Gardening in North Otago 8th April 2014

More rain this week and cold, It's that waiting time of year again, waiting for the deciduous trees and shrubs to put on their spectacular autumn show then drop their leaves, waiting for plants to finish flowering so I can cut them back, waiting for the roses to make seed and not be tempted to cut them back until pruning time in July. It is important not to dead head roses now even though they look untidy just left, especially after all the drizzle. I have been pulling off the soggy petals which make the bushes look a little better. When a spent bloom sets seed the sap continues to be drawn up to feed these seeds and keep them developing, when this is happening the bud shoots on the steam are not activated because the sap is bypassing them to get to the seed. If we cut the seed head off the sap will go into making new growth which will be too soft to go through the winter and will most probably die back encouraging disease and stunted growth. Hard wood is needed for pruning so all I am doing with roses right now is removing and disposing of all the diseased leaves from bushes and the ground around them. I will spray soon to prevent the over wintering of rust, black spot and mildew. Guild or super shield is ok for this and will hold the bushes until a lime sulphur spray next month which should defoliate them. This is a good time to shift camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, and small conifers. Larger conifers and shrubs can to be trenched now and shifted in the winter. If roots have been removed in the shifting a third of the top growth should be removed, if you don't do this nature will do it for you. I sprayed weeds around our garden, drive way and paved areas during a dry spell this week. I usually spray at the end of a warm dry day when weeds were thirsty but have not had that option so far this autumn, however it did work because already I notice wilting. Frosts will take care of the next lot of weed that germinate so the weed spray can go away soon until spring. Lawns: Good opportunities lately with all the dampness to get the grass grub granules on, the grubs are actively eating grass roots until May and then they become dormant, re-emerging as the brown night beetles around November. Our lawns are too wet to do what is usual for me at this time of the year, de- thatching and resowing thin patches. March / April are the best months to sow a new lawn, it must be very frustrating for those wanting to prepare ground to do this with soil being so wet. Nights start cooling after the clocks go back but the ground should stay warm for another six weeks to get some seed sown when it is drier. As I mentioned last week, in autumn I give lawns that have not done well a dressing of sifted compost, about 1/2 a bucket to the sqm working it down to the roots with the back of a rake. It will improve both very light and very compact soils. Begin to give plants more light In glass houses, remove any shading and give plants less water. Vegetable & fruit Clean up sprays can be applied to all fruit trees and fruiting shrubs that have shown leaf spots. Super copper or Natures way fungus spray can be used. Any citrus bushes that have shown signs of leaf or fruit spot spray with super copper as well. Still time to sow a green crop when space becomes available in the vegetable garden, dig in veg gone to seed and annual weeds before they go to seed, it's all good humus. Keep planting winter veg, Cover pumpkins still growing if there is frost predicted. Cheers, Linda