HIGH COUNTRY GARDENER

Ruapehu Bulletin, 8 September 1992, Page 9

HIGH COUNTRY GARDENER

by

Bea

Barnes

Listening to the wind | howling round the house and with a promise of further snow tomorrow I think our spring must have taken the wrong turning. However, if we | are unable to work outI side for the next few days ij we can use the time profitably by focussing our attention on the plants inside the house which have graced our home all winter, bravely coping with overwarm temperatures all day with a sudden drop to cool or cold temperatures at night. Just as the plants growing in the g arden have a dormant period in winter so do those growing in the house if not quite to the same extent. At this time of the year they are just emerging from their winter sleep, looking, if not to spread their wings at least to be able to spread their roots. Most potted plants will benefit from a change of soil at least once a year preferably in the spring and some of the stronger growing varieties such as Monstera Deliciosa, the fruit salad plant or the strongly trailing Philodendrons should ideally have a further soil change in the Autumn. With very large plants growing in tubs or large containers repotting may pose a problem but a top dressing of a well bal-

anced potting mixture will be of value. If possible turn the container on it's side and remove as much of the soil as will fall away naturally when the side of the pot is given a few sharp raps. This will make room for a dressing of the new pot mix which should be lightly pressed on to the existing soil with the fingers. Fill the pot to the required level and water in, draining off any excess water before retuming the plant to it's original position. Smaller plants can be removed from their pots to inspect the root ball. Supporting the stem of the plant by holding it firmly between two fingers. Turn the pot upside down and give the base of the pot a sharp rap which should release the soil base from the pot. Lift out the plant and if the roots have not fully penetrated the solid base a larger pot will not be necessary. The existing pot should then be thoroughly scrubbed before re-use. Place a layer of fresh pot mix in the base of the pot with some small stones or pebbles to improve drainage. Shake as much of the old mix away from the root base as will fall away easily and replace the plant on to the fresh mix at the base of the pot. The soil

surface of the plant should lie about half an inch below the rim of the pot. Fill in around the sides with the fresh pot mix carefully firming it as you go, the handle end of a fork will do the job well and then water in thoroughly taking care to drain off the excess water before retuming the plant to it's drip tray. If when the plant is removed from its pot the roots can be seen outside and winding around the soil base a larger pot will be necessary. Choose a pot not more than two inches larger in diameter than the original pot and repot the plant and at the same time removing with a sharp knife any rotted or broken ones. Fill the pot with the new mix and water in as before. Always when repotting indoor plants use a sterilized potting mix and not soil taken from the garden. Bacteria present in garden soil will multiply rapidly in the warmth of the house and may seriously damage your plant and garden soil will become compacted when watered starving the roots of air. Ornamental indoor palms require repotting only every second year and can be top dressed with new mix in the intervening year.

Aspidistera plants dislike being disturbed too often and only require repotting about every four years. Whether repotting or not, examine all your plants for signs of an infestation of aphid or other pests which will attack them and if left unchecked will quickly spread to other plants. Little white woolly blobs on the stem or the leaves of the plant are woolly aphids which can be quite difficult to eradicate and the darkish brown shiny blobs are probably brown scale. If either of these pests are present take the plant outside and spray with an insecticide especially formulated for potted plants being careful to spray the underside of the leaves and between the stems at the base of the plant. Spray the surface of the soil as well and under the rim of the pot. Leave for about ten days and then spray again. Make sure all signs of life are absent from these pests before repotting any plant or you will transfer the infestation to the new pot. Indoor palms can be prey to red spider mite not easily visible to the naked eye. Watch for webbing on the leaves or between the stems of the Turn to page 12

Gardening From page 9 plant. The mite feeds on the moisture in the leaves causing a sclerosis. Badly affected leaves will shrivel and die. Spray with an insecticide as before which will control the problem and, as these mites will not thrive except in very dry conditions, it will help to mist the leaves and stems with a fine spray of water when you water the plant.

Most of the prizes and sponsorship for the past ski champs have come from local business people. "The brigade has really appreciated the sponsorship we've had over the years, all the help we get really makes the event work. We're not going door to door this year but if anyone can help out then we' d like to hear from them. Everything we get helps make the event a little better," said Rob.