Gardening in North Otago September 3rd 2019

Early spring at Rockvale Gardens Weston

Some beautiful early spring days experienced here in North Otago over the last week things are really moving in gardens now.

I have been re potting cuttings that made roots during winter, fresh potting mix to sustain the explosion of new leaf growth and flowers will ensure good results. Liquid fertilizer once a week can start now as well, I use a watering can, when leaves are dry of dew. Pansies, primulas, pollyanthus, sweet peas, lupins, all new seasons bedding plants respond daily to being feed now.

I am sure every gardener enjoys trying new plants and colour combinations, now is the perfect time to sow seeds for summer flowering, germination is fast when days are bright, warm and lengthening so we are off to a good start this spring. I have sown seeds under glass and some just under frost cloth, better still if you have a glass or tunnel house. 

Baskets and pots will need freshening up with new potting mix, slow release fertilizer and water crystals,  use only shallow rooted plants for baskets, pansy, lobelia, small type petunias, nemesia, and trailers like Virginia stock and dwarf sweet pea. To get best results the roots of what you want to plant will determine the size and depth of a pot or basket, they have a long growing season so depth is needed for roots.

Old woolen blankets cut to size and slit where plants are to be poked in are an economical alternative to bought basket liners, also I am experimenting with using disposable nappies in my hanging baskets, the water crystals for absorbing moisture are the same as what you buy for hanging baskets and pots. Place the nappy on top of the liner, slit the plastic cover over the crystals then add potting mix, plant out and water. The water crystals will absorb moisture for roots to grow into.

Too much garden to fill? the width of a flower garden can be cut down by planting a spreading front boarder, a boarder of the same plant will also formalize a busy mixed garden and cut down on weeding. Some boarder plants to consider are lambs ear, purple sage, aubretia, dwarf agapantha, catmint and ground cover

erica's will cover like a carpet not allowing weeds to grow and also prevent birds from scratching. A large clump of lambs ear can be divided into single plants. Silver is a perfect shade to use as a break between strong and soft shades and will grow in sun or semi shade.

Roses are pushing out new shoots, if you haven't pruned yet do it now before they leaf up and give them a dressing of rose food or manure / compost if you have some, well fed roses will stay healthy.

Dahlias, too early for planting tubers yet but the addition of dolomite lime where they are to be planted will sweeten the ground ready for planting next month.

Lawns:

Prepare ground for sowing new lawns, here on the coast ground will soon be warm enough to get a strike, sow seed thickly in spring to beat the annual weeds. Once spring mowing starts keep the mower blades up to allow grass to thicken and feed lawns just before or during rain and they will stay lush.

Vegetables:

Here on the coast sow lettuce seed and plant lettuce plants at two week intervals, my board beans are flowering, I was once told to plant each bean with a little pot ash to help with rust problems, they still get a little rust but I think that's probably due to them getting too dry between watering's. I will need to secure them with wire stakes before the strong winds arrive.

New potatoes: Prepare ground for planting sprouted early seed potatoes and they will be on time for Christmas dinner.

Strawberries: still haven't  prepared the strawberry bed yet, maybe this weekend.! when strawberry plants start moving they flower up quickly and need to be hooking into plenty of organic matter / food to support continual fruiting.

Fruit: keep an eye on peach / nectarine bud burst, if you need to deal to leaf curl. Leaf curl is a fungal disease which over winters in tree bark and around buds, leaves become curled and deformed with warty growths. Just before bud burst spray with Champion copper or liquid copper and once again after petal fall. 

If looking to fill gaps in your flower garden pop down to the Resource recovery park in Chelmer Street where a Garden corner has been introduced, annuals, perennials, shrubs, potted bulbs and natives are on offer along with second hand garden equipment and pots and sound garden advice.

Cheers, Linda.

Front boarder of lambs ear