Frangipanis reward careful seasonal care, while autumn is the perfect time to plant berries and harvest orchard fruit, writes gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.
Frangipani, or plumeria, is a tropical plant grown indoors through cooler months and outside in pots over summer.
Though sometimes fickle to establish, once thriving it prefers to be left undisturbed.
Frangipanis are valued for their lush foliage and beautifully scented flowers, which appear in shades of white, cream, yellow, pink and red. The blooms are ideal for floating in a water bowl indoors, offering a simple alternative to a vase display.
The key to keeping these plants healthy through winter in our region is to stop watering once the weather cools and leaves drop. Watering should resume in spring, along with a light application of slow-release rose fertiliser to encourage flowering.
Flower clusters form at the tips of branches, so minimal pruning will produce plenty of blooms, while full sun helps achieve larger flowers.
Frangipanis can be affected by rust on their leaves. Remove affected foliage or treat with a copper-based spray. Repotting is best done in early spring using a succulent mix or a general-purpose potting mix improved with sand.
Cuttings can be taken in warmer months using stems about 30cm long. Leave them in the shade for a few weeks, then place into sharp sand to strike. Once roots develop, plant them out.
BEFORE soils cool completely, last-minute planting can include blueberry bushes. Autumn planting avoids damage to delicate spring flowers, which can be lost in transit. Blueberries prefer acidic, well-drained soil and grow well in pots. Pine needles make an excellent mulch, helping retain moisture while maintaining low soil pH.
IN the orchard, the main task now is harvesting apples and pears. Apples are ready when they develop a blush, release a light fragrance, and come away easily when twisted. Cut fruit should reveal brown or black seeds. Birds are also a reliable indicator, so consider netting the lower part of trees while leaving some branches for wildlife.
Pears are also ripening. These long-lived trees are both productive and ornamental, though some varieties require a pollinator.
Choosing a variety depends on taste preferences. Trixie, a miniature European pear, is compact at around 1.8 metres, self-fertile and produces heavy crops, making it easy to net.
Nashi pears can cross-pollinate with each other, so planting more than one can improve yield. For consistent production, a self-fertile tree is recommended, with fruit expected within two to three years.
Pears enjoy similar conditions to apples and benefit from a small amount of boron around the roots to prevent fruit disorders such as lesions or internal corking.
Jottings
- Last chance to get sweet peas in the ground.
- Reduce watering dahlias as the soils cool.
- Move sensitive plants under cover before the frosts arrive.
- Foliar feed winter vegetables.
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