Gardening in North Otago 1st October 2017

October: and still lovely blossom about even after that nor west wind did it's best to remove it all! and oh", the Rhododendrons and deciduous azalea's how lovely they are right now, in my view equal to any beautiful tropical flowers. 

My roses are well in leaf now and aphids are colonizing on new buds but using the index finger and thumb removal method I am managing to keep it under control. Aphids winter over on the underside of last year's hellebore leaves, if you have not done so already remove them because fresh new leaves are popping up now. Hellebores are still looking wonderful but if you don't want hellebore seedlings germinating all through the garden cut out spent flowers before seed is dropped. 

Peony roses are well through now, supports around them before they bud up will help with heavy flower heads. Peonies needh a lot of water and benefit from liquid fertiliser. If you planted new crowns for this season it would pay to let only one flower develop to allow growth to go into the crowns, then cut the one blooming flower off before it makes seed pods. Peony roses need full sun and do not like to be smothered by other plants.

Lavenders are budding up with the absence,( so far) of spittle bugs, if these bugs do become a problem for you spraying will not work, the spittle surrounding them is a barrier to pesticide. A forceful hosing will dislodge them and hopefully drown a few.

Clematis are making good growth, hybrid's are those especially large flowered varieties, not the invasive pink and white montana type. You have to be quick in training hybrids where you want them to go while the trailers are still soft, they like a lot of feeding to take them to great heights. Manure, deep down with a little lime added when planting is beneficial. Don't worry if you have one with no buds just yet they all have different flowering times, If you planted one this year let it flower then cut it to the ground, this will make it send up many more shoots and you will have a much bushier and stronger climber. Hybrids can also wilt and die for no reason if this happens cut it to the ground but don't dig out because I have known some to shoot away again the following year with no sign of wilt. 

I have been potting up old fashioned cottage flowers like cosmos, love in the mist, salvia blue bedder, Clary sage, and lavatera. These are all taller flowering annuals planted close together so they hold each other up. The more plants put in the less room for weeds to grow is the plan. All the plants mentioned will be flowering at Christmas, and then for ages after if dead headed regularly. 

Herbs: are making strong growth now in readiness for summer menus and drying, they need to be harvested often to stop running to seed. 

Vegetables: Still perfect Spring weather for growing all veg now the ground is so warm and moist. Board beans are doing well with no sign of rust, could it be the pinch of potash put in when planting? Peas are romping up netting and beans are now in now the ground is warmer. Keep planting veg seeds and plants, a few at a time so you can have the continuous thing happening. Thank goodness Bee's are about visiting blossom and lets hope the flooding we had drowned the grass grub, so we will get few night beetles like last year,  the damage they cause to established trees is not that noticeable but newly planted fruit and prunus trees can be striped of leaves. Leaves will re-grow and fruits will continue to make growth. 

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 18th September 2017

Spring gardening, warm one day wet and cold the next but not complaining, nothing worse for North Otago to go into summer after a dry spring.

I have been enjoying the blossom, bulbs, sun and bee's, planting out bedding and perennial plants and putting the finishing touches to new garden designs for clients this week. I think every gardener enjoys trying new plants and colour combinations and now is the time to get seeds in and seedlings growing on for a summer display.

I had a large clump of lambs ear growing in a rockery which did not need to be so large so I dug half of it out, broke it up into single plants to use as a border for a dull garden. Silver is a perfect shade to use as a break between strong and soft shades, will grow in sun or semi shade and lambs ear has the added bonus of being an interesting texture. Santolina and cineraria silver dust can be used the same way and looks wonderful planted in with petunias, bedding begonias and dahlias .

Lambs ear

Santolina

cineraria silver dust

Keep an eye on seeds if you have them germinated, until now I have had mine under glass and some hardening off under frost cloth looking at them occasionally to see if they had struck, this week I noticed they were well up and in need of pricking out and regular watering, I transplanted some with shallow roots into deeper seed trays and those with longer deeper roots like lupin, hellebore and Oriental poppy into their own individual small root pots. The shallow rooted transplant well into the garden or baskets from a tray once strong roots have developed but it is best to have a well developed root ball filling a small pot attached to stronger, deep rooted seedlings.

Baskets and pots need to be thought about now, again use only shallow rooted plants for baskets like pansy, small type petunias, nemesia, and trailers like lobelia, Virginia stock and nasturtium, with the addition of slow release fertiliser and water chrystals to keep them going. The roots of what you want to plant will determine the size and depth of the pot. Potted roses need a deep pot which will not heat up and cook the roots at the height of summer. Tin foil around the inside of a pot before filling,( shinny side facing out) will help keep roots cool for roses, camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas and small trees / shrubs. All potted plants need excellent drainage and a consistent supply of food and water, stones on top of pot mix will help with sun bake and retain moisture. If a potted plant is left struggling for moisture it will never thrive or look lush and healthy.

Now is the time to take tubular begonias out of dry storage, I see mine are starting to sprout a little. I cut large tubas with a sharp knife into smaller individual pieces each with a noticeable shoot ready to plant into baskets and containers and when the tubers become too large for a pot cut into sections again. The showy red flamboyant begonias become nice big tubas in time and by cutting sections off each year you will achieve a bright front boarder of them. All begonias love any fertiliser with a seaweed or fish content.

Roses are really leafing up now and the warmer it becomes the more aphids ( green fly) will be about, aphids settle on the top new rose growth and are easily visible on new small leaves for you to dispose of by removing with finger and thumb. I leave spraying until leaves are well grown and hardened up a little.

Lawns: new lawns sown on the coast should result in a strike now that the ground is warmer, as I have mentioned before seed must be sown thickly in spring to beat the annual weeds. Keep the mower blades up when cutting spring grass to allow it to thicken up and feed lawns just before or during rain and they will stay lush.

Vegetables Here on the coast Plant lettuce plants at two week intervals and any spare ground could be planted out in new potatoes. My board beans and peas are well up, I was once told to plant each bean with a little pot ash to help with rust problems, which is mostly due to them getting too dry between watering's. Birds can be a problem when new veg seedlings go in, cover with shade cloth, it does not hinder growth, birds are not so interested larger veg plants.

Fruit: Apricot blossom has been out a while now, lets hope the bee's have been about on warm days. Strawberries are starting to move towards budding, they need fed, watered and mulched. Animal manure then straw, pine needles or un sprayed grass clippings cover with strawberry net to keep the birds off.

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago September 13th 2017

 

A few dull, cold days last week causing  buds to hold back while waiting for warmth, however  still an abundance of spring splendor about North Otago. 

Roses are top priority now,Things to watch out for are die back after frost damage, not all branches make the grade, if they have been affected cut them right back to new growth, also watch for growth below the graft, it comes up from the root stock, is usually a different colour and leaf to the grafted branches, cut right out. All roses are grafted onto a strong root stock. 

Hydrangeas are budding to leaf, the perfect time to feed and give a good soak, they respond well to manure, pink need a sweet soil (Lime) blue like acid soil ( Aluminium sulfate) and white brighten a shady corner.

If you were given a cyclamen in flower back in May it is time to plant it outside in a cool shady spot to finish the growing year. Pot up again just before Winter for indoor flowering.

Perennials are pushing up through the pea straw here, hosta's are making a move but still time to put the spade through clumps big enough to divide, slice cleanly through and transplant where needed.

Peony roses are pushing up fast, carefully clear around them to let sun in.

Iris's are on the move to flower during the next two months, they are stunning when planted in groups and require water now to get them going and at least half a day of sun and well drained soil to flower. Bearded Irises have rhizomes (fleshy roots) that should be partially exposed to sun, or thinly covered with soil, feed now with a low nitrogen fertiliser such as sulphate of potash. 

Delphiniums are up needing stakes before they make tall stems.

Lawns: are looking for food, have a bag of lawn fertiliser ready for the next rain and keep the mower blades high while grass is recovering from winter. Prepare soil for reseeding bare spots, rough up compacted top soil with a steel rake then spread half an inch of sifted soil and cast a generous amount of grass seed to be raked into sifted soil. Cover with lengths of shade cloth to keep birds off until seed has germinated. Moisture and warmth are the two requirements for successful germination, early morning dampening will allow moist ground to warm during the day.

Vegetables:

Garlic is up and onion seedlings sown earlier can go in, onion seed can be sown in seed trays now to be planted out in 4 to 6 weeks, avoid growing close to peas and beans. Carrot seed can be sown now, mix with fine soil when sowing to avoid sowing thickly and avoid growing close to parsnips, beetroot, dill, brassicas and fennel.

Seed potatoes varieties:

Rocket  early approx 90 days. Swift early, great for growing in containers,  Cliff Kidney approx 100 days Jersey Benne, approx 100 days, Moemoe Maori Potato, approx 100 days. Maris Anchorr Early-main variety, approx 110 days Agria. Main variety, approx 130 daysHeather approx 130 days, Ilam Hardy Good all rounder main variety, approx 130 days.

Fruit:

Apricot is in blossom looking for bee's and raspberries / gooseberries are showing leaf, still time to thin out and lift bottom branches on  gooseberry bush's for easier picking plus get a strawberry bed ready to plant out. I have seen a wonderful selection of berry and citrus bushes on offer in garden centers. 

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago September 5th 2017

North Otago is looking so pretty, masses of lovely blossom and daffodils everywhere,

"Spring makes it's own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer."~
G. B Charlesworth.
I have been in Christchurch watching young ones and Dad while Mum is in the UK with her family which gave me time to step back and plan what next in the garden.
Cleaning out ponds is first on the list, over flowing them and cleaning out leaves,water lillies, oxygen weed and water iris's are starting to make a move. A couple of years ago a helper and I removed all the yellow bog iris's from the big pond, this was a much needed job because this common yellow iris was spreading so fast and took up a quarter of the pond with mat it's forming roots ( lesson loaned, don't plant yellow bog iris in a domestic pond) The place for this iris is along the banks of a creek, the fibrous roots are fantastic at holding the sides back from erosion. Don't be tempted to add bull rushes to a domestic pond either, they also spread too quickly.

Now the sap is up, I have been removing unwanted growth from prunus trees, (flowering cherry) it has been said that this is the best time to make cuts in prunus to avoid the spread of silver leaf which can spread from tree to tree while in the dormant stage. Cut out  any weak growth and cross over branches before they grow thick. After fruiting take the height down on fruiting cherries & plums if they have grown beyond picking height as they tend to fruit on the top branches and keep light from lower branches.

Cut out all dead branches from beneath Kilmarnoch willows if you have them, this is the ornamental pussy willow used so often now in small gardens. Each new branch grows out from the bud of last years growth. All subsequent years growth dies and builds up under the new growth. The grafted weeping tree is much nicer to look at with all those dead branches removed and it is easier to do this when bare of leaves.

Keep folia feeding new spring growing plants (other than bulbs ) with liquid plant food to encourage strong growth, plant, plant,plant all the pretty spring seedlings on offer now and sow seeds for summer flowering and veg garden to save on buying seedlings later in the year.

Lawns, 
Lawns benefit greatly from an early spring feed of lawn fertiliser but this works best with rain to wash it in. There will be a lot off moss in lawns this spring with soils staying so wet, sulphate of iron watered on from a watering can will deal to it. Rake it out once it has turned black. If moss in your lawn is caused by poor drainage, aerate the area with a fork, rake in some sharp river sand and gypsum before resowing and covering with sifted soil. Unfortunately too much soil is removed from new sections these days which means clay is not as far down as it should be there for creating a solid moisture holding pan under soil. Gypsum ( soluble lime) will work on opening up clay without changing the ph of soil. Reasons for moss in lawns: Compacted soil – Poor drainage –Low pH – Lack of sunlight.
Vegetables:
Soil is warming with sun is staying around longer, everything is now coming to life for spring so heaps to do in the veg garden as you ready it for planting. Spread some old stable or pig manure and dig in while turning soil over in readiness for planting, a metal rake will soon break up winter clods to fine soil down for direct seed sowing. Get pumpkin, butternut and squash and corn seeds started now under protection, they need a long warm growing season to grow and ripen. It's  great to be planting salad veg again especially while there are still no white butterflies or aphids about. As an early season deterrent start spraying fish emulsion on both veg and flowering seedlings, this will feed the plants and repel pests by fooling them into thinking their favorite food is now protein not vegetable, repeat after rain.
Once seed potatoes have sprouted get them in the ground, when leaves appear start mounding. Our Weston School caretaker supplied the Children's garden  with cut down car tyres to be fill with the fantastic compost he makes for planting potatoes. Four seed potatoes in each tyre and once leaves appear another tyre is placed on top more compost added,  the tyres are said to keep the growing conditions warmer.

Fruit: All deciduous fruit trees can still be planted in September while the plants are just coming out of dormancy . The widest selection will be available in garden stores now.  All fruits require a position in full sun, shelter from prevailing winds is preferable or a stake added for a couple of years until roots are well anchored. Spray stone fruit trees on bud burst with Super Copper to protect from leaf curl disease, if still a young tree pull affected leaves off and destroy.
Strawberries: Delicious strawberries are easy to grow, in a home garden, as little as 25 plants can yield more than 50 pounds. Strawberries need at least six hours of direct sun daily and will do well with a dressing of feriliser specifically formulated with extra potassium, regular irrigation and slightly acidic soil which can be achieved by adding coffee grinds and covering the bed in pine needles which also keep the weeds down and the fruit clean. All other berries on offer should be planted now to settle in to a season of fruiting