gardening in North Otago June 10th 2015

I am away from the garden this week, firstly doing Nana duties in Wanaka then up to the Hawks bay region for a few days with it being down time for the garden. 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 winter, I guess with the mild periods experienced tree's and bulbs feel it is already spring. Milder temperatures and the odd shower is allowing plants to make soft growth which will be knocked back with real winter conditions eventually so keep an eye on tender plants like fuchsia and daphne, protect if needed. The milder days are also allowing us to potter on with the winter clean up without frost bite which is ok by me. 

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, I know I mentioned this already this month but it makes all the difference to the look and health of a tree if it is kept to grow as it was intended. for many years now formal deciduous trees have been taken from their own root stock and grafted onto stronger and more manageable root stock. 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 and sometimes new root stock will push growth out and up to compete with the grafted section, 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. I have noticed even young weeping specimen  trees with root stock growing straight up through the middle of weeping branches. Cull out all of these rogue branches now while trees are dormant along with all branches crossing over, don't just shorten a branch back because it will regrow from that point, take it right out, cutting 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. Keep equipment clean from tree to tree especially prunus ( flowering cherry), they can become infected with silver leaf which will eventually kill even a large tree, methylated spirits is good for doing this as you move from tree to tree.

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 designed, upright small weeping tree that nature has no plan for. Growing along the ground as it should the dead undergrowth would rot and break down but in the upright form each seasons growth dies and builds up under new growth. The past growth is brittle and easily removed by working under the new growth canopy. 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. 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.

Vegetables

Keep planting out seedling veg plants, board beans and garlic here on the coast along with planting rhubarb and asparagus crowns.

Those with glass or tunnel houses will be cleaning them out about now, removing all old summer produce, sterilising and building up again with fresh compost. An old trusted sterilizing method is using jayes fluid, I understand the basis of Jeyes fluid is derived from what is called, Tar acids or Tar oil. It's been refined from natural tar or oil from the ground. It's not pure organic gardening, but although it will kill overwintering slugs, pupae, bugs and many fungal spores, it's not considered a dangerous chemical, nor will it affect beneficial life in soil long term or pollute waterways, as long as weak solutions are used. Our great-great grandparents used it! Jeyes fluid is also used to get rid of any green algae growing on glasshouses and cold frames. Any slimy places or unwanted moss, tools and pots disinfecting will be sterilised and dried up with a solution of a good tablespoon of Jeyes to a watering can of water (roughly 2 gals). from now on I will carry a water can of this to sterilise pruning saws and secateurs.

Cheers, Linda