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Saturday 14th April, 2018
Hi
OMG suddenly I had to find long pants and thermals to wear under my work shirt as suddenly the real Autumn weather appeared. Cathie told me that there was even a dusting of snow on Pirongia which doesn't happen that often but a sudden drop in temperature is great if we want to get rich Autumn leaf colours.
Just while I think about Autumn colour I noticed that the Claret Ashes (Fraxinus Raywoodii) around the Waikato are all starting to bring on those burgundy hues that they are famous for... Now another tree that always colours well in the Waikato is the Tulepo or Nyssa Sylvatica and I managed to get some really nice plants of these this week. We have one in our garden at the nursery and it always colours well in our warmer climate not seeming to need those sudden drops in temperature.
The other thing about Nyssa's is that they are really tolerant of wet feet so if you have a boggy patch in the garden then this is the perfect tree... however, it will also do well in a normal garden position and situation...
Versatility is the name of the game Versatile is a word used about many things but is one that I would absolutely use for Sasanqua Camellias! They can be used in so many ways... topiary or shaping, hedges, shrub in the garden or even a small tree, you just cant go past a Sasanqua Camellia.
The purposes for planting a hedge are many, screening out neighbours or buildings, for gardens that have minimum space, shelter from the wind, creating rooms within a garden, green walls, whatever the job a Sasanqua Camellia would be right up there on my list as a first choice plant.
Why??? because they are so hardy, cope well with being trimmed regularly and have a long life compared to many other choices. Camellias will even cope and bounce back after a really hard cut back more so than other hedge plant choices. They can take slightly longer to establish but I always say that slower growing plants usually have a much longer life span. Compare for instance quick growing trees like Acacias to say a slower growing Oak which will be standing many years longer.
When you go to plant a hedge, treat the space like a garden. Measure the width and length of the space and then using a string line spray paint a line marking out the space. I would make the depth of my hedge garden approx 70 cm wide which is what it will ultimately grow to. If its in the lawn I use my spade and cut the turf along the marked line and then skim the lawn, that way the mulch can fall to the cut edge. Plant the Camellias at measured 70 cm spacing (or no further than 100 cm apart). Tree tabs or slow release Camellia fertiliser under each plant will get them off to a good start (remember to have a good amount of dirt between the tabs and the roots to avoid root burn). Plant the Camellias to the same depth they are in their container, no deeper. If you plan to mulch after planting, I would then plant the Camellias slightly proud and bring the mulch to the same soil level as the plants. The addition of a coarse mulch will suppress weeds and continued weed control could be a mix of careful spot spraying and/or hand weeding taking care not to disturb the mulch surface.
Camellias like the addition of mulch or organic matter which has the benefit of improving the soil structure and encourages the soil organisms to be active which keeps the soil nice and fertile. The constant application of mulch will also keep the soil moist in the summer and just generally keep the hedge garden looking nice until the hedge matures.
Maintenance of hedges is quite important and to that end you don't want weeds to crowd the plants as these will create holes in the hedge as the weeds will occupy the light that the camellia needs. Trim the new growth regularly as this will encourage the plants to become bushy rather than being leggy. Once bushy then increment the height to what your needs are. Once the hedge has reached its ultimate height be strict about maintaining it to that height so that it is always easy to maintain. Once established, hedges should be just a regular, easy, twice yearly trim after the spring flush then again after the Autumn flush.
Roses think about making them rest for the winter
Its a bit tricky here in the Waikato because your roses will try to flower all winter long and its best to make them stop and have a rest for a few months. Think about yourself and the fact is you will perform best when well rested. Now here are the secrets.
Stop any form of pruning and that includes deadheading the finished flowers. Leaving the spent flowers will tell the rose bush that it needs to complete its life cycle and form hips which contain the seeds.
I know that your roses will look kind of untidy for a few weeks but leave the long straggly canes to finish their growth and harden off so you have an abundance of nice canes to prune back when the time comes.
Lime sulphur is the other secret weapon that we have up our sleeves.... now it may be a tad early to start this one but Lime sulphur will definitely make those leaves drop and you will end up with naked roses... which is what we want.
I'm sure that the rose growers use this trick so that they can get the roses out of the ground early in the winter... The thing about lime sulphur is that everyone will know that you have used it as it has quite the sulphur smell (funny that Lime -sulphur). Be careful where you spray as its does burn leaves and make them drop so avoid contact with any desirable or evergreen plants. I will warn that Lime sulphur can also stain so avoid paint work etc.
The last point to add here for those in Waikato, is don't be tempted to prune early.. you want to leave this task for as long as possible, perhaps July, when its really the coldest month so that the roses don't regrow as we dont want them shooting away until it really is spring. If you prune too early here, your roses will just try to grow again. My rule here is that its got to be done before bud burst in the spring so if you don't get to it until August then thats ok.
ALL NEW STOCK IN THIS WEEK
Az.... a... lea, Aza...lea or Azalea
Azalea of the evergreen kind. Generally I mostly get a large range of the Kurume Azalea as I gather that these are of a hardier disposition than some. Now these are crossed hybrids between two differing Japanese species and hail from the Kurume, southern isles of Kyushu in Japan... The significance for us is that these are hardier and have distinctive smaller leaves and blooms, more compact in form than others but when in flower are just a stunning carpet of blooms.
These cousins of the Rhodo family enjoy moist peat or compost like soil and regular applications of organic matter to keep the soil nice and crumbly. Grow these Az...a...lea in dappled light or the passing shade of trees, hedges or fences. These beauties are suitable for mass planting as individual shrubs, trimming into an undulating mass of colour or even as a small hedge in the garden. We have had a Kurume Kirin hedge in the garden for years and it trims really well and when in flower is just a beacon of colour in the garden.
Check all the new seasons plants out here.
Pieris or Lily of the Valley shrubs... We nearly always have a really good range of these shrubs that must take their common name from the perennial Lily of the Valley. Not that these are fragrant but rather they have similar drop like flowers along a stem. Another one that likes the passing shade at some point during the day but in general terms a good hardy plant that always looks good with a bonus of very attractive flowers. There is a large range of cultivars that differ in height from approx 1 metre to 3 metres, usually the flowers are white through to soft pinks and some varieties even have red new foliage.
On Sale Now!
Mixed Trees includes flowering cherries, birches and stone fruits
Horse chestnuts 50% of Hippocastanum, Carnea and Carnea Briotti
Claret Ash 30% off awesome claret coloured autumn foliage... large grade plants
Medlar 50% off. For the tree buff, pretty single flowers in spring followed by guava shaped fruits - looks cool in fruit.
Poliothyrsis 50% off. Handsome tree with fragrant ivory white flowers in late summer
Shortest day is looming, plan for planting garlic and strawberries for around this time.
Its nearly time for garlic planting.. preorder yours now!
Printanor is our main crop variety and the time to plant garlic is around (either before or after) the shortest day which I have to say is looming quickly. Last year we had a bumper crop that we harvested. I just love the stuff roasted with veges. It looks a tad trendy when you roast the whole head and then just pop the suculent cloves out of their paper skins into your mouth.
Elephant garlic, I like the big cloves as they are so easy to chop and use.. one seem to do the job, generally milder in flavour than it's smaller cousin but equally as good roasted with all the veges
lets not forget that winter is the time to get strawbs into the ground so that they will establish prior to providing their crop of luscious berries at around Christmas time. We usually have Camarosa strawbs which should be available shortly so get your order in quickly as once they arrive they usually disappear quickly. They will love you for good fertile soil that drains well but is moist at the same time and all the sun you can give them. They will even do well in pots and containers too.
Gosh once those peppers and egg plants kick into producing they seem to make an abundance of these veges which is all good. Our menu seems to have a regular appearance of rataouille, roasted egg plant and capsicums along with shallots and garlic that we have grown from the previous winter. I am trying to get all these veg picked because they will just go off with the cooler weather. To that end we are keeping up with maintaining the garden to an amazing standard and even breaking in new areas that I have looked at for years thinking when will we get to these. Finally there thanks to the guys, a small chainsaw and a mulcher that we should have had years ago. It won't be long now before I have to take the guys out of the garden and into the potting shed as the rose season is now imminent and the garden will take a back seat for a couple of months. The theory is that the garden will be so up to scratch that it will stay that way for most of the winter.
I hope that you are all enjoying the warm and relatively dry autumn that we have had so far... perfect gardening weather... whatever you are doing this weekend have a fabulous time.
Have a great weekend.
Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team
Make it a Wairere weekend where even GNOMES know that gardening's not a drag.
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2018 Newsletters...
Feb already (3rd February, 2018)
Gardening friends (9th February, 2018)
fabulous feb (16th February, 2018)
Grapes and Art deco in Napier (2nd March, 2018)
About Ferns (10th March, 2018)
out with willow and in with Camellias (27th March, 2018)
Paddock Trees (25th March, 2018)
Trees for Big Spaces (27th March, 2018)
Sasanquas take 2 (30th March, 2018)
..... Brrr Autumn is here
Garlic and Winter Roses (21st April, 2018)
Friday Again (5th May, 2018)
Espaliered (12th May, 2018)
always a project (18th May, 2018)
Power Outages and Proteas (31st May, 2018)
Rose time again (8th June, 2018)
Aussie Natives (19th June, 2018)
Roses Abounding! (23rd June, 2018)
Ornamentals (7th July, 2018)
High, Low or Cascading (13th July, 2018)
Daphne time (20th July, 2018)
Spring in four days (27th July, 2018)
Let the blossoms begin (3rd August, 2018)
Tamarillos (10th August, 2018)
Magnolias3 (17th August, 2018)
Bloom time not gloom time (28th August, 2018)
Is it September Already? (31st August, 2018)
Nuts abounding (7th September, 2018)
Its all in the name... seriously (14th September, 2018)
Blossom bloom again (21st September, 2018)
Fabulous Friday 28 (28th September, 2018)
Fluffies and Pretties (5th October, 2018)
October rain with 22mm (12th October, 2018)
Blue October (19th October, 2018)
Its all about roses this week (26th October, 2018)
what about this (2nd November, 2018)
Rose show 2018 this weekend (9th November, 2018)
The running of the balls sequel 1 (16th November, 2018)
Orange Kumara 1 (23rd November, 2018)
scones (30th November, 2018)
Hydrangeas (8th December, 2018)
French Tarragon Hmmm (14th December, 2018)
Happy Holidays (21st December, 2018)
Wairere Nursery
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