Category: Nature

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Must Do Gardening Tips for October

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

 

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THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Must Do Gardening Tips for September

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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.
   

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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.
   

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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

 

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THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Must Do Gardening Tips for August

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Grow your own experts Shirley & Graham Hammond, tips for August:

1. Dry harvested onions thoroughly, or they will rot when stored.
2. Pinch off the tops of runner beans to encourage side shoots.
3. Take cuttings of mint, rosemary and sage.
4. Spray ground elder when it is growing strongly. Very hard to get rid of.
5. Sow a green manure when space becomes available.

Betty Facey, who has a lovely garden and a lawn like Wimbledon, has some good advice.

1. Cut back faded perennials to keep the garden neat and tidy.
2. Prune climbing roses, unless repeat flowering.
3. Water camellias and rhododendrons to ensure buds develop.
4. Trim lavender plants to preserve shape.
5. Do not attempt to water the lawns as you will never have enough time to do it justice.

Hope your tomatoes are in good shape; you need to pinch out the tops so that plants can use their energy to produce fruit. Watering constantly will stop blossom end rot and reduce splitting. With broad beans having been harvested, you can cut the stalk down to the base and on a good year they will have time to produce a lighter crop. There is still plenty of time to sow lettuce that will be available to crop before it gets too cold. After 4 years or so strawberry plants weaken and produce less, so now is the time to root the runners being produced to fill in for the older plants.

A lot of lawns can look straw coloured in prolonged dry spells. Grass is so tough and can withstand a lot of abuse. By attempting to water it you may well be doing more harm than good, unless you’re prepared to water for hours at a time. By not watering enough you will encourage roots to come to the surface. then at the next dry spell the grass will really suffer.

Prolong the flower displays by constant deadheading and regular feeding especially the hanging baskets, which should last well into the Autumn. Aphids were quite a problem this year, made worse by the late arrival of ladybirds and their larvae. They can be controlled by just wiping them off with your fingers or by making up a solution of water and white vinegar and spray on both sides of leaves. Dahlias are coming into their own at this time of year but be sure to tie them to strong stakes as the wind and rain can play havoc with them. Cut back all the whippy side shoots of wisteria to about 20cms; if you don’t do this you will have less flowers year on year.

Going wild is being promoted a lot in the media and some Wenvoe residents have thrown themselves into it to differing degrees. Jill & Ryland have been turning over part of their front garden to wild flowers and it looks lovely. On the other hand, Pete Ferris has created a wilderness garden at the rear of his abode. Wild animals flourish in the dense foliage. Pete has a rope tied to the handle of the patio door and when he ventures into the undergrowth, he has to tie the other end to himself or he would never find his way back.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

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