What different day-to-day weather we have been experiencing. Rain is always welcome in North Otago, and combined with warmth, it also means everything starts growing with enthusiasm.
Hedge trimmers will be earning their keep. Don’t be afraid to take hedges and shrubs well back if they need height and width reduced — regrowth is fast in February.
The flower garden: Buddleias have been flowering for some time now, providing valuable food for butterflies. Once flowering finishes, cut them back hard to encourage fresh new growth that will carry the plant through autumn and winter. Buddleias are excellent filler shrubs, ideal for the back of borders, and their blue-green foliage remains attractive even when not in flower. Begonias, petunias, lilies, dahlias and agapanthus are all taking centre stage this month.
Begonias prefer partial shade — strong sun will scorch leaves and blooms, while shade produces more foliage than flowers. They like humidity but not wet soil, so allow the top layer to dry slightly between watering and protect them from strong winds.
Petunias respond well to regular dead-heading, cutting back and feeding, keeping them flowering for weeks longer.
Lilies should never be allowed to dry out and benefit from mulching. Remove spent blooms so plants don’t waste energy producing seed, but leave foliage until it browns off naturally — this feeds next year’s flowers. Large clumps can be divided and moved straight after flowering.
Dead-head dahlias regularly by cutting stalky growth back to a plumper stem junction to keep plants bushy and blooming. Roses are budding again after their first flush — like roses, it takes around six weeks from pruning to new flowers. Regular watering and a mulch of aged compost will keep them flowering well into early winter.
Agapanthus are at their peak now. The blues cool hot summer gardens while whites lift shaded areas. They thrive on dry banks, under trees and in large spaces where they can form drifts. Divide clumps once flowering has finished.
Lavenders need attention now. English lavender flowers once — cut it back by about two-thirds and apply blood and bone. Old woody plants often won’t reshoot, so take cuttings to replace them. French lavenders (stoechas and dentata), along with catmint and alyssum, will continue flowering if trimmed regularly.
Bulbs: Recent rain and cold chill trigger autumn and winter bulbs into growth, so lifting and dividing congested clumps needs to be done promptly. Anemones and ranunculus are in garden centres now — chill them in paper bags in the fridge for a month, then soak overnight in tepid water before planting. Stagger plantings to extend flowering. Lift gladioli as foliage dries off and hang upside down indoors to ripen before cleaning and storing. Spring bulbs are appearing in stores — plan now and plant in clumps rather than scattered singles for the best spring impact.
Seed collecting has begun again. Store dry seeds in brown paper bags in a cool, dark place. Delphinium, dianthus, marigold, sweet pea, violas, pansies and primulas can be sown now. Some plants need winter chilling to germinate, this includes aquilegia, lavender, sage, sedums, catmint and fuchsia. Birds have been busy too, leaving plenty of native seedlings throughout gardens. Small seedlings can be lifted and potted now; leave larger ones until winter for better survival.
Lawns will green up quickly after rain, meaning growth won’t slow. Spot-spray weeds on a sunny day when plants are thirsty — clover, daisies and that tiny creeping weed with yellow flowers all spread rapidly if left. Lift mower blades slightly to retain moisture and avoid scalping, and occasionally leave clippings on the lawn to feed it. Preparations for autumn lawn sowing should begin now by removing perennial weeds, digging or rotary hoeing, and checking soil pH. Aim for a pH of around 6, allowing time for lime to be absorbed before fertilising.
Vegetable Gardens are heading into the dry ripening phase, so cutting back plants that have finished flowering encourages fresh new growth and prevents plants from shutting down after seeding — unless seed collection is the goal. Sow autumn vegetables now, lettuce, carrots, beetroot, parsnip, silver beet, parsley and dwarf beans. Keep mounding potatoes to encourage larger tubers, and mound corn as it grows to support its shallow roots. Corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder; the more available nitrogen, the better the results. Glasshouse ripening declines during overcast days, but ripening will continue during autumn.
Fruit: This is a major harvest month. Keep water up to all crops, especially late-ripening fruit trees. Birds are quick to help themselves, so harvest early where possible. Shorten fruiting leaders on grapevines if they are carrying too many bunches to improve fruit quality. Overcast days slow ripening, but a few warm sunny spells will quickly catch things up. If you are keen to grow nuts, such as walnuts, they need cold stratification; only plant those that sink in water.
Cheers,
Linda
