Gardening in Waitaki Early June.

Dig and store dahlia tubers in colder areas.

We are fast approaching the shortest day, and while there is still enough warmth in the winter sun to make gardening pleasant once the frost has lifted, there is no mistaking that winter has arrived when the sun disappears in the late afternoon. Frosts and short days are all part of nature's plan, helping deciduous trees receive the winter chilling they need, improving the flavour of crops such as parsnips by converting starches to sugars, and disrupting many pest and disease cycles.The milder periods we have experienced recently have encouraged some plants to make soft new growth and even brought early blossom and bulbs into flower. Keep an eye on tender plants such as fuchsia, daphne, and young seedlings, protecting them with frost cloth if necessary. Frost cloth allows light through during the day, helping plants recharge warmth for the following night. Now that deciduous trees and shrubs are bare, it is an ideal time to inspect them carefully. Remove any growth emerging from below graft unions on specimen trees such as flowering cherries, magnolias, silver birch, ash and oak. Rootstock growth can quickly overwhelm the desired tree if left unchecked. Remove crossing, crowded or rubbing branches completely rather than shortening them. Prunus, crab apples and silver pears are particularly prone to overcrowding. Prune on fine days and disinfect tools between trees with methylated spirits to help prevent the spread of diseases such as silver leaf.Rogue trees and shrubs carried in by birds are often much easier to spot at this time of year. Remove them before they become established and begin competing with valued plants. Many self-sown seedlings such as hellebores, lupins, poppies, pansies, violas, forget-me-nots and primulas can be lifted and transplanted now. Polyanthus that have multiplied in the garden can also be divided and replanted, with a light dressing of dried blood helping them settle in quickly. Hellebores, often called winter roses, are beginning to send up flower buds. Remove old foliage to show off the flowers and improve air circulation. Second-year seedlings can be transplanted to new positions, although they may still take a few years to flower. Hellebores look particularly effective when mass planted beneath rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas in damp, semi-shaded areas. I have just planted colourful wall flowers and sweet William plants in the hope they will set bud before the coldest part of winter.  Dahlias will now have been blackened by frost. Cut the stems back and protect tubers with a mulch of compost or straw. Large clumps can be divided now by lifting and separating tubers, providing extra plants for elsewhere in the garden or to share with friends. Further inland, it would be wise to lift and store dahlia tubers in a sheltered, overhead cover. New season bare-root roses are arriving in garden centres. Choose sunny, well-drained sites for planting. Where clay is present, dig deeply and incorporate gravel or stones beneath the planting hole to improve drainage and prevent roots from sitting in water.  Fruit: New-season bare-root fruit trees will soon be arriving in garden centres. Fruit trees require full sun and ample space to develop properly and produce healthy crops. Vegetable gardens benefit from winter attention. Apply dolomite lime at approximately 250 grams per square metre to areas where leafy vegetables and onions will grow next summer. Regular crop rotation ensures most beds receive lime every three years, while permanent crops such as rhubarb also appreciate occasional liming. Gardens regularly fed with compost often require less lime over time as soil structure and fertility improve naturally. Keep planting winter vegetables, broad beans, garlic, rhubarb and asparagus crowns where conditions allow. Garlic is traditionally planted on the shortest day, which is not far away now. Frost will continue breaking down soil clods and reducing overwintering pests, but if winter vegetables are becoming dry, water early in the day, as moist soil holds warmth better than dry soil.If you have a glasshouse or tunnel house, now is an excellent time for a thorough clean-up. Remove old summer crops, sterilise benches, pots and tools, and add fresh compost ready for spring growing. Keeping structures clean reduces the number of pests, fungal spores and diseases carried through into the next season. Cheers, Linda