Gardening in North Otago 31st October 2011

November, into yet another month and my roses are full of fat buds waiting to burst open and I have just noticed the green fly are in full force!! so have sprayed with Winter oil and fish emulsion combined. The leaves are very soft and new so I picked a dull day to spry to avoid the sun burning through droplets and damaging the leaves. No problem when the leaves have toughened up to spray in the sun but never spray or water the leaves at dusk, they should be dry going into warm nights to prevent mildew growing.

This has been the best Spring ever for transplanting seedlings that have popped up from existing plants in the garden, like last years hellebore seeds. ( 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, daisy bushes and dentata lavender often to keep them bushy and continuously in flower, if you let flower heads go to seed the bush or plants will become woody.

Another reminder to cut chrysanthemums and perennial asters back now so they will grow up a second time but hopefully not so tall and fall all over the place, their flowering time is not until the end of Summer.

Planting on a slope:
Spring is a good 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.
On the coast choose plants that grow in dry conditions, like South African plants; Greviller, leucodendron, Proteas, further inland ask the Garden center assistant what what is frost hardy and survives well in a pot without a lot of watering. Plants they can leave for a while and they still look good when dried out. I have massed lupines to fill the gaps on my bank until all the other plants get bigger. Lupines will flower the second year after planting and with all the shades they produce they look fantastic marching up a slope.

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 top growth. 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. If a hedge is not yet as tall and thick as required leave the new growth to harden off, if you have to trim just do enough to tidy it up. I put all my soft trimmings on the garden as mulch and always trim buxus on overcast days.

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 with the warmth here to break it down.
Veg & Fruit
My no dig veg garden is still going strong, no weeds and the rough straw on top is a great deterrent to slugs. As I use a lettuce I put a new lettuce plant back in its place. The potatoes are well up, I have been moulding them up with compost and more straw.
If you have vacant areas in the veg garden after pulling rows of winter veg out sowed some mustard seed, it should be up in a couple of weeks for you to dig in and add humus to the soil before replanting.
I have heard from two people lately that the old method of controlling carrot fly infestation is to sprinkle condys Chrystal's along the rows when planting seed and then watering with condys Chrystal's in a watering can once the carrot tops are up. I read up on this method of carrot fly deterrent and found that gardeners in the past had success with this a swore by it, worth a try.
There are still a few fruit trees on offer, they have blossomed now and fruit is forming so get them in quick, stake them well until established then pick straight from the tree when ripe.

Gardening by the Moon
FIRST QUARTER
Thursday, 3 November 2011

Prick out and transplant seedlings, make sure you have loads of companion flowers going into the vege garden.
Basil, alyssum and classic zinnias are great companions for tomatoes. Plant them now.
Give a regular foliar spray using seaweed, vermiliquid, fish emulsion etc
Apply liquid feed such as comfrey, liquid cow manure by watering can to ground under tomatoes, peppers and any other plants needing a boost.
Harvest herbs for drying
Decide how you're going to manage blight on tomatoes and potatoes. Prevention is more efective than sorting the problem once blight is there. Try a weekly raw milk spray, or a weekly Agrisea seaweed spray, or maybe a copper spray with rain guard to make it last longer when needed.
Feed and water asparagus to keep it producing until Christmas
Orchard:
Keep up the watering
Check for pest problems, spray if necessary
Remove any unwanted suckers from berry fruit
Watch for breaking branches as early fruit swells, may need to thin fruit or prop up branches.
Feed citrus to encourage strong healthy growth at this time