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Sunday 5th October, 2014
Birds and the bees - but its the leaves that keep food on the table
Hi
Its all about sex Babe!!
There is sex happening just every where, yes sex, every where I look its going on. when I m walking to work sparrows dart out of the bushes chasing each other in some form of courtship that ends in some quick hanky panky on the path in front of me. Starlings keep trying to build their nests in our mail box and in the rafters of our packing shed making messes of twigs leaves and what ever else they get their beaks onto. The male peacocks down the back are boasting their tails feathers and there is plenty of that haunting peacock call in the evenings and early morns and I have already seen the arrival of baby ducks and pukekos.
Now the bird's are not the only things that are doing it and I have said it before and I ll say it again this week but everywhere I look in the nurser there are flowers and they are all about sex. There is sex happening just everywhere here. Even the bees are out in force helping the flowers do it. Just the other day I was putting a standard lavender in a lady's car and had to shake off at least twenty honey bees. Its not just the bees that help the flowers with a bit of the ole you know what.... insects, birds and the wind all get in and lend a helping hand.
But its the leaves that keep food on the table
Yes! flowers are about sex but the leaves are about making food and there are leaves and there are leaves. Yes its the leaves that generate food that creates growth, Green leaves are the best kind for making sugars as they have the most Chlorophyll (green stuff). I'm not going to get too technical here as LOL I would have to really stretch the grey matter to remember by studies from years ago...
But while I'm on the subject of leaves its always important to keep the right balance of leaves as when you are trimming a plant you are removing the foliage which generates its food. For example if you are growing your own standard and removing the lower branches to create the stem part, don't be tempted to take it right up, leave about a third to make food to keep growing the stem higher.
We all just love those pretty flowers but I have to say, that with some plants, it is the leaves that are their crowning glory and there are more of these than you think.
One of the stars for stunning spring foliage would have to be the Maples. Who would think that such beautiful foliage was there making food to feed the plant. I have been out there taking photos on my phone of the fresh brand new foliage just to show how exquisite they are. While I was capturing these images I thought to myself that I will have to try and get all the seasons spring, summer and Autumn as the leaves change greatly with the maples.
A bit more for those that like to know, Maples are probably equally well known as Acers. I tend to group them firstly into weepers which are all mostly dissectum types which really describes their leaves. These maples have very fine leaves that are quite divided, lacy looking and are really quite delicate. Weeping maples have the reputation of requiring sheltered positions or kept out of harsh wind situations or very hot positions as these extremes damage that very fine foliage. Seiryu springs to mind as an upright dissectum style and there are many weepers of which viridis is the most popular green and Crimson Queen would be a classic red.
The next group would be what I would describe as small trees quite suited for smaller sections and includes many palmatum (means hand like) types
Shindeshojo springs to mind with leaves that emerge an awesome shrimp pink colours that change to green and then finish the season with vivid autumn colours. Katsura starts off with warm golden yellow and Senkaki is renown for its beautiful red stems in the winter.
The pics above from left to right are Hogyoku, Mikawa Yatsubusa, Goshiki kotohime, katsura and brilliantissimum
Then there is all the other type or species that generally grow into larger trees like Rubrum and Nigrum and there are many others.
I couldn't write a piece on the beauty of leaves and not include the Hostas which have leaves that look good enough to eat, well maybe not for us, but the slugs and snails sure love them. Before I wax on about these beauties here is a little tip to keep those leaves looking perfect. Harry can't stand holes in our Hosta leaves so before those leaves come out, he is out there throwing slug bait around with gay abandon. It's not enough just to throw slug bait around the Hosta clumps themselves but rather the areas where the slippery beggars hide during the day like in the hedges, Agapanthus and Flaxes for example. Don't just throw the slug bait around once, keep on it for approx 4 weeks or until the slug population has decreased significantly and then you can give it away. The other trick is to mulch around your Hosta clumps with a coarse shredded bark like mulch. Slugs and snails can't slide along the stuff so easily.
Rose stuff
We have past the downy mildew season but the next round of fungus will probably be black spot and aphids. Seeing we are on about sex, aphids are pretty damn good at it or not, lol depends on which way you look at it. They can give birth to live young without a male in site and in a pretty quick turn around. Whether its black spot or Aphids they all enjoy this warm moist weather and a couple of timely sprays can keep it all in check. I probably repeat myself a lot but if you have either of the above infections, do a couple or even three, of close sprays together ie a couple of days apart so that you nail it. Use at this time of year 'Shield' or 'Super Shield' and it will sort both insect and fungal together. Spray with the weather patterns, as it is rain that will spread black spot, so before it rains and again when the rain finishes. Well that's what I do and if its fine I get a rest. Whilst on roses they are looking pretty awesome this year and are about to pop so if you are looking to see flowers then from now on is looking good. I have been posting pics on Wairere's facebook page as they come into flower, so here is the link if you want to follow.
Don't plant your plants too deep
I am going to sound like an old nag but its gotta be said that a plant has to be planted at the same depth that it is in it's container. Rule of thumb is remove the top cm of soil off the top of the plant and then you can replant to exactly the same depth. If you plant too deep then the moisture breaks down the stem tissue and then the plant cant transport water and ultimately dies. A bit like if you left a sticking plaster wrapped around your finger for a week your skin goes all mushy.
Liliums these imported frozen bulbs are flowering in the nursery and worth a look, follow the link and look at them on line.
Ladies with beards aka Bearded Irises.. these have just arrived in this week being the queens of the perennial world lol. Thought that I would put a few tasters up here but click the link and scrioll through the whole range. Bearded Irises have cool foliage and amazing flowers, suit a hot and sunny spot but don't be fooled, they like good rich soil. Just make sure that when you plant them that the rhizome is out of the soil baking in the sun and of course the roots are in the soil.
Herbs up on deck.. For the first time we have listed the herbs that we have available in the nursery and with Labour weekend looming , being the traditional time to get your edible garden going, its time to get planting. Just thought that I would mention Stevia, seeing that this weeks email is about leaves, this is one that you can use and we haven't had it for years. We did once propagate it when we were a herb specialist nursery... its leaves are so much sweeter than sugar so that you can use it as a sugar replacement
Get em in now while they could still be classed as early LOL and have them ready for the Xmas table. we planted a couple of rows the other night and then another couple last night. Even managed to find time to sow some zucchini and pumpkin seeds.
Put this one in your diary
The weekends roll around so quickly, there is so much on and all has to be done before Christmas LOL.
ST JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC SCHOOL PTFA GARDEN RAMBLE - SUNDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 10.00AM - 4.00PM Email the organisers at stjosgardenramble@vodafone.co.nz
Helleborus Tutu, Harry scored another mass of these beautiful large grade flowering plants that would normally be $24.99, these are just $12.99. these would be stunning mass planted and such a good buy.
Gosh, don't those weekends roll around fast, Labour weekend is coming up for the first long weekend for a while, next we will all be talking Christmas stuff lol. Its been beautiful garden weather so enjoy the garden. Save time to come out and check our roses out, they are looking stunning and there will be more flowers with every day that passes.
Have a great weekend!
Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team
Make it a Wairere weekend where even GNOMES know that gardening's not a drag.
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2014 Newsletters...
Lily of the valley 2014 (24th May, 2014)
New Year (23rd January, 2014)
Grapes dahlias and more (29th January, 2014)
Test (5th May, 2014)
Fabulous February (6th February, 2014)
Rosmarinus (14th February, 2014)
Bottlebrush (21st February, 2014)
Feijoas Feb (28th February, 2014)
Luculia (7th March, 2014)
Camellia debrief (14th March, 2014)
Autumn Planting (21st March, 2014)
Awesome Autumn Sale (21st March, 2014)
Autumn Sale update (28th March, 2014)
Roses Still to Go (4th April, 2014)
Heucheras (12th April, 2014)
Bracteata (18th April, 2014)
test 24th April (24th April, 2014)
Anzac Day (25th April, 2014)
Chefs Choice (2nd May, 2014)
Mothers Day (6th May, 2014)
Sasanquas (16th May, 2014)
and the pot goes on (13th June, 2014)
Strawberries and Daphne (13th June, 2014)
Winter Colour (3rd July, 2014)
Mid Winter (11th July, 2014)
Mid Winter (12th July, 2014)
Its time to prune!!! (18th July, 2014)
Marmalade and Witches (1st August, 2014)
Flowering Nude (5th August, 2014)
Asparagus and Spuddies (13th August, 2014)
Garden Coverings (22nd August, 2014)
Fluff and Stuff (29th August, 2014)
Officially spring (5th September, 2014)
Officially spring (5th September, 2014)
From where I sit (26th September, 2014)
October 3rd (3rd October, 2014)
..... leaves
Lavender (15th October, 2014)
Its show time (31st October, 2014)
Roses are red pink yellow and more (3rd November, 2014)
Calibrachoa Surprise (13th November, 2014)
Roses In November (21st November, 2014)
Hydrangeaeous (28th November, 2014)
Peanuts (3rd December, 2014)
It's Christmas, Lets get Potty (12th December, 2014)
Its The big day (24th December, 2014)
Its The big day (24th December, 2014)
HL Nurseries Limited t/a Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: