Gardening in Waitaki May 14th 2025

As we settle into autumn, it brings us shorter days and the mellow atmosphere of May. I recently moved to a property with a low-maintenance garden already in place, but as any passionate gardener would, I’ve begun rearranging and removing plants that I felt were not for me. While I appreciate foliage, I’ve always seen it as a complement to flowering plants; never have I been without a picking garden; I intend to have one here. Creating a low-maintenance picking garden without making it too labor-intensive is the challenge. Fortunately, years of gardening with all the successes and the inevitable mistakes have taught me what works best with minimal effort. This experience has been invaluable not only in my gardens but also in the many I’ve designed for clients and plan to design in the future. This new garden is covered with weed mat and chunky bark mulch. While this is excellent for suppressing weeds in open areas, it has its drawbacks; it slows plant growth, keeps soil soggy in exposed spots, and prevents moisture retention in dry areas, especially under eaves. To optimize planting in such a garden, a few adjustments are necessary. For dry areas under eaves, start by raking the bark off, then remove the weed mat. Soak the soil thoroughly and apply a layer of manure-enriched compost. Plant low-growing shrubs or perennials, then reapply the bark mulch. Bark breaks down slowly and can deplete soil nitrogen, but the compost will counteract this; weeds will be few, and soil will retain moisture if kept up. In wetter areas where the weed mat cannot be entirely removed, cut a crisscross pattern in the mat where you wish to plant, fold back the corners, and dig holes larger than the root ball of your plants. After planting, leave the folded mat corners tucked back, allowing air circulation. Cover the surface with bark again. This technique helps regulate soil moisture and promotes healthier plant growth. Gardens, like all living spaces, evolve. Understanding how to work with existing elements while making them suit your vision is key — a principle I have always applied in my designs and those I create for others. Dahlias: Cut back, dig, and divide for late spring planting. Label clumps by color and store in cardboard boxes in a dry shed. Fill gaps with winter annuals like wallflowers and poppies. Ericas: Trim spent summer flowers to maintain compact growth. Avoid lime and fertilizer; they thrive in dry, sunny soil. Ground cover varieties are low-maintenance and budding for winter color. Bearded Iris and Freesia: Keep compost and mulch away from exposed rhizomes and bulbs to prevent baking in the sun. Perennials: Divide overgrown clumps to fill gaps or pot up for later planting. Cover beds with compost to encourage root growth and insulate through winter. Peony Roses: Plant or shift this month, taking care not to damage tuber shoots. Cuttings: Move trays to a light, warm spot for winter growth and water less frequently, at the start of the day.Tree Wrenching: Begin wrenching trees for relocation by digging around half the root mass, backfilling where roots have been cut with peat, compost, or sifted soil to promote new feeder roots. Water regularly. Pot Plants: Reduce watering and move away from cold glass as night temperatures drop. Fruit: strawberries. Plant now in raised beds for better drainage and add manure-rich compost. Raspberries: Cut back fruiting stems by half after fruiting; cut two-year-old canes to the ground. Apples: Pick for storage to prevent bird damage. Delay pruning pip fruit until next month. Vegetables: Plant snow peas, pak choi, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and beetroot. Sow baby spinach in kitchen window containers for winter greens. This is the last month to sow carrot seeds; use onion sets rather than seeds now for better results. Clear finished summer vegetables or dig in leafy crops. Add manure-enriched compost and lime to heavily cropped soil, and leave the soil exposed to winter frost. Lawn Care: With lawns remaining moist and soft, and frost approaching, raise mower blades to maintain a longer grass length to protect your lawn roots as growth slows. Note: I have now just caught up on my Garden design work. If you need advice or help to plan a garden, contact me. Phone: 0274430256 Email: linda.lsw@gmail.com Cheers, Linda.