The Star: July 19, 2018

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38 Thursday July 19 2018 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi The Star Gardening The dirt on dianthus • By Henri Ham EVERY MONTH I try to write about a couple of different plants that can be planted at the time of writing. I hope to share some information you might not know about and give some practical advice on how to plant them. This month I’ve decided to dish the dirt (so-to-speak) on dianthus. Dianthus (often called pinks) is a hardy cottage-garden flower ideal for planting in borders. This cheerful plant will be sure to provide you with many months of colour in your garden because, unlike many other flower varieties, you can plant it all year round. If you get your dianthus plants in the ground now they will do some nice growing through the rest of winter and be ready to flower in spring. In fact, two weeks ago I did just that – planted some confetti dianthus around the outside of a pot, and origami pink and white aquilegia in the middle. Come spring the pot will be a colourful and bright welcome next to my front door. Right, some more dirt on dianthus. It produces smallerthan-average flowers, that look like they have been cut with shears, on strong upright stems. And the flowers are fragrant and make excellent cut flowers for bright indoor arrangements. There are three different varieties of dianthus seedlings available – the confetti I just mentioned, blueberry and mixed. Confetti grows to about 20cm high and produces a variety of flowers in lively colours. It’s ideal for growing in pots, hanging baskets or borders of gardens. Blueberry grows a little bit taller to around 25cm and its flowers are a rich, violet colour. Its petal edges are jagged – looking lacy and frilled. Lastly, our bundle of mixed dianthus seedlings grows to approximately 20cm and produces VIVID: (Clockwise) – Dianthus confetti grows to about 20cm. Dianthus Diana blueberry has a rich violet colour. Confetti is quite happy to grow in pots. larger, ruffled carnation-like blooms in a vibrant mix of orange, red, pink and yellow. Now, how to plant. To create a cottage garden feeling in your garden, I recommend planting an assortment of dianthus varieties in close proximity – at around 30cm spacings. Their dense evergreen foliage keeps bushy all year long and when planted they cover bare spots quickly. Dianthus cope fine with frost so you can plant them just about anywhere. Look for somewhere sunny with good drainage. Ideal companion plants to grow with dianthus are marigolds, roses, petunias, and livingstone daisies because they all like the same conditions. Once established, dianthus are easy to maintain. They are rarely struck by pests or disease and just require a little bit of care. In around spring, they will begin flowering and continue throughout summer. Regular trimming of the dead growth (just cut back a bit to encourage new growth) and removing the dead heads will reward you with two to three sets of blooms and encourage a denser crop of flowers. Lastly, on a culinary note, did you know dianthus flowers are edible? They make great decorations on cakes or bring colour to salads. An oregano occasion • By Henri Ham WITH WINTER well and truly here, casseroles stews and soups are a staple in our kitchen. To add freshness to these somewhat heavy meals, I love to use fresh winter herbs like oregano. I treat oregano in winter like I treat basil in summer – throwing it in with all things tomato based. Oregano is a perennial (it lasts longer than two years). And, if regularly trimmed and cut back in early spring by one third, it will return and produce for years. It is a pungent and spicy herb and I’m a fan of its slightly bitter taste. However, the potency of its leaves can reduce after three to four years, so at home I replant every few years. Planting oregano is easy. Plant seedlings in compost rich soil or in pots close to the kitchen. Remember to use potting mix if you’re planting in pots or containers. Short on space? Consider vertical planters to keep a variety of herbs easily accessible. Just make sure to hang them in a sunny spot. When growing oregano consider companion planting it next to your cabbages or cauliflower. Companion planting involves planting two plants in close proximity to mutually benefit each other through attracting certain insects or keeping other insect pests away. This method of planting is particularly popular with gardeners wanting to avoid the use of sprays or chemicals. Once you’ve planted your FLAVOUR: Harvest oregano before it flowers to get maximum potency. oregano give it a gentle watering in. You probably won’t need to water it much at the moment. But when the weather warms up, water two to three times per week – give a good soaking to encourage deep rooting. But don’t worry too much as oregano is a hardy herb and very forgiving if it gets neglected. Once its growth is established try drying some sprigs. Simply tie bunches together and hang upside down on the porch, or indoors in a paper bag. Cut a few holes in the bag and hang upside down until dried through. This will take one to two weeks. Once dry, run your fingers up the stalks to easily remove the leaves and store in jars. Oregano is one of the better herbs at retaining flavour potency when dried. To get maximum strength out of the leaves, harvest just before it flowers. Remember one dried teaspoon is equal to one fresh tablespoon of herbs. We all know about adding mint to summer cocktails, but have you tried hot herb teas? Add a sprig of oregano to a cup of hot water for a refreshing winter change, especially if you’re trying to cut down on caffeine. And, when the warmer weather approaches add oregano fresh to salads. The more you chop it up, the more flavoursome it will be. Oregano can be used in pasta and pizza sauces, bolognese, and on top of herby bready rolls. So, whatever the season you can always find an occasion for oregano. Use your outdoor living areas all year round naTiVe planT nursery Trees for CanTerbury • Warm & dry in winter • UV protection for summer • Stylish & permanent • 5 year warranty “AS SEEN ON TV” Chris Thorndycroft Grant Stewart Phone 0508 272 446 | www.archgola.co.nz 15 months INTEREST FREE Normal lending criteria apply speCialisTs in • Groundcovers • Ferns • Grasses • Small to big sized shrubs • Shelterbelts • ALL grades • Expert advice • Planting now Ask us about Super Gold Card discounts Helping our community grow 42 Charlesworth Street Ph/Fax (03) 982-1028 OPEN 7 DAYS www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday July 19 2018 39 Local News Now Fire rages, homes at risk QUESTION ANSWER GARDENING ADVICE with Are there any new ways of ridding oxalis from your veggie garden? Oxalis is a bulbous weed which is very problematic. Once it is in your garden, the bulbs multiply and spread very easily. Over the years there have been a number of herbicides produced that can kill oxalis, however they have always been non-selectors, killing surrounding vegetation. They’ve also had considerable soil residual problems meaning you could not grow plants, especially vegetables in the same area for a considerable time afterwards. Unfortunately, the only effective way to get rid of oxalis is to remove all of the bulbs by hand. Admittedly, it’s a tedious task but well worth doing. Divide the area up into sections then dig down 20-30cm and sieve the soil to catch all the bulbs. Alternatively, you can dig up the area, pen it off and put chickens in there. Be sure not to transplant the soil to other areas of the property as it will only take a few bulbs to start the problem again! Once all the bulbs have been removed, replenish the soil with Daltons Garden Time Compost and Garden Time Planting Mix. For more gardening advice and tips, check out our How To Grow guides at www.daltons.co.nz/how-to-guides $80 PRIZE PACK! Planting during early winter ensures your fruit trees have enough time to establish good root systems before hot summer months. Select varieties that will grow and fruit the best in your climate. Plant in a warm, sheltered sunny spot in the garden with well-drained soil. If space is an issue, dwarf varieties are compact and still produce full-sized fruit. BE IN TO WIN a Daltons Fruit Tree Care and Planting Pack! • 2 x Garden Time Compost, • Daltons Premium Planter Tabs, • Garden Time Fruit & Citrus Fertiliser • Daltons Organic Bio-Fungicide Granules • PLUS a pair of comfortable, versatile Red Back gardening gloves from Omni Products (www.omniproducts.co.nz) Send us your gardening question to be in to win! Email your question and glove size to: chchstar@daltons.co.nz Entries must be received by 25th July 2018 ADVERTORIAL The Art of the Arborist So often we turn up to a property and the trees have been attacked by someone, with little to no knowledge of the needs of the tree. Unfortunately, this can severely decrease the life expectancy of the trees. Tree pruning is both an art and a science. An arborist’s job is to assess trees on their individual merit and determine what approach is needed for each tree. The art of pruning means an arborist can improve a tree’s aesthetics and structural integrity, whilst making the tree safe and manageable. When on a job, there are occasions where we do advocate that a tree needs removing, either because it has been pruned poorly in the past, or the tree would need severe pruning to reach the owners desired outcome. The science behind tree pruning draws on knowledge, experience and expertise to ensure that tree health remains a top priority. Every tree needs to be pruned differently, for example, you can’t prune a Maple the same as you would an Oak. Sometimes there are options available rather than simply topping a tree. An arborist may suggest elevating the lower canopy to let light in underneath, removing deadwood and thinning (increases airflow around tree and increasing light to still keep shape and health of tree), or possibly end weighting (removing weight) from selected limbs. Our favourite clients are the ones that ask us if it were my garden, what would I do to the trees. This gives us the freedom to immerse ourselves in the garden and get the best result for the client. Often, we like to do the primary work (obvious work) first, and then the secondary work becomes more apparent. Consulting an arborist or tree surgeon and investing in your trees can add value to a property, not to mention enjoyment to the owner. Alternatively, trees that are poorly looked after could have the potential to become a liability for the owner. Beaver Tree Service Ltd. Call us now - 0800 422 328 THIS VOUCHER entitles you to a Free Tree Appraisal You may have noticed the hard working team from Beaver Trees working on your neighbours trees.... SPECIALISTS IN - Difficult Tree Removal - Full Tree Maintenance - Pruning & Thinning - Tree Reduction - Stump Grinding Now is a great time to have all your tree maintenance taken care of... so why not take up our offer of a Free Appraisal. YOUR TRUSTED PROFESSIONALS CALL US NOW 0800 422 328 info@beavertree.co.nz beavertree.co.nz A tree is a thing of beauty that adds value to your life, Its worth spending money and time on.
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