Gardening in North Otago July 1st 2020

Bring birds into your garden.

Wet winter days beginning this week keeping most gardeners inside,  I could not let rain fall on gardens  that had not had a dressing of  pig manure / sawdust that I have a stash of.  Plants  will not be taking the goodness in while not growing but the rain will take it down to where needed in readiness for the spring explosion of growth. As I work around the garden I see the plants that are making a move, most spring bulbs have pushed through some even flowering along local fence lines,  pretty violets, pollyanthas and hellebore's are braving the cold here along with early camellias and Christmas cheer Rhododendron are flowering. After a few hard frosts in a row then a couple of milder frost free days plants get the urge to push buds open however it is the shortened hours of light that dictates the starting of a new growing season. 

Gardeners need to be on interment terms with the weather  we need to bend to it and learn how it affects our own gardens through all seasons, where wind chill comes in, the driest or bad draining areas and plant accordingly because weather makes no exceptions and plants can be lost if planted in the wrong conditions. We can create shelter and drainage where needed but Nature is still in charge if we do nothing at all nature will plant the right plant in the right place every time, one consolation is the more different weeds that come up in your garden means you have good growing conditions. Everything above the ground in your entire garden is determined by what happens below ground level.

Planting: Any deciduous tree or shrub whether bagged or bare rooted is best planted in winter when dormant and this is also when you get the best choices in Garden centers. Give the tree /shrub a good soak in a bucket over night before planting. Plant all trees,shrubs and hedging plants shallow as a shovel deep but make the radius of the hole at least twice as wide as deep.  Loosen the soil with a fork below and to the sides of the hole and spread roots out over mounded soil at the bottom of the hole, the quicker roots leave the planting hole, spread and take hold the better. If a hole is dug too deep with a lot of organic matter added roots tend to stay put content to make feeder roots in one spot rather than search for what they need. A good stake put in while planting is essential especially with tall grafted trees, this  helps to keep roots from moving while becoming established.

Mulch: The rain was welcome on my large leaf piles, moisture needs to get beyond the top of the pile which acts as a shield so I get the fork in and mix things up to let rain in and if not enough moisture after a few showers the hose will go on then a cover to keep wind out and get wet fungus working to turn leaves into mulch to add wonderful humus to soil. 

Birds look for  food  and water during winter, if you supply both  your garden will be visited but to be relaxed birds need food trays placed  high close to a bush or a tree they can dart to if startled. I melt a pot of dripping and while still soft before hardening it is easy to mix bird seed into then fill a string bag like  kiwi fruit and mandarins come in, birds will flock to it. Sugar water is always found by tui's but if you start it is only fair to birds that you continue.

Dahlias, gladioli, and peonies will be on offer this month, plant in good draining soil in a sunny spot, if you think there is a chance they would sit in cold, wet soil over winter they may rot, planting can continue until September. Dahlias can be covered and protected in damp sawdust until they start to shoot then planted out when all threat of frost is over.

Remember to continue protecting plants like Margarete daisies and pelargoniums from frosts with frost cloth as a cover above them, not touching. If they frost on the top just leave the frosted tops to protect the new growth beneath. This would not work further inland, it would be best to start nursing cuttings to be planted out when the frosts are over.

Moss on drive ways Two weeks ago I spread some inexpensive laundry powder on the thick moss growing along the shaded side of our drive and hey presto! it turned brown and died , I will leave it now in the hope it will discourage more moss growing during winter.

Manure: At this time of the year Lions clubs are filling stands with sawdust and sheep manure, volunteers clean out calving sheds and under shearing sheds to keep stands topped up for keen gardeners. I use the sawdust on wind free garden pathways and the sheep manure on the compost heaps. Sawdust can be used thickly on wet gardens as a weed suppressant as it helps to absorb excess moisture, but never on dry gardens. 

Vegetables:  On the coast start raising vegetable seeds for spring planting in a warm spot, under glass or plastic with ventilation spaces to circulate air and stop seeds going mouldy. Further inland where winters are harsher and longer germination will only happen on a heated seed raising pad so best to wait. If seeds are raised inside they will get leggy before it is time to plant out.

Cheers, Linda.

planting bare rooted trees.

 

Gardening in North Otago 23rd June 2020

Frost at Rockvale Gardens

Hard frosts but clear sun filled days make us able to spend productive time getting gardens ready for spring. Who ever said winter was a time for keeping warm inside while the garden rests??  With a small garden this can be achieved but a large garden needs attention through all the months of a year. I enjoy the work being carried out through winter here in our large garden because the rewards are many come spring.  


Continuous frosts are great for breaking down clay soil and dealing to pest cycles but planting comes to a stand still apart from bare rooted trees and roses. Planted at the dormant stage they settled in before spring. Tall, grafted bare rooted trees need staked for at least three years to avoid root movement as they take hold in the ground.  

Cutting back  continues on here, now that deciduous trees are bare I get a good look at the shape, height and width of branching and also discover the rouge trees growing up through shrubs that need to be removed before they put on more growth. It is too late in the year to trim soft trees and shrubs but huge over grown ivy and out of control evergreen climbers can be tidied up. Ivy is like wisteria  if you are too kind to it, some of those twining soft leaders will grow as thick as tree trunks if left.

Trees make the most change to a garden, they can turn a light sun filled garden into a shade garden with in a few years if the Gardener allows. This is the best time of the year to bring a wayward garden back in line by cutting out trees and shrubs that have out grown spaces. Conifers displaying woody bare growth at the bottom  usually become that way because they have grown too tall, they never regrow at the bottom. Very large removals can be achieved by an experienced  arborist who will complete the job with the least disturbance to your garden in mind, then leave you with a good amount of tree mulch once all branches have been shredded. Once unwanted trees and shrubs have been removed you will have gained light in areas once shaded, the soil will need building up with compost and left to settle before replanting something that will enjoy being in a light sunny area. The whole look of a tired garden can be changed by doing this, if a huge gap is left with the removal of a tree or shrub, fill the gap with a section of manuka screening placed behind the smaller replacement plant, it will give the plant protection and you privacy, once the plant has reached the desired height and width the screening can be removed.  If a shrub or tree is Spring flowering it will be well in bud now so leave cutting back until straight after flowering, it will recover very quickly with new spring growth. 

Fruit: summer fruiting raspberry canes fruit on second year wood, cut those brown canes that fruited last season right down but leave the new green canes to fruit. Autumn fruiting raspberry canes fruit on new seasons growth so all canes need to be cut to the ground.

Vegetables:
In the vegetable garden where green leafy vegetables and onions will be growing next growing season give a dressing of 250 grams per square metre of dolomite lime. If you follow a regular rotation this will ensure that most of the garden receives lime once in three years, permanent crops like rhubarb should be limed every three years as well. In gardens fed with compost rather than chemical fertilisers the PH tends to rise gradually eventually making regular liming unnecessary. 

-- Cheers, Linda

Conifers out grown their space being taken down at rockvale Gardens.

Gardening in North Otago June 17th 2020

Wow Monday was so cold, numb fingers and toes but then Tuesday was like a warm spring day, so hard to adjust to for not only people but plants as well, frozen one day and basking the next. How ever frosts are here to stay for a while now with the shortest day upon us, Plants can be acclimatised to the cold by gradual exposure to outside and overnight temperatures. Many plants may be frost tender when young but will be quite tolerant when mature. Meyer lemon bushes are a good example, keep frost cloth on when young but a couple of years on they are frost tolerant. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and if the overnight low is predicted to be 4 degrees Celsius or below with little wind, tender growth will need a cover. Cover plants with frost cloth, newspaper or any light material that will drape over, although woven fabrics are better insulators than plastics or paper. The covers can be laid right over plants, supported above them which is even better. Plants under evergreen trees are protected from frost so this might be an option for where to place potted tender plants. Water before the frost –it has been proved that a moist soil can hold four times more heat than a dry soil. It will also conduct heat to the soil surface faster than a dry soil, aiding in frost prevention. These days sprinklers are sometimes used on commercial plantings to keep the plants “warm” on a frosty night, the science being that as water freezes, it releases heat, go figure ? Most perennial plants will recover in the spring from frost damage even if they have gone black or mushy with frost, don't remove the effected growth, just leave to protect the new growth which will appear when the ground warms again. In favor of frost, it is very effective in reducing populations of over-wintering pests, it also helps break down clay soil if clods are left exposed over winter, come spring it will fork over easily prior to planting. Digging up and shifting young shrubs around like rhododendrons, azalea's and magnolias can be done now, anything you think has been struggling in the spot it has been planted. This is also the time to remove trees and shrubs that have long out grown their youthful beauty, you can change the whole look of a tired garden by replacing these plants with a younger version of the original or something different. Trees like ake ake, hebe's, olearia traversiorum (Chatham island ake ake) and Hoheria (lace bark) can be nice trees for a number of years but will then die back and eventually look half dead. Pittosporums will grow nicely for many years if trimmed but if left to grow into a tree will soon become unattractive. Many natives respond well to being taken off at ground level, most will regrow into a nice shrub again. Over grown hoherias (lace bark) need to be completely removed. Veg. The shortest day is here already which should mean we are over the hump of winter and heading to warmer days down the other side, BUT as we all know there is a lot of winter yet to come here in the south. The shortest day means garlic planting and plenty more veg here on the coast if you provide a warmer microclimate to aid germination. A cold frame can be used for starting seeds, and cloches or frost cloth for protecting newly planted seedlings in frosty areas. Or plant veg in pots or boxes and position them in a warm sheltered spot to make the most of our North Otago winter sun.

 Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago June 10th 2020

Bare root rose

From a bare root rose to a rose blooming all summer and autumn

We have almost reached the shortest day and there is still warmth in the June sun to warm days after the morning chill but boy when that sun goes down again we know we are in winter.
Rogue trees and shrubs: Now that deciduous trees and shrubs are bare I am finding a lot of rogue trees birds have introduced to our garden, some which have grown in among shrubs like rhododendrons and camellias that have become quite established and stubborn to remove. It is best to remove them completely if you can because they just keep growing stronger each year and undermine the roots of the needed plants. On the coast rouge trees and shrubs can be transplanted to grow on at this time of the year if roots are not compromised too much. There are also many self seeded plants that can be lifted and planted to grow on at this time of the year like hellebore, lupins, poppies, pansy, viola, forget- me- not and primula. If you have pollyantha's that were left in the ground from last year they will have multiplied and easy to break apart to plant out, a dressing of dried blood will green pollyanthas up after transplanting.

Roses: New seasons roses are in Garden centers now, if planting make sure it is in a place that has a full days sun with good drainage and clay free soil, if you do strike clay dig well down breaking the clay, deep enough to add a shovel or two of stones or gravel to act as a sump where there would have been a clay pan holding water.This applies to any hole dug for a tree or shrub planted in soil with a clay base.

Dahlias will be frost effected now, if remaining in the ground cut back and mulch with compost or straw to protect tubers. If clumps have increased and need to be reduced do it now  by digging up and pulling apart or putting a sharp spade through large clumps removing tubers not needed to be planted somewhere else or given away.

Hellebore's (Winter roses) are starting to send up flower buds, I removed all the old leaves from mine which allows the pretty flowers to be seen. There are a lot of hellebore seedlings growing around the main plants, I leave the very small first year seedlings but dig out and transplant seedlings from year before. These second year seedlings will take another few years to flower. Hellebore's look best in mass planting in damp soil and semi shade, they do wonderfully well planted around rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas. 

Vegetables: In the vegetable garden where green leafy vegetables and onions will be growing next summer give a dressing of 250 grams per square metre of dolomite lime. If you follow a regular rotation this will ensure that most of the garden receives lime once in three years, permanent crops like rhubarb should be limed every three years as well. Gardens fed annually with compost rather than chemical fertilisers tend to gradually rise the PH level eventually making regular liming unnecessary. Have garlic ready to plant on the shortest day Sunday 21st June.

Fruit: New seasons bare rooted trees will in Garden centers this month, prepare the ground in an all day, full sun location to get the best fruiting results. Fruit trees need room to spread so as not to be shaded by neighboring trees then everything depends the season to bring bee's out to pollinate when in blossom.Bees come out on sunny days. If days are overcast and dull while a tree is in blossom pollination will be poor.

Cheers Linda.

In very cold areas dahlias can be dug up and stored over winter.

Gardening in North Otago 3rd June 2020

Pruning Peach and nectarine trees.

Some nice warm sun filled days after chilly nights and morns last week as we slipped into June. It was so good to have family with Grandchildren stay over Queens Birthday, almost felt normal again.
Keep the water up as trees and shrubs let you know it's needed, soak rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas as they most certainly will be needing water during this dry spell, cold nights draw ground moisture, dew up as the ground cools so when rain fall has been minimal shrub and tree roots can go into winter too dry. Roots do not become dormant in the winter as quickly as stems, branches and buds, and roots are less hardy than stems. Moist soil holds more heat than dry soil, so frost penetration will be deeper and soil temperatures colder for sandy or dry soils.
Winter colour: Plant polyanthus, pansies, primulas, snapdragons, wall flower and clandulas for colour, a few poly's in a pot is all that's needed to brighten up any doorway.
Wisterias: Once wisterias have lost leaves prune off all long and unruly canes because if you don't they will entwine themselves around established branches and keep growing thicker each year.
Lawns: Growth should have slowed right down now and lawns will be at the tuffty stage but like here in this garden lawn mowers will still be on the go until the last of the leaves have been picked up. On the coast in early winter there will be still some growth so these lawns would benefit from one last feed. However with lawns being dry right now any lawn food will need to be watered in.
Vegetables:  On the coast Sow broad beans, garlic, shallots and rhubarb. Colder areas nothing much can be planted without protection.
Fruit tree pruning: 
Apple Trees, after initial shaping of apple trees, the only pruning necessary is the removal of excess twiggy growth. Apple trees usually produce fruit on spurs, short stubby growths attached to main branches. They continue producing on the same spurs for a number of years. Pears and cherry fruit also grow on spurs and require similar treatment. Removal of all tall new growth will keep apple trees in good shape with fruit being produced at picking height.
Peach & Nectarine Trees: These trees flower on new wood made the previous summer,  prune hard to encourage new growth otherwise, fruit will be produced further and further out on the branches each year. Flower buds are plump while growth buds are flatter.Plum Trees: Plum trees produce fruit on the same spurs for several years. Once shape has been established, they require little pruning because excessive pruning can over stimulate tree growth at the expense of fruit. Remove vertical branching and water sprouts’ regularly. Look at a tree and it is easy to distinguish the water sprouts from the regular growth they grow straight up from the canopy branches and trunk and are thin and scraggly in appearance. A heavy hand when pruning may increase the number of water sprouts on the tree. When pruning plum trees in the winter only remove 20 percent of the growth from the previous year.

Cheers, Linda

Some of my Grandies who came for the weekend.