
they give a spectacular show in the second year of planting.

I have been trimming the soft growth off some of my hedges this week, if a hedge has reached the height required best to take the soft growth off now before the foliage beneath gets too much protection from the new growth it has put out. The Winter hardened the under growth up and it should still be strong enough not to get sunburned. I am trying this with my box hedges this year because they have all reached the required height, I will be choosing an overcast day for the box to be trimmed which will allow them to recover with out the added stress of the hot sun.
If a hedge is not yet as tall and thick as required leave the new growth to harden off, but if you have to trim just do enough to tidy it up. I put all my soft trimmings on the garden as mulch.

Grass, Grass. Grass...So much mowing! If like me you have not had to spray the weeds out yet you can sprinkle your clippings around the garden, it is wonderful humus. Don't leave thick piles, spread it out so it can break down fast. Your garden can take as much fresh green growth that you can throw at it now the warmth is here to break it down. I have had excellent results from all the grass seed I have sown it is struck in places only a week from planting which has encouraged me to rake out every bare patch, add the wonderful sifted soil I have been hooked on lately, and plant grass seed like there is no tomorrow!

My no dig veg garden is still going strong, no weeds and the rough straw on top is a great deterrent to slugs. As a lettuce is used put a new lettuce plant back in its place. The raised beds that had the sheep invasion are waiting to be planted out again!!, I have seeds and plants lined up ready to plant once I am certain the fence will hold up.

Plant a green crop like mustard, oats or blue lupin now if you think your vegetable garden is could do with more humus, it will be up and ready to dig in a couple of weeks at this time of the year. Soil is not meant to be bare and exposed to the hot sun to dry out so growing a green crop in vacant areas and digging it in while it is soft, before it flowers will really benefit tired soil.

Cheers Linda.