Gardening in North Otago

School holidays and rain! we wanted it and we sure got it ! Rain was needed here in North Otago but hard on the Mum's during that week with Bord Children and soggy washing. The autumn colours are amazing, becoming more intense as this month moves on. I am still busy bedding the garden down for winter, and still cutting back summer flowering perennials and annuals which have become long and lanky to clear the ground for the compost each plant will receive before the pea straw is placed around. The piles of soft plant matter go onto the compost but the stringy hard wood piles are discarded. The more we can put back on the garden the more the garden benefits. . .After the rain and the ground still warm we should take advantage and sow spring flowering seeds now, this will give plants a head start and the seedlings carried through winter are much stronger and will do better than the new punnets of seedlings on offer come spring. The top growth will stop but roots still keep on growing strong Seeds to sow outside now: are Alyssum, aquilegia, calendula, cornflower, perennial lupins, statice, stock, sweet peas. Seeds to sow under cover: Antirrhinum (snap dragon) dianthus, pansy, viola, poppy, scabious, sweet William, pollyanthas, primrose and primulas. If you still have not lifted gladioli corms do it soon and after cleaning and drying dust with flowers of sulpher before storing in old pantie hose or paper bags, never plastic. Tall asters have been flowering for a while and are now at the stage of falling all over the place without support. Make a note on your calendar to cut back their new growth by half at the end of next September. This will make them grow bushier rather than very tall. Asters exhaust the soil as the clumps get bigger so divide often when finished flowering. Because I am leaving the hydrangeas to finish the wonderful autumn show they are offering, I have been taking some hard wood cuttings as I cannot get enough of these wonderful plants and it takes a few seasons for cuttings to grow into a good sized bush. Hydrangea Cuttings: Select cuttings from the base of the back or side of a mature hydrangea bush, look for a non flowering shoot with 2 to 3 pairs of leaves. It is important to look for a cutting near the base of the plant, woodier cuttings will produce more roots. Make sure you select your cuttings in the morning with sharp clippers and cut at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) below a leaf node. Cuttings should be at least 5 to 6 inches (12.7 to 15.2 cm ) in length, cut off leaves below the top leaf pair, being careful to cut above the leaf nodes. By removing these leaves the plant will produce more roots, then trim top leaves by half. Dip the bottom of hydrangea cuttings in rooting hormone. You can use either a liquid or powder form of rooting hormone. Hydrangea cuttings will propagate without rooting hormone, but roots will grow more quickly if you use it. Prepare pots for your hydrangea cuttings, Use a soil mix that is 1 part potting mix or peat moss to 1 part river sand and dampen, check to make sure there are no dry areas in the soil. Stick the cuttings into the prepared pot, push down gently until the cutting is 2 inches (5.1 cm) into the soil. Allow the hydrangea cuttings to root. It will usually take 2 to 3 weeks for cuttings to root, but it may happen more quickly depending on temperature and humidity. Place potted cuttings outdoors if your outside in a sheltered area protected from wind with partial shade. Move potted cuttings indoors if you are experiencing very cold temperatures. Make sure the rooting hydrangea cuttings receive partial or filtered sunlight. Do not over water, soil shouldn't become soggy, over watering can lead to rot. Roses Because roses and a number of other plants are coming into their end of the season, diseases such as black spot, mildew and rusts will appear. This is natural and it is often a waste of time and money trying to combat them now. On the other hand, young plants such as celery, pansies can be protected with sprays of baking soda. Lawns: The lawns are slowing down now, I have given mine a dressing of lime to keep them sweet over winter, if put on now the benefits will be had in spring. Keep off wet lawns as much as possible too much traffic will compact the soil which encourages grass to die off leaving bare patches where grass will not rejuvenate. This month is the very last chance you will have to deal to grass grub with grass grub granules, they start their winter hibernation in May. The granules need to be rained or watered in. Vegetables: I started on my first new seasons pumpkin through the week, it had been ripened to perfection, most of my crop are lined up against a warm wall out of the rain to dry out and keep ripening more away from the danger of an early frost. If pumpkins are are big and sound hollow when you knock them they are ready to pick. Now the ground is wet again snails & slugs will be about to feast on newly planted seedlings, protection can be obtained by removing the caps from clear, plastic bottles, cutting off the bases and placing over each of the plants until they get bigger, this will create a green house effect on chilly nights as well. Easter or Anzac day are traditionally the times to plant broad beans,if you missed those times any time now is good. Fruit: Remove dead wood from stone fruit trees including plums, nectarines and peaches. Be ready for the coming of winter by planting fruit trees on offer in bags, If they’re in the ground this month, they will have all winter to establish healthy root systems while dormant. If you miss doing this now a large number of bare rooted fruit trees will soon be dug and for sale in garden centers in June/July. Here on the coast take advantage of the still warm ground to benefit from quick-growing plants; your larder will thank you for it! Sow or plant: leeks, turnips, broad beans, silver beet, spinach, cabbages, cauliflower, peas, beetroot & broccoli. The Valley rugby club are taking orders for small bales of pea straw delivered Ph: John McKenzie 034343133 Gardening by the moon April 21st / 28th new moon During the time from the new moon to about half- full, plant annuals with above-ground yields, particularly leafy plants which produce their seed outside the fruit. Some examples of first quarter plants are asparagus, cabbage, celery, endive, and spinach. Cheers, Linda