Gardening in North Otago April 18th 2018

This past week presented the strangest autumn weather, warm then cold warm again, wind, then rain. I noticed the first frost last Saturday  morning as did some of my dahlias.

Our compost bins are filling fast with leaves, soft hedge trimmings and grass clippings with a layer of made compost now and then which will make worthwhile humus to apply in Spring .  Ground expected to produce year after year, just as farm land requires fertiliser to ensure adequate growth so to do our gardens. While composts and manures must be accorded their place in soil management they are inadequate to ensure proper mineral nutrition of plants and must be supplemented by fertilisers to get the best results. Generally speaking stable and poultry manure contain practically all the elements required, particularly Nitrogen, phosphate, and potash in a natural organic form. However not all plants require the same proportions and animal manure that is too fresh can cause rank growth with leguminous like peas, beans and annual bedding plants because of excess nitrogen but left to break down in a compost heap, then used in conjunction with a general fertiliser when planting will ensure plants get all they require in the growing season while also building up tired soil.

Plants that will not tolerate phosphate fertiliser are leucodedrons, proteas, banksia and erica's.
Dried Blood is high in Nitrogen and is an easy way to replenish the nitrogen content in the soil. Plants like Polyanthus, Primulas and Cyclamen love it and will flourish when you add dried blood to their diet. 100% Pure and Natural.

Break up primula and viola clumps, plant out to fill gaps in front boarders.

Feed rhododendron, and camellias with fertiliser mixed especially for them which will boost them for spring flowering, azaleas like to be feed as soon as they have finished flowering.

Hedge cuttings can be taken now, as there is still sufficient sap in shoots to be taken as cuttings to carry them on without with out undue withering until roots form.The following shrubs can all be increased by means of cuttings. Berberis, buxus, ceanothus, escallonia, Portugal laurel, lonicera nitida, ligustrum, corokia, lophomyrtus. Cuttings should be young shoots about 8 inches/20+ centimeters long trimmed from existing hedges just below a joint. 3 or 4 pairs of the bottom leaves are removed as well as the sappy tip. Press river sand or crusher dust firmly into a deep tray, using a slim pencil make holes and push cuttings in leaving room for each to develop roots, firm sand around them and water in. Leave from now through winter / spring until they have formed strong roots to be potted on.

Lily bulbs: Look for a sunny spot ( 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day) in the garden to plant Lily bulbs, they become available this month and are perfect for planting here in North Otago because they require a cold, dormant period. These beautiful flower bulbs can be planted in among other plants, as they like cool roots, at a depth three times the size of the bulb from now until June. 

Vegetables / fruitTime to dig up and divide Rhubarb crowns, mixing in heaps of compost before replanting.
A good time for sowing of Spinach and Snap Peas, Spring Onions. Fill the top of a shallow pot with Spring Onions and pull them as they’re needed. Start picking when plants are still quite small. Pumpkins should be in now, remember not to remove the stalk from the Pumpkin, this stops it from rotting.
Time to get all fruit in before the birds take the lot.  Prune tamarillo trees hard after last fruit comes off, staggered pruning will stagger next year's crop


Cheers, Linda