Gardening in North Otago 3rd November 2015

November already, spring almost over and weather still unsettled with a chilling cold snap and much needed rain on Tuesday arriving after the heat of the day before.

This is proving a great spring for rhododendrons, azalea's, dogwoods and lilac after coming through such a dry harsh winter and peony roses are putting out fat buds in readiness for their grand display. The dry winter has not done my roses a favor, I pruned them hard in August instead of July so they have been slow to leaf and bud up, those having had less deep watering than others have attracted greenfly and rust. The green fly have established on the new tip growth making it easy to remove with finger and thumb and rust effected leaves have been removed and bagged to stop spread. Once leaves have firmed up I will spray with fish emulsion and an organic fungicide. Always best to spray on a dull day when there are less bees around and never spray or wet leaves at dusk, rose leaves should be dry going into warm nights to prevent mildew growing.  

Spring is the best time for transplanting seedlings that have popped up from existing plants in the garden, like hellebore seedlings. ( Winter rose) last years hellebore seedlings should be strong, small plants now, I have been potting some up in root trainer pots, then once the little pots are full of roots I will plant out seedlings in groups under deciduous trees, and around rhododendrons, camellias, hydrangeas and fuchsias, they all like the same shady conditions.  

Spring bulbs and tulips have finished and look messy at this stage but don't be tempted to cut them back because the bulbs need green tops to die back naturally. twist them and push them out off site under shrubbery if you can until they have lost vigor before pulling them from the bulb.

Box hedge: I am waiting for the new growth to firm up a little before trimming the buxus hedging, If trimmed too soon it will be a wasted effort because while foliage is very soft they are still putting out growth. When you feel spring new growth is done choose an overcast day to trim, this allowing the under growth a little time to recover before being subjected to our harsh NZ sun, however sunburn on new buxus growth is unavoidable and thankfully hedges will soon grow through the burning. However this week I have had the hedge trimmer on the go! some hedges like viburnum and lonicera have almost finished putting out spring growth so if a hedge has reached the height and width required trim back to the last cut, all soft trimmings can go on the garden or into the compost.

Planting on a slope: Spring is probably the best time to plant out a slope or bank, the ground is moist and plant roots are growing fast which means they will get a good hold before the heat of summer and while small the dreaded winds should not get a hold of them and whip them out of the ground. Prepare the bank  first by spraying out all weeds and grass, they will compete with moisture that your plants need. If it is possible terracing a steep slope with rocks or sleepers would be beneficial to hold moisture around plant roots. If this cannot be done try not to disturbed soil / clay in areas that are not being planted. If the soil is disturbed and broken up it will wash away with rain and watering. 

Planting: Dig a hole that is deep into the bank and shallow at the front, (an angle hole) this will create a hollow reserve for water. Use stones around each plant, this will help to prevent wind blowing soil away from the roots. Choose plants that grow in dry conditions, like South African plants; Greviller, leucodendron, Proteas, ask the Garden center assistant which plants survive well in a pot without a lot of watering, the plants they can leave for a while and they still look good when dried out. I mass plant lupines to fill the gaps on a bank until all the other plants get bigger, they give a spectacular show in the second year of planting and have the added advantage of fixing nitrogen into the soil.
Grass, Grass. Grass...So much mowing! If you have not sprayed lawn weeds out yet you can sprinkle your clippings around the garden, it is wonderful humus, but don't leave thick piles, spread it out so it can break down fast. Now the ground is warm your garden can take as much fresh green growth that you can throw at it. Leave the catcher off from time to time and rake cuttings evenly over the lawn. I am waiting for results from all the grass seed sown in bare patches left after moss removal to germinate. Moss grows  because off pour drainage or mowing grass too short either results in soil compacting. Keeping the ground firm (don't dig) just rough the top soil up before raking the seed in, covering well so the birds don't notice then keep the moisture up until seed germinates.

Vegetables/fruit

My no dig veg garden was turned into a strawberry patch last spring and this year the year old strawberry plants are doing well having been feed with pig manure and blood n bone then mulched with fresh grass clippings to keep the weeds out until I find the time to gather pine needles. All berry fruit need consistent watering to produce plump fruit.
A little potash around the drip line watered in will help with fruiting, with grapes advice given in the past was to bury road kill under a grapevine, I have made my grapes a burial ground for any of my bantams that come to a sad end. 

Making a no dig garden: Find a sunny spot on bare ground,( not concrete) surround with sleepers, logs, Oamaru stone or boards high enough to hold layers of manure, soil /compost and straw. Soak the ground before you start to get dampness deep down if working on bare dirt, spread a layer of manure straight on the damp ground, (this will bring the worms up). Then spread a thick layer of compost, old leaf mulch and dried grass clippings, (wet down.) add a layer of soil, clay soil is fine, water well after each layer leaving no dry spots. Next add a layer of straw, (wet down) then add more layers of compost and old leaf mulch and dried grass clippings, (wet down) then top more soil, (wet down), a little lime and an all purpose fertiliser can be added as you build the layers. Lastly add a top layer of straw which suppresses the weeds and is a great deterrent to slugs. When you think the garden is high enough start planting and you should be eating your own produce with in six weeks at this time of the year.

Cheers, Linda.