Gardening in Waitaki March 20th 2023

What strange Autumn weather we are experiencing during what is usually a settled mild time, how our weather patterns have changed. With rain keeping moisture up to trees and plants new growth carries on and leaf change and drop is held back. A light frost was experienced inland last week so the change of sessions has begun.Weeds after the rain are small and with frosts not far away they won't get away like they do in spring. ( wishful thinking?)  Gardens will be tired now, cut back, lift and divide summer flowering perennials and shrubs, remove seed heads from ornamental grass if you have not already done so, clumps will look a lot tidier, if left seeds will spread.   This is a great time to make new perennial beds or reorganize existing beds, with perennial clumps increasing in size annually they soon over fill a space. Lift overgrown or stagnant 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 plant remaining. I do this with asters, phlox, aubretia, small grasses, hosta's, 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 which will encourage new root growth and help keep the perennial bed warmer through the colder months to come. Lilies, this is the main time to shift or divide old overgrown clumps of lilies. Be careful not to break the fleshy scales and to retain all the basal roots. Don't pull old stems away from the bulb, it leaves a hole where water can enter and cause rot, cut old stems short and bend, never allow Lily bulbs to dry while out of the ground. Ponds have been overheating this summer encouraging oxygen weed and slim to grow rapidly, I use a leaf rake to lift it out where I can get at it. I always put barley straw at one end at the start of summer to help pond life. Water iris are a lovely addition to a pond and can be repotted now. To re pot water iris line a plastic pot ( large enough to stand the top heaviness of the iris when tall) with sacking or even a chux cloth place gravel then soil, a little stable manure, or slow release fertiliser granules, plant iris then top with a generous layer of gravel. The gravel on the bottom and top helps to prevent manure or fertiliser leaching from the pot while at the same time weighting the pot down when the iris becomes top heavy. Topping ponds up often during hot weather helps to cool water and keep ponds cleaner. Now would be a good time to cover a garden pond with netting to catch leaves as they fall.  Lawns: Get new lawns sown now, the cooler nights and mornings are allowing moisture to remain longer after watering and a strike will happen pretty fast in the warm ground. For established lawns dry weather encourages thatch to build up around grass roots and lawns can become thick with it killing out good grass. If you feel your lawn is being choked by thatch this is the time to address the problem. A dethatcher can be hired from our local garden hire business. Once a good portion of thatch is removed good grass gets a chance to grow strongly again. Scarification will also help remove moss and an added bonus is thatch removed can be added to compost heaps. Grass grubs are on the go munching grass roots and leaving dead patches, treating lawns can be done from now until May. Vegetables. March is an important month for planting winter veg, preparing soil prior to planting with compost, general garden fertiliser and lime (only if needed to bring the Ph up), I add lime to my compost. Keep planting all veg seedlings on offer but cover from birds and white butterflies. Prepare garlic beds with compost/ manure worked in then left to settle until planting out in June. Heartsease (small wild pansy) is a companion plant to garlic and onions. Fruit: Continue planting strawberry plants, raising the beds where drainage is suspect and adding manure rich compost to the beds. Pruning stone fruit trees in late summer, early-mid autumn can be done, nectarines, peaches, apricots and plums. If you do prune in autumn, protect cut wounds with a water based paint, pruning paint or beeswax to seal wounds and prevent disease entering.Weed, manure, mulch/compost around fruit trees while the ground is warm. Citrus should be producing flowers and fruit well this season so give them citrus food as a reward. Apples are dripping from trees, it is best to pick apples for storing when not too ripe and store them in a cool dark place. Start pruning pip fruit trees any time after the leaves have fallen, remove dead or damaged wood, crossing or inward turning branches, excess leaders or sucker growth developing on the main trunks. Shorten back vigorous leaders by about a 1/3 to promote branching. Prune long side branches back to a weak twig to discourage further spread. Cheers, Linda