Gardening in Waitaki February 26th 2024

Another lovely week with moisture, perfect growing weather, continuous colorful blooms, and the intoxicating fragrance of jasmine and roses wafting among lush summer foliage. As February progresses, we start thinking about the cooler months ahead, now is the time for an end-of-season clean-up—tackling it while the weather is still mild. I have been trimming back hebes that have, and are flowering, they run to seed quickly and If seed heads are left new growth will start from that point leaving leggy gaps below. Keep them trimmed and they will stay bushy. For superior blooms on gerberas, dahlias, and delphiniums, remove spent flowers and excess buds, while giving fortnightly feeds of liquid fertilizer. Soil is getting hungry now so soak well after pruning and top up with compost to encourage new roots. Summer Shrub and Tree Care :Resist the urge to shift shrubs now; they will suffer from transplant shock even if watered well. Instead, wait until the end of autumn when sap levels drop. If large shrubs must be moved, begin wrenching, which means digging up and lifting one-half of the roots while packing compost underneath to stimulate new feeder roots. Keep watering to support the remaining untouched root system, this will avoid transplant shock when the tree or shrub is lifted and replanted in late autumn. Seed Collecting and Storage: with the hot weather, seeds are ripening fast. Look out for foxgloves, poppies, dianthus, lupins, marigolds, sweet peas, lavender and snapdragon seed pods. Store them in brown paper bags in a dry place, away from mice, to plant now or in late winter. Lawn Preparation: If you plan to sow a new lawn in autumn, start preparing now by removing all perennial weeds, then once weeds are well dead rotary hoe the area to ensure there will be no hard pan. Then roll the soil to firm if able to create an even service, then it's raking and more raking to ensure a fine layer of soil on top to sow grass seed, once sown rake over the seed through prepared soil. The warm ground and gentle sprinklings of watering will have the seed struck in no time. Leave any fertilizing until the lawn is established. Vegetable gardens should be abundant now: Keep planting root veg and fill soil gaps with a green crop to be dug in before flowering, this helps enrich the soil. Start planning your winter garden and allocate beds for strawberries, garlic, and broad beans. Strawberries: Remove spent plants, trim runners from those being kept for another season, and transplant strong runners for next year's crop. Apples: Because of birds feasting, pick fruit early and store in a cool place, check often for any signs of rot. Grapes will need covering to prevent bird damage. Cheers, Linda.