Gardening in North Otago 8th May 2012

Raking and then more raking of leaves this week but each full wool pack is getting to the end of them. A mixed bag weather wise this week and that wonderful close moon putting on a show.
We have had our annual truck load of compost from the freezing works delivered this week and found a great supply of clean pea straw to bed the garden down with after each plant gets a dressing of compost.

Once deciduous trees have lost their leaves we can see over crowded trees or branches needing to be removed to let more light onto gardens allowing spring bulbs the sun needed for them to preform well. The overall look of an established garden can be changed by doing this.

I have planted out 150 red tulips and blue forget-me-not together, I had this same display last year and loved the effect. There are still some bulbs on offer but not for long, they need to be in the ground now as they are starting to shoot.

Time to take rose cuttings, Choose a straight stem and cut off about 12inches from the top just below a leaf node. Pull off the leaves along the stem and leave just two at the top. I soak in willow water for a couple of weeks then
Dig a spade into damp ground where i winter over cuttings, wiggle it about to form a narrow hole and bury about six inches of the cuttings into this wedge. Firm up the soil around the cuttings, name them, water them and watch them grow. Within a few weeks more leaves appear, which is a sign that it has taken. Leave them in this spot until spring, and then uproot them carefully and replant into pots to grow them on.

You can use this method for many other perennials too, like ceonothus, clematis, geraniums, potentilla, euonymous, hebes, weigela and even abutilon. Just make sure you pick a healthy straight stem. There are also rooting hormone powders and gels on offer to dip cuttings in before planting which encourage cuttings to take root.

My lawns have slowed down at last, lime and gypsum can be spread on lawns now, lime to sweeten and gypsum to soften hard compacted ground which has a lot of clay content. No more cracks in the lawn if gypsum is applied and watered in at this time of the year, for two or three years in a row.

Vegetables
Carrots, growing these without a problem or two is not always easy, the ground needs to still hold a little heat for them to germinate and continue to grow, if they stop and then start growing again the regrowth ends up as a hard core and the carrot stops growing down into the soil. Carrot fly is also a problem which also attacks celery,dill,fennel,parsley and parsnip.
The pest overwinters as pupae in the soil or in old host plant roots which have been left in the ground. The adult flies are long and black with yellow legs and iridescent wings. Females find plants by smell, normally in the evening, laying eggs in cracks in soil adjacent to plants. Avoid thinning in late afternoon and remove all thinning as the female is attracted by damaged plants, plant carrots in a different spot each year.
Companion plants for carrots are lettuce, onions and tomatoes. never plant dill or parsnips beside carrots.

Gardening by the moon
LAST QUARTER
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Garden:
In coastal areas, last chance to weed beds and prepare for winter, transplanting last seedlings or sowing the last compost crops
Cover compost heaps to avoid water logging over winter
Make sure all chooks, ducks, and small animals have adequate housing for winter
Drag out your cloches and cold frames to cover slad crops to keep them growing over winter
Prepare Garlic beds.

Remove any fruit trees that need taking out before it gets too wet
Begin preparing ground for planting fruit trees next month, check our fruit tree planting guide for strong tree growth
Make sure any necessary orchard fencing is finished before planting starts
Finalise winter planting plans and tree orders or you'll miss out on the trees you really want

Manure and fertilise fruit trees, spread, dolomite lime, manure and gypsum if soil needs more structure

Begin planting natives for shelter hedgerows

Finish planting spring bulbs

Begin wrenching any trees for shifting this winter after the first rain, wrenching one side only this month

Take plum rootstock cuttings, soak in willow water before pressing firmly into river sand.

I am off to the UK for six weeks from the 14th of May.......no more gardening for a while while I do Nana time with two little ones and a new baby.

Cheers, Linda.