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