Gardening in North Otago February 6th 2018

What a glorious rain on Monday night just what North Otago needed as we move through this scorching summer towards autumn. Now while growth is rapid is the perfect time to sow seeds and have seedlings pricked out then potted up ready to plant out for mid autumn/early winter

For the garden I have sown Iceland poppy, pansies, viola, stock, statice, polyanthus, wall flower, kale and primulas.  

For pots and baskets nasturtium, virginia stock, pansy, plus cineraria silver dust and the aluminium plant cuttings.

Collecting summer seed as it ripens is still on going here, already I have a number of small paper bags labeled and stored for sowing for spring colour. If you sow now for spring plants will need nursing through winter, best to wait and sow in early spring. Seeds to collect now would be sun flower,  aquilegia, dianthus, poppy, marigold, sweet pea, violas / Pansy's. Delphiniums and other spring perennial seed can be sown now as they will need to make the roots required of them.

I am finding an abundance of native seedlings growing all over the garden, this is the work of birds doing their bit to regenerate forna. I pot up the small ones at this time of the year but leave digging the larger ones until winter as they will have a better survival rate lifted then. 

Lift summer flowering gladioli as leaves begin to dry off, and hang upside down inside to ripen before cleaning and storing. 

It's the right time from now on to plant large flowering (hybrid) clematis to get roots established before winter. A fungus spray at planting will help eliminate the wilt problem some clematis suffer from, when planting try not to disturb the root too much and sprinkle a little lime to sweeten the soil. There are some stunning hybrid clematis on offer with huge or delicate flowers in vibrant shades that to me have a tropical look climbing and spilling through gardens. 

Start  planting spring bulbs as they become available or break up existing clumps. Clumps planted are much more effective than one bulb planted here and there. 

Continue dead heading dahlias to keep them bushy and flowering longer, take stalky old growth right back to where the stem is plumper. 

Compost should be cooking well with all the grass clippings and soft green waste but a dry layer is needed as you build, old compost or straw / hay and manure layered between the fresh greens will help with the cooking process. Heaps should be damp, a cover during these hot months will help retain moisture. 

Lawns: Begin preparations for autumn sown lawns, start by spraying out all perennial weeds,then the area should be dug or rotary hoed then raked to ensure there is a fine tilt and no underlying hard pan. To ensure a level, firm planting surface, the soil should be gently compacted again after digging by raking and treading or rolling. Test the ph and if soil is too acid bring it up to about 6 with lime, leave as long as possible for the lime to be absorbed, fertiliser is applied when sowing or once grass is up. Our lawns have been hard hit in places with the heat and grass grub, dry patches have been raked out and filled with peat mixed with grass seed, peat is fine but becomes heavy and doubles in size when wet to settle into patches and seed should germinate fast. Moisture must be kept up until grass takes hold.

Veg & fruit: This is a major harvest month for vegetable and fruits. Keeping the water up to everything especially the late ripening fruit trees is a must to get the best crops. I am sure it must be a favourite time of the year for birds with so much on offer to them, pick and store before they take all. I feel there will be monster pumpkins in gardens judging by the size of  courgettes and cucumbers. Plant french beans and peas to be ready for Easter.

Cheers, Linda