Gardening in North Otago July 12th 2016

Brrrrrrr, now we know winter has arrived at last bringing those hard frosts, last year the first hard frost took the front of my established bougainvillea and took all of the growing season to come back resulting in no flowers last summer. I covered it with frost cloth long before these frosts started so fingers crossed the usual display returns come summer.

Keep an eye on Margarette daisies, geraniums and palagoniums here on the coast you can protect them with frost cloth, even if the top growth has been affected frost cloth on now will protect growth further down and damaged growth can be cut back once frosts have passed,
In land towards Kurow and further in gardeners will need to take cuttings of daisy bushes, geranium and paligoniums and protect them until spring because the frosts are too harsh for that soft growth.

Dahlia tubers:  In very cold areas tuber grown dahlias should be dug up and stored after the first frost has blackened leaves, cut stems back to about 6 inches above the ground then use a fork to loosen tuber and lift, either heal into a frost free area of the garden or store in a dry place. In less frost affected areas dahlias can remain in the ground that is free draining.

Flamboyant begonias: By now gardeners will have attended to their begonias, but if not this is a reminder to dig up and store indoors until the return of warmer weather. Dig up after the first frosts have collapsed them, spread clumps on newspaper and leave in a sunny area until thoroughly dry — about a week. Once they have sufficiently dried, cut away any remaining foliage and shake off excess soil. To prevent problems with fungus or powdery mildew by dusting them with sulpher powder prior to storage. Store individually in paper bags or line them in a single layer atop newspaper placed in a cardboard box in a cool, dark, dry location.

Hydrangeas:I have decided to leave most of my hydrangeas until buds show signs of shooting,  but you can give pink hydrangeas a dressing of lime now 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 centre

Roses, Still holding back on pruning until frosts have done the job, but compost is being spread around them to be there when needed, rose roots start looking for food long before we know it. To be ready for pruning I need to invest in some new secateurs as the pair I have been using are not cutting clean and rips on a rose prune will not allow the cut to seal this which will result in die back, sometimes claiming a whole branch. The best planting time for roses is during dormancy and there is no better time than now to find what you need. I have seen wonderful healthy bush and standard roses on offer so if your garden can do with a rose or two be in.
If winter has left your garden looking a little too bleak, the local garden centres will also have nice potted colour to brighten things up. I have noticed pansy's, wall flower, polyanthus and primula malacoydies which look fresh and bright planted in groups or as a border, make sure to harden off by introducing gradually to cold nights before planting.

Vegetables

Time to start preparing the soil for spring planting. Cultivate vacant spaces, dig in green crops sown earlier. Add compost, and lime if you feel the garden needs humus and sweetening.

This week I planted some more garlic cloves, facts, benefits and legends surrounding Garlic are so many, garlic has been a staple in both the pantry and the medicine cupboard for century's. The shortest day is traditionally garlic planting time but it can be planted through out autumn /winter. Separate cloves and plant pointed end up five to seven cm below the soil surface and about 10 to 15 cm apart. Choose a sunny location in prepared soil with plenty of organic matter worked through, garlic will also grow well in containers or pots. Garlic grows to about 60-90cm tall during winter and spring, and flower before the top growth dies off over summer. Source bulbs from a garden center as garlic bought form a supermarket may have been sprayed to inhibit sprouting.

Fruit

Once again winter is the time you will find the best selection of fruit trees in garden centres. It may be cold and miserable outside but it's the best time to buy your trees for planting. They are usually grafted and tall growing so plant up to where they were planted in the bag and stake well to protect against the wind.

To eradicate codling moth attacking apple trees. quarter fill a tin or plastic milk container with treacle and hang in the tree it is said to attract male grubs because the treacle apparently smells like the female codling moths pheromone attracting 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