The Star: September 21, 2017

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32 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday September 21 2017 Gardening The Star Stay ahead of what needs to be done With spring upon us, Rachel Vogan says here’s what you need to know to stay ahead this month GARDENING IS therapy, and now is the time to get your green prescription locked and loaded for the growing season ahead. The joys, rewards and sense of self-satisfaction provided by a dirty weekend in the garden are numerous – the wait is over, spring is here. Stretch your arms above your head and get ready to launch into action outdoors. In the warmer regions, where the soil is dry enough, start planting out your vegetable patches now, but if you are in a cooler area and the soil still squelches under your boots, give it a few more weeks. Working and planting in the soil when it is wet does more harm that good, so hold off. DELICATE: Cover up young seedlings during cold snaps. Cold snaps Just because it is spring, it doesn’t mean that Jack Frost has moved on – in the wake of cold, wet periods, frosts can lurk until November in some parts of the country. Young seedlings can be protected from frost with small cloches, plastic covers or by using frost cloth. If it feels like a cold one, tuck your plants up for the night. Vegetables This month is all about preparation and planting, so if your patch is still too wet, get busy sowing the seeds of all your tender crops like tomatoes, chillies, eggplants, and cucumbers indoors. If soil conditions are right, sow the first rows of carrots, beetroot and radishes. Hardy crops such as spring onions, celery, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, lettuce, Plants for free Lift and divide perennials this month, especially the ones that have been dormant under the ground for a few months. Dividing plants is an easy way to bulk up garden beds and fill any gaps. Delphiniums, hostas, red hot pokers, daylilies, lady’s mantle, heuchera and dahlias can all be lifted and split up this Roses, roses and more roses As soon as the new growth starts to appear, keep a close eye out for aphids and greenfly, as these little sap-suckers will spoil your blooms overnight by chewing out the petals of the developing buds. A rose spray programme helps prevent Fruit trees Have your planted out your new-season fruit trees yet? The shops are still brimming with an excellent selection of deciduous trees, berries and currants, and many apples, peaches, nectarines and apricots are now available on dwarf rootstocks. This means the trees do not grow as big as usual, but while the plant may be petite, the fruit remains the same size. If space is at a premium, grow your fruit trees in larger grow bags or wine barrels, the portability making them extra convenient should you need to move them. If you don’t have any room, why not offer to donate one to your local community garden, where you can share the fruits of your crops with other like-minded people. Lawns You will start to see a real flush of growth this month, and as soon as this appears you know it is time to weed and feed your lawn. These combination sprays are available everywhere, and the beauty of them is that they kill the weeds whilst fertilising the lawn. Don’t go overboard – make sure to apply at the recommended spinach and silver beet can all go in by the punnet load. For potatoes, make sure you get them sprouting as soon as possible to ensure you have some to enjoy for the Christmas holidays, and most of all, don’t forget to feed your soil before you plant, your crops will thank you for it. Slugs and snails will be out in force, too, so arm yourself with plenty of bait. month, and maybe consider sharing or trading some of your plants with neighbours and other gardener friends. This is a cheap and rather cheerful way to add more plants to your garden, and it’s amazing how often you think of that friend when their plant comes into bloom or appears each season. major issues. New roses are aplenty now in the shops. Fertilise existing roses with rose fertiliser, which is available everywhere from hardware stores and supermarkets to garden centres. TASTY: Add a nectarine tree to your garden. date, and be mindful of the fact that overuse can cause burn-off. Prepare new lawn areas for sowing now by spraying off the area and raking it level, apply lawn fertiliser before sowing and protecting the area afterwards so pets, kids and cars do not accidentally park and mark your new turf. Use your outdoor living areas all year round • Warm & dry in winter • 99% UV protection for summer • Stylish & permanent • Optional side curtains • Engineered for NZ conditions Use your outdoor living areas all year round! 15 months INTEREST FREE Normal lending criteria apply Chris Warm Thorndycroft & dry in winter Stylish & permanent Engineered for NZ conditions Phone 0508 272 446 Optional | www.archgola.co.nz side curtains 99% UV protection
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday September 21 2017 33 Striking and statuesque delphiniums BOLD: Fertiliser will help plants bloom. The magazine for gardeners who like To geT Their hands dirTy www.gardener.kiwi 100% Ouruhia ‘The greatest little nursery in town’ www.ouruhianursery.co.nz SPECIALIST LANDSCAPE NURSERY Spring down to Ouruhia Overflowing with stunning Spring stock! HUGE NATIVE SELECTION On site garden design Cnr Marshland & Turners Road 8.30-5pm • 7 DAYS • Ph 323 8588 Eftpos, credit cards and most garden gift vouchers welcome naTiVe planT nursery Trees for CanTerbury 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 TALL: Delphiniums will grow to 180cm. • By Henri Ham DELPHINIUMS ARE not the plant for every garden. If you have a small garden or like to grow things in pots, then delphiniums are probably not for you. But for the right garden they can look absolutely fantastic. And the right garden is one that can handle a bit of height. Delphiniums will grow to a whopping 180cm tall. They are beautiful and bold and look great in all sorts of different style gardens. Foxgloves and hollyhock are two other tall plants which look lovely grown with delphiniums. And they also make great cut flowers. Delphiniums are perfect for anyone wanting to fast-forward the pleasure they receive from their garden. When you’re ready to plant, choose a sunny, well-drained area with rich soil. Dig in a good quality compost and animal manure fertiliser and add plenty of mulch to stop weeds forming and retain soil moisture. Pea straw, is a favourite mulch of mine as it’s soft and will rot down over time and feed the soil. Plant each delphinium around 50cm apart from the next to give a bit of space. But don’t plant too far apart as they create a great visual effect if planted near each other and they will provide extra support. Delphiniums like a drink, so keep them well-watered and a bit of liquid fertiliser will help keep them blooming. If you notice the foliage start to yellow or the plant isn’t growing very well – it often means it needs more fertiliser. In around late spring (depending on whether you planted seedlings or established plants) you can expect to We design gardens DESIGN IT from a blank canvas and transform outdoor living areas into pleasing, relaxing spaces for the client to enjoy year after year. Our design skills extend also to large lifestyle properties, making the most of the extensive land to fit perfectly with the client's needs. At Evergreen Landscapes, BUILD IT our staff are specialists in their areas of expertise; we have experts in excavation, paving, building, irrigation, planting, maintenance. We offer a professional standard of service with friendly staff who understand the importance of starting and finishing jobs to a very high level. PLANT IT Evergreen Nursery is our large tree and shrub nursery that can supply all your garden needs. If you prefer, we can do the tasks of planting, composting and mulching with our skilled labour teams. We have planted out many reserves, parks, swales and street trees: we have years of experience in quality tree and shrub planting. EVERGREEN LANDSCAPES LTD 60 Ivey Road, Templeton, Christchurch Nursery Enquiries Ph 027 312 4406 Ph: 03 349 2929, Mob: 027 559 2929, E: design@egn.co.nz Open: Mon to Fri, 8:30am - 4:30pm w w w . e g n . c o . n z see your tall flowers blossom. As they’re short-lived perennials they will flower every year for around three to four years. Dead head your flowers (remove the dead flower heads) and this will help them flower again in late summer, early autumn. LANDSCAPING IN CANTERBURY FOR OVER 30 YEARS WE DO: Decking Paving Driveways Irrigation WE HAVE: Tree Nursery Diggers Loaders Tip trucks Fencing Excavation Pizza Ovens Lawns Retaining walls Planter boxes Ponds WE SUPPLY: Design services Trees / shrubs Bark / soil Decorative stone Landscaping from Residential, to Lifestyle, to Commercial Sites
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The Star: September 21, 2017

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