Oderings Nurseries Garden Centre

I am extremely sorry it has taken me so long to write to you all. I managed to break my leg 3 months ago and still have another month before i am even allowed to bare any weight, which means I am currently off work. However I am extremely bored so here I am playing at home. Please help keep me sane and ask me any questions you have, email me pamela@oderings.co.nz. I am also just about to start our spring Oderings Live & Grow magazine so if you have any topics you would like to see in this issue let me know; often the interesting questions you have are ones that a lot of people are also interested in.

I know things are slow in the garden at the moment (thankfully, since I cant do anything) but there are a few jobs that you should be doing in the next month or so. The most important job is the pruning of deciduous trees, fruit trees and roses. Important tip for pruning is to not do it on a wet day. Often people prune and then the rain sets in; this causes dieback and may cause the plant to die or make it susceptible to disease. For an easy to follow guide to rose pruning look at http://www.bestgardening.com/bgc/plant/rosesprune01.htm. My favourite website for fruit trees is http://www.waimeanurseries.co.nz, or you can buy the waimea book online on our website at our online store on http://www.oderings.co.nz for only $14.99 + freight. There is heaps of great information on the net when it comes to pruning, otherwise come and see the Oderings staff for some one on one help.

STRAWBERRIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE! Often we have customers coming in late spring wanting strawberries and by then we have normally sold out. Strawberries are best planted through autumn/winter to establish larger fruit with higher yields for Xmas. They require minimal space in the garden or pots in a sunny, sheltered position. When planting add plenty of compost, peat or rotted manure and general garden fertiliser. Mound up prepared soil (as in picture); place a strip of polythene over the top leaving enough excess at the sides to secure down. Using a craft knife make a hole in the top, big enough to plant your strawberry. Place into the hole making sure your roots aren’t crushed and your foliage is sitting on top of the polythene; plant 20-30cm apart. In spring feed with Tui Strawberry Food.

Asparagus is now available. Did you know once you plant asparagus it will give you crops for over 20 years? Oderings sell the Jersey Giant variety of asparagus. It is an outstanding American raised variety that produces giant, juicy, tender stems in profusion. It is easily grown and produces 3-4 times more spears than normal asparagus. Asparagus crowns should be planted in a sunny position and the area should be raised by 10-12cm to ensure good drainage. Incorporate compost and Blood & Bone at the time of planting. Plant the crowns in a 15cm wide trench that is 7-8cm deep. Space the crowns 45cm apart with the roots spread out. Your rows should be 60-80cm apart. In autumn apply a bulb fertiliser and in spring add Sulphate of Ammonia to give the plants a boost. In the first year cut the spears for two weeks only – then allow the plants to grow. Each year the cutting period can be extended until plants become fully established. In autumn remove all the foliage when it has yellowed off. To feed an average family of 4-6 people you will need 10-15 crowns.

Prepare garden beds and vegetable patches for spring with plenty of compost and fertiliser. If you have brassicas in you veggie patch (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc) you MUST add lime into the soil, the difference in the veggie size is astounding.
Dig green crops into the soil. Sulphate of Ammonia and lime will help accelerate the breakdown.
Prune grapes removing spindly and weak growth.
Plant new seasons roses, fruit trees, deciduous shrubs and trees.
Cover delicate plants at night to protect from frost.
Spray Copper and Oil on roses, deciduous trees and deciduous fruit trees.
Prune hydrangeas. Cut out spindly growth and cut back strong growth to a pair of buds.
Slugs and snails need controlling, especially around young seedlings.
Take care not to over-water indoor plants. Move them to a warm, well light area.
For amazing flowers and vibrancy, feed polys, pansies and primulas with dried blood.

Also check out our website to buy roses online there are pictures of the flowers and also a brief description of what we have available this year; when you buy online we will freight to anywhere in New Zealand for just $7.50 per rose. Also now listed on our website is the list of deciduous fruit tress that we will have this year. This list has a description of what the fruit qualities are like as well as the ideal conditions and a size guide. We tend to sell out of fruit trees faster and faster each year so I suggest you have a look at this list and then call your local Oderings and ask them to hold your choice for you.

Please accept my advice and do not plant potatoes yet it is still too cold and there are not enough daylight hours. I will talk about potatoes in the August/September Newsletter, this is when you should be looking at getting them to sprout before you plant them.