Gardening in North Otago June 1st 2022

This year is marching on with May just passed being the official beginning of winter for NZ, but for me June is the start of winter because in my mind May is all about mellow days now and leaves and more leaves. Leaves are nature's soil food they fall to the ground creating humus but leaves falling around a garden and on lawns are usually raked up, this is why it is so important to add leaf mulch / compost to gardens and lawns to add the humus needed. The first frosts arrived last week along with a drop in temperature ( apart from yesterday,Tuesday such a pleasure to be out and about) however frost cloth is out again for me. I do a lot of growing from seed and cuttings and find frost cloth wonderful for extra protection. Frost draws precious moisture from the soil so keep an eye on shallow rooted shrubs like rhododendron, camellias and hydrangeas, a deep watering then a thick covering of compost / mulch will benefit them in early winter. Same for maples, they seem to die off in stages if soil is dry going into winter. Compost bins and heaps will be filled with leaves, grass clippings and soft garden and hedge clippings. While you are layering add some manure and a sprinkle of lime along with some well cooked leftover compost and water. Cold weather has a marked slowing down effect on compost organisms and any insulation wrapped around a bin or covering a heap will help keep them working, I do this on my heaps with a thick layer of straw. Come Spring you will be so pleased to have taken the trouble as your garden will be crying out to be fed as it wakes from winter. Tulips can be planted until the end of this month, plant them beep (10cm) as tulips need a real chilling before they can perform well. I pop them in the fridge for a month before planting. If planting in a warm north facing garden they will need to go down at least 15cm deep. If planted against a south facing wall, plant and forget about them as they will perform well and multiply for many years. Also keep planting and dividing Lilies, keeping them damp at all times, there should be a good range of lilies in garden centres now. Deciduous trees and shrubs will come into Garden centers during June / July so look about gardens now and take note of the trees and shrubs that colour up beautifully, take a photo of what you admire and ask someone who knows about trees to identify. Now would be a good time to plan what you would like and where it would enhance the garden being an already established garden, or the bones for a new garden. While the ground is still workable it would be a good idea to dig the area in readiness. Dig out the soil, add peat or compost plus blood and bone then fill back in again until you are ready to plant. Hydrangeas are deepening into rich shades as gardens head towards winter, l like to leave this colour for as long as it takes for them to look faded and untidy, this also gives stems time to harden and once hardened they can be shifted if needed. Really large bushes can be dug up and root cut and pulled into several individual bushes. I use a hand saw for this. In cold districts don't prune back until spring, leave the tops on to protect the new growth. Leave on until you notice new leaf buds opening. Then cut each stem with a spent flower head back to the second bud from the bottom, leaving all stems that did not flower to produce the flowers for next summer. A start can be made on pruning very strong rambler roses by cutting out any dead stems and cutting back all side stems on canes to within 2-3 buds from the main steam. Shorten back vigorous leaders by about 1/3 to promote branching. If the bush is out of control like some of mine got, reduce the size with a hedge trimmer then cut some canes right out from ground level. Veg: If worms are rare in your garden, this usually indicates that the organic content of the soil is very low, worms seem to always find manure if applied and will take it down to where it is needed. If the manure is very dry it will need to be spread as a layer down under a soil bed for them to come up to it. This would be a daunting task to undertake in established gardens, although worth digging into trenched rows as veg is used, definitely the way to go when establishing a new veg area where soil is dry and has clay content, the introduction of worms will make all the difference. Cheers Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki May 25th 2022

Autumn clean up time.

The end of mellow May lands us into a new month bringing different gardening challenges with the start of winter chills. I have had a busy Nana time this week but come the weekend I will be back into creating our new garden. Winds have tugged most autumn leaves from trees and dried out soil and frost will soon play a part in robbing soil of moisture so give rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas a good soak as they are the shrubs that suffer most during a dry spell. Also keep an eye on maples, if leaves shriveled too quickly during colour change it's an indication of root dryness. Rose flowering is coming to an end but don't cut spent flower heads off, leave all types of roses to make seed which will harden wood before the big prune next month. New seasons bare rooted roses should be arriving in Garden centers, if wanting to plant roses, prepare ground now by digging in old stable manure or bagged rose mix, bare rooted, winter planted roses are less likely to suffer from planting stress. If replacing a rose you will need to remove most of the old soil that rose was growing in and fill with soil from another part of the garden to avoid the new rose contracting any disease left in the ground. Re-pot container grown buxus  if they look pot bound, buxus  root growth is prolific and they don't seem to suffer from the removal of half a root ball, I replace the old growing medium with half potting mix and sifted soil. Winter colour in pots, plant polyanthus, pansies, primulas, snapdragons and wall flowers. I have just planted out a garden with wall flowers and forget- me- not, both will fill out from now on and should be in full bloom towards the end of winter. Lawns: The unusual autumn rain we have had has kept lawns green but growth should now be slowing down, however lawn mowers will still be on the go until the last of the leaves have been picked up. Next time it rains, sprinkle some lime over lawns for a boost before they stop growing. Gardeners in the past prefered to lime just before the first frost because the soil then has all winter to absorb the lime and lime was never spread on a dry wilted lawn or a soggy, wet lawn, nor did they lime during frosty weather. I like to follow the old, tried and tested ways that get results.Keep in mind for next growing season, lawn grass grows best on a nutrient ratio of 3 parts nitrogen, 1 part phosphorus, and 2 parts potassium. (12-4-8). While this is an ideal ratio you may not be able to find the exact ratio in a lawn fertilizer, a close match will do.  If ground pH is below 6 on the pH scale lime will make a marked improvement in growing conditions come spring.One sign of a low soil pH is the presence of excess moss and weeds in your garden or lawn. Moss and weeds are acid loving plants, though not a guaranteed indicator, an excess of moss and weeds is a good sign that you should raise soil pH. Another sign that you need to raise soil pH is when fertilizer doesn’t seem to be doing its job. Acidic soil prevents fertilizer from functioning properly. Vegetables:  On the coast Sow broad beans, garlic, shallots and rhubarb. Colder areas nothing much can be planted without protection but covering bare soil with a thick layer of mulch will keep soil from remaining wet and frozen over the winter months. Fruit: Bare rooted fruit trees will be arriving in garden centers soon, ask now if they will be stocking required trees and have them put aside on arrival.Ground can be prepared now for planting fruit trees, choose an open, sunny position, sheltered from strong winds. Fruit trees will grow in a wide range of soil types as long as there is good drainage. Plums and pear rootstock tolerate heavier soils than most other fruit trees. Using good quality compost will improve water retention in lighter soils and improve drainage in heavier soils as well as improving fertility. Pruning of newly planted fruit trees will not take place until trees have branched. During early stages of tree development, the main goal is to develop the shape and framework which will support heavy crops of fruit.  Pruning: Apple: After initial shaping of apple trees, the only pruning necessary is the removal of excess twiggy growth. I have found doing this pruning during winter will only stimulate wood growth causing much unwanted growth the following season, but a summer pruning will cause the tree to grow less during that growing season.  Apple trees produce fruit on spurs, (short stubby growths attached to main branches). They continue producing on the same spurs for a number of years. Pears and cherry fruit also grow on spurs and require similar treatment. Apricot: Prune apricot trees in late winter or early spring as the new leaves and flowers begin to open. During this period of time the tree is actively growing and the pruning cuts heal quickly. Newly planted apricots can be pruned soon after planting. Remove all damaged or broken shoots and limbs and all branches with a narrow crotch (those that grow up more than out) and all branches that are within 18 inches of the ground, Shorten last year’s main branches to about 30 inches. Peach and nectarine: 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. Flower buds are plump while growth buds are flatter. 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 in winter will increase the number of water sprouts on the tree. When pruning plum trees in the winter only remove 20 percent of the growth from the previous year. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki May 18th 2022

Here we are now on the last stretch of May and still mild as I write this but with the promise of things to change to cold by the end of the week. I have never known an autumn with so much rain and mud. Being in our new home now Scruff the dog has to put up with having his paws cleaned whenever he enters while looking at us as if thinking "What's this all about" ??The lovely autumn flowering sasanqua camellias are putting on a show now, it almost seems wrong with every plant nearby shutting down for winter. You will probably see these lovely flowering camellias on offer in Garden centres, the perfect shrub to add interest to a garden in late autumn early winter. Roses continue to produce buds and flowers, all the more reason to leave them alone and let the flowers continue on to make seed and in doing so, along with hard frosts  it will harden rose wood in readiness for pruning in July / August. If you feel the need to spray, start with lime sulphur in early June to take care of black spot, rust and fungus. After the big prune bushes can then be sprayed with Champion Copper and Conqueror Oil mixed.  New seasons, bare rooted roses are already arriving in Garden centers, if planting, prepare the ground by digging in old stable manure or bagged rose mix. If planting a rose in the same place a rose has been growing, you will need to remove the old soil and replace it with soil from another part of the garden, disease is transferred very quickly from one rose to another.   Peony rose tubers need to be planted now before the coldest months, if you must shift or divide established peonies, this is the time. Peonies do not respond well to transplanting but if planted well will require little maintenance. Choose the location wisely, full sun, shelter from strong winds, away from trees or shrubs competing for food and moisture. Plant with eyes up (new shoot) in deep, fertile, humus-rich moist soil that drains well spaced 3 to 4 feet apart about 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide. New season deciduous trees will be arriving into garden centers next month. If you are starting a new garden in a built up housing area choose carefully because after around eight years large growing trees dictate and create work, blossom fall, raking leaves, pruning and root problems under concrete in time. However  you can still plant those wonderful trees that eventually grow to around 15 to 20 feet high and wide if you plant them in the right size Evergrow planter bags. www.evergroworchard.nz this is a local business who originally created these bags for keeping the growth of cherry trees down.  I am using evergrow bags buried into the ground for maples, cornus, large growing native's, conifers and a wisteria. All large growing trees put down a deep tap root to anchor the tree and strong spreading roots to feed wide spreading branches. A 30 litre / 40 litre evergrow bag will let the tree grow to the shape it should be while controlling the size and encourage maximin fruiting  if a fruit tree.  Where big trees shade and shedding is not a problem large garden areas are the perfect place to plant deciduous trees to grow their majestic best for future generations.Here are some smaller growing trees for you to consider if evergrow bags are not prefered. Cornus florida Cherokee Chief (Flowering Dogwood), Cercis canadensis "Forest pansy", Malus (crab apple) is a pretty alternative to a large prunus (flowering cherry) and Robinia lace Lady.  Most of the mentioned will eventually grow to around 4 metres high and wide but branches are thinner and more manageable than the huge Oak, ash, Elms, some maples and the like. Reading a tree label before buying is so important to limit  problems in the future. Vegetable garden: Keep planting shallots, butter crunch lettuce plants, beetroot and broad beans keeping water up until they get settled. Cover with frost cloth to protect from frost and birds when small. Fruit: Tamarillos, if lucky enough to have these in your garden they will be hanging like jewels from almost bare branches, such a treat at this time of the year. Because the plants do not make hard wood they are frost tender but here on the coast in a sunny location they ripen and are ready to pick now. Tamarillos will grow from tip cuttings, a bush will last for a decade if protected during winter and prefer to be outside not in a glass house.Feijoas are a treat right now as well, they do not ripen all at once, dropping from the bush when ripe.Lemon “Meyer” are cold hardy and will fruit all year, if planting a new plant remove all flowers and small fruit for the first 3 years to get branch work established then it will produce for years. Plant where they get afternoon sun, feed with citrus food in early spring and early autumn.NZ Cranberry(Myrtus ugni) has a taste combination of strawberry, pineapple and apple my Grandchildren pick and eat them whenever here. A small evergreen bush, very fragrant when fruiting, can be hedged. Cheers, Linda. 

Gardening in Waitaki 11th May 2022

Leaf mulch composting in bags.

Wow what a change in our weather here in Waitaki, winter woolies will be getting an airing I am sure. After the rain there will be wet leaves everywhere waiting to be raked and hopefully used on compost heaps or on gardens. Leaf mulch is wonderful for soil, especially wet leaves already beginning to break down and will usually stay if put on gaps in the garden. With wet fallen leaves getting a head start in breaking down in the autumn warmth it would be a waste not to turn them into leaf mulch. Each tree leaf drop is meant for nourishing the roots of the tree that shed them but piles of leaves left on lawns will restrict light needed for grass growth. Leaves can be returned to tree roots as leaf mulch. To make leaf mulch : I have used both black plastic bags or wool packs to create leaf mulch. Firstly mowing through piles of dry leaves gets mulch breaking down faster, if leaves are dry add enough water to wet each layer, grass clippings caught in the mowing will add a green component. Leave your full, closed bag in a warm place that catches all day winter sun and mulch should be ready to place around the garden come spring. I have been potting on seedlings and cuttings before the nights get colder, they are lifted straight from seed trays or the riversand I use for cuttings. The newly potted will need frost cloth cover from now on until spring which will be removed during sunny days then replaced once the sun goes down. Remove water trays from potted plants, soil will stay damp from now on and should never be waterlogged through winter as this will lead to plant roots freezing and rotting. This is a great time to make new perennial beds or re-organise existing beds, with perennial clumps increasing in size annually they soon over fill a space. Lift overgrown clumps, break up and replant some of the youngest growths from the perimeter. Healthy vigorous plants can be reduced by putting a sharp spade in where you would like a reduction then lift the cut portion out without disturbing the remaining plant. I have done this in the past with asters, phlox, aubretia, small grasses, hosta's, lambs ear, modo grass and herbs like sage, thyme and lemon balm. Rockery plants can be divided now as well. Once plants have been sectioned and rearranged, cover the bed and around plants with compost to encourage new root growth, compost also help to keep perennial beds warmer through the colder months. Hellebores (winter roses) All old leaves from my have now been removed, they are budding up for a winter display so a fortnightly liquid feed can be given now if you feel they need boosting. Further in land it would be advisable to leave some top growth on to give frost protection to soft new growth, once hardened remove all leaves to display flowers. Lilies, this is the main time to shift or divide old over grown clumps of lilies. Be careful not to break the fleshy scales and to retain all the basal roots. Don't pull the old stems away from the bulb as it leaves a hole where water can enter and cause rot, just cut old stems short and bend. Never allow Lilly bulbs to dry out while out of the ground, I plant lilies on a little river sand and cover with compost which has had blood and bone added. May is the planting month for tulips, bulbs should be in retail outlets, plant them at least 8 inches (20cm) deep in a well drained sunny spot, they also do well in an east facing garden. I have stored tulip bulbs in the fridge for a month or two to give them an early chilling before planting. This seems to get them started when soil still has a little warmth. Vegetables and fruit . Continue planting strawberry plants, raising the beds where drainage is suspect and adding manure rich compost to the beds. Still time to get cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, bok choi, broad beans, cavolo nero, celery, coriander, kale, mesclun, spinach, silverbeet, onion, parsley and maybe a late crop of peas. Herbs rocket, rosemary, sage, thyme will settle in if planted now as will rhubarb. Feijoas are plumping up and our NZ cranberries (myrtus ugni) are ripe for eating , also figs should be ready along with walnuts and hazelnuts so still a lot of gathering happening. My new gardens are coming along nicely, but still a way to go breaking into new soil and working to a plan. Cheers, Linda

Tulips in my past garden at Rockvale.

Lifting lily bulbs

Gardening in Waitaki May 4th 2022

Shifting shrubs to settle in before winter.

More warm, settled Autumn days were enjoyed in North Otago during the past week and still no frost here on the coast as I write this. However to be on the safe side , it would pay to shift frost tender potted plants to a place with overhead protection and garden plants and shrubs needing to be protected have frost cloth at the ready. I have had my potted cuttings and seedlings out of the hot sun during summer but have now shifted them all into the sun and will soon need to lift trays from the ground when coldness sets in by placing them on polystyrene, straw or mounds of leaves and a covering of frost cloth during frosty nights, but right now the ground is still warm and growth continues. Seedlings raised from seed can be pricked out now into punnets and small pots before the cold sets in, then protected as above, growing will continue until the temperature drops below 10 degrees. Sweet peas can be planted now, Autumn sown sweet peas produce stronger plants with more vibrant blooms than those sown in spring. Here on the coast winters are mild enough to sow deep, straight into well drained manure enriched soil where you want them to flower. Bearded Iris rhizomes and freesia bulbs should have compost and mulch raked from them if possible to be exposed to bake in the autumn sun, Spring Bulbs are well up now, look around your garden to make sure they are getting enough light, trees and shrubs will have put on growth during the growing season keeping much needed light from spring bulbs for maximum flowering. Tulips should be in now to get a spring show, they like to be planted deep in cool ground. Shifting shrubs: Garden shrubs can outgrow the size allotted to them without us noticing, shrubs planted with the intention of keeping them in shape to fit a space seem to always end up taller and wider. If you are fed up with trying to keep them the right size and they are still of a size to shift, dig them up and give them a ride in the wheelbarrow to a more suitable spot in the garden to settle in before winter. Once shifted a 3rd of the height and width should be trimmed off as roots will have been damaged. If a shrub has been planted for a number of years it will need to be wrenched by digging down around one side, cutting roots then packing in soil / compost for new feeder roots to grow into. This will eliminate transplant shock when the whole shrub is dug out and transplanted in spring. Roses: The last summer buds and blooms will be putting on a show now and are best left to form seed heads allowing rose wood to harden for winter and the big prune in July /August. Vegetables and fruit . There are many veg seedlings on offer for planting now, broad beans can go in and onion seeds can be sown. I planted beetroot and carrot seeds a couple of weeks ago as the soil is still warm, they are now up and growing well. I also planted winter brassica seedlings that were at once being visited by butterflies and birds so I covered them with an old net curtain and they are now romping away. Once the ground cools and days get shorter it will be late to sow carrots but parsnip seeds can be sown from now to July if the ground is workable, seed is liable to rot in wet soil. Parsnips need a cold winter to convert starch to sugar for sweetness. I planted micro green seeds in a polystyrene tray outside 3 weeks ago, they germinated and grew very quickly and are now ready to snip and use. I plan to keep growing them through winter in a well lit place inside, so easy. Continue planting strawberry plants, raising the beds where drainage is suspect and adding manure rich compost to the beds. Apples and pears are still being picked and enjoyed by Gardeners (and the birds) and feijoas will be ripening for a while longer yet. Cheers, Linda. Micro greens (So easy)