Gardening in North Otago January 13th 2020

This summer weather is still very changeable  as I write this, today closed in on me and felt like a cool dull spring afternoon while working around our never ending garden.

Cutting back is full on now as plants and shrubs rush to complete the cycle of flowering by making seed,  once this is done a plant will think it's job is done if the Gardener does not remove seed heads. A shrub like a hebe will immediately put growth into hardening and lengthening branches as seed heads ripen. This new hard growth comes from the bottom without producing leaves leaving the bush leggy with new growth only on the top. Cut well back after flowering and the new bottom growth will leaf up again to produce new flowers.

Keep dead heading dahlias and roses but, to those new gardeners ( repeating myself I know) dead heading roses means more than just removing the spent bloom, you must cut down to a new strong out facing bud, usually about 3 buds down from the spent bloom. Remove all old leaves with black spot and rust, don't leave them lying on the ground around the roses. Deep soak around roots often and spray fortnightly with a fungus and pesticide mix as well as liquid fertiliser, (all together is fine). I have just poured liquid horse manure around mine to give them a boost.  

All plants can do with a good feeding now because they have flowered well since the beginning of Summer, foliage feeding is great but if feeding with dry fertiliser around roots it should be watered in well, if left to sit on top it will burn exposed roots.   

Weeds: This week we have been keeping on top of the weeds with the hoe and spray. Gravel walkways and drives are great germinating areas for weed seeds. organic weed sprays work well on weeds at the early stage of growth but I have little success on bigger weeds so best to zap weeds when small.

Hedges can have a light trim to tidy them up, overcast days are the best time to do this so that the growth beneath is not scorched by hot sun. 

Bulbs: Large clumps of daffodils and bluebells can be broken up now and planted in areas where needed, it is safe to do this once the green has been used up by the bulbs, but a job made easier if the ground has been softened by rain!

Lawns:

Feed lawns during rain to help get them through to the end of summer, it does not take long for the ground to bake hard putting grass under stress as does cutting lawns too low, I have found if encouraged to make longer top growth grass will develop deeper stronger roots to sustain it. A little sprinkle of water now and then on dry grass will produce weak growth, a good soak and the natural rain will do the job but do not be tempted to scalp lawns once they green up, they still have a long hot Autumn to tolerate.

Vegetables:

Plenty to be had from vegetable gardens right now, new potatoes are still being dug, and later crops being planted, tomatoes should be ripening perfectly. I have just sown a third lot of peas because my Grandies are so put out when a crop is finished. Carrots and parsnip planted now will be up in no time. Keep moisture up to crops of corn and pumpkins as they still have a way to go. 

If spaces are left after veg has been dug sow a green crop, wheat or or mustard rather than letting weeds grow. Dig in while soft and green, this will add humus to soil and keep it covered until ready to plant an autumn crop of veg.

Fruit:

My apple trees are laden, the late ripening peach tree is the same however my apricots are very late to ripen and I had a poor crop of black currants, gooseberries and raspberries probably due to so many November overcast days.

Nip back the growth on grapes to let the sun in and to stunt leaf growth, the fruit needs all the vine can give now to ripen. 

Cheers, Linda.