Category: Nature

Is Ours A Loveless County?

A loveless county?

Is ours a loveless county? Judging by the records of Mistletoe growing in the Vale of Glamorgan, you might think so. The wildlife database, Aderyn, only has two records for the Vale of Glamorgan – one in Wenvoe and two in Dinas Powys. The photo shows the one in Wenvoe. Of the two in Dinas, one has gone when the branch it was growing on collapsed but there are two clumps growing on an apple tree which appear to be in good health. Mistletoe is usually associated with apple trees but also grows on Hawhorn, Poplar and many other tree species. The Wenvoe clump is growing on an Acer which is uncommon but not unknown.

There is plenty of Mistletoe in Cardiff, particularly around Llandaff and near the Taff where it mainly grows on Poplar. With all the orchards that used to grow in the Vale one might have expected there to be more around and we have asked via Facebook for people to get in touch if they know of other locations. At time of writing we are following up some leads and will keep you informed. If you know of cases, do get in touch with the Wenvoe Wildlife Group with photos. Mistletoe can get confused with larger bird nests or tree growths such as galls.

Some gardeners believe that Mistletoe kills trees. It is a parasite (strictly speaking hemiparasitic) but it would require a very heavy infestation to do any serious damage. But benefits are that birds enjoy the sticky berries and some species, like the Mistletoe Weevil, are mainly associated with it. It can either be male or female but it is only the female plants that bear berries and then only if they have been pollinated by a male plant nearby. You can use berries bought at Christmas on Mistletoe to try to propagate it on existing mature trees but generally only a few seeds will germinate. But still worth having a go! That was how the Wenvoe Mistletoe got there.

 

Tuckers Spring Plant Sale

 

TUCKERS’

SPRING PLANT SALE

Saturday 69th April
Once again, by popular demand, the Tuckers will be holding a Spring Plant Sale on the drive at 29 Vennwood Close on Saturday 29 April. So please mark the date and come to snap up some garden bargains.

You can choose your plants, browse a few local craft tables and buy a slice or two of home made cake. We will be joined by other local gardeners and there will be lots of free gardening advice on offer. (If you are interested in having a table to sell your plants please get in touch.) There will also be the usual raffle with good quality prizes and proceeds will go to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group to help enable them to continue with their excellent work in and around the village. Wenvoe Wildlife Group will have a table and will be able to answer questions and give information about their work.

Come and have a chat and pick the Village Gardener’s brains. We’re looking forward to seeing you all.

 

What An Outing !

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT TEAM

What an outing on our first meeting of the year!

Before we got going a concerned citizen reported that suspicious activity was afoot at the church. We voted for Ian to go and investigate, as he was nearest. All ok though as the gentleman was investigating a problem with the roof. Neighbourhood Watch proved its worth.

The team then found a series of small holes on the village green. We thought at first folk had been metal detecting but as it turned out Brenig Davies and Gareth Sing Song had been settling their differences after the Christmas carol service and lost an earring in the melee. To make amends for his behaviour, Gareth collected litter all along Old Port Road.

We did plant three gifted trees, a couple of roses and some bulbs before departing. It was heart-warming to see a daffodil out on a lovely morning.

Our next meeting will be on 13th February at 9.30am by the Community Centre.

 

Hedge Laying Course

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Three members of the Group attended the hedge laying course organised by the Vale Local Partnership team and found it very valuable. It was originally scheduled to take place in our Community Orchard but this was flooded so the venue was switched to Cosmeston. It is still planned to layer the hedge by our Community Orchard but this will depend on the floodwater receding.

 

 

Rita and Elizabeth’s Advice

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

This month Rita Edwards and Elizabeth Jones give us the benefit of their gardening knowledge.

Rita

  1. Separate clumps of snowdrops while in the green as they will naturalise better.
  2. Prune hedges before the birds start nesting.
  3. Check fences for broken posts and loose panels.
  4. Prune wisteria back to 2 or 3 buds.
  5. Cut back perennials that were left protecting the crown of the plant.

 

Elizabeth

  1. Make sure that the mower is serviced before mowing begins in earnest.
  2. Do repairs to paths on dry days.
  3. Sow sweet peas.
  4. Strimmer line will keep its strength if stored in water, honestly.
  5. Seaweed is a brilliant fertiliser, just make sure you wash the salt off first.

 

Right then gardeners, you can be sure that plants are going to cost quite a bit more this Spring due to high heating and fertiliser costs which the nurseries have to pass on to the garden centres, who in turn pass this on to customers. So, start saving by sowing seeds. We have to heat our homes, and windowsills make an ideal spot to produce seedlings. Cosmos, sweet peas, kale and tomatoes will thrive on a warm sill. Just cover at night to keep the chill off. This is the one time you need to use properly prepared fresh compost with a bit of perlite added for drainage. This will help prevent damping off which is a fungal disease that can wipe out trays of seedlings. The main causes of damping off spreading are low light and poor air flow.

Outside, the garden seems to need attention everywhere you look. Now is a good time to move deciduous shrubs that this year, with fresh eyes, seem to be in the wrong place. Prune mahonia and winter flowering heathers. Cut back buddleia and elder down to the base. This will help keep them a reasonable size. Cut back the overwintered fuchsias, check on any plants that may have become dislodged in the inclement weather. There is still time to purchase bare root shrubs. This month is the latest you should be pruning apple trees. Most apple trees produce fruit on short stems that sprout on old wood, while a few fruit on long shoots produced just the year before. Check to see which type you have before pruning or you may end up with no fruit at all. The important thing is to have an open aspect by thinning out the middle to allow a good air flow and increase light. This will help to keep disease at bay.

Keep deadheading the pansies to prolong the flowering. The one thing that needs to be done every time you go into the garden besides weeding is to look in crevices and under pots for slugs and snails as everyone you deal with now is going to increase the number of buds that will develop in Spring.

Take care and happy gardening

Mrs Tiggy Winkle

Mrs Tiggy Winkle

Mrs Tiggy Winkle will be a familiar name to most of you but Beatrix Potter’s character is just one appearance of a hedgehog in literature. Shakespeare often referred to them although mostly less than flatteringly; and you can find them turning up worldwide in stories, even as far afield as Mongolia. But what if the only hedgehogs the children knew were from books and poems – the live animals having become extinct?

Hedgehogs have been around for 15 million years, far longer than modern humans and are one of the oldest species of mammal on the planet. But they are in decline and are classed as vulnerable with around 50% lost in the countryside since 2000 alone. But the news is a bit better in our towns and cities where they have ‘only’ dropped by 30%. They are regularly seen in some Wenvoe gardens and there are many things you can do to help them survive and prosper such as:

Create access holes in your fences so they can move from garden to garden. These are known as hedgehog highways.

Hedgehogs can swim but can get stuck in steep-sided ponds. Ensure your pond has a shallow side or place a log or plank in it that they can use as a ladder.

Avoid using slug pellets or other chemicals.

Many are injured by strimmers, so check the area first and move them if you find any.

Check bonfires before you light them for the same reason.

Make or buy a hedgehog house which can be used for hibernating in winter or shelter in summer.

Give supplementary food such as cat or dog food especially before or after hibernating. Also provide water but never put out bread or milk.

Create a wild section in your garden including piles of leaves which will also benefit other wildlife.

Get all the family involved and register with PTES (Peoples Trust for Endangered Species) as a Hedgehog Champion.

Help to ensure that Mrs Tiggy Winkle is not, like the Dodo, just a distant memory.

 

The Tuckers Raised £1,155

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Our thanks, as always, to the Tuckers who raised £1,155 for the Wildlife Group from the Reindeer sale. Thanks also to those of you who donated raffle prizes or bought tickets, manned or purchased items from stalls, or who helped out in other ways. One of our first purchases will be a new bench for the Community Orchard which has been missed by many of you when the first one disintegrated. Also taking place between the 11th and 15th January is a hedgelaying course at the Community Orchard. The instructor will be doing preparation work for the first three days and the course then runs on the 14th and 15th. At least three members of the Group have registered for the course which will not only pass on this ancient skill but should tidy up what has become a quite unruly hedge.

 

Let’s Hope For Some Kind Weather

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Happy New Year. Let’s hope for some kind weather to give us a good start to the year.

We start the year off with some tips from people who in their own way have left their own mark on the area.

Gareth “top banana” Lewis of Twyn yr Odyn.

  1. Plant chilli seeds in a propagator as they need a long season to bear fruit
  2. If you are lucky enough to find a tasty tomato while shopping, keep some seeds and with a bit of luck they will make good plants.
  3. Start chitting some potatoes but keep out of direct sunlight, which should be easy at this time of year.
  4. Don’t garden by date, garden by the conditions.
  5. Sort out all your seed packets before the rush to plant comes along.

Silver fox, Parry “Barista” Edwards

  1. It’s January, stay in, you will do no good traipsing over the lawn.
  2. Order some more seed and plant catalogues.
  3. Try to buy British and help keep plant diseases out of the UK.
  4. Keep a garden diary as a reference.
  5. If you do insist on venturing out, be careful as no one wants to end up in A & E.

Wet and cold January weather makes looking at the garden from a window the best option. On an occasional nice day a bit of weeding always helps but be careful of emerging bulbs. Planning for the seasons to come is always a good idea, as when the growing season starts we will only have time for the usual jobs. If you need help with the physical side of any plans you may have, get in touch with landscapers early. If you are worried about whether they will be any good talk to people who have had work done or ask at British Soil for their approved contractor list. Make sure that you can reach the middle from either side of any new beds or borders that you build. A common fault is to plant too near the edge of borders. You can be sure that the label on the plant you decide to put in will not mean much once it’s been planted and fed: they always get bigger in good growing conditions.

As gardeners we are encouraged to leave an area for wildlife. This doesn’t have to look unsightly or to be occupied with bee hotels and hedgehog houses from garden centres where you’ll need a mortgage and a good credit rating to buy them. A few holes drilled in a log for bees and a small covered dry area for the hedgehogs will suffice. Wenvoe has a plethora of these spiny mammals as a lot of residents make provision for them and one of the best things to do is have a hole at the bottom of your fence to allow them access to more gardens. A wildflower area can seem like a good idea, just make sure to find a packet that has flowers for both Spring and Summer which will give you a longer season.

A few years ago, the village had an Open Garden Day which was very well received. Glenys and I are planning to organise one this year and if you are interested there will be more details in the February issue of What’s On and on Facebook on the Wenvoe Community Support Group page.

Take care and happy gardening

Think About Homes For Wildlife

Think About Homes For Wildlife

Now is a good time to be thinking about installing homes for wildlife. You can often buy them cheaply on-line or at the budget supermarkets. Alternatively, they can be constructed at home quite simply with instructions found easily online. For example, the RSPB website tells you how to build both birdboxes and bug hotels. Birds will start looking for potential nesting locations quite early in the season – just remember to site them away from spots that are very sunny as the nestlings might get too hot. Also, they should be placed where cats cannot get at them. In contrast, bug hotels should be located in the sunniest spot in your garden. These will be used by solitary bees which are usually no threat to man or beast.

No harm in putting out hedgehog homes although most of them will already be hibernating; can also be found online or in garden centres. The advice is to find a spot in your garden which is quiet, dry, sheltered and shady and avoid the entrance facing north as this will be colder. A number of gardens in the middle of Wenvoe have occupied hedgehog homes and whilst there are only so many hedgehogs to go around, you could be lucky.

 

Gardening in December

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

This month’s tips come from the most popular person on the planet at this time of year – Father Christmas

  1. When we get on in years the main gift we want for Christmas is our health. That’s why the other presents dry up.
  2. Please send letters to me, otherwise you will end up with socks and another scarf.
  3. Families cannot fathom why you would want a roll of bubble wrap but stick to your guns.
  4. Don’t tell the friends and relatives that you can’t help with the clearing up after the Christmas dinner because you need to water the allotment, they won’t believe it.
  5. If friends buy you a year’s magazine subscription, don’t expect it to continue indefinitely.
  6. Unlike myself you only have to wear your Christmas jumper this month, so go for it – you know you want to.
  7. Before the big day make a space in the shed and when the partner asks you why, just say you’re expecting a sizeable gift. Disclaimer, it doesn’t always work.
  8. Don’t take your new gloves to the allotment in January as the conditions will make them unusable for the rest of the year.
  9. Give yourself a bit of extra time to think about New Near resolutions, that way some might be achievable.
  10. Gardeners are a sociable lot and have many friends. Just give a thought to those on their own. Loneliness is miserable.

 

Although we haven’t had any significant frosts in our area before Christmas for a couple of years it is still best to insulate the greenhouse, replace any broken glass and use a clear flexible mastic on loose panels. A single layer of polythene beneath the glass will reduce the amount of sunlight able to get in by 10%, which at this time of year should not affect the

plants. We need to have all pots that are outside, up off the floor to allow drainage. Watering will be at a minimum at this time of year, so it may be a good idea to empty out water butts and leave upside down. With high winds guaranteed, check that any trellis is safe and that plant stakes are fit for purpose.

Bare root plants are available now and are good value compared to potted ones. Plant them up as soon as they arrive but they won’t need a feed. Apple trees, vines and acers can be pruned now. If you wait, they may start to bleed which can make them susceptible to diseases. Take hard wood cuttings from now until late winter. Gardener’s World magazine says most deciduous plants will take but some evergreens, such as cotoneaster and holly, are also worth trying. Just take off the soft growth and cut above a bud, then cut just below a bud anything from 6 – 12 inches from the top and stick in a pot or the ground leaving a third above ground. These are going to have to stay put until next Autumn then you can move them to either their own pot or a patch of ground. Blackspot on hellebores is a problem at present. Pull the infected leaves off but don’t compost them; put them in the bin. While you’re dealing with this remove some of the lower leaves to show off the flowers.

At the allotment Bernard will be on hand for any advice you may need over the winter period. There will be a lot of netting rolled out to protect brassicas from hungry pigeons. People who put onion sets in will have to place them quite deep or birds will pull them out and they only do this to annoy you.

A big thank you to all who contributed to this page (whether they wanted to or not) over the past year and to the What’s On team for giving me space in the magazine.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

from the village gardener.

 

1 … 8 9 10 11 12 … 33