Gardening in North Otago March 22 / 3 / 2016

What a lovely balmy long weekend experienced Pryor to writing this, with many locals. including myself, family and Scruff drawn to the Historic prescient / Harbour area to enjoy the jazz and all else on offer. Then to have the bonus of  drifting into another wonderful long weekend with Easter break, memories I will happily draw on in the depths of winter.

Mean while back in the garden, the wheel barrow has had much use because once I start chopping back at this time of the year there is no stopping me, one cut back always leads to another.

Plants that are getting the chop in my garden: Acanthus mollis (bears britches), tall phlox, day Lillie's, damaged hellebore and hosta leaves, buddleia, honey suckle, jasmine, abutilon, evergreen viburnum,alstromeria, Hebe's, iris and all leggy, gone to seed herbs.

While working my way around I dealt to all my bearded iris's by cutting leaves back by two thirds and making sure the top of rhizomes were above ground to bake in the autumn sun. If you have iris that trees are now shading shift into sunny well drained locations. Iris's are well worth the trouble of growing and look wonderful planted together in their own bed enabling them to make an impact on their own. Propagation is usually 6-8 weeks after blooming, then rhizomes can be divided with a chunk of rhizome and roots to every new division.

Bulbs need to be planted now to create splendor in a spring garden, bluebells and snow drops can cope with dappled shade, the daffodil family need good light, hyacinth's look great in either pots or garden, ranunculusand anemones are vibrant after a long dull winter and freesia's love a sunny warm spot. Tulips are planted in May.

If your bulb clumps are getting too big offer some to other gardeners who I am sure would gladly dig them up from your garden just to have them. 

Roses will be heading into the last bud up, I have dead headed for the last time and after the next flowering they will be left to make seed and hard wood in readiness for the big winter prune at the end of July/beginning of August so no more feeding roses because this will only encourage new soft growth. 

If thinking of adding roses, or more roses to your garden I suggest looking at rose variety books or go on line to make your choices then get your order into a Garden center. New seasons roses will begin arriving in June and by ordering now you will be sure not to miss out.

Lawns: I am still raking out grass grub damaged areas of lawn here and re-sowing which means sifting soil for cover. 

Spray flat lawn weeds before they go to seed and spread, spot spray when weeds are dry and thirsty.

Vegetables.

March is an important month for planting winter veg, prepare prior to planting with compost, general gardenfertiliser and lime if needed, (I add lime to my compost)

Prepare garlic beds

Beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, and silverbeet seedlings can be planted but will need to be protected from the white butterfly. A frame work or stakes to hold strawberry net stretched over plants would do the trick.

In colder areas seeds of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are best sown in trays for planting out once hardened off.

Any areas of the vege garden which are not to be used for vegetables this winter can be planted with a green manure cover crop to be dug in later enriching the soil for spring and summer crops. Blue lupin, mustard or oats are good options.

Herbs

Parsley can be grown from seed sown now.

Perennial herbs, chives, mint, thyme, sage, and marjoram can be divided and replanted. Basil, a summer annual should be harvested before the cold weather, it can be dried or frozen.

Fruit

Late peaches should be ready to pick now along with apples, pears, quince and grapes. If your trees are producing more than you can use why not offer to those who would appreciate some fruit for freezing or bottling. Facebook:Oamaru gardeners buy/sell free forum

Feed citrus trees with citrus fertiliser

Summer prune nectarine and apricot trees.

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago March 15th 2016

Hurrah, the heavens opened and it rained last Tuesday and I could, I am sure hear every growing thing sighing in relief.

Autumn will probably have taken a couple of steps back after being revitalised, the silver birch tree's and bougainvillea are always the first to drop a carpet here but it is not happening yet as it was at this time last year, going by my last years notes.

This garden is tired now after that last big wind attack, so the cutting back has been stepped up in readiness for a layer of compost, then pea straw to keep that lovely rain moisture in the ground. 
I have needed to be away from the garden a lot over the last few weeks which is detrimental to the watering at this time of the year, so many potted up plants have suffered and out grown pots. I got a bit desperate for potting mix while re potting so dug into one of my compost heaps and was pleased to find everything decomposing really well, due I am sure to the heat we have been experiencing so was able to add it to what remained of the bought potting mix making it go further. Giving potted plants more room for roots and some sun protection at this time of the year enables them to thrive longer without constant watering. 
I am still dead heading roses in the hope of more blooms to make a last vibrant show before they will be left to harden off for winter. Rust is always a problem on roses in Autumn, try to eradicate affected leaves from the bushes as well as those on the ground and burn them to reduce this problem for next year. Don't feed roses now, soft growth needs to make a start at hardening off. 

Here on the coast we can still enjoy colour during winter if bedding  plants are prepared now. I have been potting up seedlings grown from last years seed and some young bedding bought in punnets. The idea is to utilize the warmth from now on to encourage individually potted plants to bush, bud and harden for planting out before frosts get heavy. Bedding plants that respond well to this method are pansy, viola, pollyanthus wall flower, stock, calendula and  primulamalacoides. It is so worth taking the time to pot individual young seedlings on to grow and become acclimatised to early winter conditions rather than buying plants that have been forced into flower at the time.

March is defiantly a great planting month with the soil warm and the nights and mornings cooler, newly planted trees and shrubs settle in well. There are a lot of well grown trees, shrubs and plants on offer right now in Garden centers ready and waiting to be planted. Gardner's further inland will need to read the labels to establish frost ratings before buying, if in doubt wait until spring. 

Spring bulbs can be planted now. If you have not already done so break up really large clumps of Spring bulbs, clumps tend to double in size with out you noticing and in no time a garden bed can become choked, looking attractive only in spring and dull for the rest of the year. I have often been asked the reason for spring bulbs not flowering after the first couple of years from planting, the problem can be over crowding, lack of adequate light as trees become larger and throw more shade during summer, but the most common problem is bulbs may not have not been planted deep enough. Spring bulbs need to be planted 4 to 6 inches deep, that's 4 to 6 inches on top of the bulb, if not planted deeply eventually when they do come into leaf and experience a dry patch during this time they wont take up enough moisture to come into bud.

Rake mulch off bearded iris rhizomes they need to be exposed to the sun for a baking now.

Layer carnation stems by pinning the center of the stem down under the soil while still attached to the mother plant with the flower end still exposed, roots should form along the buried stem. Once rooted cut from the mother plant and pot up to grow on before planting out in lime sweetened soil. This layering method can be applied to many herbs, plants and shrubs.

Lawns. 

After those baking hot days and a lot of mowing lawn growth starts slowing down from now on although, catchers will still be filling up for a while yet but don't feel you need to cut lower than usual because growth has slowed, a scalped lawn dries out faster and encourages weeds. Still the best time to sow new lawns while weed growth is slowing down and evening dews are back. The flat weeds I do come across now I pop out with the blade of secateurs before they seed and spread.  

Fruit: The apricot season went on for ages here in our garden now the late peaches and quince are next to be picked. Granny Smith apples were blown off the tree so I am peeling them daily to stew and freeze because after falling they all have a bruise. Even after giving heaps away I now have many pottels of apricot and apple not to mention the peaches and quince soon......might have to make puddings for our Grandchildren to experience some of the old fashioned winter puds from the past. Apple dumplings?? the first thing I made in Intermediate School cooking class and never forgotten.

Vegetable  Gardens will be growing new crops for the cooler seasons, leaf veg should not bolt so readily now and will not mind the days getting shorter and cooling and root veg seeds will germinate well while the ground is still warm. My second sowing of peas are up, corn is picked and the pumpkins have out grown their space and just keep going. Onions can be lifted once leaves have bent over, don't bend or damage leaves before they are ready to bend naturally if you want them to store and keep well.  Once dug lay them out in a warm place to fully ripen then store in a cool place.

Cheers Linda

Gardening in North Otago March 8th 2016

A much needed heavy drizzle  at the beginning of this week enjoyed by all thirsty plants but it only wet the surface of our baked ground. 

At this mellow time of the year I would like to slow down along with all growth and enjoy the mellow days.  

I spend a lot of time hand watering to top up moisture around plant  roots while at the same time noticing what needs dead headed or cut back, perennials cut back last month have already bushed up again to fill in gaps.

Autumn crocus has burst into flower, chrysanthemums are budding and I notice some spring bulbs are pushing through which means it is bulb planting time, iris, crocus, hyacinth and daffodils along with any daffodil bulbs you need to shift.  Bulbs require deep planting in a sunny well drained spot, tulips and lilies can be planted in may or June.

Sow Seeds

March is the month to collect and sow  seeds of hardy annuals, foxglove, honesty and sweet william directly where they will flower with a little fertiliser, forked into the soil, before sowing. Once sown these areas need to stay open to the sun so mark them to avoid covering with winter mulch.

Hard wood cuttings: This is the time to take hard wood cuttings , place cuttings in a water filled container as they are taken. Prepare cuttings by removing the bottom leaves and cutting the top leaves back by half. Plant into river sand filled trenches in the ground or trays of river sand, keep moist and in no time at all they will develop roots. Once growing pinch the cuttings back at least twice to get nice bushy plants.

Planting

With days shortening and nights cooling the still warm ground begins to retain moisture again making Autumn one of the best times for planting trees and shrubs. Always plant trees and shrubs to the depth they were in the pot or bag and stake well if tall.

Caring for soil is important now after the intense heat and summer blooming this year, deep watering then the addition of organic matter either dug in or left as a top mulch will help to condition soil in readiness for next spring.
I wait until autumn leaves have been raked off gardens before I add the compost and pea straw cover that will take gardens through winter which leaves time from now until then to sow a cover crop like blue lupin, mustard or alfalfa to add natural nitrogen to soil. Dig in before flowering, or just cover with compost before a final cover of pea straw.

Pea straw is available again Phone 034326844 , offering large and small bales off the paddock.

Lawns. 

The grass grub damage is really showing up in our lawns now with black birds letting me know just where they are, I have decided to leave them to the black birds to deal to then rake out all damaged patches and re-sow.

Vegetables: All seeds sown will germinate but watch the heat, I have covered my seed boxes with shade cloth to keep them from drying out. If planting out seedlings I would cover them as well to keep moisture in and white butterfly's off.

Cheers Linda