Category: Nature

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.

 

 

A Flurry Of Activity

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

September saw a flurry of activity on the footpath leading to the sports field. Our youngest member, Martin, had been repeatedly stung by wasps while clearing bamboo in the community cemetery before we elders had risen. The impetuousness of youth was the main cause, we of an older generation decided.

 

Of course, we have other members who worry us, like big John who has been missing in action before. So, when he arrived a tad late this time we were worried, but he said his dog had got other ideas about spending time outdoors and took John for a walk. Gareth’s enthusiasm had to be quelled or we would still be there now. Stalwarts Alan, Brian, Ian and the ageless Ieuan always give it their all and the footpath is all the better for it.

Our next meeting will be at the village green on Monday 11th October at 9.30am.

 

 

 

 

 

‘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

 

 

 

Gardening Tips for September

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Must Do Gardening Tips for September

Tips from Carol Evans of Life Beyond the Patio.

  1. Let parts of your lawn go wild for a few weeks.
  2. Mow above mentioned parts before you get stung or bitten by the insects.
  3. Make sure your pots are off the ground as wetter weather is on the way.
  4. Collected rain water is perfect for acid loving plants such as camellia.
  5. Collected seed must be kept dry, use a sealed tin with some powdered milk to keep moisture at bay.

 

What to do, by have you got a pen Gwyn Williams.

  1. Plant daffodils this month to be sure of a good spring display.
  2. If a tradesman says he can start work the following day, be wary as all the good ones are busy.
  3. Keep drains clear of fallen leaves as Autumn approaches
  4. Try to leave the cutting back of shrubs as long as possible otherwise you will be doing them again before Winter.
  5. Put your glasses on before weeding or some of your precious plants will end up in the green bag.

 

September is a good month to sort problems out with your lawn, by either sowing seed or laying turf. Leather jackets are more of a problem on lawns with poor drainage. This larvae of the crane fly leaves dead patches on your lawn as they consume the grass roots. The only effective way of controlling this is with the right nematodes. To find out if they are the cause of the damage to your lawn, put a damp cloth over the area of concern and remove it in the early morning. you will see the larvae on the surface. When you see crows on the grass at this time of year this is what they are mainly searching for. Do not put a high nitrogen feed on the lawn at this time of year however tempting it is to use fertiliser you have left over from the summer. The high nitrogen content will promote top growth and weaken the grass. Always use a feed high in potassium, this will strengthen the root system and keep the grass healthy through the colder months.

The experts say that daffodils along with crocus and hyacinths should be planted by the middle of September to make sure you get good blooms in the Spring. Hold back a while on the tulips as they tend to rot if planted too early. One of the main reasons for a poor show is that bulbs are planted too shallowly, so always follow the instructions on the packet.

Continue to collect seed, as packeted seed seems to be a lot more expensive now for very few seeds. Dividing herbaceous perennials is a good way to get extra plants and to get rid of the dead material in the middle.

On allotments and veg patches harvesting is in full swing. Check apples are ripe by pulling gently, they should come away easily. Take any bad fruit off to stop disease spreading. Keep potting up strawberry runners. Take hardwood cuttings of currants and gooseberries now. Order bare root fruit bushes and trees, they are cheaper and will produce fruit next year. When the beans and peas have finished cut down to ground level but leave roots in ground as they will add nitrogen to the soil. Sow green manures on bare soil, this will help keep the weeds down over Winter and can then be dug in to improve the soil.

Over the past year I have received a lot of feedback from walkers who pass through and by the allotments. They have commented on how well kept they are. Some have asked if the man sitting against the tin sheets by the notice board has big hands or a small spade, they were hesitant to approach because he seemed so peaceful contemplating where to plant his next row of cabbages. I’ve told them who you are H, so expect to be signing autographs.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

A Dedicated Small Contingent

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Where to start…. A small contingent set off for the cenotaph and cut back the hedge. Dedication is a big plus with this group as shown by Brian, who delayed his wild water swimming, and Ieuan, who astounded the doctors by recovering in double quick time to be ready for duty.

The main group finished off the work from last month on Pound Lane. We were assisted by Tall Tony who joined the team today. Martin went out early to clear a path for the rest of us. Gareth meanwhile kept losing his equipment in the triangle. Alan and Big John have done many tours with the working party, so nothing phases them. Ian made sure that the area was ship-shape before allowing us to go.

This eclectic team of volunteers have for years tried to make a difference by tidying up around the village. The team meets on the second Monday of each month. Wenvoe has grown a lot over the years so, even if you can’t make the days when we meet, anything you can do to help improve your surroundings will benefit everyone. Litter pickers were out in force during early August so hats off to everyone; it can be a thankless task.

Our next meeting will be on 13th Sept at 9.30. We will meet on the village green where we will prioritise what needs doing. At present our main areas of concern are footpaths leading to the playing fields, the border in front of the community centre and bamboo in the cemetery

 

 

National Meadows Week

National Meadows Week

We celebrated National Meadows Week in July with a ‘walk and talk’ around the Upper Orchid Field. We are fortunate to have this facility on our doorstep and it is well used by visitors, dog-walkers and joggers whilst providing a haven for wildlife. The UK has lost around 97% of its wildflower meadows in the last 100 years and there are few remaining examples around Cardiff and the Vale.

So, what is a ‘meadow’? It is an open area with herbaceous and other non-woody plants and from which a hay crop is taken every year. It is not grazed by livestock. Fields which are grazed are referred to as ‘pasture’. The vast majority of the non-arable fields in Wenvoe are pasture, mainly grass and with minimal biodiversity.

Hay meadows are an important element in mankind’s cultural and social evolution. Finding food for livestock over Winter was never easy but once we had developed the tools like sickles to be able to take a hay crop, cattle, sheep and goats could be kept in enclosures during the coldest months and fed the stored hay. And so, we had haystacks, hayricks and barns.

The hay meadows attracted plants that would grow happily in grass, would set seed and then be cut in the Autumn for storage. These flower varieties are very different from the weeds of arable (ploughed) fields like Poppies, Corncockle and Cornflower. In contrast on the Upper Orchid Field you will find Primroses, Cowslips, Knapweeds, Agrimony and, of course, Orchids, along with over 100 varieties of herbs and grasses.

This range of species is ideal for our threatened bees and other pollinators and the disappearance of our meadows is one of the reasons for the decline of our insects – a crisis which we are warned about daily by scientists. Meadows also act as a carbon sink – another topical issue. In next month’s issue we shall say a bit more about the Upper Orchid Field – who owns it, what its status is and what the Wildlife Group are doing to preserve it. In the meantime, enjoy the field and its flowers and trees. On our walk we found Bee Orchids – a wonderful but easily overlooked little plant. What can you find?

The Upper Orchid Field

 

 

A Lot More Work Needed

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

On a miserable July morning the team were joined by Lowri, pictured here with her dad. They set about clearing the pavement that runs down alongside the old quarry road. Lowri showing true team spirit having travelled down from London to help.

At the other end of the village team B started work on the Wenvoe triangle at the bottom of Pound Lane. Like the Bermuda triangle team members in the past have gone in there and not come out. A lot more work is needed here, so if team members could meet there on Monday 9th August at 9.30 that would be great

 

 

Green Flag Judging

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Green Flag Judging

It has been a frenetic few weeks as we prepared for Green Flag judging on some of our sites. As gardeners will know the weather has contributed to a mass of vegetation and it has been a challenge to keep paths open. Green Flags are for open spaces, the equivalent of a Blue Flag for a beach, and factors taken into account include ease of access, information on site, tidiness and biodiversity. The scheme is run by Keep Wales Tidy and this year we have applied for 7 awards. The next highest village in Wales has two! The results will not be out until late Summer/early Autumn, but we are keeping our fingers crossed. The photo shows our judge at the Bee Loud Glade.

We are now involved with the Barbastelle project for the Vale of Glamorgan. This woodland bat has not been recorded yet in the Vale, so a programme has been set up to deploy special bat recorders in 10 locations around the county. We shall be looking after two of them. This involves installing the recorders which are about twice the size of a credit card, changing the batteries every 3 weeks and downloading the data – this goes on for a year! Anyone wanting to help with the project can contact the Wildlife Group.

And, finally, our thanks to those who have donated items to the group. We have received wildflower seeds from a resident in the village, plants from Dinas Powys and two Cherry Trees and some slate tiles from Radyr.

 

 

 

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