Gardening in North Otago November 27th 2018

December already, damp November almost gone, what a long time suffering damp, cloud covered days which has restricted flowering and fruit ripening. It's sun and warmth we and gardens need in spring.

Hedge trimming will be under way about North Otago now that new growth has been pushing out for a while. I can't wait until hedges soften a little after a severe trimming, which usually only takes a couple of weeks.

Roses will be well into flowering and the thing to look out for after all the dampness is powdery mildew, a fungus that affects plant leaves, buds and stems, coating them with a white or grey powder like substance. A preventive spray applied at the very first hint of powdery mildew is as follows. 1 tablespoon of baking soada, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap and 1 gallon of water mixed together. This is not a cure if the fungus has taken hold but worth spraying on all rose bushes to prevent it happening after such a long period of damp, dull weather.

Begonias are really pushing through now and I see that I have lost a few that I left in the ground from last year. The food begonias most appreciate is any fish based fertiliser, as a folia spray or watered in around roots. 

Hydrangeas are producing flower heads now so they will have loved all the rain, it is important to keep the water and food up to them, old stable manure, blood and bone, dry, liquid or slow release fertiliser will keep them happy and flowering well. Remember it's lime for pink and Epsom salts or aluminum sulphate to keep them blue. 

Fuchsias are making a lot of growth now as well, they flower on new growth so appreciate a good cut back in early spring and then again when finished flowering.Tip cuttings can be taken from fuchsias when stems have firmed, if you spot some you like in a friends garden ask for some cuttings. I break a cutting off at a heel or a nodule section, remove some of the top growth and push into firm wet river sand.Tip cuttings from Hebe's will also root with no trouble in river sand .                                                                                                                                           Abutilon (Chinese lantern: If you are looking for something non invasive to make a show of colour against a wall why not try Abutilon, they come in three strong colours, yellow, orange, burgundy and white. I planted yellow, burgundy and white together in a large container with nice lime green grass's below them, Being a rather spindly plant I intertwined them and they now look like one bush. If trained against a wall leave some longer branches and shorten back others to get a good cover of flowers.                                                                                            Peony roses: What a pity damp weather has spoiled these wonderful plants this spring, they are the first to droop in wet conditions. Remove seed pods once blooms have finished to stop plants putting energy into making seed.                                                                                                                                                     
Low hanging tree branches: The weight of the last rain will have shown which branches need lifting on large deciduous trees, if left they will cast too much shade over surrounding plants. Lower branches can be removed and the upper branches will hide the cuts. Any branch growing downwards with a canopy branch directly above it can be cut back or removed altogether.                                                                                                                                          Lawns will be lush but soddon and all that rain will have washed out nutrients so feeding would be a good idea during a shower once they firm up. Lawns get really stressed once the heat of the day intensifies, if your lawns are inclined to crack when dry they have probably been planted on clay soil. Apply gypsum ( soluble lime) and water in, after a couple of years of doing this your lawns will have a spring in them. Gypsum works it's way through the clay and makes it become more like soil. If lawn weeds are a problem spot spray before cutting or remove flat weeds with a knife when noticed. I spot spray with lawn weed spray because I don't want to upset the balance and the work going on in the soil by drenching with chemicals.                                                                        Vegetables: Well the broad beans and peas collapsed in the heavy rain, leaf veg are gritty with soil splash, and the soil is too sticky to weed so not much happening there until the sun shines! Corn and all in the pumpkin family will not make a move which is a shame because they need to get off to an early start for a long ripening season.  Runner and french beans have been slow to start and with the wet snails and slugs will be out in force. May be best to  plant beans into trays to be transplanted when big enough to start climbing up the frame and deter the slugs and snails by making beer traps out of empty plastic fiz bottles. Cut the bottles with the lid in place through the middle, bury the lidded half in the ground then fill with beer, cut a door opening in the other half for snails and slugs to slide in, then force this half with door opening on top of the other beer filled half. The bottom of the bottle will be the roof to keep the rain out.                                      

Tomatoes will be getting taller but fruiting will be slow with lack of sun, the removal of over half the leaves on a plant will benefit your plants by allowing more nutrients to the fruit along with letting  more sun in to encourage flowering and them more visible for pollination, try it and see if you get a better crop. If you are noticing a lack of bee's to pollinate tomato flowers gardeners have been known to take a hair dryer into the glass house, turn on half speed then gently waft it among flowers to spread pollen. 

Fruit: Not much happening there in the last two weeks, no sun, no growth. Everything made a good start from blossom and I have picked a couple of bowls of gooseberries but that's about it. Strawberries will start to rot with being damp too long, removing heavy leaf cover will let light and sun in to help them along, A few warm days will soon put things right.                                                                                                        

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago November 20th 2018

Wow what a wet cold snap last week, we were kept out of the garden with that lot!. 

Heavy rain in spring is a bonus to get moisture right down into the reserves for a hot summer, however nutrients are washed down as well so feeding now 

to help those active roots is recommended especially for annuals coming on for a summer show and flowering pots and hanging baskets will need food and 

maybe a top up of potting mix.

I have divided clumps of violas now finished flowering, I just dig up part of a large clump and basically pull it to bits planting  sections with roots into pots ,

by the start of next winter the small pots will be filled with roots, new leaves and buds ready to be planted out.

The same for pollyanthus  and  primulas, break up clumps; plant out only fresh new growth and throw away knotted old spent roots.

There is still time to divide agapanthus, large and dwarf varieties due to flower in February. They can get a bit clump bound which reduces their flowering, 

dig out the whole clump (if it is still manageable enough to do this), then pull off smaller root balls and plant out on their own using fresh compost to get 

the roots going again. Agapanthus are great gap fillers in new gardens, they can always be removed as you fill your garden with permanent plants.

If you have, or can get hold of some aged compost that has finished working and is ready to put on the garden you will be able to make compost tea.

Compost Tea is a nutritionally rich, well-balanced, organic plant food made by steeping aged compost in water. The water is then diluted and used 

as a root / or foliar feed. It is also noted for its ability to control various plant diseases (blights, molds, wilts, etc. when used as a foliar spray), to repel 

and control insect pests and their damage when used on a regular basis, and to encourage the growth of beneficial soil bacteria which results in healthier, 

more stress-tolerant plants. The basic recipe most often recommended is as follows:

1 large container with lid (plastic rubbish bin works well) enough aged, completed compost to fill an old pillow case 1/2-3/4 full. Fill the container with 

water, place the compost filled pillowcase (cheese cloth bag or pantyhose also work well), tie off the top and submerge in the container of water. 

Cover (to prevent odor and insect problems) and let steep for a MINIMUM of 2 weeks. This steeping time is crucial to the formation of beneficial bacteria 

and the required fermentation process. When finished, dip out the tea and dilute it (3 parts water to 1 part tea) and use weekly as root food for all plants. 

The following factors will determine the quality of the finished tea: Use well-aged, finished compost - Fresh compost can burn the plants 

or contain harmful pathogens and compost past its best will be nutritionally deficient. If using purchased compost it should contain a portion of aged 

animal manure which apparently remains active longer than compost made up only of plant matter. Dilute it a little more when using on young seedlings.

It is important to note that COMPOST TEA AND MANURE TEA ARE NOT THE SAME THING. Manure tea can be made in the same way 

but is not generally recommended as foliar spray and is not as nutritionally well-balanced but great for roses when applied around roots to keep them healthy. 

Weeds maturing to seede stage, get them out before they do while the ground is soft and wet. I am still battling with convolvulus,so have resorted to pulling 

it off plants then searching for ground level regrowth in plant clear areas to appear for me zap with round up which should travel right back along the root runners 

and kill them. I find it too risky spraying around the plants so resot to just pulling away from plants.

Vegetables:

Keep mounding the potatoes to keep them producing more and more new potatoes for Christmas, crops will have enjoyed the resent down pour. 

Leafy veg don't need any extra feeding at this time of the year it will just encourage them to bolt. Plant only as many seedling plants you think 

you would use when ready and hold back and keep in the shade other small seedling plants from the same batch for a staggered planting.

New small plants can be over watered to the point where their roots cannot cope and they collapse, the soil should be dry on top between watering's

and good drainage is essential .

Keep pumpkin and squash plants mulched, their roots are fragile until large leaves grow to create the root shade needed. 

Cheers, Linda 

Gardening in North Otago 13th November 2018

North Otago was very fortunate to get such a good rain last week  so no dragging hoses about with scruff our dog pulling on the end.  Nothing worse in a spring garden to see droopy leaves when all plants are pushing out new growth, a soak is more effective than a sprinkle.

The weight of rain on deciduous tree branches makes it easy to see those needing to be lifted, if left they cast shade over surrounding plants. Any branch growing downwards with a canopy branch directly above it can be cut back or removed altogether.   

A couple of grueling days bent over trimming box hedge left me like a half shut pocket knife last week. My box are all established to the height and width required so I take them back to the last growth. Newly planted box will probably need only the tops straightened leaving the sides to thicken, a boost with slow release fertiliser will feed and keep them green. Other hedges will be ready for trimming now and soft trimmings can be spread about gardens as mulch.

I am still cutting back spring flowering perennials and filling gaps with the following annuals, lobelia, alyssum, antirrhinum, petunias, salvia and sun flowers have been planted in bare areas where they can grow in groups to great heights.

Roses: Fat rose buds are opening now all healthy and beautiful before succumbing to the stress of hot drying days, aphid, black spot and rust, if water, feeding and mulch is kept up these can be avoided and healthy roses can be enjoyed though to early winter. 

Dahlias are pushing through now as spring bulbs finish, I discovered some dahlias in shade as tree branches spread wider so have shifted clumps while still low into a sunnier position. Supports can be put in place now for large spreading dahlias before they put on heavy growth.

Hydrangeas are starting to produce flower heads now so it is important to keep the water and food up to them, old stable manure, blood and bone, liquid or slow release fertiliser will keep them happy and flowering well. It's a dressing of lime for pink and Epsom salts or aluminum sulphate to keep them blue.

Fuchsias are on sale right now and are wonderful in pots or a shady spot, they are making a lot of growth now so if you missed cutting any back do it now, they will soon catch up.

Peony roses: What wonderful additions to the flower garden peony roses are, beautiful fillers in a sunny spot and for filling vases. Supports are needed for most peony roses to hold up full flower heads, I have been banging in bamboo around bushes to hold firm garden string support.

Vegetables: Keep mounding potatoes to give depth for them to produce, consistent watering is important for potatoes, this goes for all root vegetables. Leafy veg don't need any extra feeding at this time of the year it will just encourage them to bolt. Only plant as many plants as you think you would use when ready to pick, hold back the other small seedling plants from the same batch and keep in a semi shady place until required for planting. Small plants will hold if watered only when too dry, over watering will encourage rot . Keep pumpkin and squash plants mulched, roots are fragile until their large leaves grow to create the root shade needed. Corn seeds sown last month are now ready to plant out, planting corn in squares rather than rows will ensure pollination on the lower tassel's and add support during strong winds.

Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago 6th November 2018

Some settled spring days this week, warm sun and still a night chill to keep the garden fresh, even after the odd  nor-west wind sapping moisture and stripping trees of blossom and leaves.  

Rhododendrons, azalea's, and peony roses are still putting on their show along with lilac and iris's and something new happening every day in the garden. 

My roses are full of fat buds waiting to burst open, the odd one has been found by green fly so has had a strong hose drowning as I do not fancy getting the spray out just yet.  Roses will have used up most food in reserve to have reached this lush stage so will need feeding often to keep them in this peek condition, there are many rose foods for sale and Folia feeding with fish emulsion will help keep green fly away while being absorbed through leaves. 

Trim spent flowers from perennials and daisy bushes as they finish the first flush of flowering to keep them bushy and continuously in flower, if you let flower heads go to seed the bush or plants will become woody. 

Box hedge:  I will make a start on my buxus hedges as soon as stalks and leaves are firmer, while soft they are still putting out growth. On other hedges if you can snap a stem clean off then they are ready for a spring trim. 

Lawns: There should have been excellent results from grass seed sown, striking quickly with the warmth and moisture we have had which encourages me to rake out every bare patches, add sifted soil and plant grass seed while the going is good. 

Veg: A good no fuss way to grow veg is in a no dig garden. 

Making a no dig garden: 

Find a sunny spot on bare ground,( not concrete) surround with sleepers, logs, Oamaru stone or boards high enough to hold layers of manure, soil, compost and straw. Flood the dirt before you start to get dampness deep down but If you plan to create a no dig garden on top of grass or space that has been growing then you will need to cover the the ground with layers of saturated news paper or cardboard, overlapping once ground has been soaked along with the newspaper covering to stop strong weeds pushing through. 

First layer manure, (soak) this will bring the worms up, then spread a thick layer of compost, old leaf mulch and dried grass clippings, (soak.) Next add a layer of soil, (clay soil is fine in this layer), water well after each layer leaving no dry spots. Next add a layer of straw, (soak) then add more layers of compost and old leaf mulch and dried grass clippings, (soak) and top that with more soil, (soak). River sand, a little lime and an all purpose fertiliser can be added as you build the layers. Lastly add a top layer of straw to suppresses weeds, also a great deterrent to slugs. When you think the garden is high enough start planting and you should be eating your own produce with in six weeks at this time of the year.

Fruit: With the warmth experienced this spring and bee's doing their job berry fruits are romping along. Water is important while fruit is forming especially after the wind, a good soak from time to time if rain is scarce will ensure full juicy fruit. I have been thinning the apple clusters because there were too many to grow and ripen in each cluster, doing this will ensure good size ripened fruit.  

I have come across another method of dealing with coddling moth which is said to have worked well for some. Use a plastic milk container, and place in it 1 banana peel, 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup sugar. Fill the container almost full of water, replace the cap and shake it well to mix and dissolve the contents. Remove the cap and firmly secure one container into each apple tree. The moths are attracted to the scent of the concoction, becoming trapped and drowned when they investigate. Refill with water as needed throughout the summer.  

Cheers, Linda.