Gardening in North Otago February 23rd 2021

How good has this growing season been and now colours are changing as they should be after such a warm summer. Our garden was really tired and dry before that last rain but has now perked up and with the cutting back smartening things up things up and plants and shrubs pushing new growth and colour out before the first frosts. Petunias, begonias and roses get knocked back after rain but if you have the time to deadhead and cut back to new growth they will recover in the warm early autumn sun. While cutting back seeds can be collected and left to dry in paper bags and seedlings that have popped up among plants can be removed and potted if in the wrong place. .Stock, statice, snapdragon, wall flower, and Iceland poppies are good fillers and if planted now would flower through a mild winter. Roses: Keep the rose dead heading up to encourage the last blooms of summer, it is 6 weeks from a prune to another bud which will take us into April, after that flowering it is best to not deadhead, leave blooms to make seed which will help to harden wood for the winter ahead. Pruning and feeding then will encourage new soft growth so no feeding from now on either. Compost: I got a bit desperate for potting mix while potting up so have been adding compost to the peat mix, my ready heap needs to be emptied to make room for all the leaves to come. The other heaps are breaking down well with the heat and rain, I need to add manure and a little lime now while they are cooking. March is definitely a great planting month with the soil warm and the nights and mornings cooler, newly planted trees and shrubs settle in well. There are a lot of well grown trees, shrubs and plants on offer right now in Garden centers ready and waiting to be planted. Gardner's further inland will need to read the labels to establish frost ratings before buying, if in doubt wait until spring.  Spring bulbs are on offer now in garden outlets. Break up really large clumps already in your garden as they tend to double in size without you noticing and in no time a garden bed can become choked, looking attractive only in spring and dull for the rest of the year. I have often been asked the reason for spring bulbs not flowering after the first couple of years from planting, the most common problem is bulbs may not have not been planted deep enough. Spring bulbs need to be planted 4 to 6 inches deep, that is 4 to 6 inches on top of the bulb, if not planted deeply eventually when they do come into leaf and experience a dry patch during this time they won't take up enough moisture to come into bud.Rake mulch off bearded iris rhizomes they need to exposed to the sun for a baking now.Lawns.  After those baking hot days and a lot of mowing lawn growth starts to slow down from now, catchers will still be filling for a while yet but don't feel you need to cut lower than usual because growth has slowed, a scalped lawn dries out faster and encourages weeds. Going into autumn is the best time to sow new lawns while weed growth is slowing. The flat weeds I do come across now I pop out with the blade of secateurs before they seed and spread.  Fruit: Late peaches, nectorenes, apricots, quince and apples will be in abundance and birds will be feasting so pick and get the jam, pickle  and freezing done before they get the lot. Vegetable  Gardens will be overflowing with produce and corn and pumpkins ripening, leaf veg should not bolt so readily now and will not mind the days getting shorter and cooling. and root veg seeds will germinate well in the warm ground. Second sowings of peas will be up in no time, onions can be lifted once leaves have bent over, don't bend or damage leaves before they are ready to bend naturally if you want them to store and keep well.  Once dug lay them out in a warm place to fully ripen then store in a cool place. Cheers Linda