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