Fruit in small gardens
The dead of winter heralds the time to plant fruits in your garden. Choose suitable varieties from nursery catalogues (www.ediblegarden.co.nz; www.edible.co.nz/fruits.php; www.waimeanurseries.co.nz; www.southernwoods.co.nz ), and order well in advance. Decide where they will go in the garden and prepare for their arrival.
Depending on soil type and space available, choose varieties on dwarf rootstocks (unsuitable for heavy clay soils); otherwise choose semi-dwarf rootstocks. Success may depend on selecting the right microclimate on your property for each fruit: sunny, open spots for stonefruit, and warm, frost-free areas for subtropicals like citrus. Squeeze in as many fruits as possible with the following techniques:
Container growing: Select a big pot, half-barrel or mussel buoy. Make several holes in the bottom. Fill with stones for drainage. Add a mix of woody compost, topsoil, mineral fertilisers to suit individual fruit requirements. Suitable container fruits include almond, apple (eg Ballerina types), apricot, climbing berries (eg boysenberry), blueberry, cherry, citrus, feijoas, fig (especially), grape, nectarine, olive, peach, and persimmon. Many will need appropriate pruning. Watering is critical during warmer months, but be careful not to overwater.
Training techniques: Espaliering is an old technique used to train fruits onto walls, fences, archways, and/or trellises, using different shapes depending on space. There’s the simple cordon—a single-trunked tree grown either upright, slanting or “L”-shaped. Prune laterals back to 10cm in winter to encourage fruiting spurs. Multiple cordons, lattice, double “U” and triple cordons are useful for more vigorous varieties.
Standard “T” espalier: A central trunk with horizontal arms usually tied along three wires 30-60cm apart set at least 15cm from the wall. In the first spring, cut the single leader 5cm below the bottom wire. Select the best three shoots and pinch out the rest. When shoots reach about 7.5cm, tie two down to wires at 45-degree angles. Tie down horizontally when the branch reaches the desired length. Let the central shoot reach the next wire and repeat till the framework is established. Tip shoots that grow out from main branches—where spurs will form.
Fan: In spring, prune the leader to 5cm below bottom wire. Set wires 15cm apart. Select shoots to make fan. Use bamboo canes to train laterals along and tie to wires. With apples and pears, prune laterals back annually to help form spurs. Stonefruit, citrus, figs, persimmons and berries fruit only on year-old wood, so there must be a continual renewal of growths to carry fruit. Prune fruiting wood back annually to a bud and train new growth into a fan.
Not only do you save space with these techniques, but containers can be moved to optimal microclimates and espaliers often provide a warmer microclimate for heat-lovers like stonefruit.
Fruit care
Plant fruit trees/shrubs. Stake and tie. Protect from wind and animals.
Prune pipfruit (apples, pears, etc) and berryfruits.
Mulch fruits with woody compost.
Prepare new strawberry beds. Add compost, leaf mould, and mulch with pine needles.
Prune citrus when harvesting.
Divide rhubarb.
Spray everything with diluted seaweed solution. Copper spray stonefruit vs brown rot etc, or pipfruit vs black spot. Use dormant spray (lime sulphur and oil) vs scale, woolly apple aphid, mites, scabs, and powdery mildew.
Herb care:
Transplant rooted cuttings from last year. Take cuttings of rosemary, sage, lavender, etc.
Vegetable Care
Walk around the garden reflecting on what worked, what didn’t. Use a garden map to plan next year’s crops. Check out seed catalogues (Kings Seeds, Eco Seeds, Koanga Seeds) or garden shops for ideas.
Plant garlic (soft neck) and shallots in prepared beds.
Prepare asparagus bed: dig a deep trench (up to 60cm deep). Add lots of rich organic material and make sure there are no weeds like couch. Add sand if your soil is heavy. Plant when crowns are available.
Turn compost to aid decomposition.
Keep developing fertile beds for brassica planting.
Sow/plant salads under cover (cloche or plastic bottles) and winter greens for ongoing supply.
Sow/plant beneficial flowers.
Hothouse: Clean for better light and look for hibernating snails to feed to birds/chooks. Plant winter salads or sheet mulch for spring. Tidy and clean punnets/trays for main spring sowings. Organise potting mix. Make an indoor compost to increase temperature.
For transplanting: All seeds 25 July. Leafy greens (winter spinach, lettuce, endive, Chinese cabbage and cabbages), red onions, broccoli, cauliflower. Flowers, eg cornflower.
Sow direct: All seeds 25 July. Salads. Radish and spring onions (best 16 – 18 July). Late broad beans. Flowers, eg snapdragon.
Plant: Onions, salad greens, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbages. Flowers, eg bulbs.
General garden care
Fix and clean tools.
Prune shelter for more sun on winter garden.
Lime the lawn.
Take a soil test for garden and orchard areas (try www.hillslaboratories).
Prune trees and shrubs after flowering, including roses.
Shred prunings and rake leaves into compost ring.
Collect seaweed/seagrass and mulch.
Sol Morgan, GroWise Consultancy
