Category: Nature

November tips from the RHS

November tips from the RHS

1. Clear up fallen leaves, especially from the lawn and pond.

2. Raise containers off the floor to prevent water-logging.

3. Plant up Tulip bulbs for Spring displays.

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 to protect from frost.

8. Stop winter moth damage on fruit trees with grease bands.

9. Most people like a bonfire, so gather up any debris that can't be composted, especially anything that's diseased and burn it – if allowed.

10. Make sure the mower is cleaned before putting away.

People who know my wife will know of her love of all things Christmas. So this time of year garden centres are some of her favourite haunts. The earliest Christmas shop to open, which we visited this year was The Old Railway Line, Brecon which opened at the end of September. At the time of writing the one with the best choice is Caerphilly Garden centre, according to Mrs Christmas. Wenvoe's local Garden Centre Christmas shop has yet to open. I'm sure that some centres would not survive without the footfall that these displays bring.

Everyone loves to see birds in the garden and we tend to put extra out as the weather gets colder. It can be a double edged sword as more food usually means more waste, which attracts vermin. Probably the best way to avoid rats and mice, other than not feeding the birds, is to have the feeders hanging over a hard surface which can be cleared easily and often. The BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) have some good tips on ways to feed and look after our wild birds.

After the first frosts cut all the growth off Dahlias, dig up and store in a cool dry place untill the spring. In some parts of the country they will survive in the ground where the soil is sandy and has good drainage but not in Wenvoe, which has clay in most places.

There is still time to take root cuttings of Perennial Poppies and Phlox. Start by digging up the plant and cut some roots off near to base of the plant. Do not take more than half of the root system, then replace the plant back into the ground as soon as possible with the roots cut into 3'' lengths and plant the right way up in compost and cover with grit. Put in a cold frame, then be patient .

Weeds do not follow the seasons and seem to grow at all times of the year so if you can get into the garden to keep the borders and veg patches clear it will save a lot of time in the spring. If bind weed is still growing, now would be a good time to spray

 

November 18th will see the return of a certain Mr Gwyndaf Breese to the marquee at the Wenvoe Christmas Craft fair, along with myself. After you have met this man your life will be far richer for it. If you time it right, and Mr Noel Williams is with him, then believe me we will all learn something.

 

Happy gardening.

 

 

The Ivy Bee

 

Spotted in early October on some ivy growing near the Village Shop was this bee, the Ivy Bee – our first record in the parish although it has probably been around for a while. Amazingly this bee was new to Science in 1993 and first recorded in Britain in 2001 in Dorset since when it has spread out steadily. New species are always of interest although some, unlike this one, bring their own problems such as the Harlequin Ladybird.

 

Whatever Brexit may bring or not bring the news on the wildlife front overall is not good. England (we have no comparable figures for Wales but it is improbable that they are any better) has the largest membership of wildlife-protection organisations in Europe but has amongst the smallest amount of land protected as nature reserves. France has 2,750,000 hectares protected; England has 94,400. Even Estonia manages 258,000. America has its National Parks where wilderness is sacrosanct – in all of our National Parks large areas are intensively grazed by sheep or in England and Scotland, managed as grouse moors. In an earlier issue of What’s On we noted how far behind their own targets for tree planting Wales and England were.

For whatever reasons, wildlife is very low on the political agenda at the practical level. Look at the minutes of Council meetings or coverage in the Gem to see how often wildlife features. Twenty years ago the Cuckoo could be heard in Wenvoe every Spring. It is now extinct in the parish. This may all seem quite dispiriting but there are things that we can all do. For instance, planting wildflowers helps pollinators. If you cut a tree down, replace it with another – still better, plant more. Make sure your garden is hedgehog-friendly with spaces for them to travel around – an adult hedgehog may roam 2 kilometres each night. There are many other small practical things that can be done but also consider letting your elected representatives know your views on these topics so that conservation is prioritised and some funding allocated. To end on a more positive note a future issue of What’s On will cover what is emerging as a real success story – the Knepp Estate.

 

 

Fungi Competition

 

At the time of writing we had been inundated with photos of fungi for the competition and it has been great to see how many people are out there snapping toadstools and mushrooms which are popping up everywhere with the damper weather. Somewhat disappointing is that we have not received any entries in the craft or painting and drawing sections. Hopefully there will be a last-minute rush as we know there are plenty of artists and craftspeople out there. Look out for the December edition of What’s On to see the final results.

A good harvest from the orchards has been enjoyed by many and this means that next year we can celebrate an Apple Day where you will be able to come and sample the fruit as well as try pressing some fruit juices. More on that next year. Work continues at Goldsland where we hope to add some more fruit trees in the Farm Orchard. The benefits to wildlife are becoming more apparent and this year seems to have been particularly good for Hornets and small mammals.

If you would like to help out in any way, do contact the Wildlife Group.

 

 

 

 

 

Fungi Competition

 

With the Wildlife Group fungi competition ongoing until the end of October it is worth reflecting on what fungi are and why they are so important to us. Most people think of fungi as the familiar mushroom or toadstool sticking out of the ground and, so far, competition entries have followed this line. But just as an apple is a small part of the whole tree, a mushroom is simply the fruiting body of a whole organism stretching out for many metres under the ground or through a tree.

These filaments are called hyphae – they release enzymes and absorb food. They can link to tree roots and greatly increase the spread of nutrients that a tree can get access to which is why gardeners and horticulturalists add Mycorrhizal fungus to the roots when planting trees or shrubs as we have done with the fruit trees in the Wenvoe orchards. The fungi take sugars from the tree and in return give them moisture and nutrients.

There are many 'amazing facts' about fungi. They provide us with medicines (and not just Penicillin) and were being used in the shape of yeasts to make mead 9,000 years ago. Think how many types of food use yeast! Truffles, Marmite, Quorn and cheese all depend wholly or partly on fungi. A fungus has been found which breaks down plastics in weeks rather than years and they are used to make bioethanol from crop waste. They are even being used to extract cobalt and lithium from old batteries. Synthetic rubber, even Lego, are made using an acid from fungi. But they do have a darker side wreaking havoc across the world to trees and crops.-,Honey Fungus can often be found in our local woods where it kills trees and shrubs.

So there is a lot more to fungi than the occasional pretty red and white spotted mushroom growing under a Birch tree or the punnets in your local supermarket. They deserve respect and we hope that the competition will help all of us to be more aware of what they can do for us

 

 

 

October Tasks

 

RHS tips for the month.

1. Divide rhubarb crowns.

2. Cut back perennials that have died back.

3. Divide herbaceous perennials.

4. Move tender plants into a greenhouse

5. Plant out Spring cabbages.

6. Harvest apples, pears and nuts.

7. Prune climbing roses.

8. Finish collecting seeds to grow next year.

9. Keep cutting the grass and trim the hedges.

10. Still a good time to repair lawns.

The grass cutting season seems to get longer. If it's dry enough, keep cutting with the height of the blade raised. This will make the first cut in Spring a lot easier. If reseeding bare patches remember to spread an extra handful to account for what the birds will consume.

Plant wallflowers, primula, forget-me-nots and Winter flowering pansies in prepared ground or containers. Any pots not raised should be done so now or they will become water logged over Winter.

October is the best time of year to move trees and shrubs. Bare root trees and shrubs start to become available now. These are a lot cheaper to purchase and planted now will soon establish quickly. When looking at gardens you will see some where the plants are struggling for space, so be careful how many you put in as it's easy to get carried away and fill in all the gaps, leaving no room for future growth. Over the years plants do out grow their space even with careful planning and decisions have to be made. It can be quite refreshing to start over, although some plants will have memories attached to them. If you do decide to remove some plants, take cuttings and grow on. Hardwood cuttings take very well at this time of year.

Some of the larger Wyevale garden centres have been taken over by Blue Diamond group based in the Channel Islands so you will need to swap over cards when you visit one of their garden centres. The nearest one is at St Mellons.

The new Grange development has proven a difficult area for new home owners as clay is quite near the problem, organic material and garden lime put in to the soil at this time of year will break down the clay and help the soil to hold on to nutrients.

Some members of the library volunteers organised the Village show this year. Hopefully they will continue to do so because without their willingness to rise to the challenge the show would fade away. If you could help I'm sure you would be welcomed.

Leaf mould is the material to grow your bulbs in. Now is the time of year to start making it for next year. Just fill some bin bags with leaves, of which Wenvoe has plenty, add a little water if dry, make a couple of holes in the bag and leave till next year. That's all you need to do.

Happy gardening.

 

 

RHS tips for this month

 

RHS tips for this month:-

1. Divide herbaceous perennials.

2. Pick Autumn raspberries.

3. Collect and sow seeds of perennials and hardy annuals.

4. Dig up remaining potatoes before slug damage.

5. Net ponds before leaf fall gets underway.

6. Keep up with watering of new plants.

7. Start to reduce frequency of house plant watering.

8. Clean out cold frames and greenhouses ready for Autumn.

9. Cover leafy vegetables with bird proof netting.

10. Plant Spring flowering bulbs.

We need to be sowing Sweet Peas in a cold frame now for early blooms next year.

Take Pelargonium cuttings now. These plants often do better grown this way. A window sill is a good place to bring them on and keep them away from frost.

If you have Crocosmia, now is a good time to divide them which will improve next year’s display.

Climbing Roses can be pruned once they've finished flowering. Side shoots from main branches can be cut back to one or two buds and take out any weak or diseased growth. Take hard wood cuttings of roses, choosing well ripened, healthy shoots.

September is a good month to plant new shrubs and move established ones as they will have all Winter to settle in. Do not forget to stake these.

Work on the lawn this month if you can. If sowing seed or laying turf this is the best time of year to do it. Make sure to use the right lawn feed for this time of year. The fertiliser should have less nitrogen so as not to encourage too much growth which can weaken the grass leading in to Winter.

A really tedious job at this time of year, especially in Wenvoe as we have a great number of trees, is raking up leaves or, as some do, blowing them around the garden until they get giddy. Just rake the leaves from borders and paths onto the lawn and mow them up along with a bit of grass as this makes excellent compost material. A small space in your garden is all you need to make compost and save money in the process.

Using a mulch on borders is something that can be done all year round. It helps with moisture retention, acts as frost protection and cuts down on a lot of weeding. Buying enough to do this properly can become expensive. So the next time you see a tree surgeon working in the area, ask them for some of the wood that they have put through their shredder. They will be more than willing to let you have it as it costs them to tip it.

Local wildlife enthusiast Peter Ferris, whose back garden attracts as many birds as his car did in his misspent youth, has grown the most prolific tomatoes outdoors this Summer. If forecasters are right then drier Summers will mean rethinking what we plant. Gardeners who concentrated on Pelargoniums this year had great displays as these plants need a lot less water.

This month brings some good events to celebrate harvest time. The Village Show shows off the many and varied skills of Wenvoe folk – no tinned veg on display there! Around at the church the Scarecrow Festival takes place. It has been said that this is not a competition but a festival where parishioners turn up with their creations and praise each other on their masterpieces. In reality, this is where the Reverend needs all his skills of diplomacy to keep order and stop any skullduggery. Can't wait.

 

Tree Mallow – To Grow or not to Grow?

 

So what might connect a Wenvoe garden with the small island of Craigleith in the Firth of Forth? The answer – Tree Mallow. Gardeners will be familiar with the various Mallows grown in gardens and sold by Garden Centres. Or you might have tasted Marshmallow flavoured originally with an extract from the root of the plant that grows on our coasts, particularly Gower. The Tree Mallow is quite unmistakeable growing typically to 2 metres and even reaching 3. If you are visiting Gower there are a few near the Youth Hostel at Port Eynon and these are around 3 metres. One turned up unannounced in our garden so out of curiosity we let it grow. It is currently 1.40 metres and still shooting up vigorously but not yet in flower. It is native to the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, in Britain mainly in the South and South West.

But why Craigleath? This small island near North Berwick and others close by are a haven for sea birds, especially puffins but in the early 2000s it was clear that the numbers were plummeting and the cause was – yes, you've guessed! – Tree Mallow. The plant can grow out of control forming a thick mini-jungle and preventing birds like puffins getting to their nesting sites. Few other plants can survive under the dense foliage. But the good news is that as volunteers have started clearing the Mallow the puffins are returning.

But how does a plant associated with the South West end up on remote islands in the North East? In this case it was introduced by soldiers serving on nearby Bass Rock because it was used to dress wounds. Also lighthouse-keepers elsewhere have planted it for similar reasons, to use in poultices and in ointments to treat burns. So there is your conundrum – if one turns up in your garden do you let it grow and risk it taking over and keeping out the puffins or remove it and lose a useful ingredient in nature's medicine chest?

 

 

The problem of the illegal importing of plants

 

The main problem facing gardens in this country at present is the illegal importing of plants, either by businesses or travellers bringing in specimens they have bought or found. These plants often harbour pests and diseases. In the UK large areas of forestry have been decimated. Southern areas of England are having a huge problem with a disease affecting Fuchsias which will soon spread to the rest of the UK.

A bacterial pest, Xylella Fastidiosa, is the latest threat that is nearing our shores and it restricts water movement in plants. This bacteria will affect up to 350 different type of plants, such as Lavender, Rosemary and flowering cherry.

When buying plants please make sure that they are British sourced and grown and take care when purchasing plants at car boot sales, market stalls, fairs or garden centres. If you suspect there may be a problem please tell the environment dept DEFRA.

The RHS top ten things to do this month:-

1. Prune Wisteria.

2. Don't delay Summer pruning of fruit trees trained in a restricted form.

3. Keep dead heading plants to prolong the flowering season

4. Continue watering, particularly new plants and those in containers, using grey water where ever possible.

5. Collect seeds – it's always worth it.

6. Harvest vegetables as they become ready. There's nothing quite like it.

7. Continue cutting out old fruited Raspberry canes.

8 Lift and pot up Strawberry runners.

9. Keep ponds topped up.

10. Feed plants with green manure.

Pyracantha, along with Wisteria, can be pruned now. Hebe and Lavender can have a light prune after flowering. Quite a few people cut the Lavender back at this time of year to where new growth started but the idea now is to leave well alone and cut back in the spring after the frosts. The seed heads help protect the plants. Glenys makes lavender shortbread biscuits with the flower heads. Rambling Roses need to be trimmed now. Be careful how you do this and think about the way you want it to grow next year.

When planting shrubs and other large plants, especially at this time of year, be sure to give them plenty of water. The Beech Grove Garden recommends a length of pipe 2''-3'' in diameter be placed alongside the root ball with the top of the pipe just above ground level. The water will then go directly to where it's needed most.

August is the time to get plants ready for Christmas. Cyclamen that have been resting can be brought back to life by replacing the top layer of compost and watering. Hyacinths, Paper White Daffodils and Freesias should be planted in bowls now. Once they have an inch of growth, they can then be put in a cool room, then back into the warmth to be ready for the festive season.

Next month sees the village show at the community centre, it's a great day, and amazing how all this super sized veg appears from well hidden plots in villagers back gardens. Brian Foster of Church Rise was picking his first tomatoes at the end of June. How do some of these people manage to be eating their veg when the rest of us are still buying produce brought in from all around the world?

 

 

 

Star of Bethlehem

 

You will see the logo of the Wildlife Group on noticeboards, leaflets, posters and social media. But what does it represent and why? The 6-petalled flower is Spiked Star of Bethlehem, also known as Bath Asparagus. It is related to garden asparagus and used to be eaten. More common in the Bath area there are records of it being for sale in greengrocers up to the 1970s – elsewhere it is localised from Wiltshire up to Huntingdonshire. Some say it was introduced by the Romans, hence being common around Bath. So why the link with Wenvoe? It is well-established growing in a hedgerow near Greave Farm and this is probably its main, if not only, site in Wales. Whilst isolated records do appear elsewhere these may be garden escapes but the Wenvoe plants were first recorded in the 1990s and are spread over 100 metres of hedgerow. It is a mystery how and why they should have become established here but there are many plants, the quick count for 2018 showing up around 20 spikes. It is also known as French Asparagus, Prussian Asparagus and Pyrenean Star of Bethlehem.

 

 

Hot Tips for July

HS tips for July

1. Check Clematis for wilt.

2. Care for house plants while on holiday.

3. Keep tubs and new plants well watered.

4. Dead head bedding plants

5. Pick Courgettes before they become Marrows.

6. Treat Apple scab.

7. Clear algae and blanket weed from ponds.

8. Order catalogues for next years Spring flowering bulbs.

9. Give the lawn a Summer feed.

10. Harvest Apricots, Peaches and Nectarines

During the Summer most house plants benefit from being outside on the patio. It will save them from baking behind glass and lessen some pest and disease problems. House plants will need regular feeding during the growing season as with all plants. Damp down the greenhouse on hot days. Any old leaves or side shoots of Tomato plants need to be taken out of the greenhouse, as this can be a major cause of disease spread. Pelagonium and Fuchsia cuttings can be taken now and kept in the greenhouse.

Cuttings of Choisya and Hydrangea will take now. It's also time to prune Philadelphus and Weigela after flowering.

A long spell of dry weather can weaken the grass, so raise the cutter height on the mower. July is the last month a summer feed should be used. New grass will need extra watering. Most lawns will be covered in ants nests at this time of year. Just brush them off before you mow.

Trim back Dephiniums and Geraniums after the first flush of flowers to encourage new growth, and then feed. Blackspot on Roses can be prevalent at this time so treat straight away. Leaf cutter Bees like to alter the shape of your rose leaves in particular, but I'm assured by an expert that this is not a menace and it is kinder to live with it for the sake of the Bees.

Dyffryn Gardens, under the ownership of the National Trust, has come on in leaps and bounds and is a good day out. My only gripe is the price of their plants because, as good as they are, they are not worth the prices charged. It certainly is a good cause but they surely can't justify those prices.

Having talked about some of the better known gardeners in Wenvoe in the last issue. I would like to draw your attention to some other gems. For a garden with a difference, Mr Breese in Greave Close has a plot that needs closer inspection. If he's in the garden ask him about its history. He has objects from practically the beginning of time and it all blends in so well and is so interesting. Things are not always what they seem. Betty James does a brilliant job keeping her garden lovely to see, along with Frank Miller of Grange Close. It just goes to show that being over thirty is no hinderance to having a lovely garden. Opposite Frank is Rita and Rob's quite formal garden and it doesn't matter what time of year it is, it's always neat. Next to Rita is the famous Audrey, whose front garden is a picture with

the Roses in bloom. Brian & Sandra of Walston Road, have a cottage garden that would be on any gardeners list of must sees. If you like well looked after, neat and tidy then Mr & Mrs Lawrence of Gwenfo Drive have a garden that is worth a look. Roses are always lovely to see and if you want to see them at their very best then those belonging to Mr & Mrs Cottle of Gwenfo Drive are not to be missed.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

 

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