Gardening in North Otago June 26th 2014

Monday bought the first really hard frost here on the coast, so the woollies came out for me.  The brilliant days that follow a hard frost allow at least half a day to work in the garden after the thaw. No such luck further inland with frozen ground, the perfect garden planning time to be a step ahead before spring.

I have started pruning some large rambling roses here in my garden, the time by which rose pruning should be completed varies by several weeks from the warmest to coldest gardens. It should be done and dusted by the time of bud burst so we have a good two months to get rose  pruning out of the way here on the coast and a little longer further inland. There are still new seasons roses on offer and this is the time to get them planted and settled in for summer flowering. If planting new standard roses they will need staked to keep them secure until enough roots to hold them have grown. Newly bought roses also need pruned, growers just lop them back before sending them off to Garden centers so cross over branches need cut out and all others cut back to an outward facing bud.

The bulk of new seasons bare rooted deciduous trees are arriving into retail shops now and the ground is perfect for planting but avoid times when the ground is frozen or excessively wet, no roots like sitting in water especially new young roots which have not made a root ball of feeder roots. Young deciduous trees and shrubs can also be moved at this time, trim any damaged roots and cut back any that are inconveniently long.

Evergreen trees and shrubs are on offer as well, but don't be in a hurry to plant them. Keep in bags outside in a sheltered place to harden off, they can sit like this and be planted out at the end of winter. Choose now and plant later to give them a good start. I am enjoying digging out shrubs and plants that have not worked where they are planted and filling the gaps with a new look. Erica's I planted 30 + years ago are still looking wonderful, I managed to get hold of  a number of small gradeerica's to plant that will in time give drifts of bright clear colour through future winter months. Erica's are low maintenance plants, most are winter flowering, they look great planted around and among conifers. 

Fruit & Veg.

Keep planting deciduous fruit trees and bushes in a sunny site, avoid frosty hollows for early starters such as plums and pears.

Frosty sites are no disadvantage for soft fruits as winter chills will stimulate fruit buds.

Continue to shelter citrus in frosty gardens, they should be offering a lot of fruit to pick now.

In cold wet areas start garlic off in containers and plant out later when the ground warms up.

Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago 11th June 2014

More rain this week keeping us out of gardens and off soggy lawns, I have noticed a lot of spring blossom, ( mostly pretty  prunus autumnalis which flowers four times a year) and jonquils blooming around the town and we have only just come into this mild winter, I guess tree's and bulbs feel it is already spring.
Because rain has kept me out of the garden this week, time has allowed me to really look at deciduous trees and shrubs now they are bare, inspection is a must to spot any sprouting of new growth beneath the graft on a grafted tree. All large deciduous trees such as flowering cherries, magnolia, silver birch, ashes, oaks any large well grown specimen tree bought today will have been grafted onto strong growing root stock different to the top growth. From time to time the root stock will push growth out and up and because it is strong growing it will always overtake the wanted specimen. This root stock growth must be cut out before it becomes established. I have seen a few mature flowering cherry trees left to grow this way and the result is not good, a display of  beautiful pink blossom on one side and insipid root stock white blossom on the other side spoils the originally chosen tree.
Thinning out of branches on trees can be done now, if branches are crossing over each other or if there are too many in the centre  don't just shorten a branch back because it will regrow from that point, take it right out, cut on a slant leaving a short collar against the trunk.Prunus  and crab apple trees are bad for producing over crowding branches which tend to rub together encouraging disease if not removed,  But wait until spring before pruning flowering cherry trees because winter is when they can become infected with silver leaf, which will eventually kill even a large tree. Always make sure your pruning equipment is cleaned from one tree to the next, methylated spirits is good for doing this.

With the help of an arborist I have been tidying up established trees, Rowan, hoheria, silver birch, ash and oak. Tree's that really need attention each year are standard kilmarnock willows, these small ornamental willows are a ground cover willow species grafted onto a willow standard becoming a Man made, upright small weeping tree that in this form nature had no plan for. Growing along the ground as it should the dead undergrowth would rot and break down. In the upright form each seasons growth dies and builds up under new growth. The dead branches are small and brittle and easily removed by working under the new growth canopy and cutting away the past growth. If the old growth has built up over a few years a small chain saw will do the trick. Attending to this annually is best, unwanted build will make the tree top heavy, two of mine fell over in overly wet ground but have now been pulled back upright and given permanent stakes for support. Robinia mop tops need the same annual cut back, they have also been grafted onto a standard but these trees put out fresh new growth each spring so all past growth needs to be cut right back to retain the round growth habit.

Leucodendrons are taking center stage now here on the coast, they are wonderful for picking once fully hardened and will last for months picked and put in a vase, just the thing when there is not lot else to pick. Leucodendrons are easy to grow in the conditions they prefer, being full sun, good draining acid soil and staked and protected from strong winds until established. They will grow on dry banks and rough area's as long as they do not have to compete with grass and weeds. Leucodendrons resent any type of fertiliser, will not cope with hard frosts and once established will die if shifted. There are leucodendrons which grow very large, low spreaders which look great spilling over walls, low bushy types, they all add wonderful colour to a dull winter garden.

Vegetables and Fruit

Keep planting out seedling veg plants, board beans and garlic here on the coast.
Winter is also the time for planting rhubarb and asparagus crowns so prepare the ground with rich composted now, get them planted and established and in no time you will be making rhubarb crumble and asparagus rolls.

Black current bushes should have as much of the old dark shoot removed now, leaving only the light coloured smooth vigorous young growth.

Red currents don't fruit on new wood so older wood should be kept for 3 years just cut out the odd old branch yearly to encourage a few new replacements.
Give all current bushes a good two hand fulls of bone meal or blood and bone in spring to ensure a good crop of fruit.

The continuing saga of Scruff our pup who at last has had his first doggy school lesson, he went in as a mighty  ball of energy and after only 20 mins he was sitting and much quieter. It's all about the treats he receives, and the right way of giving those treats once he has done what is needed of him. I will need to remember not to apply this method to my busy Grandchildren! I don't think it would go down well with the Mum's and Dad's!!

Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago June 4th 2014

Into another month! and what a fantastic Queens Birthday weekend weather wise, and so much happening in North Otago. And a busy weekend locally, Oamaru is certainly a town with an abundance of creative energy giving locals the opportunity to take part in or just enjoy from the sidelines.

This week the pea straw went on with some energetic help, so good to get it on while the ground is still wet, the straw will keep that moisture in for Spring growth.

After the past rain we have had a chance to see areas in the garden not draining well, if you have plants that are still water logged dig them up and improve where they are growing by digging the hole deep down to the clay, which is probably the pan holding the water. Break up the clay as much as you can, put a layer of gypsum on top of the broken clay then add at least three shovels of gravel to create a sump for water to drain into. By doing this the plant of your choice can stay in that spot without drowning.

I have done the annual cutting of leaves from all my hellebore's, the under sides were infested with greenfly wintering over, wanting to pounce onto my roses come Spring. They will soon produce new fresh leaves after the beautiful flowers have popped up and flowered on their own, giving a wonderful show in the middle of Winter.

This week I have been taking root cuttings of hydrangea paniculata and a few other plants I have trouble striking cuttings from.

 Root cuttings: Taking root cuttings is one of the most reliable and economical ways to produce many perennial and woody plants. If you've ever had problems propagating some of your favorite plants, this may be the way for you to go, it is a straight forward process best done during the plant's dormant season between June and September.

For Woody Plants
Note: Many trees today have been grafted to a different root stock, only take cuttings from non grafted tree's & shrubs.

Carefully remove dirt around the roots on one side of the plant, dig fairly close to the base of the plant to make sure you find healthy roots that are pencil thick belonging to the plant you are working on, take 2 to 6 inch (2 to 15 cm) cuttings and cut into 2 to 3 inch (6 to 7.5 cm) sections. 

The best way to keep track of top end and bottom end of the cutting is to make a flat cut on top side, and a slanted cut on the bottom side. 

Plant in a deep pot, raised planter bed, or just in the soil somewhere,(frost free) put a little sand in the bottom of the hole and dust the bottom of each cutting with powdered sulfur to control fungi. making sure that the tops of the cuttings are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the soil and cover with a layer of  coarse river sand or small gravel, Water only when soil becomes dry.

For Perennial Plants.
It is usually easier to lift the entire parent plant, look for large fleshy roots, the thicker the better.Take 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cuttings the same way as above, then replant the parent plant and water in.
In three to four weeks your cuttings should be forming roots, and some even may start to push new growth.
When new shoots appear, give them some liquid fertilizer at half strength.
Once the plants are established, they can be transplanted to individual pots or moved into the garden.
List of Plants For Root Cuttings.
Crabapple, Figs, Hydrangeas, Lilacs, Mock oranges, Popler, Pussy willow, Red and yellow twig dogwoods, Old roses, Snowball bush, Weeping willow, Yucca, Aster, Bear’s breeches, tall phloxes, Gernaium, Globe,Thistle, Hollyhocks, Horseradish, aster, Oriental poppies,Primrose, Rhubarb, Sage, Sea hollies, perennial Statice Rhubarb, Sage Raspberry and Blackberry.

Roses: Clean up dead leaves under rose bushes before adding compost or mulch to prevent the spread of pests and disease. Roses can have a clean up spray with Lime Sulphur which will defoliate them and deal to scale, mites, moss & lichen, then later after pruning a Champion Copper and Conqueror Oil spray. This is the only spraying I do on my roses because at this time of the year there are no bee's, butterfly's or ladybirds around the bushes.

Keep planting lilium bulbs. These are best placed in raised beds. Don’t let the roots dry out at all.

Make early plantings of gladioli for November flowering.

Re-pot container grown buxus every second year or if they look pot bound, trim the outer roots and replace any loose soil with new potting mix. They make a huge amount of unneeded roots every year.

Plant polyanthus for a bright patch of colour a few poly's in a pot is all that's needed to brighten up any doorway.

Once wisterias have lost all leaves prune off all long and unruly canes because if you don't they will entwine themselves around established branches and keep growing thicker each year.

Veg & fruit

On the coast Sow broad beans, garlic, shallots and rhubarb in colder areas nothing much can be planted

Give fruit tree and any deciduous trees with lichen a clean up spray with lime sulphur but not apricot trees lime sulphur will burn the fruit buds.

Cheers, Linda