Gardening in North Otago 7th February 2012

It is great compost weather, plenty of moisture and heat to get compost heaps cooking. (get the sprinkler going if rain is not going to oblige where you are). I know we have a lot of grass clippings right now but don't pile these on to your compost heap on their own especially if they are wet, they will form a shield and not let the air and rain in and end up a musty smelly mess. A compost heap needs air to work well. When starting your compost heap roll up some wire netting and secure with stakes. place this in the center and build the heap up, around and over it. The wire can be removed when the heap is well cooked and ready to use. another way to aerate is to place thin planks of wood at different depths across the width of the pile as you are filling. When filled you can then move the planks up and down to let air in while decomposing.
Dahlias are making it into our flower borders again where they contribute bright clear colour over a long season. Mix them with other late flowering perennials, there is a dahlia style and colour for every sunny spot in the garden. Cacti, singles, pompom and more. A bright splash of candy pink, almost black, vivid red or sassy orange, dahlias bring vibrant colour into a summer garden and remain through until the frosts force them back into the ground. Dahlia tuba's are a good investment for the garden because they increase in size from year to year and in time can be broken up to plant as gap fillers. They can be left in well draining ground all year round but if left in ground that holds water they will rot. Take note of the colours and type that are taking center stage in gardens around you, then visualise them in your garden for next summer.
Don't feed bougainvilleas, feeding with fertilisers will only encourage leaf growth. A restricted root run encourages a more colourful display which is why they do well in containers. I started mine in a pot up against an Oamaru stone wall which holds the heat from the day. Some roots have will have escaped and headed off under the building I am sure but some will always remain restricted in the pot which I am sure is the reason it becomes so gloriously covered in blooms which hold until late autumn. I also have one planted in the house garden against a stone pillar which gives more leaf than blooms. I will cut it right down, dig out and replant it into a pot, or a bucket buried in the ground.
Most container plants will need a lot of watering at the moment. The smaller the container the quicker it will dry out. Soak right down deeply to the point where you can see water running from the soak hole. Just dampening the surface will not make the plant respond.
Keep water up to trees and shrubs which were newly planted in the spring, they will be busy establishing new feeder roots which will have no hold on the ground yet.
Plants that can go without watering areprotea, leucodendron, banksia and leucospermums they are well adapted to dry summer conditions.
Plant annual seeds now to give colour in the winter like Iceland poppy, primula malacoidies, Virginian stock (a great plant for winter hanging baskets) wall flower, and flowering kale. have any of these at budding stage before the frosts arrive and they will push on and flower. This applies to coastal gardens only not further in land unless you have a frost free sheltered spot.
I mentioned last week about the number of useful flower seedlings I am finding all around our garden and because it is so dry I have been planting them into seed trays for them to make strong roots before planting planting into gaps.
Lawns have really benefited from that last lot of rain and the fertiliser I gave them, it is strange to see them so green at this time of the year. I will give another reminder about dealing to grass grub from now until May when they are most active. have some granualsready to apply during the next lot of rain.
Veg & fruit
Many edibles are peaking in production at the moment so enjoy – the more you harvest, the more some crops such as beans will crop.
Water in the morning or evening before or after the full heat of the sun, otherwise there’s too much evaporation for the plants to thrive.

Here is a tip I read, Deter cats from using your new veggie garden as a toilet: blend up 4tsp chilli powder, 3 garlic cloves and an onion and stand in 2 litres of water overnight. Strain then spray the soil – also use on plants to control caterpillars and aphids. Might be worth trying if you have cat problems.

I see this week Sandra at Breens has that new Flatto nectarine "Button bright" & Flatto peach "sweet bonnet" just arrive in, I have read good reviews about them being a fruiting sensation for the home gardener.

Gardening by the moon
Now is a good time to sow root vegetables, berries, bulbs, onions, biennials, and perennials.
Moon in Virgo: This is a Earth sign. It is a good time to sow Root plants like Carrots, Chives, First Early Potatoes, Garlic,Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Leeks, Onions, Parsnips,Shallots, Spring Onions, but it would not be a good time to sow Flower plants like Broccoli,
Dry and barren. Good time for garden maintenance.
Cheers, Linda
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