Gardening in Waitaki December 15th 2021

Christmas eve in the garden.

This column will be short because Christmas will be but a few days away when this is published next week.I am sure gardening will only come into play when it is time to dig the potatoes and carrots and pick the peas for Christmas dinner. What a treat to harvest your own produce, so worth all the work that goes into growing veg. In the flower gardens: Watering to keep gardens going will be needed over the festive season, a good deep soak will be kept longer in the soil if mulch is layered on top. Mulch on hand could be compost mixed with grass clippings or Arborist mulched green waste, sometimes referred to as forest floor, even hedge trimmings or foliage cut back from plants or shrubs layered among plants will keep moisture there longer and the hot sun from baking soil. This would be especially handy if going away for a break. Fruit trees are needing moisture to plump up fruit so a good soaking now and then and mulch if possible will ensure good crops.  veg Garden: It is a shame that at this very hot time of the year it is when most head off for a break needing to leave produce at it's best behind in the veg garden. I grow a lot of annual seedlings in pots and trays which I need to hold from drying out if I head off for a few days. I have found soaking them and then covering with shade cloth keeps them from drying out too soon. This could also work with veg plots, a good deep soak then shade created to stop that baking sun. Pumpkin plants are well on now so water needs kept up to them until enough large tough leaves have grown to shade roots. Corn should be putting on good growth as well, mulching around corn roots after a good soak will encourage good strong growth. Tomato plants will need support, only water around the roots, leaves need to stay dry. Removed leaves from the bottom to avoid soil splash which can lead to disease and a few higher up to let light into overcrowded plants. Tunnel and glass house doors can remain open to let insects come in connect with flowers for pollination. Garlic will be ready to harvest if it was planted on the shortest day, you will know garlic is ready to harvest when the bottom two leaves have died and a third is also showing signs of browning off. Some green leaves will remain so once dug from the ground leave the top green growth attached, plait into bunches and hang until all green tops have dried into the cloves. I wish you all a joy filled Christmas and a happy, safe 2022.  Cheers, Linda.

This will be me soon, all of you to I hope.