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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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