Still time for feeding acid-loving plants

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 658, 15 October 1996, Page 12

Still time for feeding acid-loving plants

BY

BEA

BARNES

After gale force winds and heavy rain it seems we are back to the cleaning up stage in the garden once again. All the lovely blossoms we have so much enjoyed blown from the trees and scattered everywhere. Camellia blooms just a soggy brown mess on the bushes. However, there are still some buds to open on the rhododendrons and camellias so we will hope for better weather in a week or so. Once the fallen blooms and petals are gathered up, put them in the compost bin. A thin layer of earth scattered over the top and a handful of any garden fertiliser you happen to have will do, but if you intend to use the compost any where near rhododendrons, azalea or camellias, avoid using lime in the making of compost as it could be harmful to all plants which thrive in an acid soil. There is still time to give those plants a dressing of a balanced acid plant food and this will help to green up the foliage after the ravages of winter and encourage the plants to set the buds over summer for flowering next spring. Azaleas and rhododendrons planted in tubs and containers will benefit from a light dressing of the food but make certain you water it in well. A rhododendron I haven't met before, a small variety growing only one metre in height and very suitable for larger containers, is rhododendron Yak "Sunny Heath". Flowering mid to later season, there is less chance of the delicate pink blossoms being damaged by frost. As I was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, England, I really think I should grow this one. All the spring shrubs and trees have excelled themsel ves with blossoms this year making a really gorgeous display. Whether it was the good baking they received during the hot summer last year before the autumn rains or perhaps the light acidic ash fall which created favourable conditions is a matter for conjecture but even our kowhai in windy conditions by the front gate, which normally flowers only sparsely, is loaded with blossom this year. Do you know that all kowhai varieties respond to a light dressing of grass clippings mixed with a few handfuls of blood and bone fertiliser occasionally? There are some lovely varieties of pansy and violas now, some with unusual colour breaks, and new ones coming along all the time. I have recently planted two hanging baskets with the large flowered deep purple pansies in the top and the sides of the baskets planted with eight purple and cream "Tinkerbelle" violas. Pansies by the way respond to a light dressing of dolomite lime. Speaking of baskets, there is a lovely little perennial veronica available called "Georgia Blue" with tiny clear blue flowers down a trailing stem. A good plant for a hanging basket which would blend well with the little summer flowering chrysanthemum "Snowmaund" growing to 30cms in height. Ponsechetus Communis is another perennial suitable for containers and baskets, with clear blue pea-shaped flowers. It seldom seems to be out of flower. Very hardy, an overnight frost will hit the flowers but when the sun comes up in the morning so again do the flowers. We have a large pot of this by the garden pool and it makes a bright patch of blue to look out on from the kitchen window. Better as a container plant I think as judging by the speed it has filled our large terracotta pot, I think it could be invasive in the garden. The pink shoots on begonia tubers should now be showing. Plant the tubers in pots or a border when the shoots are 1-2 cm high and cover with a thin layer of soil leaving the shoots exposed. I prefer to grow these delightful flowers in pots which can be put under cover if frost threatens. They will grow equally well on a window sill indoors if protected from hot sun through the window and will give a magnificent display of flowers. On the camellia flowered varieties the flowers are so large and heavy the stems will need a stake for support..