Gardening in Waitaki May 31st 2023

Autumn in our Oamaru public gardens

As we slip into June the days are still milder here on the coast than they have been at this time of the year, nature is in charge of when winter starts and we need to take notice of changes as they occur to be one step ahead for plants that require protection. With warmth still in the soil any shrub or tree planted now will settle in and make good root growth until we get an intense ground freeze. Dry gardens need water kept up, when shrubs, trees and plants let us know by leaf droop and bark stress a good soak is needed while roots are still active. I have lost well grown maples due to dryness going into winter and results not showing until spring. Soak rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas as they are susceptible to dryness deep down. Top Ground moisture will be drawn out  during cold nights, if there are dry spots in your garden soak around roots in the morning and mulch to keep moisture there. Moist soil holds more heat than dry soil, so frost penetration will be deeper and soil temperatures colder for sandy or dry soils.  Compost: needs to be left alone now to do its magic for when needed around gardens in spring, plants are ready to use it then. Using precious compost now would be wasting it as winter weather will leach all the goodness out, it is important not to leave soil bare through the winter. Autumn leaf cover ( chopped up with the mower ) to stop the wind lifting them off, straw or summer cut back material laid over bare soil will work and can be removed to the compost heap in spring.  Winter colour: Plant polyanthus, pansies, primulas, snapdragons, wall flower and calandulas for colour, a few poly's in a pot is all that's needed to brighten up any doorway. Wisterias: Once wisterias have lost leaves prune off all long and unruly canes not required because if you don't they will entwine themselves around established branches and keep growing thicker each year. Lawns will be storing energy now for winter so mowing frequency should be decreased to allow growth. Before lawns slow down and become tufty  you could rent a core aerator to improve drainage during winter. Irrigate the lawn a couple of days before your aerate and after aerating the lawn fine soil can be spread over to fill in the holes.   Vegetables:  On the coast Sow broad beans, garlic, shallots and rhubarb. Colder areas nothing much can be planted without protection. Fruit tree pruning:  Apple Trees, after initial shaping of apple trees, the only pruning necessary is the removal of excess twiggy growth. 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. Removal of all tall new growth will keep apple trees in good shape with fruit being produced at picking height. Peach & Nectarine Trees: 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 may 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.

Cover bare soil during winter with whatever is at hand.