Gardening in Waitaki January 11th 2023

I would imagine many people are still in holiday mode and long may it last......it would be great if the lawns and garden followed suit. It is so good to get rain when we do to keep gardens fresh. Weeds love these perfect growing conditions, if you need to spray, wait until the end of a hot day when weeds are thirsty and bee's are not about. The summer cut back, with the continual growth and garden maintenance being all about keeping plants and shrubs under control, cutting back will still be in full swing in gardens, once a plant has finished flowering there should be seed heads to save. Seed collecting starts now, I select annuals and perennials, letting a part of them go to seed for collecting when fully ripe, then store seed pods to pop out into brown paper bags. So far I have aquilegia, poppies, dianthus, pansy, viola, polyanthus and delphiniums, still waiting on peonies, iris, and many more treasures to fully ripen. Seeds can be planted during Autumn then the germinated seedlings will need to be nursed through winter. Agapanthus, hydrangeas and roses are all giving good displays around waitaki with the heat and moisture. Hydrangeas and hostas do best in semi shade and moist soil so summer rain has been perfect for them. My hostas are planted in a gravel garden so have been left alone by slugs not wanting to slither over a rough surface. Both hostas and hydrangeas will benefit from a dressing of blood and bone watered in when a good soak is needed. Lawns will be enjoying the heat and moisture which means catcher after catcher full. Grass cuttings are good humus to soil so cover bare ground as a mulch to conserve moisture and to block out the light needed for weeds to grow. Vegetable gardens should still be producing well, I have a slug problem because of keeping the garden too moist, keep veg leaves up off the soil as they are great hiding places for slugs and snails. Beans are plentiful and Corn and pumpkins are putting on good growth which is important because they both need a long ripening season. Fruit: So many fruits are ripening now, black currants and raspberries to freeze, strawberries, apricots and plums. Apple and pear trees are layden to the point where thinning out of bunches will be necessary if wind does not take care of it. Cheers, Linda