Despite the ongoing unprecedented dry, spring is in the air and is showing us that it will be beautiful one way or another.
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There will be some damage, fewer flowers or the flowers and fruits are smaller.
Plants naturally respond to warmer temperatures and/or increasing day length, and they will find a way to grow, flower and fruit regardless.
Already the ornamental pears, crab apples, plums and cherries are putting on a show, and many have had next to no water since the last falls of rain in July.
These small trees certainly help lift the spirits when they are in full blossom.
A few September jobs
- Any weeds that are reasonably large now will have been growing surreptitiously underground for the last few months and will have well-established root systems that will expedite them going straight to seed when the weather warms up. Keeping on top of the weeds now will save headaches later!
- Lift large clumps of snowdrops when they have finished flowering and divide the bulbs before replanting.
- Divide chrysanthemum clumps and discard old stems.
Spring catalogues have arrived in the post, and seedlings are in the nurseries.
It is hard not to be tempted by the delights that the photos promise, so try to do a little research before committing your hard-earned dollars to something that may not be the best choice for your garden or for our climate here.
Some catalogues and websites use the term "temperate" to describe regions that plants are suitable for.
These areas may extend from Western Victoria or even Adelaide to as far north as Toowoomba and include areas that do not experience anywhere near the cold that Armidale does.
Similarly labels on some plants in nurseries do not give any hint that they may not survive temperatures even slightly below zero.
If you are unsure, ask for assistance at the nursery, borrow some information from the library, or have a look on the internet.
Better still, come along to the Armidale Garden Club meetings and ask your questions.
There are usually plenty of questions and there is always someone in the group who knows the answers!
The next meeting of the Armidale Garden Club is on September 26 at 7pm in the Uniting Church Youth Club Hall. Everyone is welcome, just come along!
