Gardening in Waitaki May 27th 2021

Almost June and don't we know it with May frosts giving us a taste of what is to come, such hard frosts sucking moisture from the ground. Trees, shrubs and plants let you know when water is needed, soak rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas as they most certainly will be needing water. Cold nights draw ground moisture up as the ground cools so when rain fall has been minimal during autumn shrub and tree roots can go into winter too dry. Roots do not become dormant in the winter as quickly as stems, branches and buds so roots are less hardy than stems. Moist soil holds more heat than dry soil, so frost penetration will be deeper and soil temperatures colder for sandy or dry soils. Winter colour to plant, polyanthus, pansies, primulas, snapdragons, wall flower and calendulas for colour, a few poly's in a pot is all that's needed to brighten up any doorway. Wisterias: Once wisterias have lost leaves prune off all long and unruly canes because if you don't they will entwine themselves around established branches and keep growing thicker each year adding weight to structures holding them. Lawns: Growth should have slowed right down now and lawns will be at the tuffty stage but lawn mowers will still be on the go until the last of the leaves have been picked up. On the coast in early winter there will still be some growth that will benefit from one last cover of lawn food on a wet day. Vegetables: On the coast Sow broad beans, garlic, shallots and rhubarb. Colder areas nothing much can be planted without protection. Fruit tree pruning: Apple Trees, after initial shaping of apple trees, the only pruning necessary is the removal of excess twiggy growth. Apple trees produce fruit on spurs,( short stubby growths attached to main branches) these spurs continue producing for a number of years. Pears and cherry fruit also grow on spurs and require similar treatment. Removal of all tall new growth will keep apple trees in good shape with fruit being produced at picking height. Peach & Nectarine Trees: These trees flower on new wood made the previous summer, prune hard to encourage new growth otherwise, fruit will be produced further and further out on the branches each year. Blossom buds are plump while growth buds are flatter. Plum Trees: Plum trees produce fruit on the same spurs for several years. Once shape has been established, they require little pruning because excessive pruning can over stimulate tree growth at the expense of fruit. Remove vertical branching and water sprouts’ regularly. Look at a tree and it is easy to distinguish the water sprouts from the regular growth they grow straight up from the canopy branches and trunk and are thin and scraggly in appearance. A heavy hand when pruning may increase the number of water sprouts on the tree. When pruning plum trees in winter only remove 20 percent of the growth from the previous year and always fruit prune on a bright sunny day. Cheers, Linda