Gardening in North Otago September 22nd 2020

It is all on now with weeds, while they are small my most used tool is a hoe to keep them from taking hold, especially chick weed and biddy-bid which is worked on here to eradicate every Spring so have no idea why as many seed from both still germinate everywhere! A hoe will not work with couch grass and convolvulus this needs to be dug out while ground is soft and runners can be taken right back under the ground to where they begin, it is very satisfying to know they will not grow back if pulled all the way out. I spot spray in badly affected areas while surrounding are low but never where food is grown. Keeping the light off bare soil with mulch will stop annual weed seeds germinating, compost, un-sprayed grass clippings, (only thick enough to block light) pea straw, that great mulch, which looks like soil from Pukeuri freezing works,(around established plants) and the well cooked mulch from the Waitaki resource recovery park will all do the trick in orchards and rough garden areas. Mulching is also the answer to holding moisture in the ground. Garden edging with perennials is another way of covering the soil and a way to stop birds scratching soil out over paths, If you are looking for a pretty mat forming garden edge and have a clump of cat mint beginning to make new growth, dig the clump up and break into many new pieces with roots and pot them up. When roots fill pots they are ready to be planted as a front edge. This can also be done with lambs ear, erigeron daisy, violets, sage, mono grass and armeria (thrift) Feeding plants. If you have not feed plants or shrubs do it now, there are balanced plant foods for all types of plants on offer now for this time of the year, slow release granules, powdered plant food (watered in), blood and bone. Manure enriched compost rich in nitrogen should have been added to gardens in late winter, too much nitrogen given now will encourage over lush growth. However I often mention using old stable manure around roses to keep them going over their long flowering period, don't dig the manure in as this can cause root damage, watering will take it to the roots as required. Extend food just beyond the drip line where the most active feeding roots are. Having saved a lot of sun flower seed from last years flowering, they were planted two weeks ago and are now up and doing well, I just love seeing those big happy flower faces en-masse following the sun. They will be planted out in groups to stand high behind existing shrubs and any sunny bare areas that need brightening up. I have been noticing a few cherry blossom trees with root stock branches being left to grow. By this I mean any branches that develop below the graft (where the branches begin at the top of the trunk); these should be cut off while still small. If allowed to develop into branches they will take over the whole tree. All flowering cherry trees are grafted onto a strong root stock of a very ordinary white blossom tree so if you have a tree with lovely pink or white blossom and you notice some blossom looks different then most likely it will be a branch growing from below the graft, cut it right out Lawns The buzz of lawn mowers is in the air again, cutting too low will let light in for weeds to grow let them thicken up as they need to be strong to cope with on coming summer heat. Grass seed I planted a couple of weeks back has struck, letting me know the ground is warm enough for re-sowing more bare patches. Vegetable garden Lots to do in the veg garden right now, I have been madly sowing seeds over the last few weeks and it's now the time consuming pricking out to be done, just as well day's are longer now with daylight saving. All salad veg can go in along with, potatoes, peas and carrot seed, tomatoes, pumpkin and courgette plants will still need protection at nights until frosts are over then the ground will be warm enough for runner and dwarf beans. My board beans came through the winter well and have started to bean, It is wonderful have an abundance of choice again and to be picking our own fresh produce. If considering including a raised veg garden to plant up? this can be achieved easily by contacting Aly & Sophia at Hapori o te Ao on 021 044-8209 or at uno.mundo@gmail.com. they will come and measure up then give a quote. Fruit: It's all up to the bee's now. Cheers, Linda