Gardening in North Otago 26th March 2014

More rain this week, this is not what I call autumn! the grass is staying green and weeds are growing like they do in spring but if the hoe is kept on the go while weeds are small in this soft ground they wont get away on us like they do in spring. ( wishful thinking?) I am still cutting back heaps because everything is really tired now. Once I start chopping back at this time of the year there is no stopping me leaving destruction in my wake. Cut back, lift and divide summer flowering perennials. Plants that got the chop in my garden: Acanthus mollis (bears britches), tall phlox, day lilies, hellebore leaves, buddleia, honey suckle, abutilon, evergreen viburnum, alstromeria, Hebe's, iris and all leggy, gone to seed herbs. While working my way around I dealt to all my bearded iris's by cutting leaves back by two thirds and making sure the top of rhizomes were above ground to bake in the autumn sun. I have shifted a lot out from shade into sunny well drained locations. Iris's are well worth the trouble of growing and look wonderful planted together in their own bed enabling them to put on a grand display on their own. 6-8 weeks after blooming rhizomes can be divided leaving a chunk of rhizome and roots to every new division. I have also divided and re potted clumps of water iris. To re pot water iris line a plastic pot ( that will stand the top heaviness of the iris when tall) with sacking, or loose woven material place a generous amount of gravel on that then some soil, a little stable manure, or slow release fertiliser granules, plant iris then add another layer of gravel. The gravel on the bottom and top helps to prevent manure or fertiliser leaching from the pot while at the same time weighting the pot down when the iris becomes top heavy. Remove seed heads from ornamental grass if you have not already done so, they just pull away with a rake, grass clumps will look a lot tidier. Clumps can now be trimmed back if getting too big or divided by putting a spade through the middle and removing half. Sometimes I have to dig the whole grass out to do this, then put the spade through and pull apart while standing on one half of the clump. If thinking of adding Rose's, or more roses to your garden I suggest you look at rose variety books or go on line to make your choices before getting your order into Garden centers. New seasons roses will begin arriving in June and by ordering now you will be sure not to miss out. When putting in a new rose bed be sure to take note of heights & widths because they will be all growing together and you would not want some out growing and shading others. It takes 6 weeks from a rose dead heading to grow a new bloom, here on the coast we should have one more flush of blooms then bushes need to stay untouched to allow wood to harden before the big winter prune in mid July / early August. Vegetables. March is an important month for planting winter veg, prepare prior to planting with compost, general garden fertiliser and lime (only if needed to bring the Ph up), I add lime to my compost then know the garden is getting it when compost is added at this time of the year. Beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, and silverbeet seedlings and broad beans can be planted now but will need to be protected from the white butterfly. A framework or stakes to hold strawberry net stretched over plants would do the trick. In colder areas seeds of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are best sown in trays for planting out for planting out later. A green manure cover crop will germinate quickly right now to be dug in later for enriching the soil. Blue lupin, mustard or oats are good options. Parsley can be grown from seed sown now and perennial herbs such as, chives, mint, thyme, sage, and marjoram can be divided and replanted. Basil, a summer annual should be harvested before the cold weather. It can be dried or frozen. Prepare garlic beds, sow heartease (small wild pansy) for companion to garlic and onions. Fruit: Manure, mulch and compost around fruit trees while ground is warm. Late peaches should be ready to pick now. Feed citrus bushes with citrus fert, they just keep on producing flowers & fruit. Cheers, Linda