The rain at the beginning of this week will rejuvenate gardens and lawns but I am sure the drop in temperature is having an adverse effect on Gardeners as well as dog's, Scruff became like a drowned rat as he followed me around, looking at me as if to say why are we out here??? and then there is the wet dog smell once inside! I am looking forward to the balmy days back again as we slide into March.
Parts in our garden are really tired now particularly the long boarders although the plants there I cut back early this month are beginning to make regrowth. Cut back border and rockery perennials as they finish flowering then top dress with compost and some blood and bone to give all a gentle boost for the growing they have yet to do. To get superior blooms on gerberas, dahlias, delphiniums and chrysanthemums dead head and give fortnightly feeds of liquid fertiliser, remove excess buds from large flowering chrysanthemums they will be putting on a show soon, dead heading all plants will encourage flowering rather than seed producing. With rain and the now heavy dew's gardens should carry on producing new growth until the first frosts but as days shorten colouring and leaf fall will begin then the raking up season will begin!
Those lucky enough to pile garden trimmings in a stock paddock for burning, be mindful of what is being left for stock to eat. There are a number of common plants that can poison animals and Children : Arum lillies, Calico bush ( Kalmia latifolia ), Daphne, English yew, foxglove, Hemlock, Holly berries, Iris, Ivy, Kowhai (especially seeds) Laburnum, Lily of the valley, Ngaio, Deadly night shade, Privit, Rhododendron, Rhubarb (leaves) Spindle berry, Potato ( green berries and green tubers)
Wrenching: I would dearly love to shift shrubs but I know they would suffer being shifted at this time of the year even if water was kept up to them, best to wait until winter when the sap is down, so wrench now shift later. To wrench is to dig down on one side of the tree or shrub cutting roots as you go, once all feeder roots have been severed pack compost or peaty potting mix around them for new roots to grow into over autumn. Untouched roots on the other side will continue to feed the tree or shrub until lifting in winter when plants are dormant. Once planted cut tree or shrub back by a third. However if you have no option and have to shift trees or shrubs a root ball would need to be as wide as the plant, retaining as much of the tap root as possible, the planting hole should be twice as big as the root ball, compost or peat added then filled with water before planting and firming in with a secure stake to protect the transplant from wind movement. Remove a third off the top and side growth then leave a hose dripping down into roots until you feel things have settled.
Lawns: Lawn weeds sprayed here last week are wilting away, even the Hydrocotyle which I thought was not going to succumb to the spray. I see where grass grubs are eating away at the roots of grass, mostly in the ground at the foot of trees night beetles strip leaves from, (Grass grubs turn into these beetles), lets hope most drowned during that last heavy rain, if not granules can be applied from now until May during the next significant rain fall.
Veg: New root veg can go in now, board beans, french beans, carrots, parsnips and beetroot, if planting out leaf veg it would pay to cover from white butter fly and birds that seem to go for the small newly planted. So much home grown produce will be picked and frozen or stored this month, so reassuring for gardeners to know their fresh veg is fresh and safe from chemicals.
Fruit: Dig out old spent strawberry plants and discard, plants being kept for another season should have runners cut off now to preserve the strength of the main clumps. Transplant strong runners and keep the water up to them until they make roots. Apples, late peaches, nectarines, quince and grapes are the next picking crops then walnuts will be falling, SUCH ABUNDANCE.
Cheers, Linda.
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