Category: Nature

Notice Board Shock

 

We had a bit of a shock when we found our noticeboard and bee hotel at the Community Orchard flat on the ground. This happened before storms Ciara and Dennis and it is clear that the very damp conditions on this site have rotted the posts. The structure itself is still more or less intact and our plan is to re-erect it and position the remaining posts in Metposts. The big challenge will be lifting it up as it weighs a lot.

Fallen Notice Board

When weather permits we have continued to plant the new hedgerow at Goldsland Farm and our thanks to residents who have donated saplings. The small pond has been installed and one benefit of the rain has been the speed at which the pond has filled up. We have another small pond to install at the Bee Loud Glade and then a large replacement pond at the Welsh Orchard. We shall by then have installed 5 ponds as well as keeping an eye on the Holland Pond and Watercress Beds.

We have been monitoring which plants appear to be good for pollinators so that they can be planted at the Bee Loud Glade. During January Mahonia was frequently visited by bees – mainly Queen Bumblebees which are on the wing during warmer sunnier spells. In February Hellebores tended to be the most popular as pollen and nectar sources, particularly the large, white-flowered varieties not just for bees but some of the larger hoverflies.

We are always on the look-out for help whether volunteering time or surplus benches, tools or stakes.

 

 

Leeches Not Cute And Lovable

Leeches Not Cute And Lovable

Leeches are abundant and all around us, yet few will notice them. They are not exactly cute and lovable – indeed they might generate a frisson of terror in some, particularly those who remember Humphrey Bogart being covered in them in ‘The African Queen’. Stories in the press such as the removal of a leech from the nose of a woman in Vietnam (yes, you can watch the procedure online if that takes your fancy!) just add to the anxiety they can generate.

However, unless you are setting off for foreign climes, rest assured that in the UK there is only one species of leech that is believed to suck your blood – more of that later. If you have a garden pond, and particularly if it contains fish, you are likely to have leeches in it, most fairly small. But the Horse Leech is quite common in and around Wenvoe and the photo shows one living in the stream that runs between Clos Llanfair and the new Grange development. Despite their name, they do not attack horses nor any mammals for that matter. They live on small larvae and snails, whilst occasionally moving onto land in search of earthworms. They can be up to 15 cms or 6 inches long, so are easy to spot.

The Medicinal Leech is the largest in Britain and has been used as a health cure for hundreds of years. It was thought they removed bad blood as they were placed on the body and drank their fill – ‘blood-letting’. References to the medicinal use of leeches go back to 200BC with the Greek physician Nicander. Ancient Sanskrit texts also refer to them. The use of leeches has seen something of a resurgence since the 1970s (see hirudotherapy) in association with a variety of treatments such as skin grafts and varicose veins. However the chances of you coming across medicinal leeches in our countryside are remote as they are now limited to possibly no more than 20 isolated sites in Britain and the species is so rare that it has European protected status. So if you are being treated with leeches they will have come from a leech farm, of which one of the main suppliers is Biopharm not that far away in Hendy.

 

 

Tips for February

Tips for February

RHS tips for February:

  1. Prepare vegetable seed beds.
  2. Chit potato tubers.
  3. Protect blossom on apricots and peaches.
  4. Make sure netting covering veg is still intact.
  5. Prune winter flowering shrubs as soon as flowers fade.

Wenvoe environment group tips:

  1. Use a hand barrier cream especially at this time of year.
  2. Ferrous sulphate needs to be applied to lawns to kill off moss.
  3. Look upon your garden from the comfort of your home and decide on changes.
  4. Maybe put up a nesting box. Be sure to face the entrance North/East.
  5. If purchasing a new spade etc, make sure the handle is long enough to ease stress on the back.

Here we go! The days are getting longer – even though on wet days it’s hard to believe. We can all look forward to dirty hands and a stiff back in the name of gardening. Please don’t go at it like a bull at a gate. A little and often is always the best way and hopefully you won’t get disheartened. Weeding is the most tedious; if you start this month, it will stop these devils from spreading as the soil warms up.

Keeping equipment clean is always the right way. That I’m afraid is something I don’t practice as much as I should. Betty James on the other hand is always so good. All her pots cleaned and stored when not in use. Betty’s propagation success is high because of this and her plants are checked daily without fail. It also helps if you love gardening as much as Mrs James does. Bringing on seedlings on a sunny windowsill is a good way of always being able to give them the attention they need.

People fortunate to have Wisteria in their gardens will be cutting side shoots back to three buds, encouraging a profusion of spring flowers. Late flowering Clematis can be cut back to a healthy bud about 30cms from base. Buddleia and elder can be cut down to the ground, keeping the plants to a manageable size in the process. Any deciduous shrubs in the wrong place are best moved now while still dormant.

Wenvoe, along with all parishes in UK, will be celebrating the 75th Anniversary of VE Day in May. If you want to get involved, then a lot of village groups will be organising events. The late 1940s brought a big change to British gardens. People started to grow flowers instead of vegetables in their front gardens. As we are encouraged to plant trees to help the environment, it seems right to plant one this year on this anniversary. Just be careful what tree you plant as this can, in future, cause a dispute with neighbours.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

 

 

Great Progress Being Made

More Trees and Shrubs Planted

Despite the wet weather we have continued to plant trees and shrubs both Damsons and hedgerow whips which have been donated by residents. We have applied for 7 Green Flag awards for 2020, the Bee Loud Glade being this year’s newest addition. Brushcutting at the Goldsland Farm orchard has carried on between showers and holes for the new ponds are being dug – at least they will benefit from a few heavy downpours once in place. The Community Orchard was the location for a meeting with the Chair of St George’s Community Council who would like to get some wildlife initiatives off the ground and wanted to see what can be achieved.

We were invited to visit and give some advice on the newish orchard at Llandough Hospital and will continue to be involved with this project during the year. Few know of its existence but this large field of several acres immediately adjoins the hospital and will provide a welcome retreat for patients and visitors. It consists partly of meadow but with a traditional orchard at the higher end of the field. Although planted up with 67 apple trees two years ago, more than half of the trees have perished due it is thought to late planting and the hot summer. We remember the summer well as we spent many hours watering the newly-planted fruit trees at the Goldsland Farm orchard but we had the benefit of cattle drinking troughs a short distance from the trees and lost only one of our 36 trees. A new round of planting will take place in the next couple of months at Llandough and this time they will be molly-coddled! Robert Reader who farms at Burdons Farm has generously agreed to cut the field which has become tussocky in places and with Blackthorn sprouting all over.

For any readers who have either been treated at the hospital or know others who have and would like to give something back, here is your opportunity! Just contact us and we can put you in touch with Hester Adams who is running the project for the Health Board. We shall be reporting progress in future issues of What’s On.

 

 

RHS tips for January

 

RHS tips for January

  1. Shred your Christmas tree to use as mulch.
  2. Check on dahlia tubers and begonia corms for rot.

3, Brush off the worm casts on lawns.

  1. Start forcing rhubarb.
  2. Prune apple and pear trees.

Environment team tips

  1. If you need some company and exercise join the Wenvoe wildlife group, environment team or turn up for one of the many walks. More information in the columns of What’s On.
  2. Make sure you wear those scarves and gloves you were given at Christmas.
  3. This year try to label all those seeds you’re going to plant.
  4. Clean out the bird feeders regularly, which will help keep disease at bay.
  5. Loads of bargains in garden centres at the moment as they get rid of the seasonal stock. Blue diamond at St Mellons is worth a look.

Sow sweet peas now and those that you planted in the Autumn can be repotted but try not to disturb the roots too much. If you have a heated greenhouse or warm window sill you can sow begonia, lobelia and salvia to give you early plants. Cut off some of the older leaves of helebores to give the flowers a better chance.

Most people prune their roses at the beginning of March. Some gardeners advise that this job is done in January. The lady and gentleman who live at Belgrave house, had advised their gardeners to cut the roses in the west garden down to just above ground level. This was completed last autumn and could well be the way forward. The roses at Vennwood will be pruned, half now and the rest in March to compare. If we get snow, don’t let it linger on your hedges and shrubs as the weight will put them out of shape and could break branches off. Have just read that being heavy handed in breaking the ice especially on shallow ponds can send shockwaves through the water and kill off some fish. They recommend resting a pan of boiling water on the ice to melt it.

Summer bulbs, seed potatoes and onion sets will be available by the middle of the month .

On the vegetable patch, It’s time to to lay fleece down to warm up the ground for early planting. When forcing rhubarb with a large up turned pot, putting straw inside the pot will help to bring it on. The jury’s out on whether its worth chitting potatoes. When working at Mr Phillips market garden the potatoes were not chitted but still gave good yields.

Happy New Year to all. Have a great gardening year.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

Raffle At The Reindeer Cafe

Raffle At The Reindeer Cafe

We were delighted to receive over £400 from the raffle at the Reindeer Cafe organised by Mike and Glenys Tucker. A portion will go towards the purchase of a battery-operated brushcutter as we are finding that as the orchards and other sites get established it is brushcutting and strimming that take up much of our time. An improvement in the weather would be welcome with many of our sites boggy although not flooded. It does mean that working on the sites is not only unpleasant with all the rain but can cause damage to the soil. A local house clearance has resulted in the donation of a wheelbarrow, some timber and tools – these are always welcome. We have applied for funding from the RHS for the purchase of trees, shrubs and plants that are good for pollinators at the Bee Loud Glade and would hope to hear in January if we have been successful. Bright days and sharp frosts can create great photo opportunities as this photo from the Upper Orchid Field from a few years ago shows. Why not get out and enjoy your countryside!

 

 

New Year Resolutions

 

January is a time for New Year resolutions

so why not pledge to do some of the following.

 Put up bird boxes but site them away from where cats can get at them

 Attach a bell to your cat’s collar. This does reduce their success rate in killing small birds

 Put out bird-feeders, particularly for the winter months, restocking and cleaning them regularly

 Plant a tree or two. There are trees to suit every size of garden

 Sow wildflower seed in at least one patch

 Put up bug hotels, siting them in the sunniest spot you can find

 Install a pond in your garden – even a plastic bowl sunk in the ground will do some good

 Ensure that hedgehogs can get into and out of your garden

 Let a patch of grass grow uncut and see what unusual grasses and wildflowers pop up

 Just spend some time watching nature

 

RHS tips for December

RHS tips this month

1. Check winter protection is still in place.

2. Make sure greenhouse heaters are working.

3. Keep ice broken on ponds.

4. Prune free standing apple and pear trees.

5. Acers, birches and vines should be pruned before Christmas to avoid bleeding of cuts.

6. Harvest leeks, parsnips and winter cabbage.

7. Take hardwood cuttings.

8. Do try to keep mice away from stored produce.

 

Wenvoe Environment group tips:

1. Slips, trips and falls are the causes of most hospital visits. Take extra care this time of year.

2. Keep all tools safe and fit alarms to garden out-buildings.

3. Get all your powered equipment serviced so you’ll be ready for spring.

 

Whatever we do over winter will help when things start to grow again. Look after the lawn by re cutting the edges. If the weather stays mild and it’s dry enough it will need a high cut. Continue to rake the leaves up to let any light on to the grass. Make sure you keep the leaves clear of any alpines you may have as they can be killed off if left covered. Keep an eye on any mould that appears on plants that have been cut back. If not dealt with you may have to replace next year. Garden hygiene helps greatly at this time of year. So please dispose of any infected leaves, as diseases will survive into the following year. Check regularly on corms and tubers you have stored over winter to make sure those that show any signs of rot are removed.

Garden sheds and greenhouses will make good homes for mice as the weather gets colder. Keep all bird food in sealed containers and sweep up any that has spilt. If you can’t stand the thought of dealing with dead mice from spring traps or poisoned bait and you have the humane traps to keep the prey alive, don’t just release them over the neighbours fence or they will be back home before you. To stop them coming back you will need a long walk or bus trip, as they are very good at finding their way home.

Prevent Christmas tree needle drop by choosing a pine or fir tree instead of the traditional Norway spruce. These hold their needles for longer. Keep the tree away from a heat source. Cut trees will last longer if you cut 3” off the bottom of stem and stand in water.

Gardeners, if you want gardening related items for Christmas, make sure you write a list or go and see the man himself. It’s the only way to get what you need.

I have really enjoyed meeting lots of you around the village. Thanks for all the advice and stories. Hope you have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

Pottering in the Orchards

The odd dry day has allowed us to get out and potter in the orchards. Even in mid-November we were picking apples in the Welsh Orchard. However, the main activities were pruning the fruit trees, strimming and re-locating plants in the herb garden that were becoming invasive, such as Comfrey. The hedgerow in the Community Orchard has had a good trim and we have continued to plant apple, plum and damson trees down at Goldsland.

Whilst the heavy rain has caused it to be a bit wet in parts of the Community Orchard, think back to how things were before we planted the orchard. The photo shows the whole area where the orchard is now, under water up to the nearby goalpost, during the winter before we started planting.

 

 

RHS 8 tips for November

RHS 8 tips for November

  1. Clear up leaves, especially from lawns, ponds and drains.
  2. Please make sure all containers kept clear of the ground.
  3. Plant tulip bulbs for a spring display.
  4. Prune roses to prevent wind rock.
  5. Plant out winter bedding.
  6. Cover brassicas with netting if pigeons are a problem.
  7. Insulate outdoor containers from frost. Bubble wrap is good.
  8. Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees, by using grease bands around trunks.

Top tips from the Wenvoe Environment team

  1. Keep an eye on those good gardening neighbours to see what they’re up to.
  2. Build an extension to house all the new recycling bags.

Do not feed plants at this time of year as most of the nutrients will end up in water courses. Apply an autumn mulch to the likes of agapanthus, kniphofia and phygelius. Remove stakes and other supports from late flowering herbaceous perennials as plants die down for the winter and store in a dry place for next year. Helebores rarely flower at Christmas despite the common name of Christmas rose. Remove diseased or damaged leaves and encourage earlier flowering by covering with a cloche. Garden centres often sell off perennials at this time of year. They will not be looking great but if you can see past the the drab looking specimens, you will have great plants next year.

Weeds are tough and will grow when most plants have given up so if you can get onto the soil keep up with the weeding, it will all help for next year’s spring rush. Digging over the earth at this time of year exposes soil born pests and larvae to the birds and frosts. Try not to leave the soil uncovered for too long or the risk of erosion and nutrient loss will occur. Cover with a mulch if possible. Clay soils can be more workable in the autumn as they are not as hard as rock or too soft. Mulching will help to improve the structure. This is especially prevalent if you live on the Grange, where most of the top soil was stripped off before building started.

When you next plant up some containers, add a little sand (along with the small stones you put in the bottom of the pots) to the compost. This will help drainage and give more room for the root system. Petroleum jelly smeared around the top of the container will discourage slugs. Both these tips are from radio 4 so they must work.

The author of this column will be giving (and probably receiving) advice on any subject at the Christmas Reindeer Cafe on Saturday 23rd November between 12noon and 4pm in the Church Hall so why not come along. Entry is free and all are welcome.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

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