Gardening in Waitaki January 15th 2025

Happy New Gardening Year To all who toil in the soil, a warm welcome to another year of gardening adventures! gardening understandably will have taken a back seat and with the days being so changeable enthusiasm is not quite there yet for me but deadheading has to be done, if seeds on plants are left they will mature and flowering will be shortened. I do let some plant seeds mature to save in brown paper bags. One blessing this summer has been not having to drag hoses around so often, a time-saver and a relief for those who spent time away knowing their gardens would remain fresh and blooming on their return. Seed Collecting: I’ve started collecting seeds from sweet peas, sweet William, poppies, , delphiniums, dianthus, lavender, cosmos, marigold, and lavatera to name a few, storing them in small paper bags to plant either in Autumn and carry seedlings through winter or sow in late winter for a spring germination. Roses: Certain rose varieties are naturally more susceptible to fungal attacks, particularly when days are overcast, warm, and damp. Rust on leaves can be a problem during strong, warm winds drying out the soil between waterings. To manage these problems: remove affected leaves regularly: Spray with a fungicide when time permits. : Avoid using sprinklers late in the day if it’s overcast, as wet foliage combined with warm nights encourages mildew. Deep watering around the roots is essential to keep fungus at bay.: Collect and dispose of all diseased leaves from around the base of plants. To support continuous rose blooming, add compost and blood & bone or a slow-release fertilizer to replenish nitrogen. Keep deadheading roses and give them a summer prune: cut spent flower stems down to an outward-facing bud on a sturdy part of the stem. Hydrangeas and Petunias: Hydrangeas are stunning this year, with vibrant blooms and healthy foliage, likely thanks to frequent rain, but petunias and other soft flowering plants are taking a hit with overcast dampness, keep deadheading they will soon bounce back when we get the sunny days we should be getting. Rhododendrons: Deadheading rhododendrons is tedious but worthwhile for young plants. Removing spent flowers helps direct energy into bushy growth rather than seed production. You’ll find a point where the old flower heads break off cleanly without damaging new shoots—once you get the hang of it, it’s quite satisfying. Chrysanthemums: Stake now before they grow too tall. Tip cuttings can be taken and rooted in river sand. These lovely flowers will provide vibrant color in autumn. With very tall varieties the first new grow can be removed leaving the second growth to grow shorter. Lawns: I recently fertilized the lawn during heavy rain, which also fed the weeds! Spot spraying for weeds is now on my to-do list—it’s an ongoing battle to keep the lawn looking its best on clay soil, leaving the catcher off now and then helps build up humus and keeping the mower blades higher avoids drying roots during summer. Fruit and Veggies: Current and berry jams should be on the go now for some Gardeners if this dull season has achieved ripening. I like to pick and freeze then make jam when the time allows. For black currents I cut off fruiting branches before removing the currants, pruning as I harvest. In the vegetable garden: Seeds are sprouting quickly after sowing, .Lettuces are holding well without bolting. Corn is growing steadily, while pumpkins seem to need a pep talk—they, like corn, require a long, hot ripening season. Tomatoes struggle also during overcast days. In glasshouses, keep the environment moist during the day to deter whiteflies, which prefer dry conditions but keep plants dry going through the night to avoid fungus. Keep planting vegetables (except for corn and pumpkin, which should have been started earlier), and enjoy the abundance your garden has to offer! Cheers, Linda.