Gardening in North Otago December 14th 2022

Christmas Eve in my past Garden

Here we are at the end of another year with Christmas looming, gardens will be full to bursting with colour and produce just as many of us will be setting off for a break. With so many overcast days some plants have been slow to move which can be an advantage when it comes to produce not bolting to seed. Things will rectify once the hot summer we have been promised starts. I have almost finished planting out our new town, low maintenance garden having spent three or four years growing plants from cuttings taken from the large formal garden we left behind. I selected plants that brought me the most pleasure so I can still enjoy them. I designed most of our new garden in a structured, Japanese theme using weed mat and gravel which will cut out digging and replanting. Larger trees and shrubs have been planted in grow bags to semi bonsai which means they will still retain shape but at a reduced width and height. Each plant is being shaped to the desired effect needed. As it is count down time now until Christmas I am sure gardeners will be spending less time in the garden, just getting lawns mowed and watering done. You will know by now that I am determined to get all gardeners soaking then mulching to retain moisture, this time of the year is when gardens benefit most from being mulched because where dirt is left bare there will always be weeds. Soft hedge trimmings can go on as mulch along with grass clippings, tree mulch (forest floor) ornamental grass clippings, rotted leaf mulch and decomposed pine needles will all do the job. Remove seed heads from Peony roses as they interfere with subsequent blooming, foliage can stay until it turns brown. Delphiniums that have suffered from wind can sometimes be blown right over, it's hard to stand them up again without stems breaking so cut them back to the broken point to continue to put out smaller flower heads. Dead head as many roses as you can so they can get going on their second flowering, deep water and mulch if you have the time. Then let the garden look after itself while you have a well deserved break. Roses first flowering is almost over so it is time to deadhead spent blooms, cut at an out facing bud down on the strongest part of a branch, they will bud up and flower again in a few weeks. I collect fragrant rose blooms to lay out and dry to fill a basket for the hall table. Dry between sheets of newspaper until all hint of moisture is gone and they will last for months without going mouldy. If you are going away, pop all your indoor plants in the bath with a little water to keep them going and baskets and manageable pots around to the shady side of the house until your return. Fruit for us Kiwis fruit ripens at the busiest possible time for picking, it is such a waste if left to drop so maybe with some bribing Children could be recruited as pickers, if needed for jam or pickling and just pop fruit into the freezer until your return? Laden black current branches can be cut from bush's and stripped of fruit in a cool place while having a Christmas drink, this way pruning is also taken care of. Gooseberries are the tricky fruit to pick but the end of a branch lifted with a gloved hand will find fruit hanging from the underside ready to strip off a handful at a time. I find raspberries and strawberries the most time consuming to pick but so worth the effort. Vegetable garden: So much is ready for picking in the veg garden right now, I will be throwing shade cloth over mine to protect from sun and birds when I am not here to keep an eye on things . That's it from me for this year, our tree is ready and waiting for excited Children on Christmas morning and not need to hunt for Nana in the Garden this year. I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for a safe 2023. Cheers, Linda.