Category: Nature

Ladybirds

Ladybirds 

Many of you will have noticed large numbers of ladybirds congregating on the outside of houses. These come in many different colours and patterns but they are most likely to be the one species, the Harlequin Ladybird, which, as its name suggests, has a variegated colouring.

The one in the photo is plain orange but they come with spots, blotches and stripes – some even have 19 spots. An Asian species which first arrived in Britain in 2004, they have spread rapidly and are believed to out-compete our native species. Introduced into North America it is known as the Halloween Bug where it invades houses and is now the commonest species.

 

 

Gardening Tips for December

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Must Do Gardening Tips for December

Ex Wenvoe Cricket Club Captain Alan Grant has some tips for us.

  1. Do not make excuses for not getting out in the garden.
  2. Adapt the garden to the amount of work you are capable of.
  3. A water feature will add serenity to any garden.
  4. My main aim is to have colour in the borders for the whole year.
  5. Having an edge to the lawn really sets it off.

The Women’s Institute secretary Mrs Ewington has some reminders for Winter.

  1. Poinsettias will keep longer if the pot is allowed to dry out a bit before watering each time.
  2. Make sure the Amaryllis you were given for Christmas goes on display, as the gifter will check.
  3. Give those Christmas Hyacinths a good feed before they die back.
  4. Don’t forget to deadhead the violas and pansies. The displays will only get better from now on.
  5. Check for any dead or diseased plants amongst the ones you are over wintering.

 

At the Walled Garden, Victoria, who now heads the gardening team, has handed out the overwintering jobs to the staff which includes the insulation of ceramic pots with bubble wrap, water butts to be emptied in case of a severe frost to avoid cracking, and hose pipes stored away and taps covered.

The fuchsias in hanging baskets and containers that have been flowering right up to the end of November, can be kept for next year. Leave them in their planters and remove all leaves to cut down the risk of disease and store in a garage or shed. They do not need light and only very little water to stop them drying out completely. In the Spring cut them back hard and repot in fresh compost. Hellebores will soon be in flower. We can remove some of the lower hanging leaves to show off the blooms. Hellebores can suffer from blackspot so remove infected leaves and destroy. Forget-me-nots seem to pop up everywhere. A lot of people regard them as weeds as they have the ability to crowd out other plants, but they do bring some early spring colour. You need to thin them out or mildew will take hold and ruin the display.

What a year on the allotments; they have been well tended. The new plot holders have taken really good care of their patches and some are already digging trenches to fill with material to feed their runner beans next year. Old hand Herbie suggests moving leeks to the edge of allotments and heeling in. They will keep for ages like this, and you can then prepare the ground for next season. On one of the allotments, you will see a lot of compost bins; the owner uses these to excel in growing a variety of crops. He is a font of knowledge and very approachable, not like Herbie at all!

A big thank you to What’s On for letting me write this column for another year. We are fortunate to have a group of dedicated people who give their time to produce such an informative magazine.

Have a lovely Christmas. Take care and as always – happy gardening

 

 

Autumn Activities

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Autumn Activities

Our thanks to John Smith for cutting the Goldsland Orchard site. It is a lot tidier now and this will see us through until next Spring. We hope that gradually grass and wildflowers will replace the Bramble, Teasel, Dock and Burdock. VoGC have used their seed-harvesting machine to cut the Community Orchard on the Playing Fields. The seed has been gathered and will be distributed around the Vale to create new meadows. If you visit there regularly and have a minute to spare, the grass cuttings need raking up and piling around the fruit trees as a mulch. You will need to take your own rake over. Possibly also by the time you read this, the Upper Orchid Field will have had its annual cut by the contractor. A reminder to horse owners that this is a nature reserve and not for galloping through. Nor is there any bridleway access to this area – only footpaths.

Planting of Betony, Oxeye Daisy and Sneezewort has taken place at Cae Ysbyty on Goldsland Farm. The moth trap continues to register new species for the parish although as the nights get colder, fewer moths are on the wing. The photo shows the green Merveille du Jour which looks even better in colour. Check our Facebook pages for colour images. (and here )

The Barbastelle Bat project continues with deployment of detectors around Wenvoe. One detector in 3 weeks generated 36 Gigabytes of data! By November the bats will start to go into hibernation and may not emerge until April or May depending on the weather.

 

 

What, No Acorns? 

What, No Acorns? 

Have you noticed the lack of acorns this year? Robert Reader got in touch as he had noticed they were few and far between combined with large amounts of the husks of conkers lying around. So, what are the squirrels up to?

Last year, 2020, was a ‘mast’ year for acorns. ‘Mast’ derives from the Old English ‘maest’ which simply means the nuts of forest trees which have accumulated on the ground. We tend to use mast to mean years when there are a lot of them and this applied last year all over Britain. This year, the reverse applies and whether you are in Glamorgan, Somerset or Yorkshire people are reporting few if any acorns. Interestingly the Knopper Gall which distorts growing acorns and can often be found scattered on the pavement underneath the School oaks, are not to be found. The reasons behind mast years are varied including the weather but also may be linked to ensuring the continuation of the oaks by producing a bumper crop, many of which are buried by squirrels, birds and rodents. These are then followed by lean years which keeps the populations of small animals under control.

So with a shortage of acorns this year for the squirrels to bury are they turning to conkers? Well, yes and no. Conkers contains a poison which squirrels can detect if they try to eat them but this will not prevent their hoarding instincts from kicking in. So wherever you find loads of conker shells but no conkers you can assume that the squirrels have been carrying off the conkers and burying them. The net result will be loads of Horse Chestnut saplings next year!. More recently Sweet Chestnuts have been falling and the squirrels are losing no time in gathering these up. Grange Park is a good spot to see them in action.

A few things to look out for at the moment. Every garden seems to be festooned with spider webs, most of which will be the Garden Spider which can be quite a chunky size. And the Harlequin Ladybird is everywhere. These come in different patterns but they are larger than our familiar 7-spot Ladybird. They also move into houses and can be found in any gaps around doors and windows where they can gain access and spend the winter. Also check out the flowering Ivy which is all over the place in Wenvoe. If you see what looks like a wasp but has a hairy back it is probably the Ivy Bee which only arrived in Britain in 2001 so has made a good job of spreading around the country.

 

 

Gardening Tips for November

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Must Do Gardening Tips for November

What golf and gardening star Leslie Sherard will prioritise this month

  1. Newly potted Japanese maple must be kept in a sheltered spot over winter.
  2. Do not allow fallen rose leaves to stay on the soil, or blackspot will spread.
  3. Great time to buy bare root shrubs and hedging at lower prices.
  4. One still has time to pot up tulips.
  5. Must send off for seed catalogues.

Sandra Anstee of the famous gardening dynasty has some thoughts on patio gardening.

  1. Always buy the biggest pot or container you can afford, they won’t dry out so quickly.
  2. Keep pots off the ground during the Winter months to prevent waterlogging.
  3. Next Spring use cardboard and paper in the base of containers for runner beans to help retain the moisture.
  4. If you’re going to grow brassicas give them plenty of room to mature.
  5. Don’t buy tulip shaped pots as they are so difficult to empty if there is a big root ball.

 

Check For Wildlife

Please check for wildlife, especially hedgehogs before lighting your bonfire. The best way to avoid harming any wildlife is to build it on the day. If you do find a hedgehog, using gloves remove it with as much nesting material as possible and place in a high sided cardboard box and place well away from any heat or activity. The next day after things have cooled, place the hedgehog as near as you can to it’s previous home. Not all people show enough care when it comes to looking after our wildlife. When Archie Condick was asked what he would do if he found a hedgehog in the bonfire, he said,” take off the foil and give it another thirty minutes”. Only joking, he said leave the foil on.

Lawn mowers

There are always things to get on with even at this time of year. Mr Robbins will always make sure his lawn mower goes in for a service around now, as come Spring everyone sends their machine in and there is usually quite a wait for it to be returned. All of us with petrol run equipment need to be aware of the new fuel at filling stations. E10 is the standard fuel. E5 fuel has more plant based ethanol in it and you may need a fuel stabilizer to get it to work in your machines. It also has a shorter shelf life.

Young Shrubs

High winds and wet weather can mean a torrid time for young shrubs, especially those in pots. Even when you have cut them back to avoid them being damaged by the elements. Wind rock can move the main stem of the plant where it meets the soil, creating a gap where water can puddle and as the weather gets colder this can turn to ice, which can do irreparable damage to the crown of the plant. Prevent this by firming the soil around the stem and add soil if there is a dip.

Alpine Plants

Alpine plants do not appreciate being soaked continuously and will need a sheltered spot in wet weather. Joyce Hoy is the go-to lady on looking after alpines as she is with most things to do with gardening.

Pruning

Still busy on the allotments, where warden Colin is waiting for the first frost to lift his parsnips and Herbie is starting to make a raised bed to help his poor back. From now until February you can prune your apple and pear trees. Apple trees really benefit from an uncluttered form, so take out any diseased or crossing branches. Don’t prune plum trees now as they are susceptible to the silver leaf fungus. You need to wait until mid Summer to prune them.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

Watercress and Bats

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Watercress Beds at Goldsland Farm

We are delighted to welcome the Cardiff Rivers Group who specialise in opening waterways and who will be helping to clear the watercress beds at Goldsland Farm. This is a historic site with newspaper reports from mid-Victorian times telling how women would walk from Cardiff, gather the watercress and then walk back to sell it in the city. It is a haven for wildlife and watercress still grows there although eating it would not be recommended. Initial work will be to start to clear the vegetation and cut back the willows. Regular visitors will start to see changes in the coming weeks. The photo is a painting by Zoffany of a Watercress Seller.

Barbastelle  Bats

We continue with the Barbastelle project aimed at recording this rare bat which has yet to be found in the Vale of Glamorgan. So far large amounts of data have been analysed and there are plenty of bats, Pipistrelles, Noctules and Myotis species but no Barbastelles – but it is still early days. Visitors will start to see changes to both the Upper Orchid Field and the Community Orchard as annual cuts and seed-gathering machinery work their way through the sites

 

 

Hemiptera. or “Bugs” to You

“Bugs”

Some people call all insects bugs but ‘true’ bugs are of the order Hemiptera. All of these have piercing mouthparts designed for sucking juices from plants or animals. So, the following are not bugs – Ladybirds, beetles, earwigs, crickets, grasshoppers etc. There are 1,830 species of bug in Britain compared with just 59 resident species of butterfly.

Anyone with a garden with live plants, shrubs or trees will have bugs in them. Some are less than welcome such as aphids, but most bugs are harmless and often quite colourful. And they do have some wonderful names such Shieldbugs, Leatherbugs and Firebugs. There are Stiltbugs and Lacebugs – not to mention Bedbugs although hopefully you will not have encountered those! The Assassin Bugs hunt Bed bugs, Silverfish, Harvestmen and spiders. In the water you might find Pondskaters, Backswimmers and Water Boatmen. Then there are Froghoppers, Lacehoppers and Leafhoppers. Some have descriptive common names such as Stinkbugs and Squashbugs.

The Parent Shieldbug protects its offspring by sitting over the eggs before they hatch and then guarding the young nymphs. The photo shows a couple of Dock Bugs which could be found in large numbers down at the Watercress Beds in September. The Red-legged Shieldbug seems to have done well in Wenvoe this year and is often associated with Apple, Birch and Hawthorn.

So, look out for the ‘true’ bugs and unless they are aphids encourage them to flourish and they will repay you by keeping down some of the garden pests that might not be so welcome.

 

 

‘Musical’ Tips

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Must Do Gardening Tips for October

 

This month’s tips are from two musicians in Wenvoe.

Firstly, virtuoso

Mostyn Davies:

Every weed picked now will save ten in the Spring.

Leave hydrangea heads on to protect the plant from frost.

Give pots and containers a wash before storing.

Always leave gaps between potted shrubs to avoid disease.

Rake up leaves to keep the lawn clear.

60s Legend Brian ‘Guitar’ McConky :           

Bring potted plants next to the house to protect from wind.

Order your Spring plants now, to get the best selection.

Water butts should be covered to prevent leaves getting in.

Inspect crevices to look for snails starting to hibernate.

Ericacious feed for acid loving Spring flowering shrubs can still be applied now.

Autumn Gardens

Some will see Autumn gardens as a bit untidy, as plants start to die back, and leaves start falling. We can keep things in shape by removing dead plants but leaving things like alliums, poppies and grasses as they add structure to the borders. Penstemons are best left with their top growth intact until the Spring to help protect the crown of the plant in frosty conditions. Pelargoniums need to be brought in now, cutting them back to about 10cms. The pelargoniums lifted from borders should be potted up in moist compost and will not require much watering over the dormant period. Spreading mulch on the borders now will help protect tender plants and improve the soil structure. Gordon Jones of Belgrave house suggests a minimum of four inches of mulch to give adequate protection. This will also help in keeping weeds at bay. Spent compost is good for mulching. Many keen recyclers use cardboard as a weed barrier, especially on veg patches where they don’t have to cut it up too much, as they have more room at this time of year.

From late October until December, it’s tulip planting time. The colder temperatures help to kill off diseases which can infect your bulbs. Planting late is the traditional means of tulip bulb protection. If you’re planning to reuse bulbs and corms then you need to feed them with a tomato feed as the flowers fade, up until the leaves start to die back. The price garden centres want to charge for a piddly bag of bulb compost is beyond. Just use multipurpose compost and any make will suffice. Garden centres are places we love to visit if only to browse and have a coffee but, if you do purchase something that you need, when you get to the till it feels like Dick Turpin is fleecing you.

Ann Davies of Tarrws Close has perfected the ideal mix for homemade weed killer. 2tbs of salt, 1tbs of washing-up liquid and 500mls of vinegar. Mix well and douse the weeds. Don’t put it on your chips.

The National Allotment Society says that October is a time for lots of lovely digging. Well, whatever rocks your boat! Some people at the allotments have put in a couple of rows of peas and broad beans to grow over the winter. They should be ok but will need protection if we have a long period of cold weather. Tall plants like Brussel sprouts and kale could do with a stake, especially up at Twyn Yr Odyn.

The Reindeer Sale will also have a life-changing supplement made from produce acquired at Eric’s allotment. You will not believe the difference this will make.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

The Upper Orchid Field

 

The Upper Orchid Field

Last month we discussed Meadows – how important they are and yet how they are fast disappearing. This month we shall give some background on the Upper Orchid Field and how we got to where we are today. The history of the Upper Orchid Field beyond around 15 years ago is unknown although if anyone has any information or memories about it please get in touch with the Wildlife Group. At that stage it was known as the Sledging Field and on the odd occasion that snow still falls it is great that people can use it for that purpose. The field was purchased by the Vale of Glamorgan Council at the time they purchased Whitehall Quarry for landfill along with some other adjacent fields. The Public Right of Way along the bottom of the field has been used, probably for centuries as an important link between Twyn yr Odyn and Wenvoe. A decade ago some who walked along the path noticed that the field was becoming increasingly overgrown and at this point most of the slope was covered in Ash trees. Left to its own devices it would have become woodland.

It was suggested that an approach be made to VoGC to take over maintenance of the field and with a sympathetic response from the Council the Wildlife Group was started. In 2013 a formal licence was agreed. This licence stated that the Council would cut the field and the Wildlife Group would help with recording wildlife, creating and maintaining paths, and helping to restore the meadow. A few years later the Council indicated that they could no longer afford to cut the field and this role was taken over by WWG. Currently a contractor cuts the hay meadow annually and the costs are shared between WWG and the Community Council.

Over the last 10 years noticeboards and benches have been installed, new paths and accesses created; bird and bat boxes put up and trees planted around the periphery. Over 400 species have been recorded and the meadow is designated a SINC – a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. This does not give legal protection but it means this designation should be considered in any land use planning decision. However no-one should be under any illusion that the site is safe from development or take-over by a third party. The site has received 8 Green Flag awards and numerous other certificates and accolades. Not least it is enjoyed daily by a large number of walkers, joggers, dog-walkers and other visitors.

Other than the shared cost of the annual cut referred to earlier WWG receive no financial or technical support in looking after the field and rely wholly on volunteers, a significant proportion coming from

outside the Parish including Dinas Powys, Radyr, Penarth and Cardiff. This year the Working Party have made inroads into the steady spread of brambles on the edges and hopefully the annual cut will help to consolidate this progress. Wildflower seed will also be harvested this year and used to create new meadows elsewhere in the Vale of Glamorgan. There is always masses of work to be done so if you can spare the odd moment to help out, do contact the Wildlife Group and help to ensure that we continue to get the benefit of this local treasure.

 

 

A record -7 Green Flags!!

 

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

A record for Wales and for Britain

7 Green Flags!! A record for us as a village, for Wales and for Britain. Previously we have achieved 6 Green Flag awards, judged and managed by Keep Wales Tidy but the addition of the Bee Loud Glade made it 7 – a site for every day of the week. A thank you to all those who have helped with the often challenging maintenance of the sites and the Reader family who own 5 of them and the Vale of Glamorgan Council who own two. Not only do we have far more awards than any other village in Wales but even many towns.

Donations are always welcome and we have received recently Wildflower Seeds from a local resident, two Cherry Trees and some slates from Radyr, Echinacea and Penstemon plants from Dinas Powys and a wheelbarrow wheel and mattock from Barry. We have been the first group to deploy Micromoth detectors in the Barbastelle Project aimed at seeing if this rare bat is anywhere to be found in the Vale. The Upper Orchid Field and Community Orchard are to be mowed and the wildflower seeds extracted for use elsewhere with the Upper Orchid Field receiving its full cut later in September. Benches in the Community Orchard and Welsh Orchard have exceeded their lifespan so if there are any spare benches that people are happy to donate they will be put to a good use.

Plenty of fruit is starting to mature in the orchards including Plums, Pears, Damsons and Bullace. One of our more recent apples, Nant Gwrtheryn, from the Llyn Peninsular, has produced its first good crop but will not be ready to taste until later this month (see photo). Least successful have been our Quinces – none of the 4 trees look very vigorous but we live in hope. There is the odd Quince doing OK in the village but the orchards may be a little more exposed and windy

 

 

 

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