Gardening in North Otago 12th July 2011

Brrrrrrr there was no doubting this week that winter has arrived in North Otago to kill the bugs around the garden that thought they could just cruise into spring. With the mild weather we had been getting there are definite signs of spring around coastal gardens once plants have moved into the first stages of budding they should continue to bud up during the sunny winter days, camellias and rhododendrons have had a head start and spring bulbs are well on which may mean we are in for an early spring
Daphne’s are in flower now along with hellebore's, primroses and
polyanthus. Primroses are so pretty and clump up well and in time can be broken up spread around to add colour to a winter garden.If you are at the stage to break up clumps remove quite a few leaves on transplanting, they will soon grow more along with new roots to support them. Polyanthus and primulas will benefit from an application of Dried Blood to increase plant vigour and flowering
Under glass sow seeds of antirrhinum, carnation, calendula, sweet peas, verbena and viola for planting out in Spring.
Dahlias, gladioli, and peonies are also coming in this month and can be planted from now in good draining soil, if you think there is a chance they would sit in wet soggy soil over winter they may rot, planting can continue until September
.If young trees or shrubs need transplanting now is a good time to do it whilst they are at their most dormant stage.
Remember to continue protecting plants like Margarete daisies and pelargoniums from frosts with Frost Cloth.
Turn over compost now if you have not already done so and add some moisture if the pile is dry. Cover with plastic or straw to hold any heat which has accumulated in the center.
If you still have leaves to Rake up why not fill large black rubbish bags,add a little water and leave to rot. Leaf mulch is such natural benefit to soil which we tend to remove at leaf fall stage because it looks untidy.Rotting it down this way you can then add it to the soil and it will not be noticed

Rose pruning is still going on here in my garden, just in case you need reminding on how to tackle pruning.... make a slanted cut just above a strong outward facing bud.
Standard roses should be pruned to about 25cm above the main stem and bush roses can be cut back about two-thirds, leaving 3-4 buds on each branch. Climbers can go back leaving 5-6 strong canes. Secateurs must be sharp to avoid damage by ripping branches which leads to die back.

Turn over compost now if you have not already done so and add some moisture if the pile is dry. Cover with plastic or straw to hold any heat which has accumulated in the center.
If you still have leaves to Rake up why not fill large black rubbish bags,add a little water and leave to rot. Leaf mulch is such natural benefit to soil which we tend to remove at leaf fall stage because it looks untidy.Rotting it down this way you can then add it to the soil and it will not be noticed.
At this time of the year I make a few trips to the Waireaka sale yards to the Waireaka Valley Lions Club sawdust and sheep manure stand, volunteers clean out calving sheds and under shearing sheds to keep the stand topped up for keen gardeners. I use the calving shed sawdust on garden pathways and the sheep manure on the compost heaps, on the vegetable garden and around the roses when horse manure is not at hand. Sawdust can be used on wet gardens as a weed suppressant and it helps to absorb excess moisture, but on dry gardens it will dry out soil already not retaining moisture.
Vegetables
In land start raising vegetable seeds for spring planting in glass houses or under glass or plastic with ventilation spaces to circulate air and stop seeds going mouldy.
On the coast plant seedling plants that are now on offer along with garlic cloves.
Comfrey
I have long known the advantages of growing comfrey but have lately been reading up on it again, it is such a useful plant and if you can get your hands on some I suggest you plant some root sections in an area of your garden where it can spread. Comfrey needs to be planted where it can send it's roots very deep down into the soil so it can tap into much needed nutrients. It is fast growing, high in potassium and can be cut back again and again. I have listed below some uses for comfrey around the garden.
Compost activator, add to your compost bin to heat up the decomposing materials and enriches the compost.
Put a handful of comfrey leaves into a bucket of rainwater and let them rot down for around 6 weeks to give you a rich liquid fertilizer for plants. Lay comfrey leaves in a potato trench and leave for 3 days prior to planting the tubers to give them a potassium rich boost of fertiliser.
Use as a Comfrey leaf mulch around plants, by layering leaves around the stems of plants. Potassium will slowly be released to the plants as the leaves break down – Great for tomatoes, beans and fruit bushes.
Use wilted leaves as a nutrient rich Chicken feed
Cheers, Linda