Selwyn Times: February 01, 2023

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Selwyn Times Wednesday February 1 2023 30 GARDENING Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Time to add compost and manure Vegetables In all but the coolest areas, radishes sown now will not thrive, tending to bolt to seed, even when the soil is kept moist, and those that do mature being unacceptably sharp in flavour. To add a little bite to salads, use nasturtium leaves and flowers, or grow some mustard streaks (Brassica juncea), which grow very rapidly and if to be eaten fresh are best young. Older plants can be used in stir-fry mixes. Onion plants can have their tops bent over to assist bulb swelling. Crops sown in autumn will be almost ready for pulling. If harvested in hot, settled weather, they should be well-ripened and suitable for long storage. Thickstemmed bulbs will probably not keep well, so keep them aside for immediate use. Liquid manure assists most crops. Make your own by tying a sack filled with sheep, horse, cow or poultry manure and suspending it in water for a few days. One kilogram of fresh manure to five litres of water is a suitable mixture. Excellent liquid manure can also be made with seaweed and is good for silverbeet, asparagus and cabbages. Nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia (two tbsp to 20 litres of water) promotes leafy growth in salad crops and any winter SPUDS: Potatoes can be dug now as the foliage yellows. greens not growing as fast as they should. Early potatoes can be lifted as the foliage yellows. Once potatoes are well-matured, a combination of rain and warm soil could prompt new growth, spoiling the crops quality and storage properties. Brussels sprouts may need to be staked to prevent those in exposed positions twisting in the wind. Spring cabbages are best when harvested early. Make one sowing at the end of January and another two weeks later. Grow in a seed tray or make a seed bed in a sheltered spot in semishade. Enrich the soil with some fine compost. Sow seed thinly in 50mm-deep drills and cover firmly. Transplant the seedlings when big enough to handle. Cabbage aphis and white butterfly caterpillars go on the attack at this time of year. Protect seedlings with derris dust or spray with soapy water. Flowers The madonna, or true christmas lily (Lilium candidum), will have finished flowering by now. Cut the old flower stems off at ground level and destroy to prevent the spread of botrytis. Unlike almost all other lilies, L. candidum has no resting period. Fresh growth develops from the bulbs as soon as the flowering period is over so, if bulbs are to be divided or shifted, the work is best done now. Also, unlike other lilies, the bulb should not be covered but the top third left above the ground. They like hot, dry spots and will tolerate some lime. Multiply all lily bulbs by detaching scales and inserting them point upwards in boxes of sandy soil with the base of each scale just below the surface. Keep the boxes moist and plant the scales out when they have rooted. Plants propagated this way should flower in the second season. Violas and pansies may be looking straggly and producing smaller flowers. Cut them back to new growth just above the ground and they will spring away. Tulips and hyacinths can be lifted and cleaned when the tops have died down. Place the bulbs in shallow trays in a dry, cool, airy place. Never expose them to full sunshine. Anemones and ranunculuses can be lifted and stored for a month or two, until planting space is available. For winter blooms, plant some anemone bulbs now in a warm place. Like all bulbs, narcissi, crocuses and snowdrops suffer if kept out of the soil for any length of time. Lift only when overcrowding makes it necessary and replant without delay. THRIVE: Strawberries like plenty of compost, leaf mould and well-rotted manure. Fruit Strawberry plants can be increased readily from the rooted runners the plants are now producing. Use only the strongest on any vine and after it has established roots, set it out in rich soil in early March. This summer propagation allows the plant to develop before cold weather sets in and bear a fruit crop next summer. If planting is delayed until winter or spring, no fruit should be allowed to develop in the first season. Being of woodland origin, strawberries like plenty of compost, leaf mould and wellrotted manure. Superphosphate applied when planting will supply the phosphates important to full growth. Do not use lime, as strawberries prefer a slightly acid soil. Are you ready to grow? For real Kiwi gardeners who like to get their hands dirty. PATIos - ouTDoor AreAs - CAr PorTs Shadecraft is a locally owned company who specialise in shade and weather protection products to enhance your homes design and use of outdoor areas. Louvres – sHADe sAILs – uMBreLLAs – ALL WeATHer CANoPIes ShadeCraft (SI) Ltd 0800 742332 • Cell 0274 981239 • www.shadecraft.co.nz SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE UP TO 22 % Subscriptions 0800 77 77 10 kiwigardenermagazine.co.nz
THE LEAD into summer may have been a bit gloomy but it did provide conditions that have given us lush, healthy roses with an abundance of flowers. There are several practical tasks to help maintain roses at their best – applying mulch around the base of the rose helps maintain moisture, protects the soil surface and reduces weed growth; watering well during the growing season, noting that roses shifted or recently planted may require more watering; and feeding roses with fertiliser by apply around the drip line a little and often, but only when the soil is moist. To encourage new growth and repeat flowering, remove or dead-head old flowers. This is simply achieved by removing the old flower or flowering stem by cutting back to the first complete leaf with five leaflets, or to any new actively growing side shoots. In roses that have multi-headed blooms, pinch out each individual flower as they age until the entire head has finished, then remove the stem. When selecting new roses look for good healthy bushes. Many newer varieties are bred Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz to be more resistant to pests and diseases. The Dunedin Botanic Garden, neighbours’ gardens and membership of a local rose grower group are good places to observe and get advice as to what grows well locally. Pests and disease are always a possibility and there are any number of treatment options available. Good hygiene is one of the best management options, though, with dead-heading, cutting out damaged stems and removing old fallen flowers and rose leaf litter from the base of the bushes. GARDENING 31 Everything is coming up roses ABOUT HALF of Canterbury households feed birds in their backyards – but are we feeding them the right kinds of food? Dr Margaret Stanley, a professor of ecology, says most of us feed birds with bread and seeds, which is unlikely to attract our native species who prefer sweeter treats. “We take what’s happening overseas and kind of plonk it on the New Zealand context, which doesn’t really work,” she says. “In the UK and in the US, places like that, they have a lot of species that eat seed and grain, what we call granivores, and in (Canterbury) our native Margaret Stanley species just don’t eat those things, we’ve got a lot of the honey-eaters – things that eat nectar and fruit. “So when we put out this seed and this grain and bread, then all we do is attract large numbers of sparrows and pigeons and things like that and it tends to push out our little native species.” To attract and support native birds like bellbirds and tui some people put out sugar water for them to feed on, which Stanley says can be helpful for the birds in winter, but at other times could prove a distraction. “There are some concerns about it, that perhaps there might be more disease if birds are hanging around feeders, perhaps they’re not spending that time pollinating native flowers and dispersing seeds and doing their job they should be.” She suggests that rather than feeding them all year round, save the sugar water for winter – but be sure to keep the feeder clean. Stanley’s research found that birds in gardens with feeders had about four-and-ahalf times more coccidia, an organism that causes severe DEAD-HEAD: To encourage new growth and repeat flowering remove old rose flowers now. How to attract native birds to your backyard Wednesday February 1 2023 Selwyn Times digestive problems in birds. She recommends cleaning backyard feeders at least twice a week by scrubbing them with hot water. The type of feeder used can also help prevent the spread of disease. Stanley recommends a specialised feeder with holes designed for honey-eaters with long tongues, as it’s less likely that faeces will make it inside. Another way to support your neighbourhood bird population is to install a bird bath, particularly doing long dry summers where water sources are limited. “It’s definitely a great idea to have a water bath and often you can see some really good behavioural interaction and have that connection instead of the effort of putting out those feeders,” Stanley said. They also must be cleaned frequently. Feeders and birdbaths should also be kept away from trees, preferably on a tall post, to keep birds safe from predators like cats. While we tend to focus on flowers and fruit when thinking about food for birds, Stanley says insects are also an important protein source, particularly during breeding season. So consider planting some native plants that attract a lot of native insects, such as manuka. – RNZ Fun and exercise all year round Lagoon Pools import and install quality fibreglass swimming pools. To compliment the pools they supply good quality equipment including salt water chlorinators, heat pumps, pool lights, fountains and water features, swim turbines, spa jets, robotic pool cleaners and a range of covers and roller systems including hidden and automated. Imported from Leisure Pools in Australia, their Vinyl Ester pools are strong with six layers including protective armour. Each pool is strength tested and has a lifetime structural and osmosis warranty. Lagoon Pools owners Julie and Warren are dealers for Leisure Pools in the North Canterbury to Southland area, and agents for the Elite Hideaway Roller system. Call Lagoon Pools on 0800 927 282 or 349 2160, email info@lagoonpools.co.nz or visit: www.lagoonpools.co.nz They are open by appointment only. Garden In the with intelligro As the temperature rises, make sure you have a regular watering plan in place. Veggie seedlings can dry out quickly, and bolt to seed making them go to waste. Lawns will appreciate a good soak in the morning or evening to help them stay lush. Garden beds will benefit from applying a layer of organic compost, and then some mulch on top to conserve water. Now is great for planting these veggie seedlings • Beetroot • Beans • Carrots • Leek • Lettuce • Parsley Intelligro Hire www.lagoonpools.co.nz 03 349 2160 0800 92 72 82 If you have planted the likes of basil, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, peas and capsicum, keep an eye on these and harvest as soon as they are ready. If you leave them too long, you risk losing them to birds, pests or them spoiling on the plant. Did you know we have a range of hire tools to help you with your DIY backyard project? Check out our website for more information about the equipment we have for half and full day hire. www.igro.nz August – April opening hours: Mon – Sat 7am – 5.30pm, Sun 8.30am – 4.30pm www.igro.nz /igro.co.nz /intelligro_nz 261 Manion Road, Weedons 7677 | P: 03 347 9012 | E: info@igro.co.nz
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Selwyn Times: February 01, 2023

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