What glorious weather we are getting at last, but with it comes the dry ground!! it is so important to keep moisture around the roots of all plants and trees right now because if you are going to loose anything because of the dry conditions it will be during this month and March. At the end of March we will get dews again to help parched plants along but for the next two months it is up to the gardener.
There is so much to do right now, dead heading roses, cutting just about anything that has flowered back, getting rid of weeds before they run to seed and yes watering and more watering. The one thing we can hold off from at this hot time of the year is planting, unless you are able to water new plantings daily.
Lavenders can be topped now to encourage new flowers, its just a matter of cutting off the old flowers unless the bush has gone ugly and woody then take it right back to the ground and it will soon send up some nice new soft growth.
I have been cutting my well established buddlias right back to the ground also, They get really tall and woody if you let them, their new soft growth is much more attractive than new growth on old wood. Buddlias are such great gap fillers for big gardens with such beautiful flowers that attract butterfly's but it is not worth planting them if you are not prepared to cut them off at ground level every now and then.
Bulbs are arriving in Garden centers now as late summer is the traditional time to plant winter and spring flowering bulbs.
Providing a well drained soil or potting mix (if putting in pots) will ensure success with most bulbs. Drainage in heavy soils can be improved by working in a generous layer of gravel prior to planting. The general rule when planting bulbs is that the depth of the soil above the bulb should be about twice the length of the bulb. Now days planting instructions and where to plant are offered on bulb packets. If it says full sun, shade or semi shade then that is where they must be planted to preform at their best.
Roses are delivering us their second batch of blooms right now, after all the overcast weather and now these dry conditions my roses are not the healthy specimens they were at the start of their growing season. I have been removing rust and black spot diseased leaves as I decided not to spray this year. My trial this year was to foliar feed as much as possible to keep the roses healthy but with all the overcast weather last month the leaves needed to be kept dry to not encourage mildew and fungus.Deep root watering only and keeping the leaves dry has worked so for me, there is no sign of the usual mildew and I don't mind having to remove the black spot and rust leaves by not spraying in the hope the roses will build up a stronger resistance.
I have been removing masses of oxygen and duck weed from my ponds and using it to mulch around plants, it is wonderful as a mulch and should add a lot of goodness to the ground as it breaks down. Ponds can get a bit murky at this time of the year, if you think your pond is stagnant and producing lots of green slime add some non sprayed straw and weigh it down with rocks. This will soon neutralise the water and get the pond working the way it should.
Keep water up to the vegetables, don't leave veg past it's best along side healthy vegetables and always rotate plantings of leafy veg with root veg to eliminate disease being passed on.
Mound soil up around the roots of corn not ready yet, and keep an eye on the pumpkin patch, their leaves soon let you know when they need water to help them grow into prize winning pumpkins.
Cheers, Linda.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Gardening in North Otago February 5th 2010
What glorious weather we are getting at last, but with it comes the dry ground!! it is so important to keep moisture around the roots of all plants and trees right now because if you are going to loose anything because of the dry conditions it will be during this month and March. At the end of March we will get dews again to help parched plants along but for the next two months it is up to the gardener.
There is so much to do right now, dead heading roses, cutting just about anything that has flowered back, getting rid of weeds before they run to seed and yes watering and more watering. The one thing we can hold off from at this hot time of the year is planting, unless you are able to water new plantings daily.
Lavenders can be topped now to encourage new flowers, its just a matter of cutting off the old flowers unless the bush has gone ugly and woody then take it right back to the ground and it will soon send up some nice new soft growth.
I have been cutting my well established buddlias right back to the ground also, They get really tall and woody if you let them, their new soft growth is much more attractive than new growth on old wood. Buddlias are such great gap fillers for big gardens with such beautiful flowers that attract butterfly's but it is not worth planting them if you are not prepared to cut them off at ground level every now and then.
Bulbs are arriving in Garden centers now as late summer is the traditional time to plant winter and spring flowering bulbs.
Providing a well drained soil or potting mix (if putting in pots) will ensure success with most bulbs. Drainage in heavy soils can be improved by working in a generous layer of gravel prior to planting. The general rule when planting bulbs is that the depth of the soil above the bulb should be about twice the length of the bulb. Now days planting instructions and where to plant are offered on bulb packets. If it says full sun, shade or semi shade then that is where they must be planted to preform at their best.
Roses are delivering us their second batch of blooms right now, after all the overcast weather and now these dry conditions my roses are not the healthy specimens they were at the start of their growing season. I have been removing rust and black spot diseased leaves as I decided not to spray this year. My trial this year was to foliar feed as much as possible to keep the roses healthy but with all the overcast weather last month the leaves needed to be kept dry to not encourage mildew and fungus.Deep root watering only and keeping the leaves dry has worked so for me, there is no sign of the usual mildew and I don't mind having to remove the black spot and rust leaves by not spraying in the hope the roses will build up a stronger resistance.
I have been removing masses of oxygen and duck weed from my ponds and using it to mulch around plants, it is wonderful as a mulch and should add a lot of goodness to the ground as it breaks down. Ponds can get a bit murky at this time of the year, if you think your pond is stagnant and producing lots of green slime add some non sprayed straw and weigh it down with rocks. This will soon neutralise the water and get the pond working the way it should.
Keep water up to the vegetables, don't leave veg past it's best along side healthy vegetables and always rotate plantings of leafy veg with root veg to eliminate disease being passed on.
Mound soil up around the roots of corn not ready yet, and keep an eye on the pumpkin patch, their leaves soon let you know when they need water to help them grow into prize winning pumpkins.
There is so much to do right now, dead heading roses, cutting just about anything that has flowered back, getting rid of weeds before they run to seed and yes watering and more watering. The one thing we can hold off from at this hot time of the year is planting, unless you are able to water new plantings daily.
Lavenders can be topped now to encourage new flowers, its just a matter of cutting off the old flowers unless the bush has gone ugly and woody then take it right back to the ground and it will soon send up some nice new soft growth.
I have been cutting my well established buddlias right back to the ground also, They get really tall and woody if you let them, their new soft growth is much more attractive than new growth on old wood. Buddlias are such great gap fillers for big gardens with such beautiful flowers that attract butterfly's but it is not worth planting them if you are not prepared to cut them off at ground level every now and then.
Bulbs are arriving in Garden centers now as late summer is the traditional time to plant winter and spring flowering bulbs.
Providing a well drained soil or potting mix (if putting in pots) will ensure success with most bulbs. Drainage in heavy soils can be improved by working in a generous layer of gravel prior to planting. The general rule when planting bulbs is that the depth of the soil above the bulb should be about twice the length of the bulb. Now days planting instructions and where to plant are offered on bulb packets. If it says full sun, shade or semi shade then that is where they must be planted to preform at their best.
Roses are delivering us their second batch of blooms right now, after all the overcast weather and now these dry conditions my roses are not the healthy specimens they were at the start of their growing season. I have been removing rust and black spot diseased leaves as I decided not to spray this year. My trial this year was to foliar feed as much as possible to keep the roses healthy but with all the overcast weather last month the leaves needed to be kept dry to not encourage mildew and fungus.Deep root watering only and keeping the leaves dry has worked so for me, there is no sign of the usual mildew and I don't mind having to remove the black spot and rust leaves by not spraying in the hope the roses will build up a stronger resistance.
I have been removing masses of oxygen and duck weed from my ponds and using it to mulch around plants, it is wonderful as a mulch and should add a lot of goodness to the ground as it breaks down. Ponds can get a bit murky at this time of the year, if you think your pond is stagnant and producing lots of green slime add some non sprayed straw and weigh it down with rocks. This will soon neutralise the water and get the pond working the way it should.
Keep water up to the vegetables, don't leave veg past it's best along side healthy vegetables and always rotate plantings of leafy veg with root veg to eliminate disease being passed on.
Mound soil up around the roots of corn not ready yet, and keep an eye on the pumpkin patch, their leaves soon let you know when they need water to help them grow into prize winning pumpkins.
Gardening in North Otago 28th January 2010
Sunshine at last and such heat, things have dried out in a matter of days.
The plants that seem to have suffered the most are the rhododendrons, I have had to buy a large bale of peat to spread around the roots and water in, I mixed it with some vormacast to make it go further. A good long soak is best for a dry Rhododendron and then a shift to another location in the garden if the area in which it is growing is too dry for it.
If you have another spot to transplant it to then dig a hole twice as large as needed and half fill with peat, soak the peat and push around the rhodo roots, cover with soil and mulch with wet straw. The recovered rodo will probably show signs of stress next season by developing brown tips on its leaves. This is ok if you know the Rodo is doing better, just cut the brown tips off.
It is not unusual for some deciduous plants to loose all their summer leaves in these dry conditions and then grow another lot when it is cooler. If there are still signs of green when you break a twig you will know that your bush or tree is still alive and will probably recover. If the twig is brittle and snaps off then you have lost it. Mulching is so important now to take the garden into what could be a long dry Autumn. All bulbs that have died down will need a good watering and mulched to hold the moisture in, from now on is when bulbs dry out and whole clumps can disappear if thy get too dry for too long.
I have been dead heading roses and feeding for the next lot of blooms, cutting lavenders and bunching for dried lavender. If you have very woody lavenders it's a good time right now to cut them right back almost to the ground. They will regrow fresh and bushy and make hard wood again before winter, Keep cutting back all early summer perennials and shrubs before they made seed. Cutting will promote a new lot of blooms, but remember to feed what you cut back because they will need it to make the new growth required of them.
Lawn weeds can be sprayed out during theses warm days, use the right product that kills the weeds and not the grass. There are a few on offer even one that weeds and feeds at the same time. Then pray for a good rain and apply lawn fertiliser while it's raining.
The weeds have gone mad in the vegetable garden after the few warm days, get them out before they seed and keep planting as you use, rotating leaf veg and root veg to eliminate disease being passed on to the new planting from the same old plantings.
i.e where carrots have been growing plant lettuce.
I have sown carrots and parsnips to be ready at the end of the growing season.
The plants that seem to have suffered the most are the rhododendrons, I have had to buy a large bale of peat to spread around the roots and water in, I mixed it with some vormacast to make it go further. A good long soak is best for a dry Rhododendron and then a shift to another location in the garden if the area in which it is growing is too dry for it.
If you have another spot to transplant it to then dig a hole twice as large as needed and half fill with peat, soak the peat and push around the rhodo roots, cover with soil and mulch with wet straw. The recovered rodo will probably show signs of stress next season by developing brown tips on its leaves. This is ok if you know the Rodo is doing better, just cut the brown tips off.
It is not unusual for some deciduous plants to loose all their summer leaves in these dry conditions and then grow another lot when it is cooler. If there are still signs of green when you break a twig you will know that your bush or tree is still alive and will probably recover. If the twig is brittle and snaps off then you have lost it. Mulching is so important now to take the garden into what could be a long dry Autumn. All bulbs that have died down will need a good watering and mulched to hold the moisture in, from now on is when bulbs dry out and whole clumps can disappear if thy get too dry for too long.
I have been dead heading roses and feeding for the next lot of blooms, cutting lavenders and bunching for dried lavender. If you have very woody lavenders it's a good time right now to cut them right back almost to the ground. They will regrow fresh and bushy and make hard wood again before winter, Keep cutting back all early summer perennials and shrubs before they made seed. Cutting will promote a new lot of blooms, but remember to feed what you cut back because they will need it to make the new growth required of them.
Lawn weeds can be sprayed out during theses warm days, use the right product that kills the weeds and not the grass. There are a few on offer even one that weeds and feeds at the same time. Then pray for a good rain and apply lawn fertiliser while it's raining.
The weeds have gone mad in the vegetable garden after the few warm days, get them out before they seed and keep planting as you use, rotating leaf veg and root veg to eliminate disease being passed on to the new planting from the same old plantings.
i.e where carrots have been growing plant lettuce.
I have sown carrots and parsnips to be ready at the end of the growing season.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Gardening in North Otago 23rd January 2010
What a strange January we have had, very little sun all month but when it is out it is soooo hot. This weather is kinder on plants than baking hot weather but the lack of sun is evident in most plants flowering ability. The roses are beginning to get mold in their leaves and buds which is usual when sun is limited, keep the fungus spry up to them to hold them until they see the sun again. Don't use sprinklers in this overcast weather, keep plants leaves as dry as possible. Deep watering around the roots is what I recommend to keep fungus at bay. Closely planted summer growth begins to rot with out the drying sun and warm winds they rely on for good growth and wet foliage rots faster.
Keep dead heading roses and cut back summer flowering perennials and shrubs to encourage continuous flowering, I have just cut back my daisy bushes, delphiniums, lavaterias, dianthus, lupins and most of the herbs because they were all going to seed. They will all come back fresh and most will flower again.
.I have cut the chrysanthemums back for the second time, they flower in the autumn on shorter steams by doing this. I cut some back 3 times before I let them flower. Plant some of their tip growth into river sand and they should root, plant out and next year they will be a clump like the Mother plant. Put stakes in now to support
for the next lot of growth.
The fruit trees are really slow in ripening the fruit but the vegetables are holding and and not bolting to seed so I guess thats one thing in favor of this non summer weather.
Keep dead heading roses and cut back summer flowering perennials and shrubs to encourage continuous flowering, I have just cut back my daisy bushes, delphiniums, lavaterias, dianthus, lupins and most of the herbs because they were all going to seed. They will all come back fresh and most will flower again.
.I have cut the chrysanthemums back for the second time, they flower in the autumn on shorter steams by doing this. I cut some back 3 times before I let them flower. Plant some of their tip growth into river sand and they should root, plant out and next year they will be a clump like the Mother plant. Put stakes in now to support
for the next lot of growth.
The fruit trees are really slow in ripening the fruit but the vegetables are holding and and not bolting to seed so I guess thats one thing in favor of this non summer weather.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Gardening in North Otago Dec 18th 2009
Not much watering had to be done this week after the rain, and then Fridays wind soon had the hoses out again.
I have had the hedge trimmer on the go again and yes the plants and shrubs did shudder to their roots when I come their way!
If it needs it, it gets it! Trimming with secateurs is not practical with such a large garden and at this time of the year you can not do too much damage, the grow back rate is pretty quick.
This time last year I was lucky enough to find a young Man who loves trimming hedges, the box hedges have had a go over and what a great job he has done they are looking wonderful. It has been the perfect overcast weather for them to recover without the sun scorching them.
.
My buddleia's are out in flower now attracting the butterflies, They are a great fill in bush, I cut them back by half, when they have finished flowering and again at the end of Winter. They push up new growth very quickly and look attractive with their blue green foliage even without the flowers. There are blues, pinks & white shades to choose from, Plant at the back of a border and you will not be sorry.
Catmint can be trimmed back now, I know it is still showing heaps of colour but trim the long growth back by half and in no time at all it will re-grow into a neater clump and continue to flower.
The same applies to aubrietia, it will stay in a neater clump after a trim back, lavatera's and English abutilon need cut back now as well and they will bush right back up and flower. Most people pull out forget-me-not when it has finished flowering, I cut it right back to almost nothing and it returns in nice green clumps stronger than ever and becomes a perennial which will flower for years every spring. As a woodland plant you can't go past forget-me-not as a pretty sea of blue in the spring.
.
Anemones for winter flowering can be planted in the next two weeks, you will need to put a stick in where they are planted at this time of the year it's so easy to forget the spot and dig them up.Pop some in pots to replace all the Summer & autumn pots when finished flowering.
Lilies are flowering now, large clumps can be divided up and shifted straight after flowering and planted into good compost but they must never dry out so keep an eye on them through the dryer months. I have had clumps of Christmas lilies completely disappear and have not noticed until I miss them flowering at this time of the year. It takes ages for lilies to grow from little pup bulbs and seed so they are worth looking after.
It is time to shorten back fruiting leaders on grape vines, the growth is needed for the grapes that have started to form. If a leader has produced too many bunches remove some with shortening back.
I was told years ago that offal or a dead animal is what a domestic grape vine likes to have buried down around it's roots, too much nitrate fertiliser will produce leaves and leaders. like most fruiting plants a little pot ash to encourage fruiting is beneficial in spring.
If you don't like using sprays and you have a few flat weeds in the lawn try spot spraying them with vinegar, Most people would have vinegar in the kitchen. I was told about this recently and it works! I used white vinegar. It is also great for pathways and drives and leaves no dangerous residue to leach into nearby plants..
I am pretty sure it dose not kill clover, browns it off a little, but I am still watching to see how much it knocks it. The vinegar needs to be applied in dry sunny weather.
Keep mounding up potato rows to encourage bigger shores, corn likes to be mounded up also when it gets to about knee high. They have a shallow rooting system and the mounding helps to keep them upright in strong winds.
I have been faced with a great crop of weeds in the vegetable garden, like most other gardeners I am sure.
How fast they appear and grow, one thing is for sure you can put off doing what you should do but you cannot put off what nature wants to do when it comes to weeds, and ripening of fruit and veg, Nature will have it's way and if you are too late to respond the weed seeds pop, the fruit over ripens and the veg bolts.
Cheers, Linda.
I have had the hedge trimmer on the go again and yes the plants and shrubs did shudder to their roots when I come their way!
If it needs it, it gets it! Trimming with secateurs is not practical with such a large garden and at this time of the year you can not do too much damage, the grow back rate is pretty quick.
This time last year I was lucky enough to find a young Man who loves trimming hedges, the box hedges have had a go over and what a great job he has done they are looking wonderful. It has been the perfect overcast weather for them to recover without the sun scorching them.
.
My buddleia's are out in flower now attracting the butterflies, They are a great fill in bush, I cut them back by half, when they have finished flowering and again at the end of Winter. They push up new growth very quickly and look attractive with their blue green foliage even without the flowers. There are blues, pinks & white shades to choose from, Plant at the back of a border and you will not be sorry.
Catmint can be trimmed back now, I know it is still showing heaps of colour but trim the long growth back by half and in no time at all it will re-grow into a neater clump and continue to flower.
The same applies to aubrietia, it will stay in a neater clump after a trim back, lavatera's and English abutilon need cut back now as well and they will bush right back up and flower. Most people pull out forget-me-not when it has finished flowering, I cut it right back to almost nothing and it returns in nice green clumps stronger than ever and becomes a perennial which will flower for years every spring. As a woodland plant you can't go past forget-me-not as a pretty sea of blue in the spring.
.
Anemones for winter flowering can be planted in the next two weeks, you will need to put a stick in where they are planted at this time of the year it's so easy to forget the spot and dig them up.Pop some in pots to replace all the Summer & autumn pots when finished flowering.
Lilies are flowering now, large clumps can be divided up and shifted straight after flowering and planted into good compost but they must never dry out so keep an eye on them through the dryer months. I have had clumps of Christmas lilies completely disappear and have not noticed until I miss them flowering at this time of the year. It takes ages for lilies to grow from little pup bulbs and seed so they are worth looking after.
It is time to shorten back fruiting leaders on grape vines, the growth is needed for the grapes that have started to form. If a leader has produced too many bunches remove some with shortening back.
I was told years ago that offal or a dead animal is what a domestic grape vine likes to have buried down around it's roots, too much nitrate fertiliser will produce leaves and leaders. like most fruiting plants a little pot ash to encourage fruiting is beneficial in spring.
If you don't like using sprays and you have a few flat weeds in the lawn try spot spraying them with vinegar, Most people would have vinegar in the kitchen. I was told about this recently and it works! I used white vinegar. It is also great for pathways and drives and leaves no dangerous residue to leach into nearby plants..
I am pretty sure it dose not kill clover, browns it off a little, but I am still watching to see how much it knocks it. The vinegar needs to be applied in dry sunny weather.
Keep mounding up potato rows to encourage bigger shores, corn likes to be mounded up also when it gets to about knee high. They have a shallow rooting system and the mounding helps to keep them upright in strong winds.
I have been faced with a great crop of weeds in the vegetable garden, like most other gardeners I am sure.
How fast they appear and grow, one thing is for sure you can put off doing what you should do but you cannot put off what nature wants to do when it comes to weeds, and ripening of fruit and veg, Nature will have it's way and if you are too late to respond the weed seeds pop, the fruit over ripens and the veg bolts.
Cheers, Linda.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Gardening in North Otago NZ December 5th 2009
Well this week we were back to a winter chill, no wonder the night beetle has not made an appearance yet, they are usually dive bombing around now along with the big fat moths, long may they both stay away. I have only just started to notice green fly about, and I am hoping this recent bout of cold weather will have given a few a short shift as it did a month or two back. I am keeping up the fish emulsion but have had to use a nasty on the underside of my hellebore leaves. This is where they love to hide and breed ready to make a bee line to roses and other ornamentals so zap them before they do.
If you have orchids it is the time to repot them now, use the orchid mix for the best results, it takes the guess work out wondering what to feed them.
The wind has been cool since the rain so the ground is still holding some moisture, scatter grass clippings around if your lawns have not been sprayed, they become good humus but don't pile them on to thickly because they are inclined to form a shield that stops the rain reaching the soil beneath. I throw them on to empty the catcher and the rake them out later.
It is probably a good time to attend to the vegetable garden as things are growing so fast and needing food we need to keep the food up to tomatoes, currants an berries, lemons and fruit trees... it takes a lot out of a plant to fruit.
Now day's there are specially prepared fertilisers for most things with instructions for how much to apply and when. Blood and bone is a good all rounder but can attract fly's at this time of the year so water it in well.
All fruiting trees and plants need lots of water now to create juicy plump fruit, that small amount of rain we had this week will have been perfect for them but it's the winds that have followed that do the damage so keep the water up.
Remember to cover your strawberries to keep the birds from eating them as soon as they show any sign of red. Strawberry netting stretches out to cover a large area and does the job well, the birds are helping themselves to my gooseberries so I have thrown some frost cloth over them until I get a chance to pick them.
As tomatoes grow be sure to remove laterals of the taller growing variety and stake them to keep them upright as the fruit gets heaver. They should be flowering now waiting for the bee's to pollinate them, if they are in a glass house and you do not see many bee's you can spray with a product call tomset.
Early morning soaking on the vegetable garden keeps moisture up to them all through the day and helps with the germination of seeds and successive planting can be kept up right through the Summer.
If you must use spray's on your vegetables make sure you read on the container to know how long the with holding period is before you can eat the vegetables. Why not try an organic option there are more on offer every year, or try companion planting.
Some plants have been proven to help and enhance others so I will list what has worked.
Carrots and onions together, the onions help keep the carrot fly at bay and carrots the onion fly.
Celery and the brassica family, i.e.: cabbage, caulis, and broccoli. the celery will confuse the white butterfly when wanting to land and lay it's larvae eggs.
Marigolds and beans/brassicas, the marigold emits a natural gas which protects surrounding plants from insects like aphids and white fly.
Make your own natural sprays: The following plant leaves can be boiled in water and the resulting liquid used on plants.
Basil will eliminate aphids
Chives prevent mildew occurring on cucumbers, squash and pumpkins.
Coriander also for aphids and spider mite.
Eucalyptus is a good general purpose insecticide.
Rhubarb has been found to help prevent black spot.
These may be only plants but in liquid form they can be harmful to children so keep marked bottles high up.
I found out that it is not a good idea to breath in fumes when bringing to the boil, and to keep doors and window open. the fumes from some of them can certainly make you feel really off colour.
Get corn and pumpkins in as soon as possible because they need a long growing and ripening season Cheers Linda
If you have orchids it is the time to repot them now, use the orchid mix for the best results, it takes the guess work out wondering what to feed them.
The wind has been cool since the rain so the ground is still holding some moisture, scatter grass clippings around if your lawns have not been sprayed, they become good humus but don't pile them on to thickly because they are inclined to form a shield that stops the rain reaching the soil beneath. I throw them on to empty the catcher and the rake them out later.
It is probably a good time to attend to the vegetable garden as things are growing so fast and needing food we need to keep the food up to tomatoes, currants an berries, lemons and fruit trees... it takes a lot out of a plant to fruit.
Now day's there are specially prepared fertilisers for most things with instructions for how much to apply and when. Blood and bone is a good all rounder but can attract fly's at this time of the year so water it in well.
All fruiting trees and plants need lots of water now to create juicy plump fruit, that small amount of rain we had this week will have been perfect for them but it's the winds that have followed that do the damage so keep the water up.
Remember to cover your strawberries to keep the birds from eating them as soon as they show any sign of red. Strawberry netting stretches out to cover a large area and does the job well, the birds are helping themselves to my gooseberries so I have thrown some frost cloth over them until I get a chance to pick them.
As tomatoes grow be sure to remove laterals of the taller growing variety and stake them to keep them upright as the fruit gets heaver. They should be flowering now waiting for the bee's to pollinate them, if they are in a glass house and you do not see many bee's you can spray with a product call tomset.
Early morning soaking on the vegetable garden keeps moisture up to them all through the day and helps with the germination of seeds and successive planting can be kept up right through the Summer.
If you must use spray's on your vegetables make sure you read on the container to know how long the with holding period is before you can eat the vegetables. Why not try an organic option there are more on offer every year, or try companion planting.
Some plants have been proven to help and enhance others so I will list what has worked.
Carrots and onions together, the onions help keep the carrot fly at bay and carrots the onion fly.
Celery and the brassica family, i.e.: cabbage, caulis, and broccoli. the celery will confuse the white butterfly when wanting to land and lay it's larvae eggs.
Marigolds and beans/brassicas, the marigold emits a natural gas which protects surrounding plants from insects like aphids and white fly.
Make your own natural sprays: The following plant leaves can be boiled in water and the resulting liquid used on plants.
Basil will eliminate aphids
Chives prevent mildew occurring on cucumbers, squash and pumpkins.
Coriander also for aphids and spider mite.
Eucalyptus is a good general purpose insecticide.
Rhubarb has been found to help prevent black spot.
These may be only plants but in liquid form they can be harmful to children so keep marked bottles high up.
I found out that it is not a good idea to breath in fumes when bringing to the boil, and to keep doors and window open. the fumes from some of them can certainly make you feel really off colour.
Get corn and pumpkins in as soon as possible because they need a long growing and ripening season Cheers Linda
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Gardening in North Otago 26th November 2009
Well this week has been all about weeding, cutting back, cutting box hedges and planting.
I have divided clumps of violas because they have finished flowering now; I just dig up part of a large clump and pull it to bits basically. You can gently pull masses of new young plants out of the clump and plant them out separately in a cool shady part of the garden. they will soon form their own small cluster which can be planted out next year to flower where you want it.
The same for polly type primulas, break up clumps; plant out only fresh new growth and throw away knotted old spent growth.
There is still time to divide agapanthus, large and dwarf varieties. they can get a bit clump bound which reduces their flowering.
Dig out the whole clump (if it is still manageable enough to do this), then pull off smaller root balls and plant out on their own using fresh compost to get the roots going again. Agapanthus are great gap fillers in new gardens, they can always be removed as you fill your garden with permanent plants.
The weeds are starting to mature and make seeds, get them out before they do, and most are easy to pull when they have grown a bit. I am still battling with biddy bid and convolvulus, I have resorted to spraying the convolvulus with round up which should travel right back to the root of the long runners and kill them. If it is tangled up through plants and bushes I have been pulling the runners until they break and then waiting till the new shoots pop up to zap them with round up. It's going to be a long battle because it seems to be growing everywhere this year.
If you have some aged compost that has finished working and is ready to put on your garden then you are able to make some economical compost tea.
Compost Tea is a nutritionally rich, well-balanced, organic plant food made by steeping aged compost in water. The water is then diluted and used as a root and/or foliar feed. It is also noted for its ability to control various plant diseases (blights, molds, wilts, etc. when used as a foliar spray), to repel and control insect pests and their damage when used on a regular basis, and to encourage the growth of beneficial soil bacteria which results in healthier, more stress-tolerant plants. The basic recipe most often recommended is as follows:
1 large container with lid (plastic rubbish bin works well) enough aged, completed compost to fill an old pillow case 1/2-3/4 full. Fill the container with water, place the compost into an old pillowcase (cheese cloth bag or pantyhose also work well), tie off the top and submerge in the container of water. Cover (to prevent odor and insect problems) and let steep for a MINIMUM of 2 weeks. This steeping time is crucial to the formation of beneficial bacteria and the required fermentation process. When finished, dip out the tea and dilute it (3 parts water to 1 part tea) and use as root food for any and all plants on a weekly or as-needed basis.
To use as a foliar spray or on young seedlings dilute it a little more. The remaining tea can continue to steep until needed. The following factors will determine the quality of the finished tea: Use well-aged, finished compost - Fresh compost can burn the plants or contain harmful pathogens and compost past its best will be nutritionally deficient. The contents of the compost should be balanced. If using purchased compost it should contain a portion of aged animal manure which apparently remains active longer than composed made up only of plant matter.
(It is important to note that COMPOST TEA AND MANURE TEA ARE NOT THE SAME THING. Manure tea can be made in the same way but is not generally recommended as foliar spray and is not as nutritionally well-balanced.) Never apply as a folia spray in the heat of the day but apply to the roots any time.
Next week I will write about companion planting in the vegetable garden.
I have divided clumps of violas because they have finished flowering now; I just dig up part of a large clump and pull it to bits basically. You can gently pull masses of new young plants out of the clump and plant them out separately in a cool shady part of the garden. they will soon form their own small cluster which can be planted out next year to flower where you want it.
The same for polly type primulas, break up clumps; plant out only fresh new growth and throw away knotted old spent growth.
There is still time to divide agapanthus, large and dwarf varieties. they can get a bit clump bound which reduces their flowering.
Dig out the whole clump (if it is still manageable enough to do this), then pull off smaller root balls and plant out on their own using fresh compost to get the roots going again. Agapanthus are great gap fillers in new gardens, they can always be removed as you fill your garden with permanent plants.
The weeds are starting to mature and make seeds, get them out before they do, and most are easy to pull when they have grown a bit. I am still battling with biddy bid and convolvulus, I have resorted to spraying the convolvulus with round up which should travel right back to the root of the long runners and kill them. If it is tangled up through plants and bushes I have been pulling the runners until they break and then waiting till the new shoots pop up to zap them with round up. It's going to be a long battle because it seems to be growing everywhere this year.
If you have some aged compost that has finished working and is ready to put on your garden then you are able to make some economical compost tea.
Compost Tea is a nutritionally rich, well-balanced, organic plant food made by steeping aged compost in water. The water is then diluted and used as a root and/or foliar feed. It is also noted for its ability to control various plant diseases (blights, molds, wilts, etc. when used as a foliar spray), to repel and control insect pests and their damage when used on a regular basis, and to encourage the growth of beneficial soil bacteria which results in healthier, more stress-tolerant plants. The basic recipe most often recommended is as follows:
1 large container with lid (plastic rubbish bin works well) enough aged, completed compost to fill an old pillow case 1/2-3/4 full. Fill the container with water, place the compost into an old pillowcase (cheese cloth bag or pantyhose also work well), tie off the top and submerge in the container of water. Cover (to prevent odor and insect problems) and let steep for a MINIMUM of 2 weeks. This steeping time is crucial to the formation of beneficial bacteria and the required fermentation process. When finished, dip out the tea and dilute it (3 parts water to 1 part tea) and use as root food for any and all plants on a weekly or as-needed basis.
To use as a foliar spray or on young seedlings dilute it a little more. The remaining tea can continue to steep until needed. The following factors will determine the quality of the finished tea: Use well-aged, finished compost - Fresh compost can burn the plants or contain harmful pathogens and compost past its best will be nutritionally deficient. The contents of the compost should be balanced. If using purchased compost it should contain a portion of aged animal manure which apparently remains active longer than composed made up only of plant matter.
(It is important to note that COMPOST TEA AND MANURE TEA ARE NOT THE SAME THING. Manure tea can be made in the same way but is not generally recommended as foliar spray and is not as nutritionally well-balanced.) Never apply as a folia spray in the heat of the day but apply to the roots any time.
Next week I will write about companion planting in the vegetable garden.
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