Looking after helping hands
WINTER HOMES FOR GARDEN WILDLIFE
Cold weather is a tough time for the birds, lizards and insects that pollinate our crops, eat pests and bring interest and movement to our gardens. Some insects avoid the issue by hibernating or passing the winter as an egg or a pupa. Others require a cosy place to hunker down and also need food and water. Keep bird baths clean and refill them if the rain doesn’t do it for you. As you’d expect, gardens with bird feeders report more species during the annual Garden Bird Survey. This year’s survey is on from June 24 to July 2. Visit Landcare Research for information about what’s been learned since the first survey in 2007 and to take part this year.
Lure birds to your garden with sugar water for nectar feeders, plus fruit, suet and seeds that provide better nutrition than bread.
Lizards are cold-blooded so need a cosy winter home and a place to bask in the sun. You can build a special lizard lounge or just leave a stack of firewood in a sunny corner. Bumblebee queens look for a cosy spot under leaf litter, in old mouse holes, or a compost bin to spend the winter sheltered from frosts.
With the first hint of spring, the queen goes on the lookout for a more permanent position for her nest, so get a bumblebee hotel ready. And don’t forget weta. They are gobbled up by rats and hedgehogs and need safe retreats. For weta motels, lizard lounges and bumblebee hotels, visit www.stuff.co.nz.
Bees and pollinators are still about in winter. Include flowering trees and shrubs in your garden to supply nectar. Tree fuchsia, fivefinger, wattle and sasanqua camellias cover the winter hunger gap.
GIVE ANNUALS THE CHOP FOR MORE BLOOMS
Harden your heart and nip off the first blooms of annuals, pinching back leggy stems to a sprouting node further down. It’s hard to do this, especially when the flowers are the only the colour showing in a mass of weed seedlings. But it’s worth it in the long run as two new stems will grow from the node you cut back to and you will end up with a sturdier, compact plant with more flowers.
Tidy up around winter annuals too. Little annual weed seedlings and self-sown cleome and cosmos seedlings like those pictured don’t need to be completely removed. Just pretend that they’re a green crop. Uproot with a hoe or wire weeder and leave them where they fall. They will soon disappear. If the garden club is visiting or appearances matter, just cover with a sprinkling of mulch. Hoeing around the flower bed and the vegetable patch not only keeps the weeds down, it also provides aeration and helps saturated soil dry out. Just be careful not to damage any delicate feeder roots near the surface. Treat your winter bloomers to regular doses of slightly-warmed, diluted seaweed fertiliser or worm tea. It’s not too late to plant more annuals for winter and spring flowers. Choose seedlings rather than seeds for a faster result. Have a look at the potted colour and seedling displays at your garden centre as they should be selling plants suitable for the season in your area. Try Iceland poppies, cineraria, snapdragons, stocks, sweet peas, sweet william, pansies, violas, Primula malacoides, primroses, polyanthus, alyssum and nemesia. Protect from snails and slugs and provide frost protection if needed.
STOP ALGAE DEAD IN ITS TRACKS
Warm weather and lots of rain has led to a moss and algae population explosion. Keeping outdoor furniture clean helps keeps the paint in good condition and prevents the wood from deteriorating. Plus you won’t get green smears on your clothes when you take a seat. Scrub with soapy water and rinse with the hose. Spray or wipe down with a diluted solution of bleach to slow down the return of this creeping green invasion. Remember to clean underneath as well! This chair didn’t look too bad on the top, but there was a snail colony encamped in the mossy fernery flourishing below. Put furniture that won’t be used during winter under cover if you can so it won’t get damaged.