FRUITS of your labours
Many gardens are thriving in the New Year — the positive result of the time and energy that was transferred to the home garden during the more difficult times of 2020.
January is an extremely rewarding month in the garden, with crops abound from the veggie garden, raspberry patch and delicious summer pip and stone fruit.
Fruit trees
The first of summer pip and stone fruit ripen this month.
Apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches and plums are all ready for harvest.
With fruit trees that were planted in winter 2020, ensure they are adequately watered to encourage strong, healthy growth.
Mulching also helps with water retention and suppresses weeds.
Strawberries
Traditionally strawberries finish around Christmas time.
However new varieties have extended harvest time well into January. Mulch the plants with crushed bark or pea straw and water regularly to help maintain healthy growth.
Plants will start growing runners in January, these are your next seasons plants. Where there are excessive runners, cut and remove them.
Roses
The easy months of rose cultivation are unfortunately over. As temperatures and humidity rise, the care of roses becomes much more challenging.
If pests or diseases do appear, apply a good-quality horticultural oil at 3-4 weekly intervals until the end of the season (around April).
You also need to reapply after
rainfall as protection will be washed off — this can mean spraying several days apart.
To help reduce black spot and rust, maintain your roses in good physical condition throughout the summer months with regular watering and mulching.
Avoid fertilising plants during summer when rose plants are heat stressed.
Deadhead (removal of finished blooms) your roses once a week to encourage continued flowering.
A light summer prune, especially on vigorous growing varieties is beneficial and is often rewarded with displays of blooms in late-summer/ early autumn.
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