Gardening in Waitaki 27th March 2024

We will soon be rolling into the cooling down. month of April but thank goodness days stay warm a little longer even if the nights and mornings are cooler. Autumn here in Waitaki is usually more predictable than spring or summer, a time to reap and sow lest all be lost to the frost. Growth here has had the benefit of good rain to keep things green longer. It is a good time to view the light situation around your garden before leaves fall, because of trees and shrubs getting taller and wider every year blocking out light. Note what trees and shrubs to reduce in height and width and which trees and shrubs to remove all together. Sometimes one tree or shrub will do the job of the two or three in one spot. Sacrifice trees that give little interest for trees close by that offer more, and shrubs that have grown too big in the front of a garden hiding what is behind need to be cut back, maybe wrenched for shifting later or cut out. I have at times changed the whole look of gardens by removing a few front shrubs/trees to let the sun in and then planting sun-loving plants. Here on the coast keep cutting back large daisy and lavatera bushes to encourage new buds that will flower over the next two months. Also get all hedges cut back now before frosts start, this will be the last cut until the new growth in spring. This is just the time to clean up garden areas that have been flowering all summer and to visit the garden centres to choose plants for planting now to bud up before winter, if planted while the ground is still warm to get the roots going they will continue to get enough winter sun to carry on and bloom. Suggestions: viola, snapdragon, pansy, polyantha, stock, calendula, wall flowers, sweet William and good old primula malacoides. Seeds of all plants mentioned can also be sown, they should pop up very quickly to be pricked out and potted into punnets to plant out if we have a mild start to winter or held over and protected until spring. Planting shrubs: If you want to plant evergreen shrubs other than conifers now is the time or wait until the frosts are over, once frosts start it is only deciduous trees/shrubs and conifers that will cope with the really cold nights ahead. Keep planting spring bulbs in the warm ground and Hybrid clematis are still on offer, the lovely huge blooms, deciduous type which I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. This type are not as invasive as the Montana variety. They love being planted into warm autumn ground and are so pretty growing in with other climbers and scrambling through climbing roses that flower at a different time to them. All clematis like manure and lime. Strengthen plant growth by applying potash to plants, Potassium hardens up plant growth and helps prevent damage from winter chills. Lawns: Spot spray lawn weeds if they are taking over your lawn and apply sifted compost and gypsum to lawns if they are compacted ( a bucket to the square metre). the compost will improve the humus content and the gypsum will soften clay soils. If you have had a good strike with a newly sown lawn delay cutting until the grass is 7-8 centimetres high, set the blades high and avoid cutting when the ground is wet and soft. Veg: I have dug the last of my potatoes and stored them with a covering of herbs. Pumpkins can be left growing until the threat of frosts then harvested and hardened in a dry sunny place before storing. Time to dig up and divide Rhubarb crowns, mixing in heaps of compost before replanting. Sow: Spinach, Snap Peas, brussel sprouts, board beans and spring onions, fill the top of a shallow pot with spring Onions to have handy by the back door, start thinning when plants are still quite small, and pull them as they’re needed. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki March 19th 2024

My autumn perennial garden.

What wonderful rain yesterday which will probably keep autumn growth greener when ripening and drying is what is required in autumn, I am sure Farmers loved it, moisture down deep before winter. Cut back everything that has finished flowering, I need no encouragement in this area so the wheelbarrow has been getting good use. Once I start chopping back at this time of the year there is no stopping me from leaving destruction in my wake. Plants that get the chop: Acanthus mollis (bears britches), agapanthus, tall phlox, daylilies, damaged hellebore, hosta leaves, buddleia, honeysuckle, jasmine, abutilon, evergreen viburnum, alstroemeria, hebe's, iris and all leggy, gone to seed herbs. Iris: While working my way around I dealt with all the bearded iris by cutting leaves back by two-thirds and making sure the top of rhizomes were above ground to bake in the autumn sun. Shift any in shade to a sunny position. Iris's are well worth the trouble of growing and look wonderful planted together enabling them to put on a grand display on their own. Propagation is usually 6-8 weeks after blooming rhizomes can be divided, leaving a chunk of rhizomes and roots to every new division. Bulbs, Bulbs, Bulbs: To create a spring explosion in your garden plant them now, bluebells and snowdrops can cope with dappled shade, the daffodil family needs sun, hyacinths look great in either pots or garden, ranunculus and anemones are vibrant after a long dull winter and freesia's love a sunny warm spot as do all the other spring bulbs on offer, Tulips are planted in May. Over years of multiplying bulbs can take over garden beds so If your bulb clumps are getting too big offer some to other gardeners who I am sure would gladly dig them up and find the perfect spot in their garden for them or take them to our resource recovery park and from there they will find a good home. It's time to cut back ornamental grass, pull seed heads away with a rake leaving grass clumps a lot tidier. Clumps can be trimmed back if getting too big or divided by putting a spade through the middle and removing half. Sometimes I have to dig the whole grass out to do this, then put the spade through and pull it apart while standing on half. If you are thinking of adding roses or more roses to your garden I suggest looking at rose variety books or going online to make your choices and then getting your order into Garden centers. New season roses will begin arriving in June and by ordering now you will be sure not to miss out. Herbs: Perennial herbs, chives, mint, thyme, sage, and marjoram can be divided and replanted. Basil, a summer annual, should be harvested before cold weather, it can be dried or frozen. Parsley can be grown from seed if sown now. Lawns would benefit from a dressing of fertilizer during the next heavy rain to wash it in to boost lawns before winter. Fruit: Late peaches should be ready to pick now and nectarine trees can have a summer prune. Citrus trees should be putting out new growth after heavy cropping, and feed with citrus fertilizer before winter. All fruit trees benefit from a dressing of potash around the drip line in autumn. Vegetables. March is an important month for planting winter veg, prepare before planting with compost, general garden fertiliser, and lime if needed, (I add lime to my compost) beetroot, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, and silverbeet seedlings can be planted but will need to be protected from the white butterfly. A framework to hold strawberry net stretched over plants would do the trick. Any areas of the vegetable garden not being used for vegetables can be planted with a green manure cover crop to be dug in before it flowers to enrich the soil for spring and summer crops. Oats, blue lupin, and mustard are good options.

Gardening in Waitaki March 12th 2024

With nights cooling and days shortening it will not be long before the major leaf drop but going from my past notes trees are holding leaves green longer this year, probably due to the rain showers North Otago has been lucky to have received during summer. Low branches on large trees will probably need to be lifted to let more light onto lawns and plants below. Wisteria, jasmine, and honeysuckle climbers can be trimmed along with hedges and shrubs if needed. Rose deadheading will be the last for this growing season, roses will soon need to stop putting out new soft growth as rosewood needs time to harden from now on before the big winter prune, which means allowing spent blooms to make seed. Keep deadheading dahlias, petunias, and geraniums to keep them flowering through until the first frost, and continue to remove spent summer annuals so the soil can be worked ready for winter flowering annuals such as primulas, wall flowers, polyanthas, pansies, and violas. Fork in some compost and soak well before replanting. Be on the lookout for useful self-sown seedlings such as foxglove, lupin, cineraria, hollyhock, and primula malacoides, they can be transplanted now to settle in before winter. Peony roses are on offer now, they are worth planting with their big showy blooms taking over from the spring rhododendron displays, be careful when planting not to disturb the new shoots (eyes) forming. A peony root to be planted should contain at least 3 eyes that will eventually become stems. A root with only 1 or 2 eyes will still grow, but it will take longer to flower. Peonies are very adaptable, but they do prefer sunny, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and benefit from compost added when planting, they can remain in the same spot for upwards of 70 years. Peony roots should be planted relatively close to the soil surface; only about 2-3 inches deep. It may seem odd to leave roots so exposed, but they need chilling to attain dormancy and set buds. Lift gladioli bulbs now and store them in a dry place, if left in the ground they may be attacked by pests. Lawns: Get new lawns sown now, the cooler nights and mornings are allowing the moisture to remain longer after watering and a strike will happen pretty fast as the ground is still nice and warm. Vegetables: Good growth is still happening as long as the water is kept up, pumpkins and corn should be ready to harvest, dry off pumpkin and squash skins before storing them in a cool dry place. This is a good time for planting above-ground annual crops that produce their seeds outside like lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and grain green crops for digging in to add humus to tired soil. Cheers, Linda.

Autumn lawn sowing gets best results.

Gardening in Waitaki March 5th 2024

March is when seeds ripen and growth slows, it would be good, if able to slow down along with the growth and enjoy the mellow days.  it is time for the Autumn flower display to begin, autumn crocus has burst into flower along with nerines, chrysanthemums are budding and some spring bulbs are pushing through.  I spend a lot of time hand watering to top up moisture around plant roots while at the same time noticing what needs dead-headed or cut back, perennials cut back last month have already bushed up again to fill in gaps. I thought this would be a good time to mention the pruning and shaping of shrubs. Shrubs that flowered on previous years growth, rhododendrons, camellias, azalea, ceonothus, forsythia colonemia ( breath of heaven) only if needed can be reduced in size now while there is still enough growing season for them to recover before winter. In colder areas trimming of all flowering shrubs should be done as soon as flowering has finished, except hydrangeas leaving the spent flower heads on to protect new shoots through winter.Shrubs that flower on current years growth, daisy bushes, rosemary and fuchsia are best left with top growth on until spring. Caring for soil is important now after the intense heat and summer blooming this year, deep watering, and then the addition of organic matter either dug in or left as a top, mulch will help to condition soil in readiness for next spring. I wait until autumn leaves have been raked off gardens before I add the compost and pea straw cover that will take gardens through winter which leaves time from now until then to sow a cover crop like blue lupin, mustard, or alfalfa to add natural nitrogen to the soil. Dig in before flowering, or just cover with compost before a final cover of pea straw. Lawns. The grass grub damage will be showing up in lawns now with birds letting us know just where they are, I have decided to leave them for the birds to deal with then rake out all damaged patches and re-sow. Fruit: This is a wonderful gathering time, I am sure freezers will be filling with stewed fruit, and jams and relishes will be on the go. Vegetables: All seeds sown will germinate but watch the heat, I have covered my seed boxes with shade cloth to keep them from drying out. If planting out seedlings I would cover them as well to keep moisture in and white butterfly's off. Cheers Linda