Gardening in North Otago 4th December 2013

The big clean up after more hedge trimming has been on go here, things are looking a little too neat and tidy now but nature will do it's best to put that right! I know all gardeners will be finding there is so much to be cut back in the garden, plants like tree peony which doubles in size each growing season. Don't let tree peony swamp your garden and smother other plants. When finished flowering the older woody canes can be cut out. By doing this now seed pods will be cut off as well, if allowed to ripen they will pop all over your garden and grow. Other larger plants I have had to cut back are bush lavatera's, English abutilon, ornamental broom, and false Valerian. These will all grow back soon and look a lot nicer, some will flower again. Keep dead heading roses, don't just cut the flower off, cut at an outward facing bud on a lower section of the branch strong enough to support a new flower. Begonias are really pushing through now and I see that I have lost a few that I left in the ground from last year, I am guessing all the rain we had earlier on rotted them. I did dig and store most of them over the winter which I am now glad about. The food begonias most appreciate is any fish based fertiliser, as a folia spray or watered in around their roots. Hydrangeas are producing flower heads now so it is important to keep the water and food up to them, old stable manure, blood and bone, dry, liquid or slow release fertiliser will keep them happy and flowering well. Remember it's lime for pink and Epsom salts or aluminum sulphate to keep them blue. Fuchsias are making a lot of growth now as well, if you missed cutting any back do it now, they will flower later but will soon catch up .Fuchsias are on sale right now and are wonderful in pots for a shady spot and they soon become bushy and to fill a pot. Tip cuttings can be taken from fuchsias now, if you spot some you like in a friends garden ask for some cuttings. I break a cutting off at a heel or a bud section, remove some of the top growth and push into firm wet river sand.Tip cuttings cuttings from Hebe's will also root with no trouble in river sand . Abutilon (Chinese lantern: If you are looking for something non invasive to make a show of colour against a wall why not try Abutilon (Chinese lantern, they come in three strong colours, yellow, orange, burgundy and white. I planted yellow and burgundy and white together in a large container with nice lime green grass's below them, being a rather spindly plant I intertwined them and they now look like one bush. If trained against a wall leave some longer branches and shorten back others to get a good cover of flowers. Peony roses: What a wonderful addition to the flower garden peony roses are, they have been fantastic this year or am I just seeing more in peoples gardens? The brilliant shades and very large blooms fill many vases I am sure. Remove seed pods once blooms have finished to stop plants putting effort into making seed. Low hanging tree branches: With the weight of rain not so long ago I could see which branches need lifting on large deciduous trees, if left they will cast too much shade over surrounding plants. It's the lower branches that can be removed without making the tree look as though it has been cut. The upper branches will hide the cuts, so any branch growing downwards with a canopy branch directly above it can be cut back or removed altogether. Lawns: keep lawn food on hand for the next good rain, lawns get really stressed from now on as the heat of the day intensifies. If your lawns are inclined to crack when dry they have probably been planted on clay soil, apply gypsum ( soluble lime) and water in. After a couple of years of doing this your lawns will have a spring back in them. Gypsum works it's way through the clay and makes it become more like soil. If lawn weeds are a problem spray before cutting or remove flat weeds with a knife when noticed. I spot spray with lawn weed spray because I don't want to upset the balance of the work going on in the soil beneath the lawn by contaminating it with chemicals. Vegetables: Perfect weather for vegetables and fruit this year, keep the hoe going because the weeds are doing well also. The days are warm and the nights a little cooler, just right for growing. I am amazed that the white butterfly is STILL not a problem in our garden, long may it last. I had bad luck with the runner beans planted directly into the ground before labor weekend, they popped up then were eaten off I am guessing by snails / slugs!. So more beans have been planted but this time into trays to be transplanted when big enough to make a start on climbing up the frame. But, yes I know the slugs & snails will be waiting so I will make beer traps out of empty plastic fiz bottles by cutting the bottles with the lid in place through the middle, bury the lidded half in the ground and fill with beer, cut door opening in the other half for snails & slugs to slide in, then force the other half with door opening on top. The bottom of the bottle will be the roof to keep the rain out. Gritty egg shells will go on the ground around the bottom of the frame as well. Tomatoes will be getting taller and starting to fruit now, the removal of over half the leaves on a plant will benefit your plants by allowing more nutrients to the fruit along with more sun to encourage flowering and allowing flowers to become more visible for pollination, try it and see if you get a better crop. The cooler nights tend to upset tomato plants, leaves become bluish and tend to curl causing plants to become susceptible to blight. One method of keeping them in good health I have been reading up on is the use of copper wire. Basic premise: The presence of copper (wire) would help the tomato plants be more resistant to "blight" related diseases during the course of the growing season. Material: 12" length of 18 gage (wall picture hanging wire). the main vine should be at least 1/4" in diameter and transplant shock over. Insert or force one end of the wire through the center of the main vine about 1" above ground level. Kink the protruding wire end so that it doesn't slip out of the vine. Force the remainder of the wire (9-10") into the root zone in the ground. That's all there is to it. The person who wrote the above also wrote that he used this method on half his crop and controlled the other half with sprays. Result, the copper prevention was as successful as his spraying programme. Any new idea is worth trying to avoid spraying what we eat! Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 29th November 2013

Nature stops for nothing at this time of the year so I have my head down gardening again after a sad time for our family last week saying a final goodbye to my Mum. From the words of John Lennon "Life happens when you are busy making other plans" Some changeable days this week and the night beetle are here again in full force, I was getting the washing in just on dark one evening and they were making so much noise devouring the leaves on trees I thought there was an engine running somewhere! Also the fat moths and the spittle bug are in force again, Spittle bugs don't seem to be deterred by the odd cold snaps we have been experiencing. Spittle bug nymphs can turn a liquid secretion into bubbles by moving or pumping their bodies. Once the bubbles have formed, spittle bugs use their hind legs to cover themselves with the froth. The ‘spittle’ serves multiple purposes. It shields the spittle bugs from predators It insulates them from temperature extremes and It prevents the spittle bugs from dehydrating. Spittle bug eggs are laid in late summer and are left to over winter on plant debris. The eggs will hatch in early spring and go through five stages, before becoming adults. When the nymphs originally hatch in early spring, they will attach themselves to a plant and begin feeding. Although spittle bug nymphs do feed on plant sap, the damage is minimal and populations are usually small, so no pesticide is necessary. A strong blast with a hose should be enough to dislodge a spittle bug nymph,they’ll be gone in a few weeks anyway. In extreme cases, they can cause stunting and weaken plants or reduce yields. If you should have a severe infestation, remove plant debris in the autumn and work the soil to reduce egg population. Adult spittle bugs (frog hoppers) are 6 to 8mm long, elongated, oval and usually dull coloured with prominent eyes Nymphs are smaller and bright greenish/yellow. Dead heading roses is on the go here again already after waiting for those fat buds to open and I am keeping up the fish emulsion to foliar feed and deter green fly, but have had to use a nasty on the underside of my hellebore leaves because am sure this is where the green fly winter over in my garden. If you have orchids it is the time to re-pot them now, use the orchid mix for the best results, it takes the guess work out of wondering what to feed them. The dew's are still wetting so the ground is still holding some moisture, scatter grass clippings around as mulch if your lawns have not been sprayed, they become good humus. But don't pile them on too thickly because they are inclined to form a shield that stops the rain reaching the soil beneath. I throw them about to empty the catcher then go back and rake them out. So much spent spring growth in our garden needs cut back now, I am making a lot of gaps by cutting back aquilegia's, forget-me-not, pansies, viola's and catmint, I have cosmos, poppies and statice, lobelia, and petunias to fill gaps. The hose is out every second day now to keep moisture up to rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias now their brilliance is all but over. What a fantastic spring it has been for theses bushes, the right amount of sun and rain resulted in the best blooming. Now rhododendrons need to be dead headed to prevent seed being made, there is a specific point at the base of the spent flower head that if bent will snap off perfectly, if you have not done this before it will not be long before you will learn where that point is. Snap off as many of the flower heads at that point as you can without disturbing the new growth just below. Feed with a light dressing of acid fertiliser, water in well around the drip line then mulch to stop bushes drying out over the warmer months. Vegetable: It seems I only need to turn my back on the vegetable plots for a couple of days and the veg are smothered by very healthy weeds! Food needs to be keep to tomatoes, currants an berries, lemons and fruit trees... fruiting takes a lot out of a plant.There are specially prepared fertilisers for most plants with instructions for when, and how much to apply. Blood and bone is a good all rounder but can attract fly's at this time of the year so water it in well. All fruiting trees and plants need lots of water now to create juicy plump fruit, the rain we have been lucky enough to get has been perfect for them but it's the winds to come that will do the damage so keep the water up when you know it will be needed. Remember to cover your strawberries to keep the birds from eating them as soon as they show any sign of red. Strawberry netting stretches out to cover a large area and does the job well, the birds are helping themselves to my gooseberries so I have thrown some frost cloth over them until I get a chance to pick them. As tomatoes grow be sure to remove laterals of the taller growing variety and stake them to keep them upright as the fruit gets heaver. They should be flowering now waiting for the bee's to pollinate them. If your bees are few and far between like mine this year you may have to take a hair drier into the glass house to gently blow the pollen around while leaves are dry. Early morning soaking on the vegetable garden keeps moisture up to them through the day and helps with the germination of seeds. Successive planting can be kept up right through the Summer. If you must use spray's on your vegetables make sure you read the directions to know how long the with holding period is before you can eat the vegetables. Why not try an organic option there are more on offer every year, or try companion planting. Some plants have been proven to help and enhance others so I will list what has worked. Carrots and onions together, the onions help keep the carrot fly at bay and carrots the onion fly. Celery and the brassica family, i.e.: cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. the celery will confuse the white butterfly when wanting to land and lay it's larvae eggs. Marigolds and beans/brassicas, the marigold emits a natural gas which protects surrounding plants from insects like aphids and white fly. Make your own natural sprays: The following plant leaves can be boiled in water and the resulting liquid used on plants. Basil will eliminate aphids Chives prevent mildew occurring on cucumbers, squash and pumpkins. Coriander also for aphids and spider mite. Eucalyptus is a good general purpose insecticide. Rhubarb has been found to help prevent blackspot. These may be only plants but in liquid form they can be harmful to children so keep marked bottles high up. I found out that it is not a good idea to breath in fumes when bringing to the boil, and to keep doors and window open. the fumes from some of them can certainly make you feel really odd. Get corn and pumpkins in as soon as possible because they need a long growing and ripening season. Try planting corn in squares like I suggested in my last notes. Our Parkside Garden calendar with monthly gardening notes and seasonal images of Parkside Gardens is now available in Paper plus. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago November 12th 2013

What wonderful spring rain we are receiving here in North Otago, but the cold days that follow are a little hard on gardeners after the heat experienced some days. My late rhododendrons are so vibrant and holding well due to those cooler days I feel. I have been planting out this week, blue salvia annuals to cool a hot summer garden, sun flowers that always look majestic and cheerful, low growing white alyssum to set all the summer colours off, bedding begonias, petunias and lobelia for a mass summer show. After many years trying to grow plants regardless of conditions preferred, thinking as long as I kept the water up and protected them through the winter I could beat nature. I finally learned that it's a waste of time and money nursing plants that need a warmer climate and more rain than we have here. Plants like hibiscus, banana, gardenia, palms, anything that requires a tropical seasonal rain is going to struggle. Although bougainvillea is growing here on the coast, mine can be fine for a couple of years but other years the frost really knocks it back. Read plant labels and make sure that our conditions are right for the plants on offer at this time of the year, for example there are some lovely pelagoniums for sale now but I have yet to have one survive the winter in my garden, although I see them growing well on the south hill where the frosts are not so harsh so I guess it's a matter of looking at what is growing well in gardens close by to you and knowing that the same plants will do well in your garden. Roses: I have not needed to start spraying roses for green fly and disease yet, but it will not be long, bugs are making a move on every warm day we have. A systemic insect / fungus combined spray will take care of both green fly and fungus if you follow the instructions and spray every 10 days to get on top of infestation. Keep the food up as they flower, it's hungry roses that are more susceptible to disease. Slow release rose fertiliser will feed each time you water. Spring bulbs have finished flowering, tie a knot in the leaves of daffodils rather than cut them off yet as they need to take all the top green into the bulb. Tulips collapse quickly and can be dug up, tops and all and stored in a dry place until planting out again in May next year, but keep covered because rats will sniff them out and feast on them over winter. Blue bells need to be left to seed if you want them multiply this way as well as bulbs increasing. Keep water up to Lillie's, they are making rapid growth now and they resent drying out, stake them now before they become too heavy. I will once again sing the praises of raised gardens, Some advantages of raised bed gardens include: Soil warms up faster in the spring, and doesn't cool as fast in the autumn. You don't have to bend far to work in the garden and access the plants. soil has better drainage, so there is less disease. Soil is not walked on, eliminating compaction, roots need air, and therefore compacted soil is very detrimental to plant growth. A raised garden can be a garden feature as it has a specified geometry and form. Studies have shown that a raised bed garden may be up to two times more productive per square foot compared to normal gardening techniques. While you may make the raised bed garden to any shape there are some guidelines to follow. The garden can be any length you want, but it shouldn't be more than 4ft wide so you can reach across comfortably from either side. It can be as high as you want it, but keep in mind that the higher you go, the more support you will need to build. Even a railway sleeper high will give benefits. If it's a raised vegetable garden then it must be built in a spot that gets all day sun. Raised beds for shade and moisture loving plants need to be closer to the damp ground, if they are raised too high the drainage is too great for these plants. Once you have constructed your raised bed fill with fresh soil, compost, and well aged manure If you choose to frame your raised garden with wood make sure not to use treated timber, this has been known to leach chemicals into the soil. While untreated wood will not last as long, it is a safer alternative. Rocks are an economical option but they tend to loose soil with rain and watering, we are fortunate here in Oamaru to have our own versatile Oamaru stone. I have seen ready made wooden raised garden surrounds on offer, these would do the trick if space was a problem. Vegetables: Keep mounding the potatoes to give depth for them to produce large shaws, consistent watering is important for potatoes, this goes for all root vegetables. Leafy veg don't need any extra feeding at this time of the year it will just encourage them to bolt once it warms up. Only plant as many plants as you think you would use when ready to pick, hold back the other small seedling plants from the same batch and keep in a semi shady place until required for planting. The small plants will hold if watered only when too dry (don't over water these seedlings they do not have enough root growth to absorb and will rot,. All seedling plants can be over watered to the point where their roots cannot cope and they collapse, the soil should be dry on top between watering's and good drainage is essential . Keep pumpkin and squash plants mulched, roots are fragile until their large leaves grow to create the root shade needed. Corn seeds sown last month are now ready to plant out, I have read that planting corn in squares rather than rows will ensure pollination on the lower tassels and add support during strong winds. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago November 5th 2013

November, with more settled spring days, warm sun and still a night chill to keep the garden fresh. I am so enjoying the rhododendrons, azalea's, and peony roses putting on their show and the expectation of something new happened every day in the garden. My roses are full of fat buds waiting to burst open, they still have no green fly or black spot attacking them , no doubt both will arrive eventually. I have just sprayed with Winter oil and fish emulsion combined to discourage them, the leaves are so soft and new it pays to do your spraying on a dull day so the sun will not burn through droplets and damage the leaves. No problem when the leaves have toughened up but I would still spray on a dull day when there are less bees around to be caught in the spray. Never spray or water the leaves at dusk, they should be dry going into warm nights to prevent mildew growing. Spring is the best time for transplanting seedlings that have popped up from existing plants in the garden, like last years hellebore seedlings. ( Winter rose) they should be nice strong small plants now, I have been planting them out in groups under deciduous trees, and around rhododendrons, camellias, hydrangeas and fuchsias, they all like the same shady conditions. Trim spent flowers from perennials and daisy bushes as they finish the first flush of flowering to keep them bushy and continuously in flower, if you let flower heads go to seed the bush or plants will become woody. Box hedge: I have made a start on the spring trim of my buxus here, an overcast morning on Wednesday was just right for this cut giving the under growth a little time to recover before becoming sunburned. Planting on a slope: Spring is also the time to plant out a slope or bank, the ground is moist and plant roots are growing fast which means they will get a good hold before the dreaded winds and the heat of summer. Spray out all weeds, and grass, they will compete with moisture that your plants need. If it is possible terracing a steep slope with rocks or sleepers would be beneficial to hold moisture around the roots. If this cannot be done try not to disturbed soil / clay in areas that are not being planted. If the soil is disturbed and broken up it will wash away with rain and watering. Planting: Dig a hole that is deep into the bank and shallow at the front, (an angle hole) this will create a hollow reserve for water. Make sure it dips down at the back for water to pool. Use stones around each plant, this will help to prevent wind blowing soil away from the roots. Choose plants that grow in dry conditions, like South African plants; Greviller, leucodendron, Proteas, ask the Garden center assistant what survives well in a pot without a lot of watering. The plants they can leave for a while and they still look good when dried out. I mass plant lupines to fill the gaps on a bank until all the other plants get bigger, they give a spectacular show in the second year of planting. This week I have had the hedge trimmer on the go! the hedges have almost finished putting out spring growth so if a hedge has reached the height you require of it take the soft growth off now before the foliage beneath gets too much protection from the new growth. The Winter hardened the under growth up and it should still be strong enough not to get sunburned. My box hedges all reached the required height some years ago so all new growth must be taken back. Choosing an overcast day to do this is best for the box which will allow them to recover with out the added stress of the hot sun. If a hedge is not yet as tall and thick as required leave the new growth to harden off, but if you have to trim just do enough to tidy it up. All my soft trimmings on the garden or compost as mulch. Grass, Grass. Grass...So much mowing! If you have not had to spray the lawn weeds out yet you can sprinkle your clippings around the garden, it is wonderful humus, but don't leave thick piles, spread it out so it can break down fast. Your garden can take as much fresh green growth that you can throw at it now the warmth is here to break it down. I have had excellent results from all the grass seed sown,it struck in places only a week from planting which has encouraged me to rake out every bare patch, add the wonderful sifted soil I have been hooked on lately, and plant grass seed like there is no tomorrow! Fruit: My grapes got frosted last week, thankfully they were not in flower, I give only the vines I think could do with a boost fertiliser in early spring. Feeding established vines that are doing ok will only encourage more leaves and leaders. A little potash from time to time will help with fruiting. The old way was to bury road kill under a grape, I have made the grapes a burial ground for any of my bantams that come to a sad end. I have come across another method of dealing with coddling moth which is said to have worked well for some. Use a plastic milk container, and place in it 1 banana peel, 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup sugar. Fill the container almost full of water, replace the cap and shake it well to mix and dissolve the contents. Remove the cap and firmly secure one container into each apple tree. The moths are attracted to the scent of the concoction, becoming trapped and drowned when they investigate. Refill with water as needed throughout the summer. My no dig veg garden has been turned into a strawberry bed, but if I find time I plan to make another. It is a is a good no fuss way to grow veg. Making a no dig garden: Find a sunny spot on bare ground,( not concrete) surround with sleepers, logs, Oamaru stone or boards high enough to hold layers of manure,soil, compost and straw. Flood the dirt before you start to get dampness deep down but If you plan to create a no dig garden on top of grass or space that has been growing then you will need to cover the the ground with layers of saturated news paper or cardboard, overlapping to stop strong weeds pushing through. First layer manure, (wet down.) If working on bare dirt spread a layer of manure straight on the damp ground, (this will bring the worms up). Then spread a thick layer of compost and old leaf mulch and dried grass clippings, (wet down.) Then add a layer of soil, (clay soil is fine in this layer), water well after each layer leaving no dry spots. Next add a layer of straw, (wet down) then add more layers of compost and old leaf mulch and dried grass clippings, (wet down) and top that with more soil, (wet down). River sand, a little lime and an all purpose fertiliser can be added as you build the layers. Lastly add a top layer of straw which suppresses the weeds and is a great deterrent to slugs. When you think the garden is high enough start planting and you should be eating your own produce with in six weeks at this time of the year. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 29th October 2013

Another lovely week in North Otago after a windy but still warm Labour week end. Our Kanzan cherry blossom was blown away too soon but we still have the beautiful Shimadzu sakura low spreading almost white flowering cherries in full bloom. These are truly beautiful and deserve a spot in every garden big enough to cope with them. Weed spraying, lawn seed sowing and mowing has been keeping me pretty busy out here, the ground is warm now even after that recent cold snap and the weeds grow before my eyes, still time to pull out or hoe and spry before they make seed and spread every where. Just watch spraying around roses, they only need a sniff of a hormone weed spray to put out stunted deformed yellowing leaves and then eventually die back. Roses are doing well after the good deep rain soakings and the nights warming up, keep the food and deep root watering up to them as they bud up, foliar feeding on fresh new leaves works well now along with slow release fertiliser which ensures they are feed each time they are watered. Healthy well fed roses are less likely to become diseased. Cut back Erica's and callunas that have finished flowering, this stops them from going woody, taking all the spent Flowers off will encourage them to produce fresh new green growth for summer. If you don't cut the old flowering growth off they will make their new growth out from the old growth which means they become woody at the bottom. Cut back aubrietia rockery plant and you will get another flowering. Also cut spent flowers off hellebore's so you get the full effect of their wonderful leaves. Polyanthus have been wonderful over the Winter but now it's time to cut them back and shift to a shady spot, they can be planted out in a sunny spot again early next Winter. Lawns: keep feeding lawns when rain is about, powdered fertilisers need to be washed well in to stop it burning lawns during hot sunny days. New grass sown now will strike very quickly, sow thickly to choke out annual weeds. Spray flat perennial weeds in established lawns but not new lawns, annual weeds that grow up with new grass will eventually be mowed out. Vegetables: PLANT, PLANT, PLANT plants & seeds, I have planted out pumpkin and squash plants grown from seed, they need a large prepared area for them to ramble with a lot of compost and old stable manure dug in. The leaves will always let you know when they need water. If you have a glass house or tunnel house why not plant some peppers, they can grow high so when their stems are strong enough bang in a stake and attach a string from the stake to the roof to support them as they grow up. Berry Kane's and strawberries are doing a lot of growing now as well, They both flower and fruit up really quickly as long as they get all day sun they will ripen fast. Berries and new seasons peas are perfect for encouraging Children into the garden they all learn the results of clearing ground and planting are well worth the wait. Keep manure enriched compost up to rhubarb, if the soil gets hard and dry around rhubarb it will grow stringy dry uneatable steams, rhubarb sponge and cream, YUM. Keep picking herbs to stop them going to seed, dry what you don't use and store away until the months when they are not available. Drying herbs :Pick in the full heat of the day, lay out on news paper in a dry airy place until crisp, (all moisture must be gone). Then rub together into sprinkle sized bits and store in brown paper bags or glass jars. The elder flower is blooming which for me means making elder flower cordial, this is the summer drink in the UK , so refreshing with iced water. Elder berry here is considered a weed because the birds drop the seed and it grows any where and everywhere, when it pops up here in our garden I pull it out and pick my flowers from a bush on the farm. I thought I would share the very easy recipe with you all. Elder flower cordial Prep Time: 40 minutes Steeping of flowers: 48 hours Ingredients: 1k /2 ¼ lbs sugar 1.5 litres / 6 cups boiling water 4 medium lemons, washed 30 large Elderflower heads, shake to remove any insects ( Do not wash) 2 oz citric acid (available from a chemist Preparation: Place the sugar into a large saucepan/stockpot or a large Pyrex bowl. (I use my croc pot) Pour the boiling water over and stir until all the sugar has dissolved and leave to cool. Grate the rind of the lemons with a fine grater, add to the sugar water. Slice the lemons into thick slices and add to the water. Add the citric acid and stir, then finally add the flower heads to the water and stir again. Cover and leave to steep for 48 hours. Strain through clean fine muslin cloth into a clean bowl. Using a funnel, fill sterilized bottles. Seal and store in a cool, dark place (not the refrigerator) for a few weeks or freeze in plastic bottles to keep for longer. The cordial is delicious diluted with still or fizzy water. Once a bottle is opened store in the refrigerator. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 15th October 2013

What a stormy month so far, strong winds, heavy black sky's, rain, hail, frost, thunder and lightening, blossom blown off and trees blown down. Spring is certainly living up to it's unpredictability this year. Because of the weather my main tulip display was flattened so I dug them up with tops still attached and have left them die back before storing them in a dry place to be planted out again next May. I have weeded and composted the gardens they were planted in ready for the planting of blue salvia in a couple of weeks. This is the time of the year that I am busy getting my garden presentable for all the Spring tours that have started. With the ground warming and the heavy rain we have had it is just right for planting and it is about this time of the year that I think about getting the weeds away in my flower beds before they make seed, I then change beds from a spring show to a summer show with annuals. In these beds I cannot use bark or straw covering because I am changing them every season, I use clean weed free compost. The trick is to get rid of the surface weeds and past flowering annuals, water the bed well, then put a thick layer of the compost on top of the wet soil, it must be a thick layer! do not dig it in! leave it on top to suppress any weed seeds wanting to germinate, plant your new seasons plants into it. Remember to keep dead heading and feeding flowering pansies and polyanthus as long as there is a chill in the air they will keep on flowering until it gets too warm for them. If you feel they have done all they are going to do dig them out, cut back and plant in a cool shady place where they can be left and planted out again next year. I see shoots on my flamboyant Begonias now and some tubers have become big enough to cut into several shooting sections to become plants on their own. Flamboyant begonias make a wonderful show as a boarder or in pots and hanging baskets and they flower on and on through the summer. once they send up leaves I start feeding them fish fertilisers to keep them going strong. Coastal gardens will be ahead of gardens further inland, these gardens will still be getting reasonable frosts. Late frosts on the new growth on roses can be a problem but don' t be too concerned because rose leaves recover very fast and will have new buds to open in six weeks time. If watering don't let rose foliage go into the night wet, the rain of course can not be helped, water and spray them early in the day. When the nights start warming up any dampness on rose leaves will encourage mildew. Also keep the food up to your roses now, they are making their buds and it's hungry roses that get diseased. Nitrophosca is good right now on any summer flowering plants and shrubs for a quick result, use every fortnight to keep the food supply up. I have been spot spraying convolvulus, couch and clover, fresh new weed growth is coming through the ground now so its the right time to zap them on a non windy day. If roses get even a sniff of hormone spray it will deform the foliage and the rose bush will eventually die so don't risk spraying on a windy day. I have noticed some of my front shrub plantings are too big now, hiding good planting areas behind each over grown shrub. It takes only a few years for gardens to close in with out us really noticing and what a difference can be made by opening up and creating distance for a new and interesting planting. One area opened in my garden is deep enough to allow me to mass plant with blue bells and include a new maple tree and it was only two scrappy over grown shrubs removed which has made this difference. I planted a lot of sun flower seeds into trays a few weeks ago which are now large enough to plant out, now I know summer is just around the corner when i think of the show I will have of those huge sunny flower heads following the sun around the garden. Also up and almost ready to plant out are cosmos, larkspur, nasturtium and marigolds, although I must say they got a tickle up from the frosts and hail this week, maybe I will hold them a little longer before planting out. If you are keen to attract monarch butterflies on the coast, plant swan plants now but protect from late frosts until established. Vegetables Keep an eye on potatoes that are through the ground, mound the soil up around them and frost cloth may be needed at night just to be sure if your garden is low lying. Seeds are popping up in no time now so get them in ready for salad time. Because of the cold snap I have started some seeds in the airing cupboard, if you do this you must take them out as soon as they make an appearance or they will grow leggy looking for light. Pumpkin, squash, corn and courgette seeds can go in now, if you prefer to buy plants be sure to harden them off outside in a protected place for a while before planting them out. If your vegetable garden has been disappointing in the past with plants not growing as well as you would like you could do a Ph test and if the PH of your soil needs to be raised you can then add lime to do this. I sprinkle a little lime on my compost heaps in spring and Autumn and when the compost is ready to put on the garden I feel I have added lime then. But if you have done a test and you need to raise the PH Sprinkle the lime over the soil surface and rake it into the top couple of inches, letting it naturally work down to the root zone. Do not dig it deeply into the soil, it will leach down soon enough. Dolomite lime is less likely to drastically change the PH but if your soil is in need of sweetening our local lime (calcium carbonate) will do the trick. Usually application rates are 2 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet of garden area, every second year to raise the pH from 5.5 to 6.5. There are some veg that like a more acid soil so don't go adding lime unless your soil needs sweetening. Brasica plants,cabbage, brussel sprouts and the like enjoy a sweet soil so you would be safe adding lime every second year where you plan to plant them. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago September 8th 2013

A good rain here in North Otago at the beginning of the week which is always beneficial during spring as long as it stays warm enough for people & plants. The later flowering blossoms are taking center stage now like prunus Kanzan and prunus shimidsu sakura. Enjoy because they will be the last and not be on show again until this time next year. So much happening in gardens now, keep an eye on tall growing chrysanthemums as they start making growth now, I cut back the first new growth before they make hard wood. They do not flower until the Autumn so by removing the first new growth they should regrow a little shorter and be more manageable. Prune fuchsias back now if you have not already done so, they will make new fresh growth, because they flower on new seasons wood they can be taken well back. Too early yet to trim box hedges, wait until the new growth firms up a little. The perfect time in spring to trim box once the new growth is well out is when there are a few overcast days in a row, the hot sun burns new undergrowth, dull days give them time to recover. Dahlias on offer, they are wonderful in the garden for summer colour. If you have a sunny spot that needs a bit of brightening up how about putting in a few dahlia tubers they are so reliable, tall, medium and dwarf. They are just starting to make a move so if you want colour to continue in your garden when the spring show is over dahlias will do the job. Dahlias like a warm full sun free draining spot, the tubas will rot if planted in ground that stays wet. Bedding plants: All bedding plants need attention once planted, water and folia feed often. I had great success last year using sifted soil as a top layer to the soil on flower beds before planting annuals and seeds, I got to the same good results with the grass seed germinating in resown patches in lawns. Sifted soil is fine and packs round new roots firmly if kept moist, and is soft and fine allowing roots to grow quickly. Soil is, after all nature given for growing and here before we had so many other choices! Hydrangea's are popular again, they are leafing up now and will need fed ready for their long flowering season, aged animal manure is a good food source for them, they are shallow rooted so need watered often. To keep pink use a little lime around the drip line and for blue you use alliumn sulphate or epsom salts, These must be watered in and not just left on top of the roots. Vegetable garden: I have just dug compost into a sheltered area of the veg garden and constructed a tall pyramid shaped wooden structure with wire net for growing runner beans up. Once erected and beans in at the base they sprout and climb up really fast then look great in flower before the beans form. More peas, silver beet and beetroot have also gone in along with mixed lettuce seeds in a tray, I plan to transplant them into the garden as I need them. Lettuce seedlings will hold in a tray for a long time in a shady spot and only really start growing when they are planted, fed and watered Keep molding up potatoes as they show leaf, this keeps them cooler allowing more time for them to grow a bigger crop. FIRST EARLY VARIETIES: Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Maris Anchor, Rocket. SECOND EARLY Ilam Hardy, Karaka, Red king. MAIN CROP: Desiree, Mondial, Nadine, Pentland Dell, Red Rascal, Rua Cheers Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 1st October 2013

October: This month is where chasing weeds becomes a full time job - Hoeing and hand pulling weeds is still the best option in planted areas. If you are clearing a garden to plant out for a summer show I suggest clear all annual weeds, pull out, or dig well under. Couch grass needs to be taken right out, get each long runner under the ground and any little pieces that may have been chopped with the spade, they grow and spread very fast if left, I spot spray Couch with round up now in badly effected areas. Once all obvious weeds are gone cover the area with organic compost, thick enough to keep the light from allowing any weed seeds left behind to germinate. Organic compost if cooked well will have been heated to the point of destroying seeds that it once contained. NOW plant,plant, plant! as many annuals and perennials as you can into the prepared area. They will grow really fast from now on and beat the weed seeds blown in or dropped by birds. Moisture and liquid feeding for new plantings is the key to success as they settle in and make new feeding roots, first thing in the morning is the best time to do this giving plants and dirt time to dry off before night, fungus thrives in damp ground on mild nights. Mulching is really important now as well, the areas mulched here with pea straw in late winter are holding the moisture around trees and shrubs and watering is not require yet . Pea straw looks ok in shrubberies but I do not use it in ornamental gardens where I plant annuals and find these non mulched gardens need weeded and watered often from now on. If you have not feed plants, roses or shrubs do it now, powered plant food should always be watered in, if you have home made compost ready to use add eight parts (by weight) blood & bone and one part sulphate of pot ash this will to add food and a flowering / fruiting component. I often mention using old stable manure around roses which they love and will keep them going over their long flowering period, ,ix with compost and spread around the drip line, watering will take it to the roots as required. Keep this compost / fertiliser at least a hand's- breadth from the trunks and steams and extend out just beyond the drip line enabling the food to be on the outer third of of this circle where the most active feeding roots are. Most of my Camellias are still flowering but once finished they can be trimmed and shaped, take out branches from the middle if your bush is dense and bushy. This lets the light in to help form next years buds.There should be enough gaps for a bird to fly through to allow good bud forming for next spring. Hosta's are starting to leaf now, so watch when working around them in the garden, it will not take much to knock the point off the new leaves, I have lilly of the valley popping up now as well and find I need to be careful working around clumps as well for the same reason, Give them a dressing of compost and blood & bone and the slug bate around hostas before they fully leaf up, keep them moist from now on and they will clump up and reward you well. Lillies are up and growing well, put stakes to tie them to in before they get higher and never let them dry out. Same for peony roses they do so much better growing up through holding stakes. I have been noticing a few cherry blossom trees with root stock branches being left to grow. By this I mean any branches that develop below the graft (where the branches begin at the top of the trunk); these should be cut off while still small. If they are allowed to develop into branches they will take over the whole tree because they are the root stock and will grow faster than the grafted stock. All flowering cherry trees are grafted onto a strong root stock of a very ordinary white blossom tree. If you have a tree with lovely pink or white blossom and you notice some blossom looks different then most likely it will be a branch growing from below the graft, cut it right out. Lawns are really going for it now and need fed often during their growing season, have some lawn fertiliser on hand for the next decent rain we get as this is the very best time to apply lawn fertiliser to established lawns. If applied in dry sunny weather it is likely to burn grass off. Don't fertilise newly struck grass, all fertilisers will be too strong. I planted grass seed a couple of weeks ago thinking the ground was warm enough now to get a strike, but no, I should have left it until October I have roughed the ground up a little and resown seed again in the bare patches left by the moss removal and grass grubs Vegetable garden The shops are full of veg, herb plants and seeds, tomatoes plants and seed potatoes, from now on it is so easy to grow your own food. If you do not have an existing vegetable garden but you do have a patch of vacant ground, clear it, dig it or rotary hoe it, edge it with what ever you have on hand , lime stone blocks, tree branches or sleepers. Spray the weeds around the outside of your edging so they will not encroach on your planting space then go for it, get planting at this time of the year everything will grow fast and grow well as long as you keep the water up and hoe the weeds away. Compost will be needed only on ground that had large tree's or hedges growing near by. Vacant soil should be rich enough to plant straight into once worked up. Corn and pumpkins need to be planted now to assure the long ripening season they need. Carrot seed planted now should mature before the carrot fly is on the wing again to lay the second generation of eggs in autumn. If carrot fly has been a real problem for you in the past I would cover rows with insect net once germinated from October until April which is the three generational life cycle of the carrot fly. I have been told Resistafly F1 hybrid Egmont seeds are less likely to be infested, plant seed with a little river sand to thin rows out. The fly is attracted to the carrot smell while flying low to lay her eggs so thinning out of carrots is almost like calling the flies. If it's a Herb garden you are keen to make dig some old stable manure and lime, all herbs like both. Why not plant up some mixed herb pots now and they will be ready to give as Christmas presents. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago 20th September 2013

Spring is such a beautiful time but as always so unpredictable, very difficult gardening weather with one day warm and the next really cold! This week I have been spraying again including all our gravel paths, I have to keep the spraying up to keep them weed free. On all the garden paths here we use crushed marble from Taylors lime Quarry in Dunback, this gravel includes a good amount fines in the mix which help the gravel pack down well. While I was in the spraying mode I sprayed the lawn weeds as well, I prefer spot spraying flat weeds rather than spraying the whole lawn and upsetting the worms. The moss had to go as well, I do this by watering on sulphate of iron with a watering can at the rate of 300 grams / 10 liters of water to cover 10 sq miters. The moss is now black an almost ready to rake out. If only the annual flowers I have planted would grow as fast as the weeds. If you prefer not to use chemical sprays on annual weeds why not try some of the natural alternatives on sale, these work best on hot sunny days when plants are very thirsty. The leaf of the plant collapses which means there is nothing left to support the roots causing the plant to die. Perennial weeds like convolvulus and couch grass (twitch grass) are not so easy to kill with alternative weed spray because their roots are long and strong but if you are prepared to keep at them, spraying each time they send shoots up you will beat them. The most economical weed control is common table salt, purchased in bulk or in kilo bags at agricultural outlets. Use it at the rate of 240 grams (about 12 heaped tablespoons) to a litre of warm or hot water to dissolve it, and then spray it on the foliage of the weeds, again do this on dry sunny days. This works very fast on annual weeds but perennials will probably need further salt treatment. If spraying only the foliage at the above rates there will be little residual damage done to the soil. To make absolutely sure give the area a good watering after the weeds have died. Trim shrubs that flowered in late winter now if you have not already done so, before they put new growth on past growth and get leggy. This partially applies to ericas, callunas and hebes once finished flowering. Now is the time to layer azaleas and rhododendrons, low growing magnolias and other low growing shrubs by pinning slim branch down into the soil then firming in with compost and soil ( a bent wire hold may be needed). Hopefully by the end of this growing season this branch will have developed strong roots, keep attached to the Mother plant for another year before cutting free to be potted up to grow on as a new bush. Newly planted shrubs and trees need to be really well staked before the strong winds we usually get in October, if trunks and roots are moving around in wind growth will be slow and stunted or not at all. Also keep the water up to newly planted shrubs and trees until roots become established enough to hold. I mentioned tubular begonias last week and should have added to bed them down into damp (not wet) sawdust or peat / compost until you can really see they are sprouting well before potting or planting out. Once you you do this and they begin to sprout well they must never dry out again until they have finished flowering and its time to dry store them again. With the days warming up soft cuttings can be taken from plants and shrubs this month, dipping in hormone to get them started is beneficial to encourage roots quickly. Soft cuttings can also be taken from perennial herbs. Vegetables: Still no white butterfly's about (in my garden) keep planting out seeds and seedling plants, keeping the water up to them. Mound up potatoes as they push leaf through and cover at night should there be another cold snap which will blacken off new growth. Get peas in with supports, they will be up in no time wanting climb , like climbing beans they need to be planted in an open sunny position and support has to go in when they are planted so they are not disturbed once they start growing. Because they put on so much growth in a short time a trench of animal manure enriched compost and a little lime for their roots to tap into will keep them growing and flowering longer. ( This applies to the flower sweet peas as well) Herbs: If you have not the old growth from your herbs yet do it as soon as possible because they are putting on new growth now, feed manure enriched compost with lime added and keep picking often to encourage continual new growth all season for your salads and cooking. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago September 10th 2013

Apart from that hugely strong wind late Tuesday afternoon which created havoc here and around the country spring is sitting pretty so far and doing all it should be doing here in North Otago .The much needed rain after that wind made sure gardens stayed fresh, but much raking up was done here to put things right again. We had the first wedding of the new season here in our garden last weekend so I had been really busy getting it into wedding mode, plenty of blossom and spring colour about so all was good. Now that it's planting out time and there is a lot on offer it's probably a good time to talk about plants for the right place. starting with dry areas of the garden, under hungry trees or areas that drain too readily. You will be wasting your time and money planting shallow rooted plants like rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, hydrangeas or hellebore's in these areas. Group plant with plants that will work their roots down to look for moisture like: euphorbias in all their varieties, colours and sizes, agapanthus, large and small varieties they are great on a slope, grass's grouped together as they are in nature do well in the dry and add movement to the garden as they waft in the wind, geraniums, they need water until their roots get down and also need cut back after flowering, lupins are wonderful in big groups but also need water until they become established, after the first flowering they will self seed to make their groups larger. All these plants once established will not need watering. (Shady areas next week.) Bedding plants: All bedding plants need attention once planted, water kept up and foliage feeding. I had been sifting soil for resowing grass patches in the lawn and decided to use the sifted soil as a top layer to the soil before planting annuals and seeds to get the same good results I am getting with the grass seed germinating. Sifted soil is so fine it packs round new roots firmly so they don't dry out, and is soft and fine allowing roots to grow quickly. Hydrangea's are a popular shrub, grouped or as a gap filler, they are leafing up now and will need fed ready for their long flowering season, animal manure is a good food source for them ( not fresh) they are shallow rooted so need mulched and watered often. To keep pink use a little lime around the drip line and for blue use aliumn sulphate or epsonsalts, these must be watered in and not just left on top of the roots. Ponds: The warmer weather is quickening up pond growth it's time to watch for slime developing which is harmful to fish when getting caught in their gills. If you haven't cleaned out your pond do it now, I have been removing the duck weed that has sat on top of my ponds during the Winter, over the Winter months it turns a rusty red colour with the cold and stops growing but at this time of the year it takes off again and multiplies so fast it can cover a pond in a matter of day's. I used to curse it but now I wait for it to grow and scoop it out to put on the garden as a Spring mulch. If you have fish & water lilies you must remove duck weed now to let the sun in. Water lilies are starting to make leaf now and need sun to bud up. I will tackle the oxygen weed next, that is also very good as a mulch on the garden, If you see fish chasing each other around your pond I would leave for a while removing any. Fish blow their eggs into the weed to keep other fish from eating the eggs. When I added fish to my ponds I just put in some oxygen weed from a pond full of breading fish and the baby fish all hatched out of the weed into my pond with no big fish around to eat them. A good way of clearing a pond after Winter is to flood it, most of the rubbish will float off, don't stir up the bottom as long as the water is clear on top then the pond is working. If a pond fills with green slime in the warmer weather it means that there is too much nitrogen in the water, maybe fertiliser drifted in when the lawn or garden was being feed. Or some may have leached out of water lilly containers into the water. If you have a large pond put in a bale of old straw and just leave it to rot down. If your pond is small break some squares from a bale and weight them down to the bottom. This works wonders on murky pond water and will get the pond working and clear in no time. Vegetable garden: Keep molding up potatoes as they show leaf, this keeps them cooler allowing more time for them to grow a bigger crop. If you are still to sprout and plant potatoes I have named a few FIRST EARLY VARIETIES: Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Maris Anchor, Rocket. SECOND EARLY Ilam Hardy, Karaka, Red king. MAINCROP VARIETIES: Desiree,Mondial, Nadine, Pentland Dell, Red Rascal and Rua. I have sown mixed lettuce seeds in a tray and plan to transplant them into the garden as I need them, lettuce seedlings will hold in a tray for a long time and then really start growing when they are planted, fed and watered so I spread out my plantings. Cheers Linda.

Gardening in North Otago September 17th 2013

Having a lovely Nana time with our latest Grand child,sweet Tahlia, the one good thing for us that came from the strong winds experienced. Our Daughter with new Baby was affected enough by loss of power where she lives that she needed to come home to us, Ya! But back to spring gardening, I have been enjoying the blossom, bulbs, sun and bee's, planting out bedding plants and putting the finishing touches to new garden theme designs this week. I think every gardener enjoys trying new plants and colour combinations. I had a large clump of lambs ear growing in my rockery which did not need to be so large so I dug half of it out and broke it up into single plants to use around the border of a garden and as silver drifts in among low annuals. Silver is a perfect shade to use as a break between strong and soft shades, will grow in sun or semi shade and lambs ear has the added bonus of being an interesting texture. Keep an eye on seeds if you have them germinated, until now I have had mine under glass and some hardening off under frost cloth and looked at them only occasionally to see if they had struck, this week I noticed they were well up and in need of thinning out and regular watering. I thinned them by transplanting some like Pansy and lobelia which have shallow roots into deeper seed trays and those with longer deeper roots like lupin, hellebore and Oriental poppy into their own individual small root pots. The shallow rooted plants transplant well into the garden or baskets from a tray but it is best to have a well developed root ball attached to the stronger, deep rooted seedlings when planting out. Baskets and pots need to be thought about now, again use only shallow rooted plants for baskets like pansy, lobelia, small type petunias, nemesia, and trailers like Virginia stock and nasturtium, with the addition of slow release fertiliser and water Chrystal's to keep them going. The roots of what you want to plant will determine the size and depth of the pot. Potted roses need a deep pot which will not heat up and cook the roots at the height of summer. Tin foil around the inside of a pot before filling,( shinny side facing out) will help keep roots cool for roses, camellias, azales, hydrangeas and small trees & shrubs. All potted plants need excellent drainage and a consistent supply of food and water. if a potted plant is left to really dry out before each watering it will never thrive or look lush and healthy. Now is the time to take tubular begonias out of dry storage, I see mine are starting to sprout a little. I cut large tubas with a sharp knife into smaller individual pieces each with a noticeable shoot to become new tubers ready to plant into baskets and containers and when the tubers become too large for a pot I will cut into sections again. The showy red flamboyant begonias become nice big tubas in time and by cutting sections off them each year you will achieve a bright front boarder of them in no time. It's best to lift them at the end of their growing season because like dahlias they can rot in wet ground over winter. All begonias love any fertiliser with a seaweed of fish content Roses are really leafing up now and the warmer it becomes the more aphids ( green fly) will be about, aphids settle on the top new growth of rose bushes and are easily visible on new small leaves for you to dispose of by removing with finger and thumb. I leave spraying until leaves are well grown and hardened up a little. New lawns sown on the coast should result in a strike now that the ground is warmer, as I have mentioned before seed must be sown thickly in spring to beat the annual weeds. Keep the mower blades up when cutting spring grass to allow it to thicken up and feed lawns just before or during rain and they will stay lush. Vegetables Here on the coast Plant lettuce plants at two week intervals and any spare ground could be planted out in new potatoes. My board beans are well up, I was once told to plant each bean with a little pot ash to help with rust problems, they still get a little rust but I think that's probably due to them getting too dry between watering's, like corn, roots are well up near the surface, mounding soil up over roots stops them becoming exposed and drying out too quickly. Strawberries are starting to move towards budding, they need fed, watered and mulched, animal manure and straw, pine needles or un sprayed grass clippings will do the trick. I have started my patch again with new runner plants that are too small to put straw around yet and notice the birds are scratching around them so have had to cover with strawberry net until they grow bushier. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago September 3rd 2013

SEPTEMBER,the season of new beginnings and this past week has convinced me that spring has arrived in Weston after a mild winter, lovely sunny days and blue sky's this week. Everyday something new is happening in our garden, sweet peas, ranunculus, anemones and tulips are well up and putting on good growth. I am now watching what is pushing through the pea straw and clearing a space to let them through and needed light in. Weeds are off to a flying start as well, I have been spraying over the last two weeks and notice the first lot has worked, there are organic weed sprays on the market that work best when weeds are new and small so now is the time, get them before they flower and make seed. With very wide perennial boarders insisting on growing couch, biddy- bid, and chick-weed, I try to get rid of them now while the flowering plants are still low and with the ground still soft weed pulling is easy. While doing this weeding I can see what needs attention like delphiniums needing stakes in to give support while growing, removing mulch from around iris rhizomes and peony rose crowns and removing self sown plants and natives before they settle in. All plants, shrubs and trees will respond to feeding now, the sap is well up and buds are swelling and bursting open. We have a number of deciduous magnolia trees and they are taking center stage right now with beautiful blooms pushing through their huge furry buds and camellia's and rhododendrons are bursting into colour here. Liquid feed all perennials and bedding plants making growth and use a good general fertiliser for trees and shrubs to help them along now. Azaleas and tulips are the exception, azaleas like fed after flowering and tulips store enough food in the bulb for their requirements. if you load them up with more they will grow more leaf than needed and hide the blooms. (No feeding for Australian or South African shrubs such as leucodendron, protea, waratah and grevillea.) cut the old growth from the cat-mint if you have not already done so, I leave old growth on over the colder months to protect the new growth, once the new leaves are seen to be making good growth the old can be removed. It's also time to dress your garden for late spring and summer, think colour and where you want it and what colour is needed where. At this time of the year concentrate on the sunny areas in the garden being the warmest to get bedding pants and perennials moving. Roses: there are still roses on offer, they do not need always need to grow together in a rose bed, use them as gap fillers in boarders. To give those new to roses an idea of what to look for I will list the different types below. There is a rose for every sunny situation and a few that will tolerate light shade. PATIO ROSES: About knee high for front boarder planting, about 80 cm apart when grouping, these can also be grown in containers as long as the roots are kept cool ( tin foil around the inside of the pot before filling will help with this) feed right through the growing season. FLORIABUNDA: Flowers grow in clusters - bushes grow to about waist high on average, space these about 1mtr apart when grouping. Cut off spent flower clusters and they will reward you with masses of colour right through the growing season. HYBRID TEA: This is the rose to give you the large exhibition one steam bloom. They grow about chest high. These are the picking rose and need feeding well right through the growing season to give the best results. Miniture: A dwarf growing bush rose with all parts scaled down, height will be listed on the label - I find these not as long lived as the larger bush rose. If you have one that is not performing and has been growing for a few years, dig it out, change the soil and plant another. The secret to keeping roses free from disease is to remove all last years' diseased wood and leaves from the ground around them and burn. Keep the food up to rose bushes starting now while they are beginning to leaf and continue right through until the end of summer. Manure enriched compost around them now will feed and protect the roots but keep it off where the rose has been grafted. Blood & bone, vormacast or the liquid form is also good right now. When the ground warms up a little sprinkle a man made balanced rose fertiliser around them, these fertilisers have been designed to promote just the right amount of leaf and flower growth, and need the warmer soil to activate. Don't waste them by using them too soon. I have learned through selling and growing roses which are the good doers- But in saying that there are growers of roses that raise better healthier roses than others. From my experience a rose-planted bare rooted in the winter or early spring will do better for me than a rose planted going into the summer. But I understand the new gardener likes to see the bloom's before buying and now days a large range of roses are on offer in the late Spring, bagged, in bud and flower ready to plant. They take a little more care to become settled. Vegatables: green crops need to be dug in now, before they flower and get stringy. Keep planting seeds and seedlings and enjoy the absence of white butterfly! Fruit: Buds are swelling to blossom burst as sap rises, what's needed now are sunny days and bee's. I worked on my gooseberry bushes last year and again this week,Thinning branches before the leaves arrive, cutting up the bottom branches to get the bushes higher off the ground making it so much easier to pick the fruit from underneath and not have to fight your way through a tangled mess of prickly branches. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 28th August 2013

Terry I will still be in Ch Ch on Saturday morn, you can call me on 0274430256. Hi Terry & Frances, I have had a break from the garden this week with the arrival of another Granddaughter in Christchurch, how blessed are we?, a new baby a year for the past eight years and I am now back doing my Nana duties and loving it! However I had been continuing to cut back the lavenders because I saw them starting to put out new growth. Really old woody bushes can be cut back hard to encourage new lower growth, or time to replace them if they do not respond. Newer lavender plants just need a hair cut and fed 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 other busy natives. 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. With new spring growth happening this is the time to do this sort of height & width control. A lot of climbers are in bud now ready to do their spring thing 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. That goes for most plants now, If you have no time to do anything else in the garden 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 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 hosta's if they are still not showing a lot of leaf, 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 plants may work. 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 deter slugs and snails. Builders Sand: try barriers of sharp textured builders sand.(not beach sand) Nut Shells: Ground walnuts shells have been known to work. Sprigs of rosemary scattered around are said to repel slugs. Try a mulch of pine needles, these work well around strawberry plants. It's the perfect time to choose and plant the camellias and rhododendrons on offer at Garden centers while they are showing buds and flower. They prefer semi shade or afternoon shaded areas of the garden. I am continuing to sow seeds under cover, the seeds I planted two weeks ago are up already and getting a weekly liquid feed of diluted worm tea. Any seed packs that recommend spring sowing will pop up now. I sow my seeds in trays of compost and soil combined with a layer of seed raising mix on the top, this way your seed raising mix will go further. Once planted cover the trays with plastic or glass, but use spacers to let air circulate between the plastic / glass and tray. Vegetables If you plan to grow vegetables this summer get the garden ready now by digging in some weed free compost, then let the soil settle for a while before planting. Plant later in the day when the heat is out of the sun, then keep them moist until they take hold and start growing. Watering is best done at the start of the day. In area's you do not plan to plant out for a while why do tired soil a favor and sow a green crop to add humus. Mustard, lupine, barley or wheat.These will sprout in no time here on the coast, and further inland from now on. If you do decide to do this dig it in when lush, soft and green, don't let it get to the flowering, stalky stage because it takes too long to break down and is not worth the effort of digging in. Fruit This is also the time to give fruiting shrubs & trees a dressing of pot ash to help with fruiting. Deciduous fruit trees and everything in the way of small fruit should be planted in August at the latest. Now is a good time to shift citrus trees. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago August 20th 2013

The benefits from the good deep watering we have had here in North Otago will be obvious from now through to early summer. It is still very wet and sticky under foot but plants and new lambs are pushing on and making it feel more like spring everyday. This week I have been doing the final winter clean up around the gardens I don't mulch with pea straw.,These gardens get a covering of the lovely black compost we get each year from the Pukeuri freezing works, which allows the spring bulbs to take center stage for the next couple of months. I do have pea straw in other areas where bulbs are growing and now that I can see where they are popping up I push the straw away from them to give them light. It is at this time of the year I notice yellowing of some plants, the ground gets depleted of nitrogen during winter especially when plants are shallow rooted like camellia and rhododendrons, and potted plants with roots out grown containers. With applications of complete plant food and compost this condition will be rectified. Plant specific slow release fertilisers on offer make it easy to choose the right one and each time it rains or you water the garden food is released to plants. If you have not trimmed back ornamental grass's yet do it now, cut the old seeded ends well back and clean out the dead thatch around the base, its amazing how much you will need to cart away after this hair cut but they will look wonderful and will grow back to their soft wafting shape in no time. Use what you have cut off as mulch around the garden, a cover for the compost or in the chook or calf shed if you have any. I bet the weeds are growing well at your place as they are at mine! I had the sprayer out last week and I see this week it is working so it must be warm enough now. With the ground being so soft hand and hoe weeding is really easy, get them out before they take off and seed everywhere, or dig them in before they seed. Lawns After all the snow & rain moss will thrive in lawns, pathways and garden structures. There are a lot of products out there to deal with moss but killing the moss in lawns is simply a short term measure they do nothing by way of treating the basic problem of moss in lawns. They simply kill the moss which is there. It will return If you really want to eradicate moss from your lawn, then you have to find out the actual problem that is causing it, the reasons are various, but not too difficult to isolate. Moss is a sign that something is basically wrong with your lawn. Things that would be causing moss in your lawn could be: Water logging - in winter or summer. Poor feeding regime - usually shown by light green grass. Soil too acid - carry out a test, lime may be needed. Shaded Lawns - overhanging trees or large shrubs. Mowing lawns too close is a very common cause, for it weakens the grass allowing moss to take hold Drought - if severe enough to harm or kill the grass. Not to be confused with a bit of summer-browning Sandy - free-draining soils. This can weaken the grass and allow moss to take over. Some mosses are quite happy in these conditions. Compaction - continued use by children and pets with no remedial attention by way of aeration in the Autumn. Generally, lawns that are well maintained - which includes being well fed, cut properly, aerated and de-thatched - problems which result in moss should not occur, moss rarely competes with strong growing grass in lawns. Get the grass growing properly starting with the first spring feeding and rake in humus (compost or sieved soil) to add more body, this will encourage worms as well. Slow release grass fertliser is ideal when the ground is wet and rain is about. Treating small areas of lawn moss can be carried out with sulphate of iron watered on at the strength displayed on the pack per sq meter. The moss will turn black and after a couple of weeks you can rake out the dead moss and re-seed. Vegetables Pick winter crops while still at their best - Fold cauliflower leaves over and tie to protect from frost and keep florets tight. Asparagus is a vegetable that repays planting over many years. To prepare beds cultivate deeply and add generous amounts of compost. Existing asparagus beds should be cultivated carefully to avoid damaging the crowns that lie just below the surface, add a new layer of mulch. Here on the coast get spring sowings off to an early start now, use a row of cloches if you have them or stretch out a length of clear polythene to warm and dry out the soil, particularly further inland where the soil will take a bit of thawing out before any planting Can be done. Fruit With fruit trees being well budded up and blossoming we need some sunny days for the bees to come out to turn the blossom into fruit. Keep spray away when the bees are about. Citrus are susceptible to water logging so remove saucers from under potted lemon bushes while it is so wet and always ensure that your bushes in the ground have good drainage and are not sitting in a puddle of water. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago August 13th 2013

Another good rain here in North Otago this week but leaving the ground wet and soggy when it was just starting to dry out. I am sure nature knows what it is doing and the trees and plants are not complaining, however it is a pain for gardeners wanting to get on with early spring gardening. It is best to keep off wet ground, the last thing soil needs is compacting. To prepare for spring, treat your garden to a late-winter pep-up by digging in plenty of organic matter, such as compost and manure. then remove weeds and apply snail and slug control measures to reduce any winter population build up, slugs love wet conditions. I set to cutting back my wigelias and spirea's, these are lovely old fashioned deciduous shrubs with no center trunk, they send long canes up from the ground that cover themselves in small light & dark flowers in late spring. I remove all the old branches that have flowed long enough, you can tell which branches they are because the wood looks really old and spent compared to the new fresh wood there ready and waiting to take their place. My hypericum (St Johns Wort,green leafed evergreen shrub with large bright yellow flowers got a chop as well, right down to the ground. It had grown really big over a number of years with most of its new growth only on the top. After a couple of days after the chop it was pushing out new growth and will be a manageable bush again soon. Lift and divide perennials such as delphiniums, chrysanthemums, asters and astilbes. Sow seeds of: alyssum, begonia, californian poppy, carnation, celosia, chrysanthemum, cosmos, dahlia, delphinium, dianthus, gypsophila, honesty, nemesia, marigold, pansy, petunia, phlox, portulaca, salvia, snapdragon, sunflower, verbena, viola, viscaria, and zinnia,. Plant seedlings of: alyssum, aquilegia, canterbury bells, carnations, cornflower, cosmos, cineraria, delphinium, pansies, polyanthus, poppy, gypsophila, forget-me not, hollyhock, stock, and viola, .. Want a tree with stunning blooms the size of your hand? The New Zealand-bred Jury magnolia, ‘Felix’ has hot pink flowers up to 30cm wide and mass-blooms in early spring. Growing to 5m, it’s ideal for smaller gardens and needs little pruning. On a smaller scale the new fairy magnolia blush is proving to be a winner for a pretty hedge and looks great in a pot, this magnolia / michelia cross grows 4m high and 3m wide after 10 years, likes full sun or semi shade. Apply a dressing of Rose Food to establish Rose's and Water in well. Lawns: August can be a tricky time of the year for your lawn. This is because we don’t really know exactly what weather we are going to get Fertiliser now to for food to be available when needed. You may find the growth rate of grass increase from now on so it is important to keep on top of your mowing and because this is proving to be a mild August you may consider a broad leaf weed spray to take out any undesirable species that have come into your lawn during winter. Vegetables: With my raised gardens being in a sunny location I feel they have not had enough hard frosts this winter to break up the soil. I am still digging carrots and parsnips using silver beet, and the leeks are growing well, it is so good not to have to worry about the bugs and white butterflies at this time of the year. Onions: although onions prefer a sunny position with a rich but light soil, they will do well in most soils as long as it is firm. You can grow them in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Seeds should be sown at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. When planting, space plants 5-10 cm, seed trays don't have to be in a greenhouse, any sheltered spot will do to guard against rapid changes of temperature, especially at night. Downy mildew, neck rot and white rot are the most common diseases that attack onions. To avoid these, plant disease-resistant varieties and keep the garden clean of diseased debris. If your veg garden is further inland start adding some compost and a little lime now in readiness for when you plant out later this month. Fruit: I have finished pruning my wine grapes - this year I have had to remove some old leaders, replacing them with new growth leaders along wires. The result of this will be vertical budding and fruiting next year. To prune a fruiting leader remove all new long growth on the vine other than the fruiting leader, on the leaders prune each new growth back to the second bud. These fruiting buds should be around a hand space apart to ensure adequate sized fruit, this means removing some of the new bud growth along the top of the leader and all of the new bud growth growing underneath. Some of these new budding top growths will throw two lots of bud branch, remove the least stronger one leaving only one lot of double buds to produce fruit. This applies to domestic grown grapes as well. Citrus trees may need to be covered against late winter frosts in sheltered areas. New season’s fruit trees particularly pip and stone fruit can be planted out now. August can be a tricky time of the year for your lawn. This is because we don’t really know exactly what weather we are going to get. Fertiliser to keep your lawn thick and healthy You may find the growth rate of grass increase so it is important to keep on top of your mowing If we have a mild August you may consider a broad leaf weed spray to take out any undesirable species that may have come into your lawn during winter. I see a few bees at work already which is a good sign for the soon to be happening fruit blossom pollination. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 6th August 2013

Some soft rain and dull damp days start this week but still much is beginning to awake in the garden, I feel spring in the air with swelling of buds, fragrance from winter sweet, witch hazel, Daphne, boronia, and violets wafting to the music I am lucky enough to have playing around our garden. The birds are beginning to nest and I see the first blossom, jonquils, and daffodils gracing fence lines in our garden and about the town. We are coming to the end of pruning with cold, rose-prickled fingers, humping straw bales and barrows of gravel, muddy clothes, and gumboots. It is now time for me to create and dress the garden by planting out, shifting, and feeding. I have been liquid feeding with worm tea from my worm farm, adding at the strength of black tea to a full watering can, then applying generously to all new leaf, budding and flowering plants like polyanthus, forget-me-nots, dianthus, sweet peas, pansy, viola. Any new plantings can be Helped along by feeding now to get their roots going and keep them green and strong through any cold snaps yet to come. Slow-release fertiliser is a great idea now as well, sprinkle around established ornamental and newly planted trees and shrubs to be there ready when the plants need food as they awaken. This week I noticed nice fat buds swelling on the stems of my hydrangeas, I started pruning the more sheltered bushes a couple of weeks back but still left the more exposed a little longer. Prune only those stems that have flowered, cut at the second bud from the bottom, and leave all other stems because these are the flowers for this year. Spread old stable manure around the drip line and a dressing of lime for pink flowers and aluminum sulphate for blue, White never changes, but is best planted in light shade – the flowers will tinge pink in the full sun. It is much easier to control the colour of hydrangeas in a pot, if the PH of your soil is high blue hydrangeas will always revert to pink no matter how often you add aluminum to the soil. If your PH is too high and you want to grow blue hydrangeas in large pots, it would be best to use an acid tree and shrub mix. Using coffee grinds, grass clippings or pine needles spread around the drip line can help lower the PH of pink hydrangeas in the garden and encourage shade into shades of purple. I have found I can pull rooted branches from the base of big old gnarly hydrangea bushes, these take a few years to bush up but it is a sure way to replicate a special variety that has become too large and old for the spot it is planted in. cuttings taken from the hardened geranium stems can be taken now, fresh grown geraniums give amazing colour to a warm sunny garden for all of the growing season and even into the winter, they are so easy to grow from cuttings. Take shortcuttings, semi-hardwood, (not a new green steam), and let them dry out a little before planting, this means you don't have to deal with them straight away. Plant them firmly into a soil and river sand mix, Potting mix is too light to get a tight seal around the cutting. I am forever taking cuttings from geraniums. I like it when I come across them in friends' gardens and give cuttings from mine. Trim dentata lavender now if you haven't already, and it is looking untidy. Dentata is a tall growing one with pale lavender bumblebee flowers and serrated leaves.They will recover quickly from a cutback because they are budding up now, but Leave trimming other lavenders until it is warmer. Lavenders like sweetening up with a dressing of lime now. Time to cut back leggy, straggly bush lavatera now also, they get very woody if left. Keep planting dahlias and gladioli, from now until September. With roses making a move to budding up they will need food to draw on, powdered rose food needs watered in around the drip line, slow slow-release fertiliser will work each time it rains. Trees and Roses are still available in Garden Centres. If you think your garden is too small for trees, I have seen dwarf Peach and Nectarine Trees on offer, what better if you need a little tree to add height in a part of your garden why not have one that blossoms beautifully and then gives you fruit?They are perfect for the smaller garden as they only grow to a width and height of 1.5 meters. They can also be grown in a tub and require very little pruning. There are masses of bedding plants on offer now and the ground temperature is warming up now to get them growing. Vegetables The vegetable garden has been enjoying the rain, it is so good not to have to worry about the bugs during these colder months when planting out leaf veg. Cold and frosty areas inland can make a start now by adding some compost and a little lime in readiness for when you plant out later this month. Let's hope the dull overcast days are over by the time the fruit trees blossom so the bees will come out and set to work pollinating. Keep an eye on peach and nectarine trees, if they are just at bud burst it will be time to spray a copper fungicide to prevent leaf curl. When they are in flower it is too late to spray. The Waireka Valley Lions Club are having trouble locating wool sheds to bag sheep manure for their stalls, I for one would be disappointed if I was unable to fill the boot of my car when needed. If there are Farms in the district that can help keep up the supply please ring Alistair Mavor ph: 03 4371976Cheers, Chers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago July 30 2013

What a lovely winters week we are having in North Otago as I write this, warm sun and blue sky's. Trees and shrubs have been moving around our garden this week, now that trees are bare I can see where some trees and shrubs would be better in another place. If you have shrubs or trees that you feel would do better in another part of the garden, dig them up carefully and shift them now in winter while they are dormant. Doing this will Give them time to adjust to a new home before spring growth really starts. Once dug out, dig a hole twice the size of the root ball, cut back any damaged roots. Invest in some peat moss to put in the bottom of the planting hole, add water to wet the peat and new feeder roots will grow well. Each large transplant should to be staked well against the coming winds until new roots have established well enough to hold it. Best to get all your winter pruning done before the end of the month, with the many mild day's being experience spring bud burst could be early. Once roses are all pruned they can be sprayed with a copper spray mixed with winter oil to clean up disease and seal cuts. Follow directions printed on containers. Cut back potted chrysanthemums. and plant into garden if space permits. Well cooked compost can be spread around on the soil surface to suppress weed growth and allow the worms to work it into the soil, I intend to do this soon having had the hose out this week. The sunny areas of my garden were looking very dry on top, I am sure there is moisture further down but the shallow rooted plants were very much in need of a drink. The moist compost added to the top of planted gardens will encourage new feeder roots, enabling plants to thrive and keep growing well on those warmer winter days. Watering at this time of the year should be done early in the day allowing time for the plants to dry before the cold evenings. Vegetable garden It's time to start tidying up the garden in preparation for spring planting. Clear weeds and give a dressing of manure, compost and a little lime to the soil where you have recently grown crops, this will prepare for the next round of planting. However not all crops like lime – potatoes and tomatoes don't, but peas, beans and capsicums love it as do the worms. Plant Cauliflowers and Cabbage seedlings and sow early Peas. In warmer areas you can also plant butter crunch Lettuce, Silver beet and Broccoli seedlings and Onions. Lay seed Potatoes out in a tray and get them sprouting. Asparagus crowns are now available and can be planted out in a well composted and fertilised bed. (no animal manure ) If you planted a green crop, cut down and dig in crops such as mustard, lupin and oats. These add humus and help improve soil fertility. They need to becut down before they flower and dug into the soil shallowly. It will take at least a month to six weeks for them rot down before replanting new veges. Fruit Blackcurrants and Gooseberries – Prune out the dead canes, and old growth, leaving the healthy new growth. Raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries, and loganberries - Complete pruning them this month, by removing dead and weak growth and the old canes that flowered and fruited last season. Leave the strong healthy canes and tie them to a support. Strawberries - Weed and fertilise. Spray with copper oxychloride to prevent fungus diseases. Citrus and tamarillo will be ripening and colouring up with the odd frosty days we have had. Prune citrus shrubs as you pick the fruit by cutting stems out to open up the bush to the sun so as to encourage new growth and flowers in spring. If your lemons are dry and pithy this winter it will be most probably due to a lack of nitrogen last summer when the fruit was developing. Give your bushes plenty of nitrogen next summer, nitrophoska blue would do the trick. I have seen tamarillo growing here in North Otago on the coast, the cheerful bright red fruit are wonderful to see in a winter garden and will withstand coastal frosts. For best flavour let them fall, rather than picking them off the tree. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 24th July

Another good weather week for Oamaru I have heard. I am lucky enough to be in Tauranga this week and notice that North Otago temperatures are sometimes higher than here, what a great place to call home. Up here gardens are at least a month ahead of us, magnolias and michelia doltsopa are flowering and camellias look like they have been flowering for some time. The native bush is lush and plentiful and what a glorious display the pohutukawa and rata must give when all in flower later in the year. If I were battling away in my garden I would be pruning roses and feeding plants with manure rich compost to give them plenty to draw on when growing starts again. Keep planting seeds: In warmer areas sow cornflowers, pansies, violas and columbines (aqualegia) In very cold areas wait until next month to sow flowers. I have just been reading about taking root cuttings from oriental poppies, I have done this with perennial phlox, Japanese anemones, acanthus, verbascum, Shasta daisy, and many other clump forming perennials, now I will try taking root sections from oriental poppies because these are a favorite of mine. I like to see them planted in groups,as they are this year in the town plot surrounding the war memorial. Lift plants carefully out of the ground and use a clean sharp knife to cut the roots into sections, remove two thirds of stalk and leaves then replant where a mid to tall display is needed, I will let you know how they take. Still lots of time left to prepare soil for spring planting, as I have mentioned before add manure enriched compost and lime if you think the ground is sour. Cheers. Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 16th July 2013

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013 Gardening in North Otago 16th July 2013 Another good weather week for North Otago and a good productive week again in the garden for me. We are getting the good hard frosts we need now so I covered plants like bougainvillea, hibiscus, pelargonium and young daisy bushes. The first hard frost took the front of my large bougainvillea but hopefully it is still protected further in by the damaged outer growth and I don't lose it all together. Established Margarette daisy bushes will take a knock from the frosts but just leave them here on the coast if they have frosted on outside growth, this will protect the new growth beneath. In land towards Kurow gardeners will need to take cuttings of daisy bushes, geranium and pelargonium and protect them until spring because the frosts are too harsh for that soft growth. I have decided to leave most of my hydrangeas until buds show signs of shooting, as I mentioned last week I did prune some very protected hydrangea bushes but need to stop myself from being tempted to start on any others until nearer spring. But you can give pink hydrangeas a dressing of lime now to keep them pink and blue hydrangeas a dressing of sulphate of allium or the specially prepared blue hydrangea mix that can be bought from the garden centres. This week I attacked a group of large leggy rhododendrons that had leaves, buds and blooms only on the top of long woody branches taller than myself. I was only going to cut the woody non productive wood off because the bushes were beginning to flower, however once I started I ended up cutting them all right back to a healthy bulging nodule and then they got compost and straw, they should push out new bushy growth in the spring. More rose pruning this week as well, I had to invest in some new secateurs as the pair I have been using were not cutting clean and rips on a rose prune will not allow the cut to seal this which will result in die back and can sometimes claim a whole branch. Because roses should ideally be planted during dormancy, new varieties will be available from garden centres this month. If winter has left your garden looking a little too bleak, the local garden centres will also have nice potted colour to brighten things up. I have noticed pansy's, wall flower, polyanthus and primula malacoides which look fresh and bright planted in groups or as a border. Vegetables This week I planted some more garlic cloves, the list of facts, benefits and legends surrounding Garlic are so many and so varied, garlic has been a staple in both the pantry and the medicine cupboard for century's. The shortest day is traditionally garlic planting time but it is still ok to plant it now. Plants can be grown from the small, separate cloves which need to be planted pointed end up, five to seven cm below the soil surface and about 10 to 15 cm apart in a sunny, well drained location and well prepared soil with plenty of organic matter worked through. Garlic will also grow well in containers or pots. Plants grow to about 60-90cm tall during winter and spring, and flower before the top growth dies off over summer. Water regularly during summer when bulbs are forming and add liquid fertiliser to encourage bulb growth. Before planting source bulbs from a garden centre as garlic bought form a supermarket may have been sprayed to inhibit sprouting. Time to start preparing the soil for spring planting. Cultivate vacant spaces, digging in green crops sown earlier. Add compost, and lime if you feel the garden needs humus and sweetening. Fruit Winter is the time you will find the best selection of fruit trees in garden centres. It may be cold and miserable outside but it's the best time to buy your trees for planning. They are usually grafted and tall growing so plant up to where they were planted in the bag and stake well to protect against the wind. A tip I read the other day that could work to eradicate codling moth attacking apple trees. quarter fill a tin or plastic milk container with treacle and hang in the tree it is said to attract male grubs because the treacle is said to smell like the female codling moths pheromone attracting the male grub into the container to reach a sticky end. A double bonus is that the treacle will attract grub eating birds. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago July 9th 013

With the mild weather we had been getting there are definite signs of spring around coastal gardens, once plants have moved into the first stages of budding they should continue to bud up during the sunny winter days, camellias and rhododendrons are getting a head start and spring bulbs are well on which may mean we are in for an early spring. Daphne’s are in flower now along with hellebore's, primroses and polyanthus. Primroses are so pretty and clump up well and in time can be broken up spread around to add colour to a winter garden. If you are at the stage to break up clumps remove quite a few leaves on transplanting, they will soon grow more along with new roots to support them. Polyanthus and primulas will benefit from an application of Dried Blood to increase plant vigour and flowering. Under glass sow seeds of antirrhinum (snapdragon), carnation, calendula (common marigold) sweet peas, verbena and viola for planting out in Spring. Dahlias, gladioli, and peonies are also coming into Garden centres this month and can be planted now in good draining soil, if you think there is a chance they would sit in wet soggy soil over winter they may rot, planting can continue until September. As I mentioned last week, If young trees or shrubs need transplanting now is a good time to do it whilst they are at their most dormant stage. Remember to continue protecting plants like Margarete daisies and pelargoniums from frosts with Frost Cloth if in severe frost area. Turn over compost now if you have not already done so and add some moisture if the pile is dry. Cover with plastic or straw to hold any heat which will be accumulateing in the center. If you still have leaves to Rake up why not fill large black rubbish bags,add a little water and leave to rot. Leaf mulch is such natural benefit to soil which we tend to remove at leaf fall stage because it looks untidy.Rotting it down in this way you can then add it to the soil and it will not be noticed. pruning is still going on here in my garden, as well as roses I have made an early start on some of the more sheltered hydrangeas by cutting back canes that have flowered at the second bud from the bottom, leave all canes without a spent flower on top because these will support the new seasons flowers. In colder areas I would leave hydrangeas until they really start bursting bud, the spent flowers on top are protecting the new forming buds. This is a good time to reduce the width of gardens, I find with trimming grass edges with a line trimmer gardens tend to increase in width slightly each year, to the point where after a number of years I need to reduce width by filling in back to the original line with sifted soil, then resowing grass. Garden borders do not need to be wide to give a colourful display, wide borders mean digging and unnecessary work and expense filling them. If you have borders getting choked with clumps of bulbs leaving not a lot of room for other plantings put a sharp spade through the clumps now and remove half before the bulbs put on too much growth. Bulbs are always sort after by gardeners so you will have no trouble giving them away if you have no room for them yourself. At this time of the year I make a few trips to the Waireaka sale yards to the Waireaka Valley Lions Club sawdust and sheep manure stand, volunteers clean out calving sheds and under shearing sheds to keep the stand topped up for keen gardeners. I use the sawdust on some garden pathways. Sawdust can also be used on wet gardens as a weed suppressant, it helps to absorb excess moisture, but never on dry gardens. I use sheep manure on the compost heaps, the vegetable garden and around the roses when horse manure is not at hand. Vegetables: In cold areas start raising vegetable seeds for spring planting in glass houses or under glass or plastic with ventilation spaces to circulate air and stop seeds going mouldy. On the coast plant seedling plants that are now on offer along with garlic cloves. Gardeners I have long known the advantages of growing comfrey but have lately been reading up on it again, it is such a useful plant and if you can get your hands on some I suggest you plant some root sections in an area of your garden where it can spread, it needs to be planted where it can send it's roots very deep down into the soil so it can tap into much needed nutrients. Comfrey is fast growing, high in potassium and can be cut back again and again. I have listed below some uses for comfrey around the garden. 1. Compost activator, add to your compost bin to heat up the decomposing materials and enriches the compost. 2. Put a handful of comfrey leaves into a bucket of rainwater and let them rot down for around 6 weeks to give you a rich liquid fertilizer for plants. 3. Lay comfrey leaves in a potato trench and leave for 3 days prior to planting seed potatoes to give them a potassium rich boost of fertiliser. 4. Use as a Comfrey leaf mulch around plants, by layering leaves around the stems of plants, potassium will slowly be released to the plants as the leaves break down – Great for tomatoes, beans and fruit bushes. 5. Use wilted leaves as a nutrient rich Chicken feed. Cheers, Linda