Gardening in Waitaki September 13th 2021

"Spring makes it's own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer."~ G. B Charlesworth. North Otago is looking so pretty after some nice sunny days and spring rain, enjoy the masses of lovely blossoms and daffodils everywhere. lavenders: Removed old stalky lavenders, english lavenders eventually get leggy and past it, don't nurse them thinking they will come back because they will probably not, dig them out and replace with new fresh plants. Look around the garden for plants to make edging in front of gardens to give a structured look. If you have large clumps of lambs ear growing that have doubled in size, dig half of it out and brake it up into single plants. Silver is a perfect shade to use as a break between strong and soft shades and will grow in sun or semi shade, lambs ear also has the added bonus of being an interesting texture. There are a number of plants you can edge with, nepeta (catmint), erigeron daisy, Thrift (Armeria maritima), Purple sage, thyme,liriope, dwarf agapantha to name a few. Roses are really leafing up now and the warmer it becomes the more aphids ( green fly) will be about, aphids settle on the top new growth of rose bushes and are easily visible on new small leaves for you to dispose of by removing with finger and thumb. Pruning: Now the sap is up, remove unwanted growth from prunus trees, (flowering cherry) it has been said that this is the best time to make cuts in prunus to avoid the spread of silver leaf which can spread from tree to tree while in the dormant stage. Cut out any weak growth and cross over branches before they grow thick and remove any growth growing from below the graft which will look different from the growth above the graft. All ornamental deciduous trees are grafted onto a different strong root stock now and sometimes the root stock will grow from the graft join. Always make sure you're pruning equipment is cleaned from one tree to the next, methylated spirits is good for doing this and never prune like this on a dull damp day, this will spread silver leaf, pick a bright sunny day. Kilmarnock willow: this is the ornamental pussy willow used so often now in small gardens. Cut out all dead branches from beneath, Each new branch grows out from a bud of last years growth. All subsequent years growth dies and builds up under the new growth. These grafted weeping tree's are much nicer to look at with all those dead branches removed and it is easier to do this when bare of leaves. If left they becomes top heavy they can fall over after rain has softened the ground. Lawns benefit greatly from an early spring feed of lawn fertiliser but this works best with rain to wash it in. Aerating and de-thatching can be done this month, aeration involves perforating the soil with small holes in compacted lawns to allow air, water and nutrients to reach grass roots. During the growing season is the best time for aeration and de-thatching then grass can heal and fill any gaps. Removed thatch can be used on gardens as mulch. Vegetables: The soil is warming with sun is staying around longer so this is a busy time for gardeners who will be sowing and planting their edible gardens. Get pumpkin, butternut , squash and corn seeds started now under protection, they need a long warm growing season to grow d ripen. It's potato planting time from now until December. Keep nutrients up monthly, in the form of compost and fertiliser. Mound up rows as shoots grow until they are around 300 mm tall to encourage tuber development. keep planting leafy veg as there are still no white butterflies about, as an early season deterrent start spraying fish emulsion on both veg and flowering plants,this will feed plants and repel pests by fooling them into thinking their favorite food is now protein not vegetable. repeat after rain. Fruit: All deciduous fruit trees can still be planted in September while coming out of dormancy. A wide selection will be available in garden stores now. All fruits require a position in full sun, sheltered from prevailing winds is preferable. After fruiting take the height down on fruiting cherries and plum trees if they have grown beyond picking height as they tend to fruit mostly on the top branches. Strawberries: will do well with a dressing of fertiliser specifically formulated for strawberries containing extra potassium, old stable manure is beneficial as well. All other berries on offer should be planted now to settle in for a season of fruiting. Citrus: If you need to prune a citrus tree do it now, avoid doing so in summer as this is when citrus borer is active and pruning increases their vulnerability. If breakages in summer make pruning necessary, ensure you quickly cover up the cut with a pruning paste. Cheers, Linda.