Spring Gardening Tips in Canterbury This Spring is following a typical weather pattern with warm westerlies and brief cold southerlies, which have not yet provided enough rain to meet the annual average. The cold North-Easterlies typical of Christchurch Spring have not been prevalent so far, which may indicate a milder season. Now is the time […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – October 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

Spring Gardening Tips in Canterbury Has Spring arrived? It certainly seems so, with some of my fruit trees already in bloom (perhaps a bit early for some), daffodils in full flower, and the grass growing steadily. All the signs point to an early start to Spring, but as we know, the weather is fickle and […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – September 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

Winter gardening Tips in Canterbury This month we will notice that the days are getting longer, so we hope that the weather will also begin to get warmer. July has been a month with many dull and cold days, with single-digit temperatures, so I have spent very few hours in the garden or greenhouse. I […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – August 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

Winter gardening Tips in Canterbury I have been busy this past month giving talks to garden clubs both in town and out in the country. What I have seen is a very dry province. June was frosty with little rain to recharge the ground with much-needed water. The garden looks very bare with little colour. […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – July 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

This year, Winter has arrived earlier than usual with frosty days and snow in May. Although we haven't had the usual amount of rain, it remains to be seen what the rest of the Winter will bring. I've prepared my chrysanthemums, begonias, and dahlias for Winter by either lifting them or moving their pots into […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – June 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

May is the cleanup month in the garden, as the leaves are nearing the end of falling and most of the summer-flowering perennials have finished. Spring bulbs need to be finished being planted, and dahlias and tuberous begonias can now be lifted for the Winter. Lawns are still growing, and good weed and moss control […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – May 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

Autumn is a bustling season in the garden, marked this year by noticeable daytime temperature drops in March. Despite morning dews, rainfall remains scarce, leaving soil moisture notably low. This month is prime for lawn renovation in preparation for winter. Feeding, weed spraying, top dressing, and resowing yield optimal results while the soil remains warm […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – April 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

March signals the start of the change of seasons from Summer to Autumn. As the days become shorter, plant growth slows down, and the tasks around the garden turn towards preparing for the Winter ahead. Watering is needed as we are still in need of rain to keep up good soil moisture for growth and […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – March 2024 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

This month is the start of the Summer fruit season with berry fruits at their peak and stone fruit starting to ripen. With longer days and the warmer temperatures these fruits will ripen quickly so they must be looked at each day and are best picked in the cooler mornings before they get too hot. […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – December 2023 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more

As the Summer weather arrives many gardeners will be looking to navigate water restrictions and charges. Maximising the effectiveness of hand watering is crucial. In the past I've used NovaFlow drainage pipes, these can be buried near trees and shrubs and filled on permitted days or with collected rainwater. This is an efficient way to […] The post Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – November 2023 appeared first on Canterbury Horticultural Society ..read more