The Star: July 06, 2017
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> 33<br />
Gardening<br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.<br />
.kiwi<br />
Thursday <strong>July</strong> 6 <strong>2017</strong><br />
GARDENING<br />
ADVICE with<br />
We have three fl owering cherry trees<br />
QUESTION in our section. <strong>The</strong>y appear to be<br />
sending out roots which are coming<br />
up in other parts of the garden. What is the best way to stop<br />
this happening? I cut them back as soon they appear but<br />
the little devils grow so fast. Will they cause any<br />
damage to our new drive? And does cutting them back<br />
have any effect on the trees?<br />
Today’s winning question<br />
came from Patrick Duggan.<br />
Congratulations!<br />
It is quite common<br />
ANSWER for some cherry trees<br />
(depending on the root<br />
stock they are grafted on), to have suckers or<br />
vegetative growth emerging from near ground level<br />
and sometimes from the roots of the cherry tree.<br />
This growth should be cut back when it becomes<br />
apparent, otherwise it will grow quite quickly and consume<br />
energy that would otherwise be available to the fl owering<br />
cherry.<br />
In some instances, this suckering growth only occurs when trees are quite juvenile, and other times it may<br />
continue for a number of years.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is no danger to the cherry tree in cutting this growth back, in fact quite the opposite. Do not be concerned<br />
for your driveway; while the growth you outline is a nuisance, as long as it’s controlled quite quickly and regularly,<br />
there should be little or no chance of actual physical damage to surrounding pathways or driveways.<br />
Products to try: Daltons Compost, Daltons Mulch & Grow, Daltons Premium Tree & Shrub Fertiliser.<br />
For more gardening advice, read our How to Grow Guides at www.daltons.co.nz/how-to-guides<br />
Nothing tastes better than home grown, juicy fruit. Adding fruit trees to<br />
your garden offers you everything an ornamental tree does, but with<br />
the added bonus of fruit crops. You don’t need to start a large orchard;<br />
it’s easy to incorporate a few fruit trees into your garden planting or<br />
even grow them in pots.<br />
We have a Daltons Premium Fruit Tree Care<br />
pack to give away which includes everything<br />
you need to plant and care for fruit trees.<br />
Valued at over $70, it contains:<br />
• 2 x Garden Time Planting Mix<br />
• Daltons Premium Planter Tabs<br />
• 2 x Daltons Mulch & Grow<br />
• PLUS a pair of comfortable,<br />
versatile Red Back gardening<br />
gloves from Omni Products<br />
(www.omniproducts.co.nz)<br />
BE IN<br />
TO WIN!<br />
Send us your<br />
gardening<br />
question<br />
to be in to win!<br />
$70<br />
PRIZE<br />
PACK!<br />
Email your question<br />
and glove size to:<br />
chchstar@daltons.co.nz<br />
Entries must be received<br />
by 14th <strong>July</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
More than one way to grow strawberries<br />
EDIBLE GARDENS have never<br />
been more popular and one of the<br />
easiest of fruits to cultivate is the<br />
strawberry.<br />
Because of their compact habit,<br />
strawberries can be grown in hanging<br />
baskets, containers or the aptlynamed<br />
strawberry pots, as well as<br />
the usual raised-up garden beds.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y can begin cropping in a<br />
matter of weeks and will go on<br />
producing for much of the year,<br />
especially in warmer areas.<br />
•Strawberries in the garden –<br />
Choose a sunny position<br />
that hasn’t grown strawberries<br />
for a number of years and dig in<br />
some organic compost.<br />
Plant strawberry runners or<br />
seedlings into raised-up mounds,<br />
and apply a layer of mulch. It<br />
important it is to mulch the plants,<br />
both to retain moisture and to<br />
keep the fruit cleanly above the<br />
soil. Pea straw or lucerne hay<br />
make a good a mulch.<br />
Remove runners, unless you<br />
want to use them to propagate<br />
some new plants (which should be<br />
done every three years or so).<br />
•Strawberries in pots – <strong>Star</strong>t by<br />
choosing a suitable container. Fill<br />
with a top quality potting<br />
mix and plant the strawberries.<br />
Water in well.<br />
Feed occasionally with plant<br />
food and watch out for snails and<br />
slugs.<br />
•Strawberries in hanging<br />
baskets – This is a fun way to<br />
grow strawberries, but the main<br />
challenge with growing any plant<br />
in a hanging basket is that it’s<br />
much more vulnerable to drying<br />
out. Line moss baskets with plastic<br />
sheet and poke holes for drainage.<br />
Fill with a hanging basket mix<br />
which contains added soil wetters<br />
and water-storing crystals. Ripe<br />
berries look particularly decorative<br />
dangling from a basket (right).<br />
Lightweight WALKERS<br />
FOLDABLE<br />
LIGHT-WEIGHT FOLDING<br />
WALKERS<br />
• Weight from only 5.7kg<br />
• Burgundy or Metallic Blue<br />
• Adjustable height handles<br />
• Indoor and outdoor models<br />
• Maximum user weight 100kg<br />
• Locking brakes on some models<br />
• Basket for shopping or gardening<br />
• Folds for storage or transportation<br />
PHONE 354 5616<br />
108 Sawyers Arms Rd, Papanui, Christchurch<br />
10% Off for SUPERGOLD card holders<br />
Conditions may apply<br />
<strong>The</strong> magazine for<br />
gardeners who<br />
like To geT <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
hands dirTy<br />
www.gardener.kiwi<br />
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