Gardening in Waitaki November 5th 2024

As we near the end of the blossom season, the Rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas are taking the spotlight, displaying blooms as stunning as any tropical flower. A few roses have also begun flowering, the evening chill and intermittent rain should help maintain their vigor. However, aphids may have begun colonizing new rose buds, these can be removed by gently pinching them off with your fingers. Look beneath hellebore leaves and no doubt you will find green flies living a good reproductive life, cut the leaves back and destroy them before the aphids fly off into your garden. If you don’t want hellebore seedlings throughout the garden, trim back seed pods. Peonies are budding now, so adding supports can help manage the weight of the blooms. Tall wire supports shaped like a “U” are ideal for keeping the stems upright. For newly planted crowns, it’s best to limit flowering to just one bloom for now to allow the plant’s energy to focus on root development. Avoid letting them bloom during the first couple of years for better long-term growth. Peonies thrive in full sun, without competing plants nearby, and need plenty of water, especially before and during blooming. Lavender is budding as well. If spittlebugs become an issue, note that spraying won’t be effective due to the spittle barrier. Instead, a forceful hose spray should dislodge them. Hybrid Clematis look lovely in garden centers, these large-flowered varieties (not the invasive Montana type) need early training while the stems are still pliable. For successful growth, clematis benefits from rich, well-manured soil with a bit of lime. Don’t worry if your hybrid has no buds yet, as flowering times vary. If planted recently, let it flower before cutting it to the ground to encourage bushier growth. If a hybrid wilts, cut it down instead of digging it out—many come back strong the following year. Filling Gaps: To fill garden spaces, consider planting cottage-style flowers such as cosmos, love-in-a-mist, blue bedder salvia, Clary sage, and lavatera. These taller annuals can be planted densely to support each other and crowd out weeds. Regular deadheadings will keep them blooming through Christmas and beyond. Lawns have enjoyed the rain as have worms getting busy in the soft soil aerating as they go and with them rising up to the top layers in saturated lawns birds are happy with their easy meals I'm sure. There will be lush grass growth now but don't be tempted to lower the mower blades, leave a little length to shade roots as lawns dry, and use the lush clippings as thin layers of mulch around your gardens. Fruit Trees: Night beetles have not appeared yet, but they’re expected soon and may target young trees. While mature trees will show minimal damage, newly planted fruit trees, and prunus varieties may lose leaves to beetles. Don’t worry—leaves will regrow, and the trees will continue developing. Vegetables: Spring weather is perfect for growing vegetables, with warm, moist soil benefiting beans, peas, corn, pumpkins, courgettes, and cucumbers. Staggering seed planting will ensure a continuous harvest. Sticky traps for whiteflies can help detect early infestations in greenhouses. Make DIY sticky traps by coloring cards yellow and coating them with petroleum jelly mixed with a bit of dishwashing liquid. If whiteflies appear, start with a strong water spray, focusing on the undersides of leaves. Follow up with organic insecticidal soap (like Neem soap), spray at a cool time of day, and repeat a few days later. Attract whitefly predators, like hoverflies and ladybirds, by planting calendula, oregano, fennel, parsley, and even thistles near your greenhouse. Cheers, Linda

Keep lawn mower blades up a little so as not to scalp the lawn.