Gardening in Waitaki July 21st 2021

Gardens still sleep through the cold short days but buds are swelling and bulbs are up answering the call of spring. While growth is slow and there is not a lot of urgency right now to do what needs to be done in the garden, there is time to plan and maybe construct for the coming growing season. Raised gardens have proven to be easy care but need to be put together well in the beginning. Advantages of a Raised Bed Garden: Raised gardens warm quickly in spring, allowing you to work the soil and plant earlier. Being raised they drain better. No compaction of soil, because they are not walked upon. It's easy to tailor the soil to suit the plants in a raised bed. Contained raised beds are not difficult to construct using wood or (here in North Otago) Oamaru stone seconds as a surround. If you need time to think about a permanent position for a raised beds you could make some using straw bales as surrounds for a year. Once in place to the size required fill them with soil and compost and plant out. A sunny location is a must for growing vegetables and herbs. Access around all sides with a wheel barrow is recommended for ease of maintenance, keep the garden around four feet wide, this way you can access the middle. Access to water is essential with drainage being greater raised gardens need good soakings. Filling a raised bed: First layer: Gravel or rocks for drainage. Then twigs sticks old stump matter, grass clippings / straw, then soil, manure, compost mixed to fill. A raised bed of six inches above the soil is enough to grow leaf vegetables and herbs and at least ten inches for root veg but I don't see the sense in not raising it to a height that will reduce the amount of digging and bending you do. If winter has left your garden looking a little too bleak, Garden centers will have potted colour to brighten things up. I have noticed on offer pansy's, wall flower, pollyanthas and primula malacoydies which look fresh and bright planted in groups or as a border before bulbs bloom. - Tulips planted in May should be through the ground now, don't give them any fertilizer as this will only promote leaf growth which will take away from the bloom. Tulips store the food needed in the bulb. Veg: Here on the coast get seeds in for broccoli , cabbage, cauliflower, broad beans, onions, spinach and silverbeet. Keep moist in a warm spot and they should be ready to transplant in 6 -8 weeks from germination. Approximately 4 cm high with a good amount of root. Cheers, Linda.