Gardening in North Otago 13th February 2018

North Otago weather this month is a Gardeners dream, cooler nights, still days, warmth and rain all trees, shrubs, plants and Gardeners should be thriving as I am with many trays of seedlings doubling in size daily and compost heaps breaking down nicely. 

Bob has had the hedge trimmer on the go here again, if you think something in your garden needs a cut back do it now, at this time of the year you can trim back quite hard if needed as the grow back rate is pretty quick. Even if the plant is still producing flowers, but you notice there are more seed heads than flowers it's a good indication the plant or bush is ready for a trim.

Keep dead heading roses and dahlias to get continuous flowering, I have also been dead heading lavender, catmint, geranium and cutting hard back bush lavateraand  buddleias, ( the butterfly bush) tall thin arching branches with grey/blue leaves and lavender, purple or pink long narrow flowers that will have faded now.

I noticed some potted annuals looking looking a bit yellow in the leaves, when I investigated further the affected pots had drain holes blocked or were continually sitting in water, these plants were drowning with no oxygen for roots. I tipped the sodden pots on their side and left them like that until the excess water drained away then added slow release fertiliser as nutrients will have washed away.  

I broke up clumps of spring bulbs a few weeks ago and got around to planting them out this week,  the tops had died back and they had dried nicely for planting in groups of 5. Spring bulbs should be coming into garden centers soon. Lilly bulbs cannot be left like that, they must never dry out.

Lawns: If your lawns were feed during the rain and have thickened up keep the blades up a notch to what you usually have them set from now on to give needed shade to roots.With nightly dew's back lawns should stay lush now through to autumn, if the grass grub leave them alone.

Vegetables: February is usually our hottest month but this year January scorched the ground first and with vegetable gardens being open to the sun they have suffered, dig compost, blood and bone or old stable manure into depleted  areas and soak well to bring the worms back up,  then let all settle until the worst of the worst of the heat is over before planting out leaf veg which will only bolt to seed right now, sowing veg seed would be the best option. Garlic should be harvested and drying by now, remember to put aside the best bulbs for planting on the shortest day for next years crop. 

Fruit: Can't complain about fruit not ripening this year, so nice to eat fruit straight from the tree or vine. Garden centers are ordering now so this is a good time to get an order for trees you would like to fruit at your place. Grapes are plumping up, time to cover from hungry birds.

Cheers, Linda.