Now that May Day has arrived and the changing of the seasonal guard grows nearer, it’s a ‘revolutionary’ time in the garden. But there’s no reason to be sending out an SOS or calling in the Police, by laying down the law (and the mulch) in the garden this month, winter will be a... breeze!
General Gardening
Shrubs up! May is a good time to plant shrubs, however, be sure to allow space for growth and plant before the ground becomes too wet.
Don’t leave leaves too late! Clean up fallen leaves and dispose of those that are diseased. Leaves can be composted but add a little nitrogen first (using manure is the best option) to help them decompose faster.
Shredding leaves before adding them to the heap also helps. Alternatively, pack them into black plastic bags to break down over winter.
Make much of the mulch, particularly in flower beds, to conserve moisture, restrict weed growth and introduce nutrients into the soil.
Prune back deciduous trees and shrubs which have dropped their lot.
Flowers
If your spring-flowering bulbs are not in the ground by now, it’s too late! Oh… ok then… after consulting with Mother Nature (yes, at Garden-NZ we have friends in very high places indeed!) we’ve agreed to give you one more chance. Depending on where in NZ you may be, there may still be time to get planting for spring colour and late-flowering bulbs are now be available.
Remember to keep young plants in a sheltered spot, if the temperature has started to dip in your area.
Make your bed to be tucked up for winter. Choose an open area that will receive at least five hours of full sun per day for roses.
Ensure those late-bloomers last by feeding according to need and removing faded flowers.
As the weather closes in there’s a lot at stake; or there should be! Use stakes or frames to support tall flowers including dahlias and delphiniums.
There’s no place on your garden roster for flowers that don’t make the cut and no room for ‘super’ stars in a team that has the ‘blues’! Prune back perennials and leaves of bulbs once they have finished flowering to ensure a ‘winning’ season.
Sow & grow: liliums, violas, dianthus, calendulas, marigolds
Vegetables & Fruit
A change is as good as a rest this month as we lay down empty beds. By resting areas of the veggie garden that receive less sun, they have time to recover. Turn over soil, dig in compost and a green crop, such as mustard or lupin, to increase nutrient levels in the soil.
‘Lettuce’ retreat to a warm bed! Now’s the time to transplant such crops as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, silver beet and lettuce into raised beds.
There’s no point crying over failed onions! Plant now for optimum results.
Give winter veggies a good head start. Feed to ensure they benefit from as much growth as possible before the cold weather sets in.
Provide seedlings with protection from early frosts.
Get suited and fruited to ensure the sweet taste of success later in the year. Now’s the right time to plant deciduous fruit and citrus trees. Click on the following links for more details and to be in to win tree-planting guides, products and more (closing dates vary).
Idea bears fruit
Fruit tree pruning & grafting workshops
Win! Daltons Premium tree planting pack
Win! Grow it Yourself – Fruit and Nuts
Frosts can make lemons dry and bitter so it pays to be picky; harvest lemons now to avoid being left with a sour taste in your mouth!
And remember to give fruit trees (as well as veggies such as celery, cabbage and cauliflower) a healthy spray of copper.
Sow & grow: mustard, feijoas, walnuts, carrots, garlic, parsley, citrus trees.
Lawn Care
Stop weeds from becoming the ‘evil empire’ of your lawn! Tui Weedstrike is an effective treatment for a wide range of broadleaf weeds and prickles. With Tui Weedstrike you can strike down weeds before the winter weather sets in and they become ‘more powerful than you can possibly imagine’!
Re-sow thin areas with lawn seed.
Don’t let moss cross your path! Tui Moss Control Sulphate of Iron will steel your nerves, killing moss and giving your lawn a rich, deep green colour.
Last but not least, take some time to enjoy the autumn colour as the leaves of season lose their chlorophyll and show us all those shades from which nature is made!
