Gardening in North Otago December 12th 2018

philadelphus (mock orange), mingonette and Lupins

Super plant comfrey   

Still overcast, damp days as I write this so like me most will have been busy with end of year work, School and after School actvivies to be part of rather than  plodding around dripping plants, mud and wet feet and with the Christmas lead up I am sure gardening will be on the back burner for most, including me. However if it does brighten up there will be the last minute clean up to take care of. Trimming with secateurs is not practical for me with such a large garden so the hedge trimmer will be out again when dry, the grow back rate is pretty quick in early summer so dont be afraid to take hedges well back if needed. Newly trimmed box hedges will suffer from sun scorch as days become warmer, but they soon grow through it and harden off to a lush green again.
If your catmint has been flowering for a while and it is looking a bit tired, trim well back and in no time at all it will re-grow into a neater clump and continue to flower, this applies to all spring flowering ground covers.
By now we will be able to see winter damage and dead branches needing removed on trees, and where low branches are keeping light from gardens. Maples, pin oaks, ashes and the native hoheria (lace bark)  put out so much growth here every spring needing many lower branches cut back or removed altogether to allow in light needed by plants and shrubs growing below to bud and flower.
Lilies: Large clumps of lilies can be divided up and shifted straight after flowering, plant into good compost, keep an eye on them through the dryer months they will not tolerate being dry long. It takes ages for lilies to grow from seed and little pup bulbs so they are worth looking after, I have had clumps of Christmas lilies completely disappear through soil dryness.
Comfrey liquid fertiliser: I must again sing the praises of comfrey, with its deep taproot, and large root system, comfrey pulls up nutrients from way down in the subsoil, where most other plants can't reach. Comfrey is high in just about every nutrient a plant needs, including the big 3, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium and many trace elements. Its high carbon to nitrogen value means that it does not deplete nitrogen from the soil, as it decomposes. In fact, it becomes a good source of nitrogen containing more potassium than composted manure.
Comfrey leaves can be cut and spread around plants or decomposed down to a black liquid, for this cut leaves off at ground level, break up and place in the bottom of a large plastic container, cover with water and weigh down with a rock. Within 6 to 8 weeks the leaves will have decomposed into a thick  black smelly liquid. Strain and Dilute, 1 part comfrey liquid to 15 parts water, dilute more when using on seedlings. You will not need to spend money on plant food again, ( let me know if you would like a comfrey section to start a patch)
Garden Mulch: I noticed a good amount of well cooked clean, black garden mulch being offered at our Recourse recovery park, this is just right for keeping weeds down and retaining moisture around trees and shrubs. A scoop = 1/3 cubic metre $7.50 and a full bag $4.00 as well as trailer loads. The Recourse Recovery park will be closed only the following days during the festive season, Christmas day, Boxing day and New years day.
Lawns: If you don't like using sprays and have a few flat weeds in the lawn try spot spraying them with vinegar, it also works great on pathways and drives leaving no dangerous residue to leach into nearby plants . For best results apply in the heat of the day. Lawn spray is needed for clover, vinegar browns the leaf off and knocks it a bit but it soon recovers.
Vegetables: Sow late crops of cucumbers, courgettes, beans, basil, peas, rocket and corriander. Keep mounding up potato rows to encourage bigger shores, corn also as they have a shallow rooting system, mounding helps to keep them upright in strong winds, planting corn in groups rather than a row also helps with wind support.
Fruit is late to ripen with the lack of sun filled days and damp dull days lead to fungus and rot for strawberries, removing effected strawberries will stop the spread. 
Grapes: Shorten back fruiting leaders on grape vines, If a leader has produced too many bunches remove some. Nitrate fertiliser will only produce more leaves and leaders, like most fruiting plants a little pot ash to encourage fruiting is beneficial in spring, ( A note for next year) Nature will have its way if we take a much deserved break, weed seeds pop, fruit over ripens and the veg bolts but we can shift all pots and hanging baskets to a shady south facing wall to protect from sun until you return. 
"Christmas cheer" Gardeners will enjoy and share the produce bounty from the busy year past and I will take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you A very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous 2018.

Gardening in North Otago December 4th 2018

Here we are almost at the end of another year and the humid, before Christmas, cloudy weather is persisting and so much growth, does the cutting back NEVER end!. It's getting rid of it all that creates a problem for most people, however at this time of the year the cut back growth is soft and with the help of daily heat will break down in heaps or on the compost so pile it up until it all reduces then cart it off. Gaps left can be built up with fresh compost and planted out in summer annuals.  

Delphiniums growing tall will be needing supports to keep them in place, its hard to stand them up again with out stems breaking if they collapse. If this has happened cut them back to the broken point to continue to put out new but smaller flower heads. 

Catmint edging can be cut right back now, it will grow back and flower again and lavender needs to be trimmed when it has finished flowering. 

English lavender is worth cutting, bunching and hanging once stems have firmed and continue to give off that lovely fresh lavender fragrance right through until it flowers again next summer if kept inside. 

Rhododendrons finished flowering need spent flowers removed before they make seed, imposable to do on very large bushes but beneficial to smaller bushes as you want them to put growth into the bush not seeds. There is a point on a spent flower that when bent will break cleanly without damaging new growth. 

Roses: Remove rain damaged buds and blooms, if left they will encourage fungus during humid weather. Roses need dry sunny days to flower at their best however they will be enjoying the moist soil and should respond really well when sunny days do arrive.

Lillies will also be enjoying moist ground conditions but will probably stay in bud until those continuous sunny days arrive. Lillies do like their roots moist but like most plants will rot if water logged.

Hedge trimming is on going here and ivy that has romped away can be trimmed right back before it sets flowers.

Herbs are running to seed before I can cut and hang them as they must be completely dry when cut and bundled to prevent mold. If we do get a chance to cut hang, rub and store it is well worth the effort. I usually produce enough dried herbs to last the following year as well as gift to others. 

Herbs should be harvested when flavor and aroma oils are at their peak, before they flower. Harvest early in the morning after the dew dries and before the heat of the day. Herb flowers harvested to dry for craft should be picked just before flowers are fully open.

Culinary herbs to dry: rosemary, thyme, sage, dill, basil, chives, parsley, oregano, tarragon, nasturtium (leaves and flowers)

Fruit: black currents, raspberries and gooseberries are all wanting continuous sunny days and strawberries being low to the ground are rotting with such damp conditions, I have removed any rot and large top leaves to let more air and light in but they need to have a net cover if exposed to birds.

Vegetable garden: Weeds as well as veg are romping away but easy to pull while the soil is damp, again get rid of any veg rotting and when time and weather allows work wet ground with a hoe to get air in. Keep potatoes mounded, not long now to dig for Christmas dinner along with peas, board beans, carrots, beetroot and lettuce, produce so good from your own garden to the table.

Cheers, Linda.