Gardening in North Otago July 14th 2015

Brrrrrr, this is like a blast from my childhood, consistent hard frosts and the ice on ponds becoming thicker and thicker....very tempting for stepping on as I remember! of the seven Grandies staying last week only one ended up knee deep through the ice with Scruff not far behind managing to stay sliding on top!

I did make a start on my hydrangeas before the frosts became so bad but will defiantly leave the majority until buds show signs of shooting,
However if you really must potter in the frozen garden  you can give pink hydrangeas a dressing of lime to keep them pink and blue hydrangeas a dressing of sulphate of allium or the specially prepared blue hydrangea mix that can be bought from the garden centers.

A couple of years ago at this time of the year I attacked a group of large leggy rhododendrons that had leaves and buds only on the top of long woody branches taller than myself. I was only going to cut the woody non productive wood off because the bushes were beginning to flower, however once I started I ended up cutting them all right back to a healthy bulging nodule, then they got compost and straw. In spring they soon pushed out fresh new growth and this year I see even the odd small bud with much more new growth so don't be afraid to cut these woody rhodo's back before the push of new spring growth.

More rose pruning this week, I had to invest in some new secateurs as the pair I have been using were not cutting clean. Rips on a rose prune will inhibit sealing which could result in die back sometimes claiming a whole branch.
This winter has left gardens looking bleak, I say once the pruning is done leave nature to it right now, stay warm and concentrate on planning how you want the garden to look in spring / summer, Garden centers have nice potted colour that can be bought now for potting on and kept protected ready for planting when the ground warms up. I have seen on offer pansy's, wall flower, pollyanthas and primula malacoydies which look fresh and bright planted in groups or as a border with flowering bulbs.
If interested be on the look out for any native seedlings that make it through this harsh period, remember where they are to be lifted in early spring, pot up if able and hold for a community planting on Cape Wanbrow. Alternatively lift carefully in early spring, bundle and give me a ring to collect, I have a willing group of 6 & 7 year old's in my Weston School gardening group who will happily pot them up.

If you planted Tulips in May they may take longer this year to come through the frozen ground but they should make an appearance soon. When they do don't give them any fertilizer as this will only promote leaf growth, it's the bloom we want, tulips store the food required in their bulb.

Vegetables:
The only thing I have done this cold week is pull up a few carrots and parsnips for soup, the board beans are standing up to the frosts as are tough leaf veg.

Fruit
Winter is the time to find the best selection of fruit trees in garden centres, they are all grafted and tall growing, plant up to where the soil came to in the bag then stake well to protect against the wind.
If coddling moth has been a problem thought can be given to eradication now. Full grown larvae pass the winter in a cocoon beneath loose bark or in ground litter. Pupation takes place in the spring when moths begin emerging about the time apple trees are in bloom. They lay an average of 50 to 60 eggs on leaves and twigs and once eggs hatch the larvae feed briefly on leaves, then damage fruit by boring into the centers. Larvae feed for three weeks, then leave to seek a suitable place to spin cocoons. There are two generations per year.
A tip I have given before and have been told works is quarter fill a tin or plastic milk container with treacle and hang in the tree to attract male grubs, treacle is said to smell like the female coddling moths pheromone which will attract the male grub into the container to reach a sticky end. A double bonus is that the treacle will attract grub eating birds.

Cheers, Linda
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