Gardening in North 21st August 2012

Mud, mud glorious mud this week, but I feel things are really moving now with the absence of the usual frosts at this time of the year allowing the ground to warm up. The rain was good for me, however last week would have been enough without more this week! Sun, sun and more sun is what gardens need after such a drowning.

I am continuing to cut back the lavenders because I see them starting to put out new growth. Really old woody bushes can be cut back hard to encourage new lower growth, time to replace them if they do not respond. Newer plants just need a hair cut. (Early enough yet though), Feed them manure enriched compost and a little lime.
Softer shrubs that are encroaching on drive and walkways can be trimmed back , they will soon recover with new spring growth. I have been reducing the height on some of my taller shrubs like phebaliums, pittosporums, psudopanax and the like. You can do this if height is a problem without spoiling the shape of shrubs.What I do is cut out the center branch down to where the other branches bush out. this removes the natural point at the top of the shrub and will sometimes reduce the height by 2 or more meters.The shrubs will soon send up a new leader but will also put more growth into the side branching which can be trimmed into shape if a problem. This sort of control works now is because it is just the start of the growing season and plants will heal fast because they are intent on just growing. Leave doing this for another month further inland.
A lot of climbers are in bud now ready to do their thing in Spring so when trimming watch you are not cutting off new buds. Hardenbergia ( happy wanderer) flowered in early winter so that is one that can be cut back. Jasmines have been knocked by frosts in my garden, I will leave them a bit longer until I am sure the frosts are over before trimming them.

If you have still not feed your roses do it as soon as possible! they are moving fast now and need food kept up to them if you want them to stay healthy.
If you have no time to do anything else in the garden now feeding plants is a must for health and vigour to take them right through to autumn, it is well worth the effort and will minimize the spaying needed for unhealthy plants.
Slow release fertilisers are a safe bet for continual feeding with over a long period. They are very clean and easy to apply, and now days formulated to feed specific plants.
Now would be a good time to mention plants that resent being fed. Many South African plants and Australian natives such as proteas, leucodendrons, banksias, and all grevillia's do not need feeding. I have lost some of these because they had absorbed fertiliser from neighbouring plants.

There is still time to divide hostas, these dramatic shade loving perennials can really highlight a shaded spot with their fresh greens and variegated light shades. Simply lift established clumps at least 4 to 5 years old, use a sharp spade to slice them into a few good sizes pieces, then replant. They also look great in pots but get slug bate around them as soon as they start showing leaf or try some of the slug repellent methods that have been passed down by gardeners listed below.
Coffee Grounds: Used coffee grounds spread around susceptible plants may work.
Epsom Salts: Epsom salts sprinkled on the soil will supposedly deter slugs and also helps prevent Magnesium deficiency in your plants. Magnesium helps to deepen color, thickens petals and increases root structure.
Oat Bran: Scatter oat bran on the soil to kill slugs and snails.
Builders Sand: Try barriers of builders sand which has a sharp texture.
Nut Shells: Ground shells of filberts, pecans and walnuts may work, if you can find a source or grind your own.
Rosemary: Sprigs of rosemary scattered around repel slugs and are refreshing with their piney scent.
Pine Needles: Try a mulch of pine needles which works well around strawberry plants
Keep an eye out for flowering camellias and rhododendrons now in the garden centers, most are showing buds and flowers, this is the time to choose the right shades for your garden, they thrive in semi shade or afternoon shaded areas of the garden.
It's the perfect time to sow seeds under cover as I mentioned last week, the seeds I planted two weeks ago and have had under plastic are up already.Any seeds that say spring sowing on the back of the packet will pop up now. I use a tray of compost / soil with a layer of seed raising mix on the top.This way your seed raising mix goes further. Once planted cover the trays with plastic or glass, but use spacers to let air circulate between the plastic / glass and tray.
Fruit & Vegatables
This is also the time to give fruiting shrubs & trees a dressing of pot ash, this helps with fruiting.
If you plan to grow vegetables this year get the garden ready now, dig in some weed free compost and let the soil settle again.
In area's you will not be planting out for a while why not sow a green crop to add humus to tired soils, mustard, lupine, barley or wheat.These will sprout in no time here on the coast but only when the ground is warm enough up further inland but If weeds are growing you should get a strike. If you do fill vacant areas with green crop dig in when lush, soft and green. Don't let it get to the flowering stalky stage, it takes too long to break down and is not worth the effort of digging in.
Deciduous fruit trees should be planted in August at the latest and everything in the way of small fruit.
Now is a good time to shift citrus trees.


Gardening by the moon
FIRST QUARTER
Friday, 24 August 2012
Garden:
Time to transplant early veggies under cloches, e.g. courgettes and beans.
Do loads of weeding and compost making with all over wintered compost crops like lupin. Foliar feed 3 days before full moon.
You should be seriously taking out all compost crops and preparing beds for major planting next month Sow seed into trays (under cloche protection) early pumpkins, courgettes, Squash, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Sow out side in warmer areas, dwarf beans, marigold Sweet Hyssop, nasturtium, sweet pea, lettuce, coriander, parsley, rocket, peas.

Cheers, Linda.