Gardening in North Otago April 14th 2020

Easter has come and gone in a very different way than any Easters past, I made Easter buns virtually with our Grandchildren who did not seem to miss out on the Easter eggs on Sunday morn.

It was great to get some rain even though the cold came with it, now that Queenstown has snow it is cooling here on the coast which means we will need to think about putting protection in place for those tender plants and seedlings.

Compost is still being compiled here with leaves, grass clippings, and soft garden waste. With the addition of stable and poultry manure you will be adding all the elements required, particularly nitrogen, phosphate, and potash in a natural organic form. 
Normally at this time of the year new growth is not encouraged as all growth starts to wind down preparing  for the dormant months but here on the coast we like to continue to have colour in the garden with polyanthus, primulas, pansy and cyclamen, these plants get a boost when dried blood is used around them. Dried blood is high in nitrogen and an easy way to replenish tired soil before planting.

Primula and viola clumps can be broken up now and either potted or planted out to create boarders or fill gaps in front boarders. I have broken up clumps of viola Maggie Mott, a perennial lavender viola, potted up each small section will form roots and create it's own clump. They are great for edging and flower for a long time.

If you have some on hand, feed rhododendron, azaleas and camellias with fertiliser mixed especially for them which will boost them for budding and spring flowering. If mixed fert is not on hand but you do have the following about apply pine needles, sawdust, coffee grinds,  here is  a link to information on making home made fertilizer.  https://www.thespruce.com/make-your-own-fertilizer-1388159  

Dahlias, Keep dead heading dahlias until frost collapse them, when this happens cut back ensuring large thick steams are not left open to allow rain in to rot tubers. If dahlia tubers are sitting in water too long after heavy rain they will rot. Dahlias can be dug out at the end of the season and stored away in a dry place to be planted out after frosts in late spring / early summer. A topping of pea straw is good protection for dahlias over winter.

Roses, the rain and cold snap may have spoiled roses, remove rotting blooms and resist cutting back, roses need to start making seed and harden off before the cold months but If growing in a warm sheltered sunny spot one last dead heading will produce late blooms.


Vegetables / fruit
Time to dig up and divide Rhubarb crowns, mixing in heaps of compost before replanting.
A good time for sowing of Spinach, beetroot, broad beans and snap peas (if you have the seed.)  

fruit and nuts will still be dropping from trees, after the rain  is a good time to repay your fruit trees by applying any or all of the following lime, manure, rock phosphate, liquid seaweed and vermiliquid around the drip line of trees. Prune tamarillo trees hard after last fruit comes off, staggered pruning will stagger next year's crop

Prepare strawberry beds, build ground up with compost/mulch, cut old leaves from plants and destroy, remove runners, pot up for new fruiting plants or fill in gaps. If your strawberry plants are older than 3 years replace.

Cheers, Linda.