Gardening in North Otago November 7th 2017

The start of a new busy growing month !

Still cutting back spring flowering perennials and cleaning up after more hedge trimming here, things always look a little too neat and tidy but nature will do it's best to soften things again within a couple of weeks. Roses: No flowers on my roses as yet but buds are forming, thank goodness for all the rain to get them off to a good start. Some bushes have rust on leaves which I have pulled off and destroyed to stop the spread to other bushes.

The spittle bug is back, which looks worse than the minimal damage caused to plants as they cleverly surround themselves with spittle as a protection against predators and is also a deterrent to sprays. A strong hosing will wash them off. n

Dahlias are pushing through now as spring bulbs are finishing, I discovered some in shade as tree branches spread wider. While dahlia leaves are still low I have shifted clumps into a sunnier position. Hydrangeas are starting to produce flower heads now so it is important to keep the water and food up to them, old stable manure, blood and bone, liquid or slow release fertiliser will keep them happy and flowering well. It's lime for pink and Epsom salts or aluminum sulphate to keep them blue.

Fuchsias are making a lot of growth now as well, if you missed cutting any back do it now, they will flower later but will soon catch up. Fuchsias are on sale right now and are wonderful in pots or a shady spot. Tip cuttings can be taken from fuchsias now, if you spot some you like in a friends garden ask for some cuttings. I break a cutting off at a heel or a nodule section, remove some of the top growth and push into firm wet river sand.Tip cuttings from Hebe's will also root with no trouble in river sand . 

Abutilon (Chinese lantern: If you are looking for something non invasive to make a show of colour against a wall why not try Abutilon they come in strong colours of, yellow, orange, burgundy and white. I planted yellow, burgundy and white together in a large container under planted with a lime green grass. Being a rather spindly plant I intertwined them and they now look like one bush. 

Peony roses: What a wonderful addition to the flower garden peony roses are, wonderful fillers in a sunny spot. 

The weight of rain on deciduous tree branches makes it easy to see those needing to be lifted, if left they cast shade over surrounding plants. Any branch growing downwards with a canopy branch directly above it can be cut back or removed altogether. 

Lawns: Still getting heavy dews on lawns which helps to keep them lush, but hot days will soon put grass under stress, have lawn food on hand for the next good rain. If your lawns are inclined to crack when dry they have probably been planted on soil with high clay content. Apply gypsum ( soluble lime) and water in, after a couple of years of doing this your lawns will have a spring in them as gypsum works it's way through the clay to break up clay pans. 

Vegetables: The rain this spring has been a treat to veg gardens as hosing does not give the same results as a good rain, but of course with all lush growth weeds will take over if left unattended. Hoeing while small is still the best weeding method I know. The carrots, runner beans, yams, lettuce and peas I planted a couple of weeks ago have all popped up with growing conditions being so perfect. 

Tomatoes; will be getting taller and flowering now and with the heat of last week should be forming fruit, folia feed and water early in the day to allow time for soil to warm again before the evening. 

Rockvale Garden is bursting with new growth and wonderful fragrances, come wander and enjoy, open daily.

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago Octber 25th 2017

November already, and still a lot of spring about with weather still unsettled as we experienced a Labour weekend drenching rather than the usual wind to blow away the blossom, no complaints from me. 

This is proving a great spring for rhododendrons, azalea's and dogwoods and roses are putting out fat buds in readiness for their grand display. Remove green fly with finger and thumb and rust effected leaves can been removed and bagged to stop spread. Once leaves have firmed up spray roses with fish emulsion and an organic fungicide. Always best to spray on a dull day with less bees around, rose leaves should be dry going into warm nights to prevent mildew growing.  Fat buds on those wonderful peony roses as well, make sure they have nothing over hanging shading them from the sun, peony's prefer to take the stage alone.

Spring is the best time for transplanting seedlings popping up from existing plants, like hellebore ( Winter rose), last years hellebore seedlings should be strong, small plants now, I have been potting some up in root trainer pots, once pots are full of roots I will plant out 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 box 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 allows under growth a little time to recover before being subjected to our harsh sun, however some sunburn on new buxus growth is unavoidable and thankfully hedges will soon grow through the burning. Our hedge trimmer has been on the go on some other hedges like viburnum and lonicera. 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 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 should not be whipped out by wind. Prepare the bank first by spraying out all weeds and grass, they will compete with moisture, 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 deep into the bank but shallow at the front, (an angle hole) this will create a hollow reserve for water. Use stones around each plant to prevent wind blowing soil away from roots. Choose plants that grow in dry conditions, like South African plants; grevillea, leucodendron, Proteas, ask the Garden center assistant which plants survive well in a pot without a lot of watering,  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 lawn weeds have not been sprayed sprinkle clippings around the garden, wonderful humus, but don't leave thick piles, spread it out to 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. We have had a good strike on a new area sown this week and in bare patches left after moss removal. 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. Hydrocotyle weed is a problem on damp shaded lawns, bright green flat and round once it becomes established it is hard to eradicate. Frost will kill but once the ground warms it appares again. The only product I have had success with is a spray specifically for Hydrocotyle which will eradicate many other lawn weeds as well without killing the grass. I am prefer to spot spray just where required because what ever kills weeds will also kill all good bacteria in soil and give worms a hard time. 

Vegetables/fruit

All veg should be doing well after the rain, get corn and pumpkin in, they need a long ripening season.  

Strawberry's, black currants, gooseberries and raspberries have all had a visit from bee's here, mulch with fresh grass clippings to keep the moisture from evaporating. Strawberries like soil to be on the acid side so the addition of pine needles or coffee grinds will help. A little potash  watered in around the drip line of all fruit will encourage fruiting. With grapes, advice given in the past was to bury road kill under a grapevine. I have made our small vineyard a burial ground for whatever out lives it's time in our garden, gold fish, budgies,hedgehogs, bantams and doves plus, this year the addition of pig manure, fingers crossed for a good season.

Rockvale Gardens are looking wonderful right now, come out for for a visit, open daily.

Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago October 17th 2017

What a wonderful rain last Saturday afternoon and evening,  spring in North Otago is always so much better for a rain like that. 

Our Kanzan cherry trees are creating pink lawns and drive way here, so pretty and now the beautiful Shimadzu sakura low spreading pale pink flowering prunus are in full bloom. These are truly beautiful and deserve a spot in every garden big enough to cope with them. Lilac and lily of the valley are blooming here, both with their old fashioned perfume that evoke Childhood memories in me.

 " The smell of moist earth and lilacs hung in the air like wisp's of the past and hints of the future" Margaret Millar.

Removing weeds, lawn seed sowing and mowing has been keeping us pretty busy out here, warmer ground and weeds grow before your eyes, still time to pull out or hoe. From one smallish patch of garden I managed to fill a wheelbarrow with convolulous roots! previous years I have just pulled it out when spotted so I felt it was time to address the problem at the root level and found it was like the London underground all growing strong with the compost I had spread over the years. Convolulous is one weed that should not go into the compost until it has been left in the sun to completely dry out and become straw like. 

Roses are doing well now that the nights are milder, keep the food and deep root watering up to them as they bud up, foliar feeding on fresh new leaves works well now along with slow release fertiliser which ensures they are feed with each water. healthy well fed roses are less likely to become diseased.
Cut back Erica's, callunas that have flowered during winter, and aubrietia the purple rockery plant will give you another flowering if you do.

Cut spent flowers from hellebore's before they drop seed then get the full effect of their wonderful leaves

Polanthus have been wonderful over late Winter and early spring but now it's time to cut them back and shift to a shady spot. They can be planted in a sunny spot again early next Winter.

PLANT, PLANT, PLANT flower plants and seeds, fill gardens leaving no room for weeds.

Lawns:  Feed lawns when rain is about, with all the rain we have had over past months nutrients will have washed out. Powdered fertilisers need to be watered well in to stop burning during the heat of the day. 


Vegetables:
Pumpkin and squash plants are almost ready to plant, prepared area for them to ramble with a lot of compost and old stable manure dug in. The leaves will always let you know when they need water as they grow.

If you have a glass or tunnel house why not plant some peppers, they grow high so when their stems are strong enough bang in a stake and attach a string from the stake to the roof to support them as they grow up.

Fruit: Raspberry Kane's and strawberries are doing a lot of growing now, They both flower and fruit up really quickly as long as they get all day sun they will ripen fast.  Berries and new seasons peas are perfect for encouraging Children into the garden. 

Coddling moth traps now need to be in place in apple trees, some trees never attract the moth that will lay the eggs of the small grubs that eat through apples, but if a tree does you can be sure others will be chosen close by.

Eradication of codling moth, quarter fill a plastic milk container with treacle and hang in the tree to attract male grubs, the treacle is said to smell like the female codling moths pheromone which will attract the male grub into the container to reach a sticky end. A double bonus is that the treacle will attract grub eating birds.

Rhubarb: Keep manure enriched compost up, if the soil gets hard and dry around rhubarb it will grow stringy.

Herbs: are growing well now pick a few batches while fresh and to stop them going to seed, Drying herbs :Pick in the full heat of the day, lay out on news paper or bunch and hang in a dry airy place until crisp, (all moisture must be gone). Then rub together into sprinkle sized bits and store in brown paper bags or glass jars to use in the months when they are not available. 

Cheers, Linda.

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Gardening in Noth Otago October 10th 2017

Here we are the second week of School holidays and a wet start, not so good for Parents and Children but wonderful for the garden, gentle warm spring drizzle is just right for spring new growth and new sown lawns 

Sifting soil will begin again here this week for resowing  lawn bare patches and to add body to gardens, pots, baskets and seed trays. With all the mulches used today gardens become light and fluffy and don't hold moisture, soil is nature given for growing and sifted it is the perfect medium for new roots, spread it on top and it will wash in beneath the mulch with each watering.
Spring bulbs are starting to finish, don't be tempted to cut leaves off just yet as the bulbs top up on food for next year from leaves as they die back.
If you have really big clumps of bulbs choking your garden space there will always  be someone willing to bring a spade to halve big clumps and adopt bulbs. Put a sign at the gate saying Bulbs to give away, bring a spade!
Lavenders: I have had to pull quite a few lavenders out this year because they have reached the end of their growing, After their trim back at the end of Winter they were not making a lot of new growth, just a little bit here and there with most of the plant staying woody. If you have the odd lavender doing this pull it out and replace it with a fresh plant. I noticed last year that some plants were not doing well so I put in cuttings from stronger growing ones which I can plant out now to fill the gaps.
Ericas that flowered over winter can be trimmed so new growth does not start above the spent flowers.

Take tip cuttings now from shrubs, dip them in hormone and push them into firm river sand, they will make roots over the Spring and summer ready for planting out at the end of next winter. 

Keep an eye on tall growing chrysanthemums they start making growth now, cut back the first new growth before they make hard wood. They do not flower until the Autumn so by removing the first new growth they should regrow shorter and be more manageable.
Prune fuchsias back now if you have not already done so, they will make new fresh growth, because they flower on new seasons wood they can be taken well back.
Dahlias: in the garden for summer colour, tall, medium and dwarf. They are just starting to make a move so if you want colour to continue in your garden when the spring show is over dahlias will do the job. they like a warm full sun free draining spot, tubas will rot if planted in ground that remains wet.

Too early yet to trim box hedges, wait until the new growth firms up a little. The perfect time to trim box in spring is during overcast days, the hot sun burns new undergrowth, dull days give them time to recover.

Lawns: mowers are humming again on lush  lawns, use the clippings around your garden as mulch, not great piles but evenly scattered around will keep the weeds down and help to retain moisture.

Vegetables: 
Tomatoes: For those with glass houses, prepare the soil well by digging in good organic compost. This will need to have been heated to the point of all fungus disease being eradicated.  Summers here in North Otago can be cool so a glass or tunnel house is the a must if wanting to be a serious tomato grower. However a glass house is a perfect incubator for fungus disease during nights and dull days when moisture is not taken up quickly by plants, never let tomato plant leaves go into the night wet. There are a lot of tomato varieties to choose from.
Beefsteak, the big tomato best for sandwiches & cooking,
Early girl, stars producing early and keeps on until late in the season,
Potentate, medium/small firm with moderate acidity and low in sugar,
Money maker, medium size and good flavor ,
Doctor Walter is the very low acid tomato
Cherry tomato's, the plant you can grow in a pot inside or on a porch, great for Childrens lunch boxes.
Russian red a tomato to grow outside in a sunny spot protected from the wind.
Heirloom tomatoes have become popular, they don't look great but they have the great taste of yesteryear. Most need staked and tied up in the glass house and ALL tomato's like sun all day, 6 to 8 hours, it helps the fruit if there are fewer leaves on the plants. Tomato leaves compete for nutrients, create unwanted shade and harbor disease.
Keep planting vegetable seeds directly into the garden but don't sow too thickly mix seeds with fine soil when sowing to avoid a lot of thinning. The little gardens from New World are on the go again, a wonderful idea for encouraging Children to grow food. The window sill is not the place for them once germinated pot and all can go into the garden to be ready for eating at Christmas

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago October 6th 2017

School holiday time again!!! seven of our munch bunch around our table and romping through the garden during this first week. Scruff is once again in his element being taken for runs rather than walks.

Weeds are in full force now! I can not believe how many have been pulled from our garden, mostly biddy bid, chick weed and convolvulous. Weeds need to be removed before they make seed to stop future germination.

All seedlings potted up in the last couple of weeks are growing in front of my eyes, now that days are warm it is best to pot seedlings on into individual pots for roots to become established before planting out because small seedlings have almost zero survival rate if planted out into a dry garden. Strong growing plants like sun flowers and delphinium seeds are best planted straight into peat pots and once the pot is filled with new roots plant pot and all, the strong roots will grow out through the pot as it breaks down.

Hosta's are pushing fresh new leaves out for waiting slugs! put sharp gravel under hosta's and spray with fish emulsion to deter them. I have 6 little Peking bantams who take care of snails and slugs in my garden, they are very short in the leg which only allows minimal scratching  compared to long legged hens.

Companion planting:

With all the planting going on right now companion planting could be the way to go, Gardeners from the past have documented successful companion planting knowledge down through the years for us to follow. Some plants give off an aroma that is disliked by unwanted insects and others are thought to enhance the growth of certain plants if planted along side them.

Nasturtiums attract caterpillars, so planting alongside or around vegetables such as lettuces, broccoli and cabbages should mean the nasturtium will get attacked rather than your edible crop. Fox Gloves have stimulating effects on all plants in the garden, a welcome addition to the flower and veggie garden. Marigoldshave a scent that repels aphids and attracts hover flies, which are predator insects, Mexican tagetes,( the lovely tiny marigolds), and French marigold, are invaluable to companion planting. Cabbage white butterfly are attracted to their host plant by smell, planting rows of Mexican tagete is effective in masking the smell and reducing cabbage butterfly damage.  Hyssop also repels white butterfly from cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli and other brassica crops. A secretion from the roots of the Mexican tagetes deter eel worms so your potatoes and tomatoes are left alone. Tagetes and calendula marigolds planted near tomatoes and roses will reduce aphid attack and attract hover-flies, voracious eaters of these pests. Basil and tomatoes are a well-known combination, great companions in the kitchen as well as the garden. Garlic, chives and parsley can be beneficial planted with Roses as aphid deterrents.

Dill is popular with bees and planted with corn will ensure a bumper crop. Sage is a great herb to plant around a celery crop, as it helps to keep the aphids away. Carrots and leeks work well planted together, they both have strong aromas, which repel other’s pests.

Vegetables: Potatoes are up so mounding begins to get more to the shore. Corn sprouts in no time now, plant in groups so they support each other and pop some dill in to attract bees. Plant hcorn, beans, courgettes, cucumbers, late tomatoes, lettuce and basil (but protect basil from cold nights)

The dreaded carrot fly is about in October when carrots are being thinned,  Plant seed sparingly to avoid thinning and dont leave any thinings about planted rows for the carrot fly to smell and if you have had prblems in the past, cover rows with shade cloth to keep the flys out.

Fruit: Bees are busy working at pollinating fruit bushes and trees, keep the water up to them and mulch with unsprayed grass clippings right out to their drip line to keep moisture there, and organise netting for bird protection.

Check all apples trees for woolly aphid ( white furry aphids on branches) spray tree with garlic, pyrethrum and neem oil (mixed)

Our garden is looking very pretty right now and ready for viewing should people be interested in taking a drive out to Weston, plenty of seating so bring a picnic.

Cheers, Linda