Home again after seven weeks in the UK summer, helping a busy Daughter with our newest little Granddaughter Eliza belle. Lucky me.

Wow, how dry it is here in North Otago and such hard frosts we are getting. The brilliant days that follow give us here on the coast at least half a day to work in the garden after the thaw. No such luck further inland with frozen ground, the perfect time for garden planning to be a step ahead before spring.

The frosts are hardening rose wood in readiness for the big prune, the time when rose pruning should be completed varies by several weeks from the warmest to coldest gardens. It should be done and dusted by the time buds break. I have not been about yet to see if the new seasons bare rooted roses are in, if they are on offer it pays to read up about the different varieties and choose what is best for the sunny spot reserved for them in your garden. All newly planted roses still need pruned at an outward facing bud, growers just cut the top off when roses are lifted from a field.

If pruning old established rose bushes have a wire brush with you to work on the old gnarled wood which happens in the center of a bush after many years of pruning. Working vigorously with a wire brush will help to stimulate the still active wood below and it may push out new buds, it is worth the effort.
Prune out any inward facing branches at an outward facing bud or swelling to open the bush up then prune back all remaining branches at an out ward facing bud two or three buds from the bottom of the branch depending on the strength of the branch. Remove all weak spindly little branches, they will never produce flowers. Mulch with manure enriched compost but remember to keep it back from the trunk wood of rose bushes as it can cause rot when the ground is wet for long periods.
Now is the time to spray with lime sulphur which is Ideal as a winter clean up spray for roses and deciduous trees to control hard to kill pests and diseases.Controls fungal diseases, scale and mites.Also controls moss and lichen.
I spray with lime sulphur before pruning which will defoliate the roses then follow that up after pruning with a copper spray & winter oil.

The bulk of new seasons bare rooted deciduous trees are arriving into retail shops now, continue planting but avoid times when the ground is frozen or excessively wet. Young deciduous trees and shrubs can also be moved at this time, trim damaged roots and cut back any that are inconveniently long.

Evergreen trees and shrubs are on offer as well, but don't be in a hurry to plant them. Keep in bags outside in a sheltered place to harden off, they can sit like this and be planted out at the end of winter. Choose now and plant later to give them a good start.
Make sure to read the labels to know how high and wide a shrub and tree will grow, some, like natives grow fast and when mature will throw considerable shade. When planting along side the house ask advice.

Boost bedding plants with fish based fertiliser or a little dried blood to encourage buds during these sunny winter days.

Fruit & Veg.
Finish planting deciduous fruit trees and bushes in a sunny site, avoid frosty hollows for early starters such as plums and pears.
Frosty sites are no disadvantage for soft fruits as winter chills will stimulate fruit buds.

Continue to shelter citrus in frosty gardens, they should be offering a lot of fruit to pick now, marmalade in the making?
Citrus scale – white flecks on the trunk and branches, treat in winter with low toxic Lime Sulphur, try to avoid the leaves if you can as Lime Sulphur burns and should not be applied to evergreen plants as it will damage the foliage, and It should not be applied to apricot trees because they are sulphur sensitive but other deciduous fruit trees will benefit from a lime sulphur spray.The burning action assists in the final removal of foliage, burns disease spores and insect pests harboring over in nooks and crannies waiting for spring. Spray trees first then prune at a later date. You can greatly reduce both disease and pest problems now, and have better results in the spring/summer period with less spraying to do.

In cold areas start garlic off in containers and plant out later when the ground warms up.

Planting by the moon

FIRST QUARTER
Saturday, 7 July 2012
Garden:
Clean out tunnel houses, green houses and potting benches ready for spring planting - slugs and snails live under rubbish and things lying around
Repot and revitalise pot plants
Prepare beds for early potatoes, peas and broad beans(in the north). Aim to grow high brix early potatoes, have them around early September.

Orchard:
Once all planting and pruning, manuring and mulching is over in the orchard, it’s holiday time, you’ll get a small break before the vege garden is full on!



Cheers, Linda