NEWS & TIPS FOR MAY 2023
I thought that given the inordinate amount of rain we have had in the first half of this year we needed to talk about gardening when it rains 5 days out of 7! Water is generally essential for growing anything and yet a surfeit of water makes it difficult to grow anything. Generally, it's unpleasant gardening in the rain but beyond the physical discomfort, too much water is a real problem for our gardens especially if they have flooded. Any garden that has been under water for some time is in trouble because the plant roots become starved of oxygen and begin to break down and rot, ultimately killing the plant. And even if your garden hasn’t flooded many plants and vegetables will not thrive in continuously wet conditions. So in these conditions here’s what I suggest - improve your drainage as much as you can, where you can and carry on. Gardening is essentially an exercise in perseverance and adaptability.
Vegetable Gardens
Potatoes, silverbeet, Asian greens, cabbages and brassicas - plant in pots or some form of raised gardens where the soil temperature is higher and drainage is better (remember you need a layer of gravel or stone at the bottom and plenty of drainage holes). Many winter vegetables can handle wet conditions but potatoes will not tolerate cold, wet soil, so improving the drainage of whatever you are planting them in, is key to success in these conditions. You can do this by adding lots of organic matter - biochar, wonder nuggets, compost or leaf mulch. Any of these will ‘open up’ the soil, allowing water to drain away and supplying the much-needed oxygen to plant roots.
You can also think about using hoops and netting to create a cloche or cover that creates a microclimate that will let the soil dry out and warm up. There are a heap of You Tube videos that can show you how to do this relatively cheaply.
Seed potatoes arriving early June are Karaka, Rua & Red Rascal plus all of the Maori potato varieties. Currently in stock are Agria, Haylo, Ilam Hardy, Jersey Bennes, Liseta, Nadine, Rocket and Swift. Buy early before they all sell out!
Flowers
Spring bulbs can be grown indoors so if you have the space and somewhere that gets a good amount of light why not bring that beautiful scent and colour inside. We have a special offer on our Spring bulbs at present - buy 1 pack & receive a second pack the same for FREE! This will automatically apply at checkout, so grab them while they are still available!
Pruning
Now is the perfect time to get rid of all that negative energy and get clipping. Pruning not only encourages better growth and flowering, it helps with air flow amongst the plant canopy and can reduce the potential for disease - not to mention what it does for your mental health.
Lawns
Lawns have taken a real hammering lately especially in those areas where water has pooled, or in areas of high foot traffic because that compacts the soil which in turn leads to the pooling of water. Aerating the soil with the tines of a fork can sometimes be enough to help the water drain away but if the lawn has been under water for a period, you may need to oversow in the spring. If that's the case, start preparing now and get as much organic matter into your lawn as possible.
The continuous periods of wet also wash away any of the nutrients in the soil so the grass is effectively being starved. So even in these cooler months it can be worthwhile applying something like sulphate of potash for the roots or even some urea for a bit of a boost.
Remember, if you are having problems with your lawns ring, email or come and see us - we are here to help. Mostly we have the answers to your problems and if we don’t, we'll find out. At Newtons we don’t hide behind AI generated chatbots. You are still dealing with real people, who genuinely want to help you get the best results!
Vegetable Gardens
Potatoes, silverbeet, Asian greens, cabbages and brassicas - plant in pots or some form of raised gardens where the soil temperature is higher and drainage is better (remember you need a layer of gravel or stone at the bottom and plenty of drainage holes). Many winter vegetables can handle wet conditions but potatoes will not tolerate cold, wet soil, so improving the drainage of whatever you are planting them in, is key to success in these conditions. You can do this by adding lots of organic matter - biochar, wonder nuggets, compost or leaf mulch. Any of these will ‘open up’ the soil, allowing water to drain away and supplying the much-needed oxygen to plant roots.
You can also think about using hoops and netting to create a cloche or cover that creates a microclimate that will let the soil dry out and warm up. There are a heap of You Tube videos that can show you how to do this relatively cheaply.
Seed potatoes arriving early June are Karaka, Rua & Red Rascal plus all of the Maori potato varieties. Currently in stock are Agria, Haylo, Ilam Hardy, Jersey Bennes, Liseta, Nadine, Rocket and Swift. Buy early before they all sell out!
Flowers
Spring bulbs can be grown indoors so if you have the space and somewhere that gets a good amount of light why not bring that beautiful scent and colour inside. We have a special offer on our Spring bulbs at present - buy 1 pack & receive a second pack the same for FREE! This will automatically apply at checkout, so grab them while they are still available!
Pruning
Now is the perfect time to get rid of all that negative energy and get clipping. Pruning not only encourages better growth and flowering, it helps with air flow amongst the plant canopy and can reduce the potential for disease - not to mention what it does for your mental health.
Lawns
Lawns have taken a real hammering lately especially in those areas where water has pooled, or in areas of high foot traffic because that compacts the soil which in turn leads to the pooling of water. Aerating the soil with the tines of a fork can sometimes be enough to help the water drain away but if the lawn has been under water for a period, you may need to oversow in the spring. If that's the case, start preparing now and get as much organic matter into your lawn as possible.
The continuous periods of wet also wash away any of the nutrients in the soil so the grass is effectively being starved. So even in these cooler months it can be worthwhile applying something like sulphate of potash for the roots or even some urea for a bit of a boost.
Remember, if you are having problems with your lawns ring, email or come and see us - we are here to help. Mostly we have the answers to your problems and if we don’t, we'll find out. At Newtons we don’t hide behind AI generated chatbots. You are still dealing with real people, who genuinely want to help you get the best results!