This fickle spring weather!

Finally, after the cooler winter weather, the garden is now bursting into life. The chickweed is going crazy, the roses are covered in new leaf growth and the fruit trees are bursting with blossom.

I have been enjoying watching the new lambs appear and getting bigger and fluffier by the day, as I drive through the countryside into town.

Then along comes a big, cold weather front, with wind and snow. The poor wee new lambs further south! But also, the orchardist’s losing the spring blossom before fruit set, the flower growers getting the buds snapped off in the wind and fruit tree blossom flying away in the wind like confetti. In just one more day and tomorrow the sun will be out and all at peace again.

Welcome to a typical spring in Dunedin.

As much as we all, desperately want to get our gardens growing and in particular the vegetables, it has always been recommended in the south to hold off until Labour Weekend, the end of October. Of course this will depend on your own micro-climate, of which varies greatly across the region.

Unfortunately, we are at the mercy of the weather. However, there are ways we can get around the cold snaps, some which take a bit of work but can be worth it and make it possible to get ahead of the game. Here are a few:

• ·      Build wind breaks

• ·        Keep frost cloth over new plants until at least mid-October

• ·        Build raised garden beds to aid drainage and warm the soil

• ·        Place cloches and tunnels over new seedlings to warm the soil and protect from the elements

• ·        Consider a glasshouse or tunnel house to grow more tender plants, winter-over potted plants, or start seedlings off. 

• ·        Have a good layer of compost over the garden to keep the temperature and moisture levels more even.

• ·        Source plants with ‘Hardy’ on their label description which means they are winter frost tolerant.

• ·      Do your planting of shrubs and trees in late spring so they have time to get established before the next winter.

• ·        Frost damage happens from the formation of ice crystals in the plant tissues and cells. Leave damage on the plant until end of October.

• Consider growing more frost sensitive plants on the north-west side, so they get later sun in the evening which boost the soil warmth at night.

Here is some further reading on frost damage if you want to know more:  The Science of Frost

If you would like any help with your garden, call me on 0274 156555.