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Saturday 5th October, 2024

Hi

It's a point in time 
I saw a post the other day on one of those public forums like face book that questioned a new season's plant that didn't appear to have that much of a root system. I guess that they were questioning that fact, but new season's deciduous trees and roses come into garden centres either bare rooted or recently potted and it would indeed appear that there isn't too much root there.
It did make me think about that because to me, it just seems common sense that a new season's tree won't have a developed root ball. It may have started to grow some new feeder roots, but growing a root mass large enough to hold all of the soil in the bag may take some 3 to 6 months. The reality is that plants are a living product and have many phases. They are constantly growing and changing in the garden centre and we take care of every stage in order to have the best plants possible available.

 
So, not having much root ball is not necessarily a bad thing but it does mean that the customer or purchaser needs to take a tad more care when they take it home to plant. At this stage of the season, most of the new season's trees and roses should have started at least to make new white feeder roots...you can tell because the bag looks and feels soft and not so stretched. Therefore you need to carefully cut the bag off the plant, and not yank the tree or rose out, to keep as many feeder roots intact as possible. Don't use too much compost in the planting hole, or if using make sure it's well distributed through the soil, as it can hold too much moisture. Plant firmly but don't be rough like stomping around the base. Again, you want to keep all those feeder roots intact if possible so as not to cause any transplant shock. Lastly, stake all young trees so that they are not rocking around in the wind as this can also break feeder roots. It's worthwhile staking all trees, but those with an established root ball are heavier, more stable at the base and less likely to rock
So when is a plant 'root bound' and what does that really mean? Well, perhaps a tree that has been in a container for quite a while has roots that have spiralled around and around until they have formed a dense, tight mat. Sometimes the bag in these cases needs to be cut off, but the advantage of having a plant somewhere in between new and 'root bound' is that the likelihood of transplant shock diminishes significantly. 

 
I find that many deal to rootbound plants (not a term I really like) too harshly and almost strip away all the roots in their quest to open out the root ball and prevent spiralling roots. Yes, there is a need to cut the roots to initiate new sites for feeder roots to develop, but you don't want to overdo it. All too often the feeder roots are all but removed because of this concept of 'this plant is rootbound'. 
So what is happening to all those new trees in the garden centre right now? Well, they are pushing new season's leaves out, especially fruit trees, and so we undertake to continue to form the tree shape that is most desirable. To that end we rub off the new growth from just above the graft and up the stem so that the formation of the tree trunk begins. We tend to leave it at that, in case the client wants a low branching effect, but in my opinion it's worth removing lower branches to achieve a taller trunk. Again, my opinion, but growth in the wrong way and place is time wasted and training should really encourage the formation of desirable outcomes. It's also worth remembering that one must always leave enough foliage to photosynthesize to enable the tree to perform.
Have a garden and nursery ramble at Wairere
If there is a best time to visit a garden centre then I would have to say it is this time of year. There is just too much to write about. It's worth taking the time out just to visit and enjoy all the sights of the nursery and take a spin around the display garden, which is looking pretty cool. Spring would have to be the time where we have the biggest range of just everything and it's all popping colour in some way. Whether it be the fancy and colourful leaves of the maples up high or down low, the roses are just starting to show colour in their flower buds.


Maples

There is endless variety in the foliage of Maples. Many of these not only show spectacular spring shades that age to green, but also fire-up again with vibrant Autumn colours. Not only do Acers come in many shade, but also many forms ranging from weepers to medium and large trees. Again you can look online but nothing beats coming out and looking in person...


For the those looking to add to their fruiting gardens
Fresh Tamarillo plants have arrived, and that include Lairds Large Red, Tango and Mulligan. Cape Gooseberries form big sprawling bushes from which you can pick those tasty gooseberries in little hats. We have Lemon grass for the cooks out there, the Lemonkist variety forms a full clump just like a large broad leaved grass, but with a delicious fragrance.

 
Blueberries are pretty easy to grow, just make sure that you get several varieties but of the same type, e.g. all rabbit eyes or all southern high bushes, to get bigger crops.
Rubus pentalobus or orange berry is a prostrate groundcover that suits a sunny position and has raspberry-like fruits.
Some other new arrival standouts to mention
Hostas literally have come into stock this week. If you are into leafy colour then these are for you. Remember that generally, they like a dappled light position, a moist soil that is rich in compost and humus and don't forget to put the slug bait out because the molluscs adore these as well.
Peonies are looking fab and coming up to flower with their gorgeous blooms.  Even their foliage is looking pretty cool with shades of green and red. A goodie for those that like these in the perennial border, being full sun, and perfect for the cut flower fiends. 

 
Irises of various kinds including Flags, Louisana and some Kaempferi. I do love these in the garden and the Bearded look the part in those sunny rose and perennial areas. The others can cope with full sun and a moist, wet kind of space.
Viburnums are all starting to show their spring blossoms. Viburnum Opulus Sterile being the snowball tree is probably the classic but check out Viburnum Roseace and the rest of them. Generally a largish shrub for a sunny spot, tough and hardy fillers.
Rhodohypoxis are just beautiful...Rose grass is apparently the common name. This little grass-like beauty is stunning at this time of year grown in smallish flatish dishes on a table top or in a rockery-like spot in the garden.

 
Ang has some spring specials going on 
Helleborus or Winter roses are all marked down by 20% . These look pretty cool mass planted and we need the space for the spring fluffies that are coming in at the moment.
New season's Daisies are normally $19.99 but these are just $9.99. What a great buy!

 
Butterball  An eye catching daisy bred to give improved garden performance and a long flowering period. A compact grower with striking, very large flowers of creamy-yellow petals and a gold centre. Grow in full sun and prune lightly after flowering.
Cherry Harmony  New to the collection of easy to grow Federation Daisies. 'Cherry Harmony' puts on a great show through the spring and summer of fully double flowers of brilliant deep pink, making a brilliant show of colour. Trim after flowering to encourage more flowers to come through.
Double Act is unusual with its large bi-coloured flowers of bright-rose tipped petals that fade to yellow towards the centre, it grows to 60cm by 60cm. Flowers in spring, carries on till Autumn. Beautiful massive flowers.
Honeycomb has a massive yellow-gold central eye with a star like outer ring of petals in pale cream. Striking and unusual, a flower bees will enjoy!  Grow in full sun and prune lightly after flowering. Feeding with slow release fertilizer after flowering will enhance performance.
Garden events 
Diamond Jubilee Te Awamutu Rose Society 60th Annual Spring Rose Show Friday 1st Nov 1pm to 4pm & Saturday 2nd November 9am to 3 pm.
Venue Ta Rugby sports and recreation club, 420 Albert Park Drive.
Daltons Waikato Rose Society Spring Show  held in the Hamilton Gardens  Pavilion, Saturday 9th November 12.30 to 5pm & Sunday 10th November 10am to 4.30pm.
Taranaki Garden Festival will soon be under way, starting November 1st and ending November 10th.
The Franklin Hospice Barfoot & Thompson Garden Ramble will take place on 16 & 17 November this year.  
This year the Garden Ramble will feature 17 gardens in the Runciman, Bombay, Paerata and Harrisville areas. Get swept away by the charm and diversity of these extraordinary Franklin gardens, where every step is a discovery, and every moment is a celebration of our gardeners' and nature's finest creations! Your ticket gives you access to the gardens and our bespoke market throughout the weekend.  
Purchase your ticket from Eventbrite at https://garden-ramble.eventbrite.co.nz

 
It seems to me that the weather has been a perfect spring so far with the rain falling in the evening and beautiful warm days. Well, we like that in the garden centre for our customers. Still beautiful planting weather with everything looking amazing in the garden.
Another weekend rolls around, this one in the middle of the school holidays, with another week to go. Hopefully we all have our body clocks adjusted with the advent of daylight savings and are starting to enjoy that extra daylight at the end of the day.
If you have the time, come out for a browse. The place is looking pretty stunning if I do say so myself. Have a great weekend.
All the very best  from  Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team.

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Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: