The Star: October 27, 2016

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Thursday October 27 2016 23
Gardening
Guide
Blueberries
If you love to pick and eat fresh, have you
tried growing your own blueberries?
We have all heard of blueberries, but what a
lot of us do not know is that they are easy to
grow. Blueberries are a wonder food and are a
fantastic addition to the garden whether you
grow them as specimen plants, in containers,
or as a low hedge.
Blueberry Swirl – A self-fertile plant, meaning
the flowers can be fertilised with their own
pollen. Many varieties of blueberries require
the presence of another variety for pollination
and fruit set. ‘Swirl’ is a late-season rabbit-eye
blueberry, with flowers and fruit coming after
most other varieties. It is also more heat and
drought tolerant and the fruit are tasty and
sweet.
Blueberry Delight – One of the most
attractive, vigorous and high-yielding
southern high-bush varieties. The summer
fruit are medium to large sky-blue berries
with a sweet and spicy flavour. The bright
blue-green foliage provides a perfect contrast
to the pink and white spring flowers. This
variety enjoys cool nights and yields best
when planted with other varieties.
rapidly in the last two weeks of ripening.
Lack of water can mean a poor crop and dark,
undersized berries.
While blueberries are resistant to most
diseases, it is prudent to spray to prevent
mildew and cover them to protect the
ripening berries from birds. The plants are
hardy to minus four degrees, although frost
will damage flowers.
Knowing how to prune blueberries is
important, because fruit is borne on last
season’s wood and the most vigorous wood
bears the largest fruit. The flower buds that
will produce next year’s crop develop on the
outer part of this year’s growth in late summer
as stems mature. Minimum pruning consists
of the removal of dead or damaged wood and
any weak growth or twiggy old branches.
Remove some of the oldest branches after
four to five years to encourage new growth.
While light pruning is possible year around,
winter is the best time for heavy pruning.
Find all our Gardening Guide articles
online at www.oderings.co.nz
Blueberries like a slow-release fertiliser,
such as Oderings Total Replenish, in spring
and summer. Water is vital for the full
development of your berries, which swell
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT ‘Fairy White Blush’
is a pretty wee gem. It
commands your attention
with its multi-toned
blooms; Look for tumbling
types to plant in baskets
and window boxes;
‘Vancouver Centennial’
has bright carmine red
flowers and wonderfully
contrasting green and
plum coloured leaves; Pac
geraniums are bred to
flower for a longer period,
making them reliable
container options.
OPPOSITE PAGE
Flowering for over nine
months of the year,
geraniums pack a punch
when planted en masse.
BELOW Geranium
purpureum
5 WAYS TO USE GERANIUMS
1. Patio pots, planters and window boxes.
They thrive as container plants and, in most
regions, flower from October until winter
knocks on the door in June.
2. En masse. Create colourful bedding
displays. Allow 50cm between plants.
3. Hanging baskets. The tumbling and
ground-hugging varieties make brilliant
basket cases. Make sure the basket has
plenty of root room.
4. Walls of colour. Look for the climbing
varieties to cover banks and walls in cloaks of
colour. Initially, they may need support to help
them cling.
5. Indoor plants. Every now and again, rinse
them under the hose or shower to freshen
up the leaves and they will more than likely
bloom all year round.
TREAT THEM MEAN
Sounds terrible, but the less you feed
geraniums, in terms of fertiliser, the better
they seem to bloom. Therefore not a lot of
extra food is required.
GERANIUMS FOR FREE
Geraniums easily root from cuttings or
snippets taken from plants. Simply remove
the lower leaves and place into a glass of
water or pottle of seed-raising mix and within
four to six weeks roots will appear.
OFF WITH THEIR HEADS
Pluck the tips out of new plants to encourage
more side branching. These tips can be used
as cuttings.
DID YOU KNOW?
Numerous types of geraniums exist, well over
400 species; a few include ivy, zonal, regal,
cranesbill and numerous cultivars and named
hybrids.
$7 . 99
EACH
Basil Bowls
Pick and use often to get the best from your
basil plant. Pick up, take home, ready to
harvest.
Backed by Oderings Quality Guarantee We know them ‘cause we grow them.
Open 7 Days, 8am – 5pm
Head in-store or visit oderings.co.nz
$9 . 99
EACH
Blueberry Swirl & Delight
With blueberry Delight and Swirl, you won’t need to
pay $5 per punnet when you can grow your own
blueberries at home. This price WON’T be beat.
EACH
4
$ 9.99 Varieties
Barrington
92 Stourbridge St
Linwood
485 Linwood Ave
HOT
DEAL
Cashmere
205 Cashmere Rd
Philpotts Rd
116 Philpotts Rd
Specials valid until 2.11.16 or while stocks last. We cannot sell or redeem Go Gardening gift vouchers. Other vouchers – Yes.
$
$1 1.79
. 29
Potted Colour
Have an instant garden full of colour galore. Huge
range of top quality flowering bedding plants ideal
for the garden or pots and planters.
$2
$ 4.69
. 99
9 PACK
Impatiens White
One of the most popular summer bedding
plants. Early flowering, good uniformity and
compact habit. Glistening white flowers.
$7
$ 9.99
. 99
EACH
Sassy Daisies
Flowering profusely from spring, this hot and
dry lover is perfect for garden borders, pots
and planters.
Yaldhurst
20 Main West Coast Rd
ODE/STA/7324