Selwyn_Times: September 27, 2023

Selwyn Times Wednesday September 27 2023
34
GARDENING
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Lettuce make the most of spring
Vegetables
Take advantage of fine spring
days to sow vegetables.
Frequent hoeing and loosening
of the surface soil helps all crops,
enabling air and warmth to get
into the upper layers of the soil.
Use spring cabbages soon, or
they will run to seed. Cut the
largest heads first. Once a head
has been cut, the plant should
be removed and composted. Left
in the ground, the plants will
continue to draw nutrients from
the soil.
Sow lettuce regularly from
now on, a few at a time, to keep
a regular supply through the
coming months. The best lettuce
plants are those sown where they
are to mature. Thin the seedlings
so those left to mature will
produce a highly developed root
system. Liquid manure helps give
good leaves.
Rhubarb will be starting to
sprout, but leave the early stalks
to mature and water the bed well
in dry weather.
Watch any early potatoes now
pushing through the surface in
areas where frosts might still
occur. Cover with pea straw
or hoe up some soil over them
and, when they become strong,
mound them up.
This month, main-crop
potatoes can be sown with the
LEAFY GREENS: Now is the time to start regularly sowing lettuce, to ensure a plentiful
supply for the months to follow.
PHOTOS: GETTY
dry summer approaching.
Fruit
The season for planting
tomatoes under glass is almost
here. Unless you have the luxury
of a heated glasshouse or a sunny
conservatory that stays warm
overnight, do not be in a hurry
to put in tomatoes. They are a
subtropical plant from lowland
South America.
If buying plants, look for sturdy
specimens about as tall as they
are broad and with mid- to
dark-green leaves. If tomatoes are
grown in the ground, fresh soil
or tomato mix is needed every
year, so growing them in pots or
heavy black plastic bags is more
economical. Do not over-water
until they are well established.
Flowers
Plant pansies and violas.
Regularly remove faded flowers
and seed pods to prolong the
flowering displays, a practice also
invaluable with other annuals and
perennials, such as dahlias, sweet
peas, asters, roses and calendulas.
Dahlias left in the soil during
winter can be lifted and divided
for replanting during the next
COLOUR: Pansies and violas
can be planted now.
four weeks. Lift clumps of tubers
with a fork and, with a sharp
knife, remove individual tubers,
ensuring each has a large piece
of stem with a sturdy growth bud
attached. Before replanting, add
plenty of compost or well-rotted
stable manure.
Roses should have been pruned
by now. If not, this should be
done as soon as possible or
flowering will be late and blooms
disappointing.
When bulbs grown in pots for
indoor or patio displays have
finished their flowering, plant
them in a corner of the garden to
recuperate. It will probably take
a year or two before they will
flower properly again.
Canterbury
Timber & Hardware
Rural Farm
Shed Series
The CTH Rural Farm
Shed Series is your
affordable choice
for feed or vehicle
storage, workshop, or
utility shed. Designed
and engineered for
Canterbury’s high
wind and 0.9kpa
snow loading they are
available in a range of
kitset sizes and prices
to suit most budgets.
Call in today for your free quote!
167 Manion Road, Rolleston
P 03 347 7465 E sheds@cthl.co.nz W www.cthl.co.nz
Monday-Friday: 7am-5pm Saturday: 8am-12pm