Last Thursday & Friday I just had to tackle the box hedges before the very full on weekend, hence my walking about like a half shut pocket knife for days after!! box is sooooo low to the ground and mine need to have all the new spring growth removed to keep them the size required. However the box hedging up our long walk had snuck up higher than required over the years so I needed to cut the height down by a third. This left an obvious scaring on the top with sun burning the tender exposed new growth, in a couple of weeks new leaves will remedy this and the hedge will look as if it has always been the height it is now.
Last Sunday our garden was one of six local gardens full of garden enthusiasts enjoying the " Inspirational garden tour" to raise funds for cancer here in North Otago, the day was beautiful and the fundraiser a great success, a real credit to the many busy people who put their time in to make it happen.
I have divided clumps of violas because they have finished flowering now; I just dig up part of a large clump and basically pull it to bits planting into pots sections with roots, by the start of next winter the small pots will be filled with roots, new leaves and buds ready to be planted out.
The same for pollyanthus & primulas, break up clumps; plant out only fresh new growth and throw away knotted old spent roots.
There is still time to divide agapanthus, large and dwarf varieties. they can get a bit clump bound which reduces their flowering.
Dig out the whole clump (if it is still manageable enough to do this), then pull off smaller root balls and plant out on their own using fresh compost to get the roots going again. Agapanthus are great gap fillers in new gardens, they can always be removed as you fill your garden with permanent plants.
If you have, or can get hold of some aged compost that has finished working and is ready to put on the garden you will be able to make compost tea.
Compost Tea is a nutritionally rich, well-balanced, organic plant food made by steeping aged compost in water. The water is then diluted and used as a root / or foliar feed. It is also noted for its ability to control various plant diseases (blights, molds, wilts, etc. when used as a foliar spray), to repel and control insect pests and their damage when used on a regular basis, and to encourage the growth of beneficial soil bacteria which results in healthier, more stress-tolerant plants. The basic recipe most often recommended is as follows:
1 large container with lid (plastic rubbish bin works well) enough aged, completed compost to fill an old pillow case 1/2-3/4 full. Fill the container with water, place the compost filled pillowcase (cheese cloth bag or pantyhose also work well), tie off the top and submerge in the container of water. Cover (to prevent odor and insect problems) and let steep for a MINIMUM of 2 weeks. This steeping time is crucial to the formation of beneficial bacteria and the required fermentation process. When finished, dip out the tea and dilute it (3 parts water to 1 part tea) and use weekly as root food for all plants.
The following factors will determine the quality of the finished tea: Use well-aged, finished compost - Fresh compost can burn the plants or contain harmful pathogens and compost past its best will be nutritionally deficient. If using purchased compost it should contain a portion of aged animal manure which apparently remains active longer than compost made up only of plant matter. Dilute it a little more when using on young seedlings. The remaining tea can continue to steep until needed.
(It is important to note that COMPOST TEA AND MANURE TEA ARE NOT THE SAME THING. Manure tea can be made in the same way but is not generally recommended as foliar spray and is not as nutritionally well-balanced, I find roses do well when applied around roots.
Time to start spraying roses for green fly and disease if you have not already started. Shield takes care of both if you follow the instructions and spray at the suggested intervals. Keep the food up as they flower, it's hungry roses that are more susceptible to disease. Slow release rose fertiliser will feed each time you water.
Weeds are starting to mature and make seeds, get them out before they do, most are easy to pull when they have grown a bit. I am still battling with convolvulus,so have resorted to pulling it off plants then searching for ground level regrowth to appear for me zap with round up which should travel right back along the root runners and kill them. I find it too risky spraying around the plants it is clambering over and a ground level zap on new growth is a much shorter distance for the spray to be effective.
Vegetables:
Keep mounding the potatoes to keep them producing more and more new potatoes for Christmas, consistent watering is important for potatoes now, this goes for all root vegetables. Leafy veg don't need any extra feeding at this time of the year it will just encourage them to bolt. Plant only as many seedling plants you think you would use when ready and hold back and keep in the shade other small seedling plants from the same batch until needed.
Keep pumpkin and squash plants mulched, their roots are fragile until their large leaves grow to create the root shade needed. All new small plants can be over watered to the point where their roots cannot cope and they collapse, the soil should be dry on top between watering's and good drainage is essential .
Cheers, Linda
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