Gardening in North Otago September 1st 2020

Whew, A few days of drying winds and then what usually happens here in paradise rain fell and with it came freshness and a cold snap with frost to remind us we are only early into spring. Cherry blossom buds will be opening and magnolias taking center stage so bee's will be back in force on sunny days.  Winter sown spring seeds are up now so I am thinning and potting Pansy and dianthus which have shallow roots into deeper seed trays and those with longer deeper roots like lupin, hellebore and Oriental poppy into their own individual small root pot as it is best to have a well developed root ball attached before planting out into the garden. Baskets and pots can be thought about now, use only shallow rooted plants for baskets like pansy, primulas, and trailers like Virginia stock and dwarf sweet pea until it is warm enough to plant petunias, lobelia and begonia. Pots and baskets benefit from the addition of extra slow release fertiliser and water Chrystal's to keep them going,. Roots of what you want to plant will determine the size and depth of a pot or basket. Potted roses need a deep solid pot to help with  the heat of summer cooking roots,  potted, camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas and also small trees and shrubs also suffer from cooked roots in summer. By placing a shorter plastic pot inside a terra cotta or concrete pot will help keep roots cooler, interior plastic pots should have wide drainage holes and sit on a layer of gravel inside the bigger pot  leaving a three  inch gap at the top to spread mulch which can be a thick layer of gravel, stones, bark or even sheep wool.  All potted plants do best in a good heavy potting mix, excellent drainage plus a consistent supply of food and water. If a potted plant is left too dry for too long between  watering's it will never thrive or look lush and healthy. I looked around the garden for plants to make an edge to take place of where a row of lavender had been, I have new lavender plants now in this spot but they are as yet tiny so felt they needed something in front. I found just the thing, a large clump of lambs ear growing in a rockery which had doubled in size so dug half of it out and broke up into single plants, once they start to spread I will remove for the lavender to take it's place. Silver is a perfect shade to use as a break between strong and soft shades, will grow in sun or semi shade and lambs ear also has the added bonus of being an interesting texture. Hydrangeas here have now all been pruned, fuchsias can be pruned once they start showing new growth, they flower on new growth that's why growers cut them right back to encourage new fresh growth, so cut back all that straggly old wood. Dahlias, I am keeping a cover of pea straw on top of mine because I feel nothing will be happening with them until well into next month. Rose growth is well on now and we don't have to chase aphids ( green fly) yet but they will be about soon to settle on the top new growth, easily visible for you to dispose of by removing with finger and thumb. Leave spraying (if needed) until leaves are well grown and have hardened up a little. Weeds are taking off as well during those mild days, get them while small before they flower and make seed with a hoe on paths and driveways and pulling by had while soil is soft. There are organic weed sprays on the market that work best when weeds are small so now is the time, get them before they flower and make seed.    Lawns: Prepare ground for sowing new lawns here on the coast when the chill has left the ground, spring sowing should be thickly spread  thickly to beat annual weeds.  Once spring mowing starts again on existing lawns keep the mower blades up to allow grass to thicken as it comes back from dormancy, feed lawns just before or during rain and they will stay lush. Vegetables: Green crops can be dug in now, before they flower and get stringy. Here on the coast sow lettuce seed and plant lettuce plants and other leaf veg on offer now at two week intervals but protect from frost and birds while small.  Carrots and peas can go in but still too cold for parsnip, beans, corn, and the pumpkin family they all need warm soil to germinate. Broad beans sown in March  should be in flower looking for bees. Prepare ground for planting seed potatoes, if soil is too wet fork over adding compost to get air in to aid drying. Potatoes can rot if soil is cold and wet. Fruit: Buds are swelling to blossom burst as sap rises, what's needed now are sunny days and bee's.  Work on gooseberry  bushes now before leaves arrive, thin out middle branches and cut bottom skirt branches up to raise height making it so much easier to pick the fruit from underneath.   Strawberries are starting to move towards budding so will be looking for food, they need mulched with compost, old animal manure then straw or pine needles as a cover will do the trick.