Gardening in North Otago May 7th 2014

A couple of nice days this week and Just enough wind to help dry the ground out a little and help with the leaf drop. Still raking and making compost. Because we are smack bang in the middle of compost using and making time this is what is taking up most of my gardening time just now, so I thought I would go on about compost, yet again! Compost is humus made from organic matter, decomposed plants, manure, old stack bottom straw, anything non toxic that will break down. If you don't want to part out for a composting unit start by heaping organic matter up against a wall or inside straw bale walls on bare ground, so moisture can be drawn up. I start with a layer of animal manure, (worms are sure to work their way up if a fresh layer of manure has been spread on bare ground) then follow with grass clippings, leaves, sawdust or straw (if you have on hand). A sprinkle of lime between the layers will sweeten then most important water as you layer. Repeat until the heap is the size required while there is still heat in the sun to enable the heap to heat up and start working. Winter is the only time I use hen manure which will assist in the heating. Theses heaps can be aerated by laying slim planks of wood between some layers which can be pushed up and down from time to time as the heap compacts down. A heap built up around a roll of wire netting will allow aeration as well. If there is no room for a compost heap leaves can be put into large plastic bags, with the addition of a little fertiliser and left in a warm place, by spring you will have great leaf mould which is especially good for adding to the soil when planting vegetables and annual flowers. I consider conifers along with large tree's the bones of any garden and now that leaves are disappearing from deciduous trees I am appreciating the wonderful conifers I planted many years ago. To find the right conifer for a particular spot needs a little homework, thankfully Garden center assistants should have the knowledge required. Tell them what size space has been allotted to a conifer, what shape and colour is preferred and I am sure there will be one to suit. I like to team conifers up with erica's & callunias, they also stand out during the cold winter months when interest is needed. You will find really nice examples of both conifers and erica's & calluna's in Garden centers in the next few weeks. This week I sprayed the moss and darkening on all the Oamaru stone and tiled areas we have in this garden, if the discolouration is really bad I use a bleach product like 30 seconds but in the last couple of years I have has good success with using wet & forget which works each time it rains. I usually do this job in early spring but with all the rain we have had the moss is thriving so thought I would remove it now and then again in spring if it is still a problem. Lawns have still not slowed down and will not until we get hard frosts, I have sown grass seed on the bare patches (only in very sunny areas) in the hope the ground will stay warm long enough for it to germinate but I have probably wasted my time and will need to re -sow in spring. Don't wast lawn fertiliser on grass now, save it for spring. Vegetables: Plant garlic, board beans, cabbage, carrots, and spinach here on the coast, further inland forget about the vegetable garden apart from planting a green crop to be dug in and left to break down over winter. I would like to plant our pup Scruff in a pot until he gains some sense! but it's eyes in the back of my head as well as in the front that is required each time I have him in the garden with me. He is so fast out on to the road, lead and all, targets are the Postman on his scooter, joggers, cars pulling into the neighbours fresh eggs box across the road...one poor lady opened her car door and in he jumped and pinned her to the seat in a lick attack!! All leads have been checked, and looking into the electric force thing that is said to keep dogs where they should be. Cheers, Linda.