Selwyn Times: June 28, 2016
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30<br />
Tuesday <strong>June</strong> <strong>28</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
Gardening<br />
SELWYN TIMES<br />
Rewarding time to be outdoors<br />
Rachel Vogan talks you through what to be doing<br />
in the garden now<br />
SOME SEE the coldest season of the year as an excuse to<br />
hang up the garden gloves and nestle indoors or take up<br />
other activities.<br />
And who can blame them? For the hardy among us,<br />
however, it’s one of the most rewarding times.<br />
So much can be done while there are no leaves on the<br />
trees, weeds pack up their bags and disappear for a few<br />
months, and the birdlife seems to triple as feathered<br />
friends are looking for food, nesting spots and materials.<br />
Any time spent in the garden is good for the soul; the<br />
bracing air and flushed cheeks, coupled with the sense<br />
of satisfaction once a job is complete, all seems more<br />
rewarding on the shorter days.<br />
Snowdrops create a<br />
sublime white carpet.<br />
LEAVES<br />
If fallen leaves are still lying around, rake them up onto<br />
garden beds. They keep the soil protected by adding<br />
a blanket of insulation, and they also filter heavy<br />
downpours, allowing the soil to slowly soak up the<br />
water, rather than ponding on top of the soil. Another<br />
use for them is to stuff them into plastic rubbish bags to<br />
rot down to a lovely fine leaf litter to use in seed-raising<br />
mixes in the spring. The compost heap is also a good way<br />
to remove them. Remember to add layers of green matter<br />
so there is a blend of the two components. For open<br />
compost bins, cover them in winter to help them heat up,<br />
and to speed up the rotting process.<br />
GLASSHOUSE<br />
Do you have one? Or would you like one? Now is the<br />
time to invest some time into looking at what options<br />
there are. If you are the DIY type, why not make one<br />
from recycled windows and glass doors? Or make a<br />
simple timber frame and cover it in clear duralite PVC<br />
or tunnel house plastic. Plenty of kitsets are available,<br />
too. Always think about ventilation – plants need air<br />
movement, and while it may be about keeping crops<br />
warm at the moment, come summer air movement will<br />
be needed for plants to flourish. Paths are important,<br />
too. Rather than adding a room to the house, why not<br />
add one to the garden?<br />
You can never<br />
have too many<br />
English violets.<br />
SNOWDROPS & VIOLETS<br />
These delicate-looking winter wonders are as tough as old boots. Both will thrive on<br />
neglect once established and are so forgiving that even after the driest of summers they<br />
bounce back with winter blooms. Snowdrops provide carpets of white blooms for a good<br />
eight weeks, while the spicy fragrance of English violets is truly one of the garden’s greatest<br />
gifts. Pick a few, place them in a bud vase or shot glass, and pop them under your nose,<br />
near your desk or side table – the perfume is just delicious. Violets are easy to divide and<br />
strike easily from cuttings or by digging up clumps. Save your dollars and ask a friend for<br />
some pieces if you don’t have any – you can never have enough of these sorts of plants.<br />
VEGETABLES<br />
Garlic and shallots should be on the to-do list now as far<br />
as planting goes. Clear away any debris from last season’s<br />
crops before banging them in the ground. Slip in a few<br />
more silver beet seedlings along with some salad goodies<br />
like mizuna, kale, rocket, chervil and miner’s lettuce.<br />
Thin out existing rows of parsnip and carrots, and don’t<br />
be in a hurry to pull your parsnips as they will naturally<br />
sweeten.<br />
gardening without guesswork<br />
Question:<br />
What can I do to look after my garden in winter so it doesn’t get<br />
damaged by the cold weather and possible frosts?<br />
As we head<br />
Answer: into the heart<br />
of winter, it is a<br />
good idea to make sure that your garden<br />
and plants are protected from the reduced<br />
temperatures and possibility of frosts. If<br />
you haven’t added some Organic Compost<br />
in the last year, add a layer of that now.<br />
This will increase vital organic matter in<br />
the soil, giving your plants an additional<br />
boost. Next, choose a bark mulch to add<br />
to the top. Bark helps to keep the moisture<br />
in, keep weeds down, and maintain a more even soil temperature. All<br />
of these things help to keep your plants healthy and in the best growing<br />
environment. Choosing a bark is mostly a personal preference, depending<br />
on what look you are going for, and how much you want to spend. Super<br />
Scree is a popular choice for an all-round general bark mulch. Our Black<br />
Beauty is the one for you if you are looking for a stand out on the garden. We<br />
would recommend having a look on our website at what we have to offer,<br />
or better yet, come into our yard and see it for yourself!<br />
Thanks to angie for her question.<br />
for more information, check out our website:<br />
www.intelligro.co.nz or visit our facebook<br />
page: www.facebook.com/igro.co.nz<br />
QualITy prOducTs frOm ThE WEB TO ThE shEd!<br />
WIN!<br />
a $50<br />
INTEllIgrO gIfT<br />
VOuchEr!<br />
Send us your<br />
question and<br />
BE IN<br />
TO WIN!<br />
Email to: info@igro.co.nz or post<br />
your question on our Facebook page:<br />
www.facebook.com/igro.co.nz<br />
Questions must be received by<br />
Monday 4th July.<br />
how much bark do I need?<br />
Working out how much bark you need is<br />
fairly simple. Measure the area that you are<br />
looking to cover (keeping the units all the<br />
same) and then multiply the length, by the<br />
width, by the depth. This will give you the<br />
number of cubic metres required to cover<br />
the area. We would recommend a 5-10cm<br />
layer to get all of the benefits.<br />
E.g. 10m (length) x 5m (width) x .1m (depth)<br />
= 5x10x.1 = 5 cubic metres of bark.
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