Gardening in Waitaki May 20th 2025

japanese maple osakazuki in my past garden.

The end of mellow May leads us into a new month bringing different gardening challenges with the start of winter chills. Lack of wind means all leaves haven't been tugged from trees, and soil has not dried-out yet. Frost will soon play a part in robbing the soil of moisture from soil so keep an eye on maple trees. if leaves shrivel quickly during colour change it's an indication of root dryness. Rose flowering is coming to an end, but don't cut spent flower heads off, leave all types of roses to make seed which will harden wood before the big prune in july. New season's bare-root roses should be in Garden centers. If you want to plant roses, prepare the ground now by digging in old stable manure or bagged rose mix. Bare-rooted, winter-planted roses are less likely to suffer from planting stress than roses planted in spring. Re-pot container-grown buxus if they look pot-bound. Buxus root growth is prolific, and they don't seem to suffer from the removal of half a root ball. I replaced the old growing medium with half potting mix and sifted soil. Winter colour in pots, plant polyanthus, pansies, primulas, snapdragons, and wallflowers. I have just planted out a garden with wall flowers and forget- me- not, both will fill out from now on and should be in full bloom towards the end of winter. Lawns: The unusual autumn rain we have had has kept lawns green, but growth should now be slowing down; however, lawn mowers will still be on the go until the last of the leaves. Next time it rains, sprinkle some lime over the lawns for a boost before they stop growing. Gardeners in the past preferred lime just before the first frost because the soil then has all winter to absorb the lime, but lime is never spread on a dry, wilted lawn or a soggy, wet lawn. I like to follow the old, tried and tested ways that get results. Keep in mind for the next growing season, lawn grass grows best on a nutrient ratio of 3 parts nitrogen, 1 part phosphorus, and 2 parts potassium. (12-4-8). While this is an ideal ratio, you may not be able to find the exact ratio in a lawn fertilizer; a close match will do. If ground pH is below 6 on the pH scale, lime will make a marked improvement in growing conditions come spring. One sign of a low soil pH is the presence of excess moss and weeds in your garden or lawn. Moss and weeds are acid-loving plants, though not a guaranteed indicator; an excess of moss and weeds is a good sign that you should raise the soil pH. Another sign that you need to raise soil pH is when fertilizer doesn’t seem to be doing its job. Acidic soil prevents fertilizer from functioning properly. Vegetables: On the coast, sow broad beans, garlic, shallots, and rhubarb. In colder areas, nothing much can be planted without protection, but covering bare soil with a thick layer of mulch will keep the soil from remaining wet and frozen over the winter months. Fruit: Bare-rooted fruit trees will be arriving in garden centers soon. ask now if they will be stocking the required trees and have them put aside on arrival. Ground can be prepared now for planting fruit trees. choose an open, sunny position, sheltered from strong winds. Fruit trees will grow in a wide range of soil types as long as there is good drainage. Plums and pear rootstock tolerate heavier soils than most other fruit trees. Using good quality compost will improve water retention in lighter soils and improve drainage in heavier soils, as well as improving fertility. Pruning of newly planted fruit trees will not take place until trees have branched. During the early stages of tree development, the main goal is to develop the shape and framework that will support heavy crops of fruit. Pruning: Apple trees: After initial shaping of apple trees, the only pruning necessary is the removal of excess twiggy growth. I have found that pruning water shoots (new growth) during winter will only stimulate growth, causing unwanted growth the following season, but summer pruning on established trees will cause the tree to grow less new wood during the growing season. Apple trees produce fruit on spurs (short stubby growths attached to main branches. They continue producing on the same spurs for several years. Pears and cherry fruit also grow on spurs and require similar treatment. Apricot: Prune apricot trees in late winter or early spring as the new leaves and flowers begin to open, or straight after fruiting. Newly planted apricots can be pruned soon after planting. Remove all damaged or broken shoots and limbs and all branches with a narrow crotch (those that grow up more than out) and all branches that are within 18 inches of the ground. Shorten last year’s main branches to about 30 inches. Peach and nectarine: These trees flower on new wood made the previous summer. prune hard to encourage new growth; otherwise, fruit will be produced further and further out on the branches each year. Flower buds are plump, while growth buds are flatter. Plum trees produce fruit on the same spurs for several years. Once a shape has been established, it requires little pruning because excessive pruning can overstimulate tree growth at the expense of fruit. Remove vertical branching and water sprouts regularly. Look at a tree, and it is easy to distinguish the water sprouts from the regular growth. They grow straight up from the canopy branches and trunk, and the branches are thin and scraggly in appearance. A heavy hand when pruning in winter will increase the number of water sprouts on the tree. When pruning plum trees in the winter, only remove 20 percent of the growth from the previous year. Cheers, Linda.

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.

Gardening in Waitaki May 7th 2025

What a difference a rain makes during Autumn; however, some areas will still need a good soak, as it is the shallow-rooted trees and shrubs that need help before winter. I have lost aged maples because of dry Autumn conditions, so I now always give them all a good soak before winter. Other shallow-rooted shrubs that may be looking for a good soaking are rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, daphne, hydrangeas, lilacs, cornus (dogwood), buxus, and viburnums.   Ready compost should be going down fast onto gardens to make room for autumn leaves, annual weeds, and lawn clippings to refill the bins for autumn compost.Potting seedlings: I have been potting up well-grown seedlings before the nights get colder, because they are straight from seed trays frost cloth has gone on at night. I remove it on sunny days but once we start getting frosts it will remain on until spring. Remove water trays from pots now, soil in pots should stay damp from now on. Potted plants should never be waterlogged throughout winter, as this will lead to plant roots freezing and rotting. This is a great time to make new perennial beds or reorganise existing beds, with perennial clumps increasing in size annually, they soon overfill a space. Lift overgrown clumps, break up and replant some of the youngest growth from the perimeter. Healthy vigorous plants can be reduced by putting a sharp spade in where you would like a reduction, then lifting the cut portion out without disturbing the remaining plant. I had to do this almost annually in my past large garden with asters, phlox, aubretia, small grasses, hostas, and herbs like sage, thyme, and lemon balm.  Rockery plants can be divided now as well. Once plants have been sectioned and rearranged, cover the soil around plants with compost to encourage new root growth, Compost also helps to keep perennial beds warmer through the colder months. All old leaves from my hellebores  (winter roses) have now been removed, they are budding up for a winter display, a fortnightly liquid feed can be given now if you feel they need boosting. Further in land it would be advisable to leave some top growth on to give frost protection to soft new growth, once hardened remove all leaves to display flowers. Lilies, this is the main time to shift or divide old, overgrown clumps of lilies. Be careful not to break the fleshy scales and to retain all the basal roots. Don't pull the old stems away from the bulb as it leaves a hole where water can enter and cause rot, just cut old stems short and bend. Never allow Lilly bulbs to dry out while out of the ground. I plant lilies on a little river sand and cover with compost, which has had blood and bone added. May is the planting month for tulips  bulbs should be in retail outlets when they open, plant them at least 8 inches (20cm) deep in a  well drained sunny spot . Vegetables: Continue planting strawberry plants, raising the beds where drainage is suspect, and adding manure-rich compost. There is still a good choice of veg seedlings on offer for planting before the soil gets too cold, warm autumn soil gets roots off to a good start before growth slows. Fruit: Feijoas are plumping up and our NZ cranberries (myrtus ugni) are ripe for eating, also figs should be ready along with walnuts and hazelnuts  so still a lot of gathering happening. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki 3oth April 2025

Nature has been kind to us. We enjoyed some lovely days over Easter and the school holidays. The autumn colours are simply stunning, becoming even more vivid as we head into May. In the garden, winter preparations will be well underway. Summer-flowering perennials and annuals are still being cut back. Soft plant material can go straight onto the compost, while tougher, woody stems are better shredded or discarded. The more organic matter we can return to the soil, the healthier our gardens will be. Now is the perfect time to sow spring-flowering seeds. Early sowing gives plants a head start, and seedlings, nurtured through winter, will grow stronger than new seedlings purchased in spring. Although top growth slows down over winter, root systems continue developing underground. Seeds to sow directly outside now: Alyssum, aquilegia, calendula, cornflower, perennial lupins, statice, stock, and sweet peas. Seeds to sow under cover: Antirrhinum (snapdragon), dianthus, pansy, viola, poppy, scabious, sweet William, polyanthus, primrose, and primulas. If you haven't yet lifted your gladioli corms, do it soon. After cleaning and drying them, dust with flowers of sulphur before storing them in old pantyhose or paper bags, never plastic. Tall asters, which have been flowering beautifully, will now be flopping about without support. Make a note to cut back their new growth by half at the end of September; this will encourage bushier growth rather than tall, leggy stems. Asters also tend to exhaust the soil, so it’s important to divide clumps regularly once they finish flowering. Leave hydrangeas to complete their wonderful autumn show. I've been taking hardwood cuttings lately, as I can never have enough of these beautiful plants! Hydrangea cutting tips: Choose non-flowering shoots from the base or sides of a mature plant. Select cuttings in the morning, 5–6 inches (12.7–15.2 cm) long, cutting 2 inches (5.1 cm) below a leaf node. Remove lower leaves, keeping the top pair, and trim these by half to encourage rooting. Dip the base of each cutting in rooting hormone (liquid or powder). Plant into a mix of 1 part potting mix or peat moss to 1 part river sand, making sure the mix is damp. Insert cuttings about 2 inches deep and place them in a sheltered, lightly shaded spot outdoors. Cuttings usually root in 2–3 weeks, depending on conditions. Roses: As roses and other plants wind down for the season, diseases like black spot, mildew, and rust can appear—this is quite natural at this stage of the year. Lawns: With frosts on the way, lawns will begin slowing down. Apply a dressing of lime now to keep them healthy over winter and reap the benefits come spring. Try to stay off wet lawns as much as possible to prevent soil compaction, which can cause bare patches. May is also the last chance to treat for grass grub before they hibernate—remember to water in granules after application. Vegetables: Pumpkins should now be fully ripe. I like to line mine up along a sunny wall out of the rain to dry and finish ripening. If they sound hollow when tapped, they're ready to harvest. Wet soil brings out snails and slugs, so protect young seedlings by using clear plastic bottles as cloches—simply remove the caps and cut off the bases. These mini greenhouses also help keep seedlings warm on chilly nights. Easter or Anzac Day are traditional times for sowing broad beans, but it's still fine to plant them now. Along the coast, take advantage of the warm soil to sow or plant: leeks, turnips, broad beans, silver beet, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, beetroot, and broccoli. Fruit: Now’s a good time to remove dead wood from stone fruit trees like plums, nectarines, and peaches. If you're thinking about planting fruit trees, bagged plants available now will have the whole winter to establish strong root systems. Otherwise, bare-rooted trees will be hitting garden centres in June and July. Cheers, Linda

Gardening in Waitaki April 23rd 2025

Autumn in our Public Gardens:

The dampness continues in Waitaki as leaves fall, gardens and lawns are still holding green and should continue to do so a little longer if moisture is kept up. Summer potted annuals will be looking tired now, but deadheading and foliar feeding will keep them flowering through autumn. Here on the coast, we can still enjoy colour during winter if bedding plants are prepared now. The idea is to utilize the warmth from now on to encourage individually potted plants to bud, and harden for planting before frosts get heavy. Bedding plants that respond well to this method are pansy, viola, polyanthus, wallflower, stock, calendula, and primula malacoides. It is so worth taking the time to pot individual young seedlings into single pots for root development and to become acclimatized to early winter conditions rather than buying plants that have been forced into flower. I place these pots on trays and store them in a well-lit, shady place until frosts begin, then the trays are put in a sunny spot to bud up. Keep dahlia deadheading up to encourage a last vibrant show, but leave roses to make seed heads now. Rust is always a problem on roses in autumn because all resistance will be going into seed heads and hardening wood. Strip affected leaves from bushes as well as those on the ground and burn them. Carnations can be layered now, pin the center of a stem down under the soil while still attached to the mother plant, with the flower end exposed, and roots should form along the buried stem. Once rooted, cut from the mother plant and pot up to grow on before planting out in lime-sweetened soil. This layering method can be applied to many herbs, plants, and shrubs. Lawns. There should be a lot of new lawns being sown, don't worry about annual weeds appearing as the grass germinates, most will disappear after the first mow. All lawn weed sprays are too strong for new grass. Birds are after grass grub in lawns now, while grubs are feeding on grass roots close to the surface, you have until the end of May to deal with grass grub, after that they tunnel down too deep to be affected by the granules. Fruit: This is proving a good season for apples, quince, pears, and walnuts. The more I read about the health benefits of eating walnuts, I feel we should all have access to a tree, or maybe more walnut crops being planted for future generations. The East Coast is said to be the preferred place for growing walnuts, they need a dry climate, with a high summer temperature and winter chilling (down to -10ºC). Walnuts are self-pollinating, but the more trees you have, the better the pollination rate. Young walnut trees won’t be producing at economic levels until about Year 8. Vegetable Gardens will be ready to plant out new crops for the cooler seasons, root veg seeds will only germinate well while the ground is still warm. Corn and pumpkins should be coming to an end now and tomato crops almost exhausted. Water tomatoes early in the day to ensure plants are dry going into the night. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki April 15th 2025

Easter  break soon and North Otago will be glowing in Autumn splendor " A second spring when every leaf is a flower "   (Albert Camus If the weather holds, it will be a joy to be outside in the garden for many, I am sure. Because I have spent a good deal of my time doing that during the year, Easter break has become a time when I catch up with family. But then it was back on the job again, leaf rake and blower in hand!! Right now I am dealing with a new garden of someone else's planting after another shift, so I am doing a lot of viewing and thinking. Compost bins will be filling fast with leaves and grass clippings, adding manure and ready compost, then wetting between layers will get things decomposing while there is still warmth. Soil that is expected to produce year after year to ensure adequate growth needs a helping hand, just as farmland does. While composts and manures must be accorded their place in soil management, they are inadequate to ensure proper mineral nutrition of plants but can be supplemented by fertilisers during the growing season. Generally speaking, stable and poultry manure contain practically all the elements required, particularly Nitrogen, phosphate, and potash in a natural organic form, but manure too fresh can cause rank growth, so all the more reason to break it down with composting. As I mentioned last week, plants that will not tolerate phosphate fertiliser are Leucadendrons, Proteas, Banksia, and Erica. Dried Blood is high in nitrogen and is an easy way to replenish the nitrogen content in the soil. Plants like Polyanthus, Primulas, and Cyclamen love it and will flourish when you add dried blood to their diet. 100% Pure and Natural. Trim seeding flower heads from hebes to stop them becoming leggy with foliage only on top and bare woody branches below. During a dry autumn spell, gardens respond well to a deep, gentle soaking, especially around maples and rhododendrons but with rain being forecast, it may be a job you don't need to do. Lily bulbs will become available this month and can be planted from now until June as can all other spring bulbs apart from tulips, they are best planted during May. Vegetables  Time to dig up and divide Rhubarb crowns, mixing in heaps of compost before replanting , and a good time for sowing spinach, Snap Peas and spring onions. Fill the top of a shallow pot with Spring onions and pull them as they’re needed. Harvest Pumpkins now and remember not to remove the stalk from the Pumpkin, this stops it from rotting.   fruit: I would be harvesting apples and quince and gathering walnuts in my past large garden this week and would surely come across the odd not-found Easter egg among plants after the big Easter egg hunt in the garden. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki 9th April 2025

More rain this week with a temperature drop — the first frost on the coast can't be far away. It’s that waiting time of year again — waiting for the deciduous trees and shrubs to put on their spectacular autumn show before leaf drop, waiting for plants to finish flowering so they can be back. Roses: Also waiting for the roses to set seed. It’s tempting to want to tidy roses up now, but resist the urge to deadhead. As untidy as they may look, it's best to leave them until the proper pruning time in July. When a spent bloom sets seed, the plant continues drawing sap upward to feed and develop the seeds. While this is happening, the bud shoots along the stem will remain dormant, as sap bypasses them branch wood is hardening. If you remove the seed heads now, the plant redirects sap into new growth which will be too soft to survive winter. For now, the best thing to do with roses is to remove and dispose of any diseased leaves from the plant and surrounding ground. Follow this with a spray of Guild or Super Shield to help prevent the overwintering of rust, black spot, and mildew. Now is a good time to move camellias, rhododendrons, and conifers, as long as they’re still a manageable size. If wanting to shift larger specimens, trenching now in preparation for shifting during winter would be the way to go. Trenching... dig down around one half of the root ball, cutting through feeding roots, then backfill with compost for new feeding roots to establish. The other untouched side of the rootball will keep sustaining the shrub or tree until the time to relocate it. Get the last weed spraying done if needed. Driveways, paved areas, and fence lines. Choose a warm, dry afternoon when the weeds are thirsty. Any new weed seeds that germinate will likely be taken care of by the frost, so that’s it for the weed spraying until spring. In the glasshouse, start increasing light by removing any shading and reduce watering now that growth is slowing down. Lawns: If damp conditions continue, now is the time to put down grass grub granules. The grubs are actively feeding on grass roots until May, then they go dormant and reappear as night beetles around November. There’s also still time to de-thatch lawns and resow any bare patches. The soil is still warm enough to get a good strike, but not for much longer, as nights are cooling quickly. I like to give struggling lawns a dressing of sifted compost — about half a bucket per square metre — and work it in gently with the back of a rake and mow without a catcher often to add humus. This improves both light and compacted soils. If your soil is especially compacted, add some gypsum to the compost for a better result. Vegetables & Fruit: There’s still time to sow a green crop once space becomes available in the veg garden. Dig in any vegetables that have gone to seed and any annual weeds before they seed — all great for building humus in the soil. Keep planting winter vegetables. Cover any pumpkins still growing if a frost is forecast . Apply cleanup sprays to all fruit trees and fruiting shrubs that have shown signs of leaf spot. Super Copper or Nature’s Way Fungus Spray works well. Citrus trees with leaf or fruit spot can also be treated with Super Copper. Cheers, Linda