Selwyn Times: July 15, 2020

24
Wednesday July 15 2020
Gardening
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
SELWYN TIMES
Plan your summer vege garden
JULY IS ONE of the more
difficult winter months in the
home garden. It is often wet and
cold – conditions that are not
conducive to working in the
garden.
However, on days that are clear
and sunny, there are many tasks
requiring attention.
Plant flowering annuals for
pops of colour
Displays of flowering annuals
can add a little cheer and colour
in a dreary winter garden, whether
grown in flower beds, containers
or decks and patios. Primulas
are often at their absolute best in
July. With all flowering annuals,
commence dead heading (the
removal of dead flowers) to encourage
continuous flowering.
Winter flowering annuals
include ageratum, calendulas,
cinerarias, cornflowers, nemesias,
pansies, poppies, primulas, snapdragons,
stock and sweet peas.
growth and tie down fruiting
leaders on frames or wires.
In warm sheltered areas, citrus
can now be harvested, mandarins,
lemons, limes, and navel oranges.
Berries
It’s the final month for pruning
vigorous growing berry
fruit, raspberries, boysenberries,
loganberries, loganberries, and
gooseberries. Remove all the old
growth and reduce the amount of
last summer’s canes. Tie the canes
to existing wires or framework.
Lawns
There is little work to do on
lawns this month and it is often
best to keep off them if they have
become excessively wet. Moss
may occur in wet, shady parts of
the lawn but this is no cause for
alarm as it will disappear over
the dry summer months. Do take
Vegetable garden
Continue harvesting your
winter vegetables and regularly
inspect your plants for slugs and
snails. They appear to be hardier
every year!
If you have sown a green crop
this year, then towards the end of
the month or August (once plants
are about 30cm and before they
flower) chop it up dig it into existing
soil in preparation for spring
plantings. Green crops help improve
soil structure and provide
organic Nitrogen naturally.
Now is a good time to plan
your summer vegetable garden.
Following the experience of the
Covid-19 outbreak, consider expanding
the area of your summer
vegetable garden and the range of
vegetables that you can grow.
Fruit trees and kiwifruit
Finish pruning deciduous
(sheds leaves in autumn) fruit
trees. Spray with a copper compound
to help prevent re-infection
of fungal diseases in spring.
Kiwifruit vines can now be
pruned. Remove all the surplus
note of areas that retain water
long after heavy rain as they may
require additional drainage to be
installed in summer.
Trees and shrubs
An excellent time to carry out
any further tree or shrub plantings
on your property. Always
select healthy ‘vigorous’ looking
new specimens and ensure they
are ‘fit for purpose’ i.e. they will
achieve what you require where
they are planted. When planting,
pop in a planter tab to give them
the best start.
Rose pruning commences
Most roses have now shed their
leaves and can be pruned. Remove
all dead or diseased wood,
remember most rose bushes, even
though quite healthy, will have
BUSY: If you are planting trees this winter make sure they are
fit for purpose. Flowering annuals will add a little cheer to a
dreary winter garden. Prune your berries this month.
some dead wood.
Prune to outward facing buds
and remove any wood that is
thinner than pencil thickness. If
some plants have a lot of dead/
diseased wood, it is advisable
to remove the specimens and
replace with new rose bushes.
With climbing roses, train the
main leaders (growing up from
ground) on a horizontal axis as
this encourages the production of
flowers.
With all roses, a spray with copper
compound after the completion
of pruning helps minimise
reinfection of fungal disease in
spring.
Are you ready to grow?
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