"Thanks rain (that's enough)"

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 476, 9 March 1993, Page 11

"Thanks rain (that's enough)"

by

Bea

Barnes

Cyclone Polly having moved away to the east leaving behind a belt of heavy rain and cooler temperatures rather makes one wonder if she has taken our summer with her. We badly need the rain as the ground is so dry, but let's just hope it

doesn't forget to stop! So many jobs to tackle in the garden just now. Perennials which have completely finished

flowering can be cut right down to the base and summer annuals past their best can be removed to make way for fresh plantings to flower in the spring. Pansy, calendula, sweet William, stock, poppy, cornflower, wallflower, primula and polyanthus can be planted now to give a good show in the spring. The spent heads of antirrhinum (snap dragon) can be trimmed right down to base leaving the newly budded stems to come in to flower. They will bloom for some weeks yet. Trim off spent dahlia heads so that the plants can put their strength into the new buds and also removing the dying heads will help to prevent disease attacking the new crop of buds. An hour or two spent in this way will reward you with a longer flowering season. Once the plants have set their seed heads flowering will diminish. Trim off the dead heads on roses in the same way to encourage a further burst of bloom but after the end of the month the spent flowers can be left on the bushes to form the colourful heps in the autumn. After the rain has moved away spray again to clean up the bushes which will help disease spores from wintering over to attack the new

growth in the spring. The last feed of the season can be given to nourish the plants before they go into dormancy for the winter. Remember the lavender bushes. Trimming off the spent flowers now and removing untidy or dead growth will encourage the bushes to thicken up and remain in good shape in the winter. The bush herb plants have more or less finished their flowering sea-

son now and should be trimmed back before they drop their seeds all over the garden. Lemon balm, balm of Gilead, hyssop and feverfew are all plants which will seed freely and left to do so will cause a lot of extra work. Spring bulbs are now arriving in the shops so remember to leave a few spaces for these if, like me, you long for the crocus and daffodils to come into bloom after a long dreary winter. Nourish the ground in readiness for planting with a good dressing of compost or well rotted animal manure and leave it until you are ready to plant.