Gardening in Waitaki April 29th 2026

Autumn splendour is all around North Otago now, with gardens glowing in rich golds, reds and russets as leaves continue to fall thick and fast, and there is much to do as we bed the garden down for winter. This is prime compost-making time. Layer autumn leaves, grass clippings, soft garden waste, finished compost, and stable or poultry manure to build rich organic compost full of natural nutrients. Leaves can also be turned into valuable leaf mould, either heaped in bins or packed into bags to break down into humus, which improves soil. Piling leaves directly onto garden beds can create a rain shield and harbour unwanted pests over winter. It is better to spread gathered leaves over the lawn, shred them with the lawn mower, then use them as mulch around the garden along with lawn clippings. The more we put back into the soil, the more the garden benefits. The recent rain, with soil still warm, makes it a perfect time to sow spring-flowering seeds. Seedlings raised now and carried through winter are often stronger than bought spring punnets. Sweet peas, calendula, lupins, alyssum and cornflowers can be sown outdoors, while pansies, violas, primulas and snapdragons can be started under cover. Hardy annuals for winter colour can be fed now for a good start. Acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas appreciate pine needles, rotted sawdust or coffee grounds, while dried blood gives winter performers such as primulas, pansies and cyclamen a welcome boost. Divide primulas and violas to fill gaps in borders, and on the coast, give evergreen hedges one final light tidy. The ground is also perfect right now for planting spring bulbs that will bring your garden back to life after a long, drab winter. Bulbs are a wonderful investment as they multiply annually. There are many bulbs on offer in garden centres right now. If you are lucky enough to have large clumps of bulbs, now is the time to divide them and plant them in another area of your garden or pass them on to others. Most bulbs do best in full sun (at least 6 hours a day of direct sun) and well-drained soil. Spots where water pools during the winter will cause the bulbs to rot. Generally, the hole should be two to three times deeper than the bulb is tall. So if you have a 3-inch-tall bulb, dig a hole 6 to 9 inches deep. Plant ranunculus and anemones now, after soaking the corms overnight, and top dress established lilies with compost and blood and bone. Continue deadheading dahlias until frost blackens them, then cut them down carefully leaving 2 to 4inch stem above the soil, they need only to be lifted if winters are harsh and ground really freezes or soil where planted remains wet. Mulching with straw protect tubas during winter. Roses are best left now to form hips and harden their wood, although in warm sheltered spots, a final deadhead may still bring late blooms. Disease on late roses is natural at this stage and often not worth battling. Hydrangeas are still offering glorious autumn colour, and this is an excellent time to take hardwood cuttings. A few cuttings taken now can become splendid shrubs in seasons to come. Lawns are slowing but can still benefit from lime to sweeten the soil over winter. Avoid walking on wet lawns to prevent compaction, and if grass grub is a problem this is the last chance to treat before winter. Vegetable garden, keep sowing broad beans, peas, spinach, silver beet, beetroot, cabbage, broccoli and turnips while the ground holds warmth. Rhubarb can be lifted and divided, and herbs cut back, dried and stored for winter use. Pumpkins should be well-ripened now; harvest when they sound hollow leaving the stem end intack and cure them in a dry, sheltered place. Fruit: Strawberries may still be fruiting, runners can be pegged down for replacements, and fruit trees in bags can be planted now to establish through winter. Hold off pruning fruit trees until true winter dormancy, apart from removing dead wood from stone fruit. Cheers Linda.