March 2023
KIA ORA, WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR FOR THE HURUNUI GARDEN FESTIVAL.
Welcome to March 2023!
Hello to you all from the Hurunui Garden Festival Team.
We are excited to be back into another year and looking forward to our Garden Festival which is on this year from Thursday 26th October to Sunday 29th October. Our gardeners are already making plans and preparing to see you all in October so put the dates in your diary and we will keep you informed each month on what is going to be happening at the festival and when you will be able to buy your tickets to come.
March is officially the start of AUTUMN.
Hopefully the sun has not gone away too far for us to not have a few more warm days. Make the most of the outdoors while the sun shines as it seems to be slightly crisper in the mornings already. Autumn is one of the best times to plant in your garden. Our garden owners are doing just that so you will be able to see some of their work when you come to visit the festival in October.
Some tips from Anita Todd at ‘Saddlewood’, Hawarden
Growing Ranunculus
In the past few years, I have grown ranunculus here at Saddlewood. If tended well, this plant keeps going for several weeks over springtime and provides an incredible display of gorgeous blooms. They are great for picking and will stay fresh for days in their vase. I have learned a couple of ‘tricks of the trade’ which may help you grow strong and tall ranunculus. The extra work you do now in autumn, will secure you the same joy I have when they burst forth in October.
Chilling – yes it does help! Pop the claws in a chiller for around a month before you intend to plant out. Bringing them out after this, helps end their dormancy and gives them a kick start to wake up.
Soak in cool water – place the tubers in water for an hour or two. It is amazing how they swell quite quickly.
Either place in their positions in the garden (claws downwards) or start in trays with a general potting mix. I like to grow them in trays first. This ensures I can monitor moisture and protect from the severest conditions of winter.
Feed, feed, feed. They love Blood and Bone, Bulb Food or a general fertilizer. They are hungry little things, so don’t forget to feed those babies from the time you plant and throughout their growing and display time.
To get those stems tall and strong, I plant them in a semi-shaded area. Planting in block areas gives a tremendous eye-catching effect.
I often get asked if they must be lifted and dried at the end of their season. I do know some people treat them like annuals and throw away at the end of spring. The claws do tend to rot if they sit in wet soil for too long.
I find they perform better if lifted each year. I can check over the claws as they multiply and grow stronger. Anything looking a bit weak gets thrown out.
For the conditions we experience in North Canterbury, it is worthwhile to lift, dry out and store away so they are ready and rearing to go when autumn arrives again.
Once again welcome back everyone to another year of our Hurunui Garden Festival Newsletter. We look forward to keeping you updated with what is coming up leading up to October when we would love to see you all visit our gardens and enjoy the beauty and hard work which our gardeners have put into showcasing them to you.
REMEMBER THE DATES OCTOBER 26TH - 29TH
Sponsors
We are also very grateful to our sponsors. Without their support we would not be able to bring you this wonderful event. Our sponsors are listed below and on our website and we ask that you support those who support us. Thank you.
As our sponsors support us please support them where ever possible.
