Gardening in Waitaki September 24th 2024

It's that time again, leave the catcher off now and then to add lush humus to your lawn.

What a changeable week, it caused browning to magnolias and camellias, and new growth blackening on some tender new growth that will soon recover. This is a good time to work at tidying up gravel paths and driveways, They pack down hard over winter. A good raking will sort that out, lift weeds and moss, and get them looking fresh again. If you have a moss problem on a shady path or drive try sprinkling some inexpensive laundry powder over the moss, it will soon die then it can be raked out. Spot spraying will work now on rough-growing areas and hoeing where annual weeds are still small among plants that will soon become large. If you do not want to use chemical sprays on annual weeds why not try some of the natural alternatives on sale, these work on hot sunny days when plants are very thirsty. The leaf of the plant collapses which means there is nothing left to support the roots causing the plant to die. Perennial weeds, convolvulus, and couch grass are not so easy to kill with alternative weed spray because roots are long and strong but if you are prepared to keep spraying what they send up you will beat them.The most economical weed control is common table salt, but is toxic on soil if not used the right way. Use it at the rate of 240 grams (about 12 heaped tablespoons) to a litre of warm or hot water to dissolve it, and then spray it on the foliage of the weeds during sunny dry conditions only but only in garden areas where salt can be regualy dissolved by rain and watering. This works very fast on annual weeds but perennials probably need a stronger organic herbiside. If spraying a salt silution only on foliage, at the above rate, there will be little residual damage done to the soil. To make sure, give the area a good drenching once weeds have collapsed. Trim shrubs that flowered in late winter now before they put out new growth on past growth and get leggy, this partially applies to ericas, callunas, and hebes which should not have old flowers left on to make seed. All of this month is the time to layer azaleas and rhododendrons by pinning low-growing slim branches down into the soil, hopefully, by the end of this growing season these branches will have developed strong roots allowing them to be cut free from the mother plant, and potted up to grow on as a new bush. Strong winds put stress on plants, trees & shrubs where roots are working hard to take hold, deep root watering is a must on newly planted shrubs and trees and firm stakes, if trunks and roots are moving growth will be slow and stunted or not at all. With the days warming softwood cuttings can be taken from plants and shrubs this month. Dipping in a hormone powder is beneficial to encourage roots quickly. Cuttings can be taken from new wood shrub and plant growth, and many perennial herbs.  Herbs If you have not cut your herbs back yet, do it as soon as possible because they are starting to grow now, feed manure-rich compost with lime added, and keep picking often to encourage continual new growth all season for your salads and cooking. Fruit trees begin again with blossom so it is the sun and bees that are most needed now. Vegetables: Still, no white butterflies keep planting out, but deep watering is required during strong winds. Keep mounding up potatoes as they push leaf through and cover at night should there be another cold snap which will blacken off new growth. Early showings of peas should be well up and starting to climb. Like climbing beans, they need to be planted in an open sunny place and firm supports need to go in when planting so they are not disturbed once they start growing, if well supported you will not have to keep propping them up when the crop becomes heavy. I have just sown corn, tomato, cucumber, and pumpkin seeds undercover to germinate and then they will be nursed well. Cheers, Linda.