Gardening in North Otago November 1st 2020

Gardens will be revived a little after the much needed rain, however so much more is needed during Spring to set growth up for summer,  with soil now warm, moist and ready for planting small weeds are popping up ready for hoeing and easy pulling, all is pretty straight forward now for those who have time to enjoy the rhythm of spring. Birds feeding young will be making a mess in gardens and on paths searching for worms, so annoying to have newly planted annuals scratched out daily. This will not be happening with gardens sporting low front  hedging  or a continuous perennial boarder. I have found strips of shade cloth weighed down with stones covering a front planting will keep the birds off until new plants have settled in and filled out to cover exposed worm filled soil. Rhododendrons, deciduous azaleas and peony roses are now displaying a dazzling range of colours and our Botanical Gardens are bursting with the delight of these spring treasures. Early flowering rhododendrons can now have spent blooms removed before seeds sets, especially those newly planted, energy is needed for growth not making seeds. There is a point on the spent bloom where it snaps off without disturbing the new leaf growth, once you find this point snapping off past blooms becomes easy. Roses are budding up, but I see on some of mine green fly has arrived and a few new leaves have had to be removed where I spotted rust which was expected with soil being so dry and because we mulch thickly in our garden old leaves with rust and black spot spores would have escaped the clean up in early winter.  Keeping a balanced food up to roses is the best form of protection against pests and fungus  as Nature has it's own plan for keeping harmony in a garden. Continual spraying will mean continual spraying which I feel really does upset the balance for plants and insects. I stopped spraying a number of years ago, things got worse before it got better, it took about 3 growing seasons to get a balance back between healthy growth and insect and fungus attack. i now deal to greenfly early as they congregate on new leaf tip growth with a finger and thumb, and remove any leaves showing signs of rust or black spot, feed roots well plus folia feed with a fish based plant food to deter aphids and keep water up. Wisterias are at putting on a display as well now, once flowering is over energy will go into putting out many long leaders, if your wisteria has reached the distance and spread required all of these leaders need to be removed, flower spurs develop on old wood year after year, if new leaders are left they will strive to be aged wood and become heavy un-needed branches. Weeds on pathways and in gravel can be dealt to while small with a hoe or a homemade weed spray of 1 gallon white vinegar (16 cups,) 2 cups Epsom salt or table salt, 1/4 cup dish washing liquid. Pour the vinegar, dish liquid and salt into a spray bottle. shake until combined, let settle for 2 minutes then soak weeds entirely with formula. Let sit for a day  with no rain to get result. Lawns have had a dry start here in North Otago but grass is tough and will soon bounce back with the right conditions, long may moisture and sun continue. Non-sprayed grass clippings can be spread as mulch on gardens to keep weeds down and add humus to soil, only add thick enough to keep out light. Spread around trees and shrubs right out to the drip line to retain moisture but spread it around rather than leaving in heaps. If spraying lawn weeds try spot spraying rather than a full cover as grass is in need of worm action to aerate soil. Fruit: trees and fruit bushes should be well on the way to making fruit, keeping moisture up when the season heats up is the next job, putting a mulch around the drip line all will help retain moisture already in the ground. Vegetables: Now is the perfect time for growing veg, once planted it's all about keeping the weeds down  and birds off to give them room to grow. Pumpkin plants I put in last week are romping away as are the corn seedlings. Planting corn in squares rather than rows will ensure pollination on the lower tassels and add support during strong winds. Potatoes loved  the last rain and are pushing on now the treat of frost is over. Tomatoes will be soon needing to be staked, if you have no glass or tunnel house plant a couple of cherry tomato plants in pots and place in a sheltered, well lit spot, they will produce all season. Russian red bush tomato's also grow well out side in a warm spot.  Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in North Otago October 21st 2020

Well we did get a little rain but a little is nowhere near enough so let's hope we get a big spring downpour before this goes to print! Everyday something new and beautiful greets me in our garden, this week fragrant lilac, sweet-peas, English abutilon and Kōwhai to please the birds. Some plants like peony rose, dahlias and even the rapid growing alstroemerias are slow to develop because of the drop in temperature we have been experiencing. If you need to shift young rhododendrons, azalea's or camellia's do it immediately after flowering, before they put on their new season growth, if large they will need a third of the top removed after transplanting. Once spring flowering shrubs have finished flowering they can be trimmed if needed. Geraniums and pelargoniums are available now and should be planted in sunny positions. Fuchsias are also on offer, they benefit from afternoon shade to thrive. If you are concerned about the predicted hot dry Summer having a disastrous effect on your garden? Plenty of Mulch is the answer to retain moisture and improve soil structure while suppressing weed growth. Straw, grass clippings, soft hedge clippings or weed free compost are excellent cover to keep exposed soil from baking while plants are becoming established. Soil should be soaked before applying mulch and if gardening on clay soil a dressing of gypsum will break down clay or poor draining soil and over years will eventually convert poor soil into good growing soil. Roses will be putting on rapid growth now needing food and water kept up keeping them in good health to avoid the need to spray. Container plants also need slow release fertiliser and re-potting if in a container 2 years or more. If very root bound half a rootball can be removed with a sharp spade, given a good soak in a bucket then replanted into a new mix with water Chrystal's, as I have mentioned before placing a pot inside another will help keep roots from overheating going into summer. cymbidium orchids can be divided and re-potted now if crowded. Water lilies are available this month and need to be planted in a basket lined with sphagnum moss or a double layer of chux dish cloths will do it, then add garden soil, slow release fertiliser or manure, more soil then the lily and lastly a thick layer of shingle placed on top to help weigh the basket down in the water and stop the fertiliser / manure leaching out which will create green slime growth in the pond.. Fruit and veg: I have been digging in aged manure, mounding potatoes, planting beans and salad greens, peas, corn and beetroot. It will be up to the watering from now on!! Watch your fruit trees and Grapes for fungal diseases, if affected spray with an organic fungicide while growth is new. If you have had trouble in the past with codling moth, get traps in place now before fruit forms. Dealing with codling moth: I have had positive feedback with the following, use a plastic milk container, and place in it 1 banana peel, 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup sugar. Fill the container almost full of water, replace the cap and shake it well to mix and dissolve the contents. Remove the cap and firmly secure one container into each apple tree. The moths are attracted to the scent of the concoction, becoming trapped and drowned when they investigate. Refill with water as needed throughout the summer. "Rockvale Garden" is open daily, Bring a picnic seating is plenty, toilet available / donation entry. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago October 14th 2020

Such beauty throughout North Otago but being so dry all new growth is gasping for moisture, let there be a good drenching soon. Still busy here weeding while weeds are still young, if pieipiri ( biddy bid), Chickweed, convolvulus, couch grass, dandelion and other annual weeds are dealt to before they run to seed will stop weeds taking over your garden. Remember to keep deadheading and feeding flowering pansies and polyanthus as long as there is a chill in the air they will keep flowering until it gets warmer, If you feel they have done all they are going to do dig out, cut old leaves back and plant in a cool shady place where they can be left until planting out next year. Coastal gardens will be ahead of gardens inland where they will still be getting reasonable frosts from time to time. Late frosts on roses new growth can be a problem but don' t be too concerned if new growth has been frosted, rose leaves recover very fast and will have new buds to open in six weeks time. When the nights are warmer any dampness left by hosing on rose leaves will encourage mildew, keep food up to your roses while they are making buds, it's hungry roses that get diseased. For a quick result slow release fertiliser is good right now on any summer flowering plants and shrubs. So pleased to see a selection of organic weed sprays on the market now, fresh new weed growth is coming through the mulch now so it's the right time to zap them on a non windy day, I have been spot spraying convolvulus, couch and clover but care is needed, If roses get even a sniff of weed spray it will deform the foliage and the rose bush will eventually die so don't risk spraying on a windy day. Camellias can be trimmed and shaped when finished flowering, take out branches from the middle to create gaps to let a bird fly through, this lets the light in to help form next year's buds. At this time of the year we can see whether new growth on shrubs have made them too wide and tall for where they are planted hiding good planting areas behind them, it takes only a few years for gardens to close in without us really noticing and what a difference can be made by removing tall front plantings and replace with new and interesting plantings. One area opened in our garden is deep enough to allow me to mass plant with bluebells and include a new maple tree and it was only two scrappy overgrown shrubs removed which has made this difference. The sun flower seeds planted into trays a few weeks ago have now been planted out, because they are still small snails and slugs will be attracted to them so I let them grow on until taller in pots then mulch around them with wood mulch to deter the slugs and snails. Also up and almost ready to plant out are cosmos, larkspur, nasturtium and marigolds which will help fill deep borders. Butterflies: If you are keen to attract monarch butterflies, plant swan plants now but protect from late frosts until established. Last year there was a huge shortage of swan plants for the hungry caterpillars because swan plants are not happy with our cold winters and also attract orange aphids that multiply very fast on young plants. If you have swan plants covered in orange aphids put them into an enclosed space and use fly spray to eradicate the aphids, then again as eggs hatch until they are gone. A good hosing will be needed before butterfly eggs can be laid on leaves. Vegetables Keep an eye on potatoes that are through the ground, frost cloth may still be needed depending on where you live. Seeds are popping up in no time now so get them in ready for salad time. Pumpkin, squash, corn and courgette seeds can go in now but if you prefer to buy plants be sure to harden them off outside in a protected place for a while before planting them out. Carrot fly is on the wing this month, a very small if you put a cover that still lets light in over rows the fly will not get into your carrot rows and lay eggs. The ideal soil for carrots is light, moist and fertile with well rotted compost worked in but not a trace of fresh manure, as this will result in forked roots. Glass houses will be ready for the many varieties of tomato plants on offer. If you have no glass or tunnel house tomatoes are happy growing in containers on a sunny deck or patio, with staking and training as you would in a glass house. Smaller varieties are easiest to manage e.g. Red Robin, Russian red or Totem in containers and the cherry tomatoes like tumbling Tom in large hanging baskets. There are many varieties on offer, plant all in a tomato mix, water as needed and liquid feed fortnightly. Why not try basil plants growing among tomatoes to repel white fly, the general consensus is that basil - both plants and extracts made from the leaves can be an effective natural deterrent for white fly, mosquitoes, tomato horn-worm, aphids and house fly as well as being a wonderful culinary enhancement with tomatoes. Pop into the Garden corner at the Resource recovery park for a good selection of organic veg and tomato plants grown by the Community Gardens ready for planting. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in North Otago 6th October 2020

Windy October to blow blossom from trees, what a relief it was when the wind stopped and the rain fell today. The late prunus blossom, lolly pink canzan, and shimidsu sakura so prettily like pale pink ballerina tutu's are in full bloom this week along with blue bells carpeting  gardens as spring continues here in North Otago. Spring bulbs: As they start to finish, don't be tempted to cut leaves off just yet as the bulbs top up on food for next year from leaves as they die back. Spent flower heads can be removed before seeds form.  If you have really big clumps of bulbs choking your garden space dig half out and plant somewhere else or donate to someone needing spring bulbs. Erica's that flowered over winter can be trimmed when flowers brown new growth will be fresh green through summer. Erica's are such a wonderful ground cover displaying beautiful colour during winter months. A low growing erica will eventually cover a metre of ground and last for many years. Lillie's are really pushing up now so it is a perfect time to get supports in for them as well being careful not to damage bulbs. Lillie bulbs need to be planted in a moist but well draining soil. Mulching will stop soil drying out.     Prune fuchsias back now if you have not already done so because they flower on new seasons wood they can be taken well back. Summer annuals: I have been planting groups of annuals for summer colour, cosmos, lavatera, love in the mist, sun flowers and sweetpeas. When frosts are well behind us begonias, petunias and lobelia can be planted. Too early yet to trim hedges, wait until the new growth finishes and firms up a little or you will be trimming them twice, this applies to box hedging as well, the test is to bend a stalk and if it snaps off it will have hardened enough to trim. The perfect time to trim spring growth on box is during overcast days, hot sun burns new undergrowth, dull days give them time to recover although there will still be some burning which will soon be hidden by new leaves.   Lawns are responding to lawn food here, I am out with it each time it rains and popping flat weeds out with the point of my secateurs while lawns are damp and soft. If you feel you need to spray lawn weeds grass clippings will need to be kept off gardens and compost heaps for a few cuts. Spray free lawn clippings will be beneficial as mulch around gardens, trees and shrubs to retain moisture, a dry summer is predicted. Sifting soil will begin again here this week for re-sowing  lawn bare patches.Vegetables:  Herbs: We can forget the dried herbs in cooking now as all herbs are putting on nice fresh growth. Sage, mint, thyme, rosemary, bay, marjoram, oregano, basil and even nasturtium can be harvested often during the growing season and what is not used can be dried over summer ready to rub and store for next winter. For the most flavor, cut herbs in mid-morning, right after the morning dew has dried. Vegetable seeds can be sown directly into the garden now but don't sow too thickly mix seeds with fine soil when sowing to avoid a lot of thinning. If planting seedlings from punnets cover with shade cloth so birds cannot see them as they are bird feeding young now and they really like to strip small seedlings from gardens.Beans, pumpkin types and corn can go into soil now, once up protect on cold nights. Tomatoes: For those with glass or tunnel houses, prepare the soil well by digging in good organic compost having been heated to the point of all fungus disease being eradicated.  Summer nights here in North Otago can be cool so a glass or tunnel house is the a must if wanting to be a serious tomato grower. However a glass house is a perfect incubator for fungus disease during nights and dull days when moisture is not taken up quickly, never let tomato plant leaves go into the night wet. There are a lot of tomato varieties to choose from. Children love the cherry tomatoes, (a good lunch box filler ) cherry tomatoes can be grown in a large pot on a well lit porch and will keep producing all Summer. Cheers, Linda.