The wonderful Labour weekend weather bought garden growth on beautifully with the last of the blossom trees in full bloom, prunus shimidsu sakura a lovely low, spreading prunus with large double very pale pink / white ballerina blossom and the upright prunus kanzan with bright pink blossom gracing many gardens in North Otago.
Spring planting: There will never be a better time for planting annuals, perennials and herbs than right now, the soil is warm and moist to get roots growing. When growth is lush the most important thing along with keeping the moisture up is deadheading as blooms die off. If a plant is left to run to seed it has finished the job it had to do. Keep deadheading and plants need to keep flowering.
Roses are doing well now that the nights have warmed up, keep the food and deep root watering up to them as they bud up, foliar feeding on fresh new leaves works well now along with slow release fertilizers which ensures they are feed each time they are watered. Green fly on bud tips can be washed off with a strong hose which will hopefully drown them. Cut spent flowers off hellebore's so you get the full effect of their wonderful leaves.
Weed spraying: With warm ground weeds grow before our eyes but right now roots are still soft enough for weeds to be pulled or hoed. Wild areas may need spraying before they make seed and spread everywhere.
Lawns: Keep feeding lawns when rain is about, powdered fertilizer's need to be washed well in to stop fertiliser burning lawns during hot sunny days.
Vegetables: plant out pumpkin, squash and corn plants. Pumpkins need a large prepared area to ramble with lots of compost and old stable manure dug in. Leaves will always let you know when they need water.
If you have a glass or tunnel house why not plant some peppers, they can grow high so staking will be needed. Tomato plants will be romping away, those planted early will have been affected by the last cold snap, bottom leaves can curl and take on a blueish look but they should grow through that and grow normally. It helps to plant bee attracting flowers as tomato flowers develop
Raspberry Kane's and strawberries: both flower and fruit up really quickly as long as they get all day sun they will ripen fast. These berries and new season peas are perfect for encouraging Children into the garden. They all learn the results are well worth the wait.
Rhubarb: Keep manure enriched compost up to Rhubarb, if the soil gets hard and dry around rhubarb it will grow stringy dry uneatable steams.
Elder flowers are blooming now so elderflower cordial will be happening again https://thisnzlife.co.nz/recipe-elderflower-cordial/
Cheers, Linda.
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