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