The planting season for summer vegetables and flowers is upon us, we have had a volatile spring, as wintry blasts have continued to roll through in the latter part of September and our famous equinoctial winds arriving during the past couple of weeks. Despite the wild weather it's great to
see new growth surging ahead on plants and trees and to see some more colour in gardens as plants come into bloom. Looking good now are rhododendrons, azalea mollis, cornus, and later flowering cherry varieties such as kanzan and shimidsu sakura.
Vegetables Now is the time to plant for a summer harvest of fresh, healthy vegetables for salads and other meals. Plan a programme of small successive sowings and plantings for a continuous harvest throughout the year.
Seeds to sow and plantings that can be made in Wanganui now include; beans, beetroot, broccoli, capsicum, carrots, celery, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, egg plants, lettuce, peas, potatoes, melons, spring onions, raddish, rhubarb, silverbeet, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini and more.
Hanging Baskets It is also the time to get your baskets planted for a stunning display for Christmas and summer. Growing hanging baskets is a wonderful way to garden and continues to gain wider popularity. Hanging baskets are not a recent innovation, but in fact were used as decoration in the famous hanging gardens of ancient Babylon.
Today's lifestyle, often with emphasis on the full use of limited space has led to the acceptance of any means by which plants can be used.
Almost any plant that will grow in a container can be grown in a hanging basket, creating new visual perspectives even in a small courtyard, balcony or veranda. Luxuriant mini-gardens can be developed without taking up valuable ground or floor space. In cities around the world where people are living in confined spaces, hanging baskets and wall troughs are frequently used for growing vegetables, flowers and herbs.
Hanging baskets are often an answer to interior decorating problems. For example, a basket containing a large green hanging fern will soften harsh walls or attractively fill an empty corner.
Flowering plants suitable for hanging baskets outdoors include; impatiens, marigolds, nasturtium, ageratum, begonias, fuchsias, lobelia, nepeta (catmint), pelargonium, petunias, portulaca and zinnias (dwarf) etc. Note that fuchsias are one of the finest flowering shrubs with stunning displays in summer and autumn. They have a magnificent affinity with hanging baskets and their branches will cascade over the side of the basket.
Perennials Perennials are plants mostly with non-woody stems and branches that burst into growth in the spring and summer and many flower for long periods over the summer and autumn and die back to the roots or an evergreen crown for the winter season. They repeat this cycle year after year, gradually increasing in size and number. There is a huge selection of perennials that can add interest and colour to the garden in summer and they come in all shapes and sizes. They often make a garden theme such as a cottage garden where they can be the companions for more permanent plants such as roses and trees. Herbaceous perennials such as hostas and astilbies emerge during spring, flower in summer and die down and become dormant in winter, they enjoy cool garden conditions. Perennials can complement many trees, shrubs, roses, annual flowers and bulbs. Many provide excellent flowers for indoor use. Others have attractive foliage in bronze, yellow-green, grey and silver.
Perennials prefer some good compost added to the soil with slow release general fertiliser when preparing to plant.
Favourite Perennials
Osteospermum
Also known as cape daisies these plants are hardy to conditions ranging from coastal wind and hot sun to semi shady positions. They boast a continuous flowering habit with blooms almost year round. They are drought tolerant and look great in containers and garden situations.