It may be cold and frosty in your neck of the woods but there’s still plenty to harvest, sow, prune, mulch and plant
July gardening chores
Above, Matariki has arisen, and all is well in the skies. Below, there might not be many signs of activity above the ground, but rest assured it is happening.
In temperate to subtropical areas, growth will have slowed, while in the deepest south most plants will have gone dormant in the cold. The soil should still, however, be teeming with life as every creature from the tiniest micro-organisms to big fat worms goes about its business keeping all healthy.
Ripe for the picking
As if to provide us with all that vitamin C needed to combat winter’s chills and ills, many citrus varieties are ready for harvest – notably grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, and oranges. Also ripe for picking and eating are kiwifruit, some passionfruit, persimmons and tamarillos.
Kiwifruit contains high levels of vitamin C, copper, and vitamin K.
Food for thought
Mix a light dressing of blood and bone into flower bed soil to encourage stronger roots and foliage. To give them a strong start to spring, all trees and shrubs, including fruit trees but excluding citrus, will benefit from a sprinkling of slow-release fertiliser and a hearty mulch of compost or well-rotted animal manure, topped off with a layer of straw.
Ground down
In warmer districts and as long as the ground is not sodden, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, cavolo nero, coriander, onions, parsley, peas, rocket, shallots, silverbeet and spinach may be sown or planted now.
Free-draining soil is preferable – or try creating mounds (with sand, fine shingle and compost mixed in with the soils) and plant into them. In warmer areas sow sweet peas in a sunny spot in rich free-draining soil.
Cavolo nero is a kind of kale.
Cutting edge
Prune grapes by cutting back branches off the main leaders to two nodes – where spring growth begins. Prune, blueberries, gooseberries, currants and autumn-fruiting raspberries.
Cut back wisteria, deciduous trees shrubs and shrubs that flower on the current season’s wood. Prune pip and stone fruit trees, then spray with copper oxychloride to help fight fungal diseases.
Steal this look
This carefree coastal garden relies heavily on sun-loving, drought-tolerant plants that thrive in shingle and light, sandy soils. Apart from its obvious charm, one beauty of such a garden is that once established it only needs the occasional weed.
The white stones are a pretty foil for in this instance, sea thrift. Also known as Armeria maritima, its flowers emerge in numerous shades of pink over a long period. Other plants growing happily here (but not pictured) include Salvia nemerosa, with its stunning spires of deep purple flowers; the spiky-leafed sea holly (eryngium), whose thistle-like flowers come in an array of intense colours on the blue to grey section of the colour wheel; and the pretty cottage garden favourite candytuft (Iberis sempervirens).
Its deep green mounds support masses of white flowers. The garden’s foliage plants include our native red harakeke, Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra), and the darling stonecrop Sedum reflexum, an excellent ground cover in hot sunny areas.
How to pick citrus
When your citrus ripens will depend on your climate and the weather. That said, most ripen in winter, apart from (as the name suggests) Haywoods Late navel oranges, which tend to be ready in early spring.
The most fail-safe way of determining readiness for picking is by biting into and tasting it. Other clues may be the size and aroma – the more citrusy, the riper. Some fruit fall off the tree when ripe such as certain orange varieties; others will cling forever.
Generally, it is not advisable to pull the fruit off, unless it almost falls into your hand upon touch. Pulling may damage the tree. Rather, get a pair of sharp secateurs or scissors or the like and snip. Pick only as much as you need as the fruit will last longer on the branch than on the shelf at room temperature (one week) or in the fridge (three to four weeks).
Did you know?
The navel orange is named for the undeveloped twin fruit growing on the stem opposite the fruit, which resembles a human navel.
Consider this: Rain gauge
A rain gauge won’t get much use in some parts of the country, and far too much in others. But drought or flood, it is always interesting (and, for some, vital) to know just how much precipitation you have had in your garden. You may be surprised at what variations local geographical features might have on that figure. Just remember to record the findings and empty them. Take care not to place it close to buildings, trees or any objects that can affect how much rain falls into it.
Gardena Click Up Attachment Rain Gauge, $29.90, at Trade Tested
Landscape 101: Groundcovers to walk on
Low-growing groundcovers make an attractive and often fragrant alternative to lawn and around pavers on patios and paths, with which they can create interesting effects.
While few withstand heavy traffic and children’s ball games, many tolerate moderate foot traffic. Establishing groundcovers requires giving them a good chance against weeds. Ensure the planting area is – and has been for a few weeks – weed-free.
Our top five groundcovers
Banks Peninsula button daisy (Leptinella minor), with its dull green fern-like foliage and cute white flowers, has such a flat, creeping habitat. So hardy is its foliage that it is sometimes used on bowling greens. Tolerant for a wide range of situations – from alpine to coastal, frost to heat, shady to sunny, dry to damp, it is easily multiplied by division in spring.
As its common name suggests, our native Mercury Bay weed (Dichondra repens), is not too fussy as to soil type and situation, making it a popular choice. This diminutive member of the convolvulus family has attractive bright-green kidney-shaped leaves and tiny white flowers.
Creeping thyme is also known as Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme and wild thyme.
For speedy cover, panakenake (Pratia angulata) is hard to beat. Found naturally in damp areas in sun or semi-shade, from the foothills to the sea, it will withstand a certain level of dryness. Tiny berries follow, smothering in dainty white flowers.
Like all thymes, the sun-loving creeping thyme (Thymus praecox) releases a potent summery fragrance when crushed, making it a true delight underfoot. It forms a dense mat topped with pretty pink purple or white flowers – so watch out for bees in season. Drought tolerant once established, and being slow growing, it is perfect between pavers.
A chamomile lawn is a classic grass replacement. Just ensure you get the low-growing, non-flowering Chamaemelum nobile ‘Treneague’ if you want ease of care – and no mowing. Its fragrance is superb and, while preferring a hot sunny site, it tolerates light shade.
Words: Mary Lovell-Smith
Read this next Grow your microgreens at home in an easy DIY bottle greenhouse
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
See our second Resene Colour Home Awards finalist
