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.
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