Gardening in North Otago May 25th 2016

End of mellow May lands us into a new month bringing different gardening challenges with the start of winters chills.

I have had a busy Nana time in the past week and now need to play catch up in getting the garden ready for winter.

The ground should stay damp now but with if winds persist keep the water up and soak rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas as they are the shrubs that suffer most during a dry spell, Keep a eye on maples as well, if leaves shriveled too quickly during colour change it's an indication of root dryness give these a good soak as well.

Rose flowering is coming to an end but don't cut spent flower heads off, leave all types of roses to make seed and harden wood before the big prune next month. Have some lime sulphur on hand for a clean up spray after pruning, or before if timing is better, (lime sulpher will hasten leaf drop.) use on all rose bushes and climbers as well as the ground where they are growing to kill all fungus and disease remaining from summer flowering. Lime sulphur smells like rotten eggs when first applied, is safe for bees and is also the spray to use for the removal of lichen and moss growing on branches of trees and shrubs.

New seasons bare rooted roses should be arriving in Garden centers soon so if you plan to plant a certain type of rose or shades ask a Garden center to hold them for you so you don't miss out. Prepare ground now by digging in old stable manure or bagged rose mix. If planting a rose in the same place a rose has been growing, you will need to remove the soil and replace with soil from another part of the garden, disease is transferred very quickly from one rose to another. Bare rooted, winter planted roses are less likely to suffer from planting stress.

Re-pot container grown buxus  if they look pot bound, buxus  root growth is prolific and they don't seem to suffer from the removal of half the root ball, replace potting mix with new. 

Winter colour in pots, plant polyanthus, pansies, primulas and snapdragons, a few poly's in a pot is all that's needed to brighten up any doorway. 

Lawns; The recent rains perked dry lawns up but growth should be slowing right down now bringing  lawns to that tuffty stage, here in this garden lawn mowers will still be on the go until the last of the leaves have been picked up. Next time it rains have some lawn fertiliser on hand and a week after feeding sprinkle some garden lime over lawns for a boost before they stop growing. Keep in mind for next growing season, lawn grasses grow best on a nutrient ratio of 3 parts nitrogen, 1 part phosphorus, and 2 parts of potassium. (12-4-8). While this is an ideal ratio you may not be able to find the exact ratio in a lawn fertilizer, a close match will do.  If ground pH is below 6 on the pH scale lime will make a marked improvement in growing conditions come spring.One sign of a low soil pH is the presence of excess moss and weeds in your garden or lawn. Moss and weeds are acid loving plants, though not a guaranteed indicator, an excess of moss and weeds is a good sign that you should raise soil pH. Another sign that you need to raise soil pH is when fertilizer doesn’t seem to be doing its job. Acidic soil prevents fertilizer from functioning properly, so no matter how much fertilizer you apply, you will see little to no results.

Vegetables:  On the coast Sow broad beans, garlic, shallots and rhubarb. Colder areas nothing much can be planted without protection.

Fruit:  Bare rooted fruit trees will be arriving in garden centers soon, ask if they will be stocking required trees and have them put aside on arrival.

Ground can be prepared now for planting, choose an open, sunny position, sheltered from strong winds. Fruit trees will grow in a wide range of soil types as long as there is good drainage.

Plums and pear root stock tolerate heavier soils than most other fruit trees. Using good quality compost will improve water retention in lighter soils and improve drainage in heavier soils as well as improving fertility. Pruning of newly planted fruit trees will not take place until trees have branched. During early stages of tree development, the main goal is to develop the shape and framework which will support the heavy crops of fruit. 

Pruning: 

Apple: After initial shaping of apple trees, the only pruning necessary is the removal of excess twiggy growth. Apple trees usually produce fruit on spurs, (short stubby growths attached to main branches). They continue producing on the same spurs for a number of years. Pears and cherry fruit also grow on spurs and require similar treatment. 

Apricot: Prune apricot trees in late winter or early spring as the new leaves and flowers begin to open. During this period of time the tree is actively growing and the pruning cuts heal quickly. Newly planted apricot can be pruned soon after planting. Remove all damaged or broken shoots and limbs and all branches with a narrow crotch (those that grow up more than out) and all branches that are within 18 inches of the ground, Shorten last year’s main branches to about 30 inches.

Peach and nectarine: These trees flower on new wood made the previous summer,  prune hard to encourage new growth otherwise, fruit will be produced further and further out on the branches each year. Flower buds are plump while growth buds are flatter.

Plum: Plum trees produce fruit on the same spurs for several years. Once shape has been established, they require little pruning because excessive pruning can over stimulate tree growth at the expense of fruit. Remove vertical branching and water sprouts regularly. Look at a tree and it is easy to distinguish the water sprouts from the regular growth they grow straight up from the canopy branches and trunk and are thin and scraggly in appearance. A heavy hand when pruning may increase the number of water sprouts on the tree. When pruning plum trees in the winter only remove 20 percent of the growth from the previous year.

Cheers, Linda.