Gardening in Waitaki 2nd September 2025

I loved early Spring in my past large graden.

"Tra La" Spring at last, thank goodness – the season of new beginnings. Pollen is about once again settling on every surface and no doubt there will be plenty of sneezing! Every day, something new pops up in the garden. Sweet peas, ranunculus, anemones, and tulips should be well up by now. Unfortunately, weeds are also off to a flying start. Hoeing or hand-pulling while they’re small is quick and effective. If spraying is needed, organic sprays work best on young weeds – apply on dull days to avoid upsetting pollinators. While weeding, I take stock of jobs needing attention: Staking delphiniums before they grow too tall. Removing mulch from around iris rhizomes and peony crowns. Pulling out self-sown plants and unwanted natives before they take hold Plants, shrubs, and trees will all respond to spring feeding now. Liquid feed perennials and bedding plants, and use a good general fertiliser for trees and shrubs. Exceptions are azaleas (feed after flowering) and tulips (which already store enough food in their bulbs – extra fertiliser only encourages leafy growth at the expense of flowers). Cut back old catmint growth if you haven’t already – I like to leave it over winter to protect the new shoots. It’s also time to “dress” the garden for late spring and summer. Think about colour – what shades you’d like and where they’ll look best. Concentrate on sunny spots to get bedding plants and perennials moving strongly. Why not plant wildflowers? This year I’m sowing wild flower seeds into egg cartons filled with seed-raising mix. The cartons can be buried directly into the soil, suppressing weeds at first and breaking down as seedlings grow. Roses There are still roses available, and they don’t always need to be planted together in a rose bed – they make excellent fillers in sunny borders. Roses bring beauty to the garden and to the home when picked for display. If you’re new to rose growing, don’t be put off by thorns and pruning. All that’s required is an occasional feed, deadheading spent flowers, a light summer prune after the first flush, and a harder prune in mid-winter. Ask for advice when buying to find the perfect roses for your garden. Lawns Early spring rain should arrive soon. Have lawn fertiliser ready and apply before or during rainfall – results will show quickly. Healthy lawns are fed often, leaving little room for weeds. Vegetables Sow carrot, spring onion, lettuce, brassicas, peas, and broad beans. It’s still too early for tomatoes, basil, corn, summer beans, and the pumpkin family.

Fruit Keep water up to all fruit bushes and trees during dry spells. Lift lower branches on gooseberry bushes to make picking easier as the fruit hangs beneath. Thin out branches before leaves arrive for easier access. Buds are swelling towards blossom burst as sap rises – what’s needed now is sunshine and bees for pollination.