Gardening in North Otago August 25th 2020

Spring has begun, new magnolia blooms in Rockvale Garden.

SEPTEMBER, the month of new beginnings and this past week has convinced me that spring has arrived in North Otago after that lovely light rain to give gardens respite from the very dry winter we experienced. However while soil surface has benefited deeper roots are still searching for moisture while surface weed seeds will be germinating so get them with a hoe or there are organic weed sprays on the market that work best when weeds are new and small so now is the time, get them before they flower and make seed. With my very wide perennial boarders insisting on growing couch grass, biddy- bid, and chick-weed, I try to get rid of them now while the flowering plants are still low and with top soil now soft weed pulling is easy. While doing this weeding I can see what needs attention like delphiniums needing stakes in to give support while growing, removing mulch from around iris rhizomes and peony rose crowns and removing self sown plants and natives before they settle in. Everyday something new is happening in our garden, sweet peas, ranunculus, anemones and tulips are well up and putting on good growth. I am now watching what is pushing through pea straw and clearing a space to let them through and  light in.All plants, shrubs and trees will respond to feeding now,  the sap is well up and buds are swelling and bursting open. We have a number of deciduous magnolias here taking center stage right now, their beautiful blooms pushing through huge furry buds, also camellia's and rhododendrons are bursting into colour. Liquid feed all perennials and bedding plants and use a good general fertiliser plus a dressing of compost for trees and shrubs to help them along now. Azaleas and tulips are the exception, azaleas like fed after flowering and tulips store enough food in the bulb for their requirements, if you load them up with more they will grow more leaf than needed. (No feeding for Australian or South African shrubs such as leucodendron, protea, waratah and grevillea.) 

Cut the old growth from the cat-mint, I leave old growth on over the cold months to protect new growth, once new leaves are seen to be making good growth the old can be removed. It is also time to dress your garden for late spring and summer, think colour and where you want it and what colour is needed where. At this time of the year concentrate on the sunny areas in the garden being the warmest to get bedding pants moving. 

Roses: there are still roses on offer, they do not always need to grow together in a rose bed, use them as gap fillers in boarders. To give those new to roses an idea of what to look for I will list the different types below. There is a rose for every sunny situation and a few that will tolerate light shade. 

PATIO ROSES: About knee high for front boarder planting, about  80 cm apart when grouping, these can also be grown in containers as long as the roots are kept cool. 

FLORIABUNDA: Flowers grow in clusters - bushes grow to about waist high on average, space these about 1mtr apart when grouping. Cut off spent flower clusters and they will reward you with masses of colour right through the growing season. 

HYBRID TEA: This is the rose to give you the large exhibition one steam bloom. They grow about chest high. These are the picking rose and need feeding right through the growing season to give the best results. 

Miniture: A dwarf growing bush rose with all parts scaled down, I find these not as long lived as the larger bush rose. If you have one that is not performing, dig it out, change the soil and plant another. The secret to keeping roses free from disease is to remove all last years' diseased wood and leaves from the ground around them and burn. Feed well,  starting now while they are beginning to leaf. Manure enriched compost will feed and protect the roots but keep it off where the rose has been grafted. Rose food, fertilisers have been designed to promote just the right amount of leaf and flower growth, but need the warmer soil to activate. Don't waste by using too soon. 

Lawns are returning to growth, I was out with the lawn food during that soft rain to give them a good start.

Vegatables: green crops need to be dug in now, before flowering. Keep planting seeds and seedlings in the absence of white butterfly! Fruit: Buds are swelling to blossom burst as sap rises, what's needed now are sunny days and bee's. I worked on my gooseberry bushes last year and again this week,Thinning branches before the leaves arrive, cutting up the bottom branches to get the bushes higher from the ground making it easier to pick the fruit from beneath.

 Cheers, Linda.

New rose growth needs feed.