Modern technology a garden aid

BE PART OF THE FIGHT AGAINSTMYRTLE RUST

If you have a smart phone, be part of this citizen science project, mapping potential host plants and monitoring them periodically for signs of the disease myrtle rust. Download the Myrtle Rust Reporter app (available on iPhone and Android) and record a dozen potential host plants in your community (there’s a list in the app but pohutukawa, ramarama, northern and southern rata and manuka are all at risk). Inspect these plants regularly for any of the telltale yellow spores on new growth. If you find any, don’t touch, but take a photo, submit it through the app and then call MPI on 0800 809966. The biosecurity officer on the phone will be able to see and assess the photo you sent. ‘‘New Zealand is a big place and myrtle rust has tiny little spores, so we need to make sure we cover as much of the country as possible,’’ says entomologist Dr Steve Pawson who’s part of the team behind the initiative. - Jo McCarroll

LIQUID DIET FOR BETTER ORCHIDS

Ive been chuffed that my moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) rebloom reliably but it turns out there’s more I should be doing for even better results. I use Orchid Tucker from Tucker’s Orchid Nursery to feed my orchids but have trouble dissolving it, so when I spotted Ross and Susan Tucker’s stand (above) at the NZ Flower & Garden Show, I asked for help. Susan recommends adding 1 teaspoon Orchid Tucker to 5 litres of hot water and letting it stand overnight or for a few days until it’s all dissolved. There are three sorts of Orchid Tucker. Moth Orchid Tucker can be used all year round. It has high levels of potassium which promote flowering. Ross Tucker says it’s great for tomatoes too. For dendrobiums and cymbidiums use Growing Orchid Tucker from October or November, then in January or February change to Flowering Orchid Tucker because that’s when the plants start making the flowers that will bloom later in the year. At their NZ Flower & Garden Show stand the Tuckers had a glorious display of moth orchids in so many colours and sizes with all sorts of patterns. Ross says it’s a shame that there are usually only white ones and maybe one other variety on offer at florists when there are so many more available. The Tuckers now grow their moth orchids in sphagnum moss rather than bark. The moth orchid (pictured above) is planted in a glass terrarium with a layer of stones beneath the moss holding the orchid roots. The arrangement is topped off with the Spanish moss tillandsia. Ross says it’s easier to tell when they need watering just by sticking a finger into the moss, which should be keep moist. Over summer, orchids in bark may need watering every second day or every two to three weeks over winter. I didn’t like to confess that I’ve been so concerned about over watering that I’m far more stingy than that. I resolved to race home and repot (above) my collection of rescue orchids (saved when they’re abandoned once their flowers are finished). Barbara Smith

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

Any garden grooming done now will set you up for a more relaxed time during Christmas and New Year entertaining. Some jobs like major weed purges are best done a week or so before party time. Garden beds look a bit bare and trampled after serious weeding and need time to fill out again. Water thoroughly and mulch thickly. Not only does it look good, you’ll also help the garden beds to look after themselves when you go away. Trim hedges lightly to maintain a crisp look. Mow the lawn (on the highest setting at this time of year) and neaten the edges. Sweep the paths and scrub or water blast if needed. Wash the outside of the house, especially any cobwebs under the eaves and clean the windows. Remember to give the birdbath a clean too. Cast a critical eye over the garden working area / shed / dumping ground. Could it do with a tidy up and a toss out? Get rid of

GET GROWING

This column is adapted from the weekly e-zine, get growing, from New Zealand Gardener magazine. For gardening advice delivered to your inbox every Friday, sign up for Get Growing at: getgrowing.co.nz any places water can collect and stagnate as that’s where mosquitoes breed. Stay on top of the watering – paying extra attention to containers. Put up outdoor lights everywhere. Solar bud lights are cheap and easy to install as there’s no hassle with power points. Choose from long straight strings or multi-branched sets for trees and pergolas. Keep deadheading roses, annuals and perennials. It’s amazing how regular grooming freshens the look of the garden, plus you’ll stimulate another flush of flowers. Fill any gaps with potted colour. - Barbara Smith