Gardening in North Otago 4th April 2018

Easter now behind us and so much needed to be done in gardens right now, weeding, hedge trimming, cutting back and clearing out summer growth, spraying, mulching, building new compost heaps then all those leaves ....(Whew, no pressure) 

As leaves turn gold and red North Otago pastures and lawns are looking spring green with some evergreen growth still too soft for taking cuttings, I usually take cuttings in April while the ground is still holding warmth to stimulate root growth. Large deep trays packed with moist river sand are ready here for cuttings waiting to be taken. Purple sage, geranium, breath of heaven, buxus, fuchia, escalonia, succulents lavender rosemary, lonicera, hebe's can all be taken now,  deciduous. hardwood cuttings are taken during winter when plants have lost leaves and dormant

I have taken time this week to look around the garden to see what plants flowered well over summer and those that have not because of trees getting taller and wider and blocking out light. The plants I found suffering most were dahlia's, some have not flowered at all from lack of light and moisture and others are  hidden behind other plants. They will be dug up and transplanted into a sunnier spot, leaving the top growth on to die off back into the tubers. Other plants suffering the same are dwarf agapantha, roses, asters and dianthas, all of these need a lot of sunshine and light to preform well.

If looking to improve the look of established gardens a front boarder will do the trick, there are so many suitable plants that maybe multiplying around your garden like lambs ear, with it's lovely silver textured leaf, variegated and dwarf iris, blue grass, dwarf agapantha, hosta's, helibours, purple sage, thyme, erigeron daisy and violas, plus heaps of other low growing evergreen plants that cuttings or divisions can be taken from right now to create borders. All these plants I have mentioned look great planted en masse in long rows to change the look of a garden.

The following flower seeds can still be sown now:

aquilegia, calendula (marigold) lupins, stocks, sweet peas, dianthus some will already be germinating around where these plants have been growing. I pot up most worthy plants that nature supplies in our garden to be planted out either before or after winter depending on the maturity of them.

Top dress lilies with blood and bone and compost, one cup of blood and bone to each bucket of compost. If you need to shift lilies never let them dry out, get them back in the ground straight away or store them in a wet  towel until ready to transplant.

Still a good time for wrenching shrubs and trees that need to be moved by digging around one half of their roots and leaving the other half untouched for a few months. Make a trench around the lifted roots and fill with soft compost, the cut roots will form new feeder roots into the compost which will make the eventual transplant cope better. Remember plants which have had their root system reduced should also have their top growth reduced.

Veg and fruit

Tomato's need all the daylight hours now to ripen, removed all shading leaves.

Sweet pepper plants that need more time to ripen can be dug up, put into a pot and placed under shelter to continue growing if any threat of frost.

Sow a green crop, adding humus to vacant vegetable plots will improve the soil, Blue lupin, mustard, wheat, barley or oats are good for this purpose. Dug in just before the crop reaches flowering stage. 

In cooler areas citrus trees, especially when young should have a temporary roof for frost protection put in place soon.

My wine grapes are a non event again this year with botrytis, safe spraying was done but still no good result so out they come after five good years of producing and three of not so no more picking or treading and the area with watering in place will be perfect for a plant nursery. 

Cheers, Linda