Category: Nature

What About The Other Swifts?

What About The Other Swifts?

Many people are very excited by Swift – well, Taylor Swift, to be precise. But what about the other Swifts?

The poet Ted Hughes wrote:

A bolas of three or four wire screams

Jockeying across each other

On their switchback wheel of death.

They swat past, hard-fletched

We seemed to wait an age this year for our Swifts, House Martins and Swallows to return but they made it in the end. Our Swifts have flown from sub- Saharan Africa, a journey of some 3,500 miles each way. They eat, sleep and mate on the wing only pausing to nest – some can go for 10 months without landing anywhere. They are more closely related to Hummingbirds than Swallows and can fly at speeds over 100mph. They typically live for 10 to 20 years and have been known to make it to 30. If you want to help them consider putting up a Swift nest box. They can be purchased or you can make them with some simple carpentry. Alternatively you can now buy Swift bricks which can be incorporated into brick structures, which look very neat and require no maintenance.

 

The Humble Hoe Is Your Best Friend

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

The Humble Hoe Is Your Best Friend 

The humble hoe is your best friend when it comes to keeping weeds under control during the Summer. On dry days just run the hoe between your flowers or veg beds. Not doing this at least a couple of times a week will leave you wondering where all the plants have gone. As we soon realise, weeds grow at a phenomenal pace at this time of year.

Another important task is dead heading, this is so important to keep the flowers producing new blooms. Not doing this will make the plant think its task is done and it will stop flowering. Pick as many sweet peas as you can for the house, the more you pick the more they flower. Cut back hardy geraniums now and they will produce another display before the season ends. Sunflowers definitely produce bigger blooms with a bit of tomato fertiliser fed to them. Wisteria can be cut back to within 8 inches of the main stems.

If you’re cleaning the weed from your pond, leave it on the side for a while, to allow any life form to return to the water.

There are some lovely gardens in and around the village. The way they keep them so nice is an absolute credit to them. Lyn and Sid Cottle always put on a good display even when people try to prevent them. The Warrior and his wife in Greave Close love their garden and it shows. Heather and Charlie put a lot of effort into their outdoor space which reflects their personality.

Allotments and veg gardens are bursting with produce. Strawberries, raspberries, peas, potatoes etc are all ready for harvesting. Be prepared to share your produce with the wildlife if you haven’t put in measures to prevent their invasion. Time now to fill empty spaces by planting Kale, carrots and some potatoes and these will be ready for Christmas.

A big problem will be with potatoes. If we have damp weather, there will almost certainly be blight which can ruin your crop. There will be dark blotches on the leaves starting at the tips, if you see this then immediately remove the foliage and put in your green bags for the council to dispose of. Do not compost it because, unlike the council you will not be able to get the heap hot enough to destroy the organism. The potatoes can then be used but will not store well. Do clear any debris up thoroughly. There are some things you can do to minimise the problem. Firstly, plant as early as you can so that harvesting can be done before blight hits. Secondly, when planting, space out the tubers to give the foliage more room which will allow air to flow between the plants. If you need to water the potatoes, try to keep the foliage dry. These methods work well in your back garden but on an allotment, you need everyone singing off the same hymn sheet.

The Village Show is on 7th September so please enter some produce to show off your prowess.

Take care and happy gardening

 

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

Dillwyn Davies Memorial

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Dillwyn Davies Memorial

 

The team met on the village green to keep weeds and thorns at bay. This time of year, it’s a game of catch up. What with hospital and doctors’ appointments, the visits from carers and podiatrists and their outings with the Silver Foxes, it’s a wonder they can find the time, but the lads are always willing to give an hour or so to help keep the village tidy. Our lead singer Edwardsville Gareth told everyone who would listen which party they needed to vote for on July 4th. It seemed we didn’t have a choice.

The boys decided to remember the bravery of those who were there on D Day, by putting up a stone and plaque in memory of Dillwyn Davies from Wenvoe. He came through the horror of that day to tell his story. The stone is in a quiet corner of the village green. Those of us who knew Dillwyn, will remember a quiet peaceful man

Our team will meet next on 8th July. The destination is secret at present, as we don’t want fans bothering our lead singer.

 

So Much To Be Getting On With

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

So Much To Be Getting On With

As always there is so much to be getting on with in our gardens. Regular watering is another task to add this time of year, along with weeding and feeding. All this is essential to make the best of our displays. Hanging baskets will need feeding every week and watering every day. There never seems enough time to sit and enjoy the garden during the growing season but that’s the way of gardening. Just being amongst the plants makes us feel better.

Now is the time to take cuttings from lavender, forsythia and fuchsias. Plant seeds of primroses and pansies for transplanting out in the autumn. Canterbury bells and foxglove seeds can be planted now for flowering next year. Seeds planted at this time of year take a bit more looking after as shallow seed trays seem to dry out very quickly.

Watering is key to success. We are advised by the RHS of the need to water wisely due to some areas of the UK having severe water shortages. They advise we water in the mornings as plants start to use water when the sun comes up, with the soil and foliage likely to stay drier for longer than when watering in the evening, which will discourage slugs snails and mildew diseases. When watering soak the soil well as light watering encourages root systems to reach towards the surface and as soon as the top of the soil dries out the plants will suffer. The less room a plant has to collect water the more water it needs as in containers or pots.

If the weather patterns continue with very long dry spells, we will need to consider the plants we buy and look for more drought tolerant varieties, which seems not in keeping considering we have just had the wettest spring on record. So it’s a water butt on every down pipe on every house with a garden in future.

The National Allotment Society advice on jobs for June. Hoe at every opportunity to remove weeds and break up the surface of the soil to allow water to soak in. Train in your climbing beans and continue to add sticks to the peas and water these well to get the pods to swell. Successional sowing of salad crops and sow winter cabbage seed. Use soapy water on any black fly or greenly. Cabbage root fly can be a problem, the fly lays her eggs in the soil close to the young plant. When transplanting put a collar of cardboard at the base of plant to prevent the laying of eggs. There are nematodes for this problem that destroy the larvae.

Take care and happy gardening

 

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

An Unusually Dry Morning

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

An Unusually Dry Morning

On a day when rained threatened to curtail any activity, a skeleton crew tidied up and replanted the flower beds at the memorial, with plants donated by Michelles nursery in Suffolk. . The missing members had excuses beyond belief. Big John announced that his wife had glued his hand to his foot so he couldn’t come out, Gareth (the gypsy wrangler) had by all accounts, been set in a bucket of concrete because of an altercation with ne’er-do-wells, Alan said he couldn’t find his way to our location, Martin tweeted that the dog was blocking the exit and Mark had claimed to have eaten too much cake at the plant sale on Saturday and wasn’t in the mood for activity.

Our next gathering will be on Monday 10th June at 9.30 to check on the pile of stones and get the rest of the concrete off Gareth. Bring a hammer.

 

Another Great Day At The Plant Sale

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Another Great Day At The Plant Sale

 

Another great day at the Plant Sale which generated over £1,600 for the Wildlife Group. Our thanks to Mike and Glenys Tucker for continuing to organise these events which not only raise funds but act as a social gathering for both residents and visitors. Shirley, Judith and Sian manned the Wildlife Group table so we are grateful to them along with all those who donated plants. Our appreciation to all of you who turned up on the day, bought plants and raffle tickets, donated raffle prizes and purchased the delectable cakes on offer. And well done, Geraint, for his great idea of having a bring and buy table for garden tools and pots with all proceeds to the Wildlife Group. We have had a big programme of noticeboard refurbishment in our orchards and the photo shows the completely rebuilt noticeboard in the Welsh Orchard

 

What Am I ?

What am I ?

 I breathe through my skin and have 5 pairs of simple hearts

 I am eaten by the Makiritare people of Venezuela, the Maori of New Zealand, the aborigines of Australia and Papua New Guineans

 Our ancestors were on the planet around 209 million years ago

 I am a keystone species; that means that without us humans would struggle to survive

 Sophie Smith, aged 10, charmed 567 of us in half an hour – a World Record

 I can live for 10 years or more

 I have been an ingredient in medicines for centuries

 Charles Darwin wrote a book about us which sold as many copies as The Origin of Species

 Our babies can move a weight 500 times heavier than their bodies. This is equivalent to a human pushing a Humpback Whale to one side

 Mucus from our bodies is often added to anti-wrinkle and skin regeneration cream

 We are so sensitive to sunlight that just an hour of daylight can paralyse us

 We are neither male nor female but both

 We can be as short as 1cm or as long as 3 metres

 Seeds that we have eaten and passed through our bodies are more likely to germinate

 The collective noun for us is a ‘clew’ from an Old English word meaning a ball of string

And for more fascinating insights read ‘The Book of the Earthworm’ by Sally Coulthard.

The image from Gower is Worms Head

 

Thanks for The Photos of the Wildlife Sightings

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Photos of the Wildlife Sightings

Our thanks to all residents who have sent in photos of their wildlife sightings including Bee Flies (see photo), Brimstone butterfly, Bumblebees and wildflowers Ivy -leaved Toadflax, Wild Arum, Lungwort and the rare Herb Paris. With the help of our wildlife cameras we have recorded 20 bird species and 5 mammals. These are all recorded on the South Wales Biodiversity database which can help to inform planning decisions and designate nature protection areas.

We have been mentoring Rosie Robyns who lives in the village and is doing the Welsh Baccalaureate. To help with one of her assignments she has carried out various activities with the Group and has designed 2 anti-litter posters which are being displayed on our noticeboards. Rosie writes: I had a wonderful experience with Bruce and Judy from the Wenvoe Wildlife Group. They were very kind and willing to help me with my community action project for the Welsh Baccalaureate. I had to complete 15 hours of community action that would benefit my community. Judy helped me gain experience whilst working within the orchards and showed how we can do little things to help keep their habitat clean. Bruce was also very informative and knowledgeable when it came to the orchards. He helped explain to me the types of trees and animals that live in the orchard. Overall they were really kind to give up their time to help me with my project. I would like to thank them for being so kind and welcoming towards me. It has motivated me to try and become more involved with the Wenvoe Wildlife Group in the future.”

Enter Two More Dragons In Your Garden

Enter Two More Dragons In Your Garden

Our next two Dragons in this Chinese Year of the Dragon are the Lizards. The most common in Wenvoe is the Slow Worm, neither a worm nor snake but a legless lizard. They are amazingly long-lived, amongst the longest-living lizards in the world, often reaching 30 years and known to exceed 50. They eat slugs, snails, worms and invertebrates and whilst they lay eggs these are held inside the body and hatch there so that the lizard gives birth to live young. If you have room in your garden for a small sheet of metal or old carpet tile you will often find all sorts of wildlife sheltering there including slow worms. Juveniles can look very different with gold, silver or copper-coloured sides and often have a dark stripe running along their back. They hibernate in old trees or underground. Then there is the Common or Viviparous Lizard which is fairly common throughout the UK although it has not been recorded in our Parish. It tends to be found in grasslands or heathlands and you are quite likely to see it if you venture out into higher land in South Wales and moors but also sand dunes. It can be up to 15 cms in length and, like the Slow Worm, gives birth to live young. One to look out for and, if you can get a photo, even better.

The Soil Is Now Warm Enough

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

The Soil Is Now Warm Enough

Whilst weeding the flower beds, a couple of passers-by advised me to let the dandelions flower as they were a good early source of nectar for pollinators. These pretty yellow flowers seem to turn into seed clocks in a matter of minutes, you would need to watch them like a hawk if you don’t want your garden covered in them by the end of the season. These broad-leaved weeds smother everything around them. Just try digging them up, it’s nearly impossible, especially when they get established. Your neighbours will not thank you for spreading these across their borders. A few years ago, the authorities dug up 12,000 sq. metres of verge around Wenvoe, where weeds (wildflowers) were in their element.

Slugs are out in force now so protect the young shoots of hostas, lupins and delphiniums. Some of the new shoots of delphiniums and lupins can be cut off at the base, then potted up and put in a plastic bag, these Basel cuttings root easily and are a great way of getting more plants at little cost. The new leaves of roses will benefit from a fungicide spray now to prevent black spot and rust, before it can get established. If you follow the advice given by tv gardeners to wait until April before cutting hydrangeas back, they will give a better display. Cut them back to a new shoot.

This month the people at Greenmoor nurseries will be planting up their hanging baskets. These will stay undercover until established. Don’t put these outside until late May at the earliest, or they will go back and not give their best. As with potted up plants they will need a regular feed and consistent watering throughout the season, along with deadheading to keep them flowering.

And so it begins, the annual fight at the allotments between man and beast. This spectacle goes on until the end of the season. The young plants have been nurtured by the growers then planted in the hope of providing produce. On the other side we have the foe – slugs, snails, mice, rabbits and birds all vying for their bit. Runner beans are one of the favourites of both man and beasts, we like them in a dish smothered in butter, but the pests love them as they come out of the soil. Onion sets planted in neat rows are scattered about by the birds looking to see what’s underneath. There is still time to plant more peas to make sure you get at least some to cook as the mice will have decimated the first planting. Carrots planted earlier to avoid the carrot root fly need to be thinned out, allowing those remaining to grow on so the rabbits can have their fill.

Remember don’t be greedy when planting potatoes, it’s tempting to cram them in. If you do there will be no air flow between the foliage, and they will be more susceptible to blight.

Next month the Tuckers Spring plant sale will take place at the Church Hall on 11th May so if you have some extra plants you’d like to sell, this would be a good opportunity. There will be a raffle with proceeds going to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group and homemade cakes sold by the slice to take away or enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. See you there.

Take care and happy gardening

 

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

1 2 3 … 37