Gardening in North Otago 10th April 2012

What fantastic Easter weather this year! it was a joy to be outside in the garden for many I am sure.
Because I spend a good deal of my time doing that during the year Easter break is a time when I catch up with family who come and stay, I spend time with them rather than the garden.

But then I was back on the job again once it dried out after the rain on Tuesday night, leaf rake and blower in hand!!
my compost bins are filling fast with leaves, manure and grass clippings which will make worthwhile humus to apply in Spring, however in ground that is expected to produce year after year, just as farm land requires fertiliser to ensure adequate growth so to do our gardens. While composts and manures must be accorded their place in soil management they are inadequate to ensure proper mineral nutrition of plants and must be supplemented by fertilisers.
Generally speaking stable and poultry manure contain practically all the elements required, particularly Nitrogen, phosphate, and potash in a natural organic form. However not all plants require the same proportions, animal manure that is too fresh can cause rank growth with leguminous like peas, beans, lupins etc because of excess nitrogen but left to break down in a compost heap, then used in conjunction with a general fertiliser when planting will ensure plants get all they require in the growing season.

Plants that will not tolerate phosphate fertiliser are Lleucodedrons, Proteas, Banksia & Erica's.

Dried Blood. High in Nitrogen, Dried Blood is an easy way to replenish the nitrogen content in the soil. Plants like Polyanthus, Primulas and Cyclamen love it and will flourish when you add dried blood to their diet. 100% Pure and Natural.

Break up primula and viola clumps, plant out to fill gaps in front boarders.

Feed rhododendron, azaleas, & camellias with fertiliser mixed especially for them which will boost them for spring flowering


Lily bulbs will become available this month and can be planted from now until June.



Vegetables / fruit
Time to dig up and divide Rhubarb crowns, mixing in heaps of compost before replanting.
A good time for sowing of Spinach and Snap Peas.
Spring Onions Sow these now. Fill the top of a shallow pot with Spring Onions and pull them as they’re needed. Start picking when plants are still quite small.
Harvest Pumpkins now and remember not to remove the stalk from the Pumpkin, this stops it from rotting.

I have been harvesting apples and quince this week before they all fall to he ground.

Gardening by the Moon
http://www.koanga.org.nz/moon-calendar
LAST QUARTER
Friday, 13 April 2012
Garden:
Double dig or prepare all remaining beds for winter crops or compost crops

Empty chook straw yards onto garden and give chooks fresh material for the winter

Manure brassica beds as they are gross feeders

Pick and store main crop apples, pears, potatoes, pumpkin and dried beans

Transplant last seedlings

Harvest whole Echinacea plants; clean, chop and put into jars and cover with vodka so Echinacea tincture will be ready in six weeks

Prepare strawberry beds

Orchard:
Spread dolomite lime, manure, rock phosphate, liquid seaweed and vermiliquid around orchards and garden

Manure, mulch and compost around fruit trees after first rain. take special care with young trees, berry fruit and perennial crops

Prune tamarillo trees hard after last fruit comes off. Staggered pruning will stagger next year's crop

Tie up boysenberries, loganberries, blackberries and rasberries

Trim blueberries and Chilean cranberies

After the rain, apply soil conditioners, vermicast, vermiliquid and seaweed preparations

Begin collecting fallen leaves to make compost leaf mould, hot beds, etc.

Cheers, Linda