Category: Nature

RHS Top Tips For This Month

RHS top tips for this month.

  1. Divide perennials.
  2. Prune bush and climbing roses.
  3. Top dress containers with new compost.

4 Start feeding the fish and switch on the pumps.

  1. Mow the lawns on dry days.

Environment team top five for March

  1. Be careful of late frosts.
  2. Try to resist buying overpriced small plants at garden centres.
  3. Get early potatoes in.
  4. Please refrain from using the best house scissors to cut back plants.
  5. Add a bit of lime to your soil.

Buying very small plants at premium prices at this time of year can result in a lot of work trying to bring them on. Watering, feeding, potting on as well as frost protection. Then off to the garden centre to purchase bigger plants later, if your efforts fail.

I have mentioned before in this column about the benefits of adding lime to the soil. The soil in and around Wenvoe has a lot of clay in it. Putting lime on the garden will make the clay friable which in turn will enable the soil to hold on to nutrients whilst raising the Ph level. Just be aware that you must keep lime away from your acid loving plants such as Azaleas and Camellias.

Plants in tubs and containers need the top layer of compost replaced now as this layer will be harbouring all manner of pests and diseases harmful to your plants. Do not put the waste material on to the garden until it has been composted.

Make sure you finish cutting back the roses this month. You can be quite severe in this task as this will encourage a growth spurt. A lot of the plants in the garden will be showing signs of new life so be on the lookout for increased slug activity or the new shoots we have been looking forward to seeing will be decimated. Summer flowering bulbs such as gladioli, lilies and agapanthus, can be planted now. Plant up dahlias in pots to give them a good start and plant out after the last frosts. Vegetable gardens will be a hive of activity now with shallots. onion sets and early potatoes being planted out. Too early for kidney bean plants yet. I have found that, even when you plant the beans a few weeks apart, as soon as the sun warms the ground they catch up with the earlier ones.

We will be holding a Spring Plant Sale and Cafe in the Church Hall from noon till 4pm on Saturday the 2nd of May. Local crafts people will once again be present and amongst them will be Llinos Metcalfe, who will, probably, have the best strawberry plants for sale this side of Offas Dyke. There will also be the usual raffle, proceeds from which are to be donated to the Royal British Legion to tie in with our celebrations for the 75th anniversary of VE Day the following weekend. Next month sees the return of Gardeners Question Time hosted by Library volunteers. This will take place in the Community Centre where the panel will include global plants woman Joyce Hoy and the irrepressible, and most knowledgeable of Welshmen, Gordon Jones. Hope to see you there.

Take care and happy gardening

 

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

 

Braving the Elements

Braving the Elements

Last month we were a small party, probably due to the high winds. Those of us who braved the elements, with ballast in our trouser bottoms, cut back the roses and tidied the border in front of the community centre.The border has had a lot of daffs planted there, but they have refused to show willing so far, unlike the rest of the village where they can’t wait to show off for St. David’s Day.Our next meeting will be on Monday 9th March at 9.30 am. Our work load will increase now Spring has sprung, so any help would be most welcome. Thank you.

 

 

Open Gardens Day In Wenvoe?

Open Gardens Day In Wenvoe?

We were wondering if there is sufficient interest for
another open gardens day in Wenvoe?
We would probably be thinking about early July
and would like to do it in aid of St Mary’s Church
building fund.
Are there any gardeners from last year and
hopefully some new volunteers, who would like to
join in and make it another enjoyable village day
event? If so please contact Brian and Sandra Jones
at brianmanseljones@icloud.com or 029 2059 4248
or call in at 6,Walston Road.

 

 

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.

 

 

We Are Short On Numbers

We Are Short On Numbers

January’s work consisted of cutting back bamboo, ivy and thorns that were growing close to the wall dividing the community cemetery and churchyard.

We as a group meet on the 2nd Monday of the month, 9.30 at the Community Centre.

We are short on numbers at present and would welcome any help in trying to keep the village clean and tidy. Ieuan, a stalwart of the team, had a knee replacement recently. That’s what happens when you’ve been an elite athlete most of your life. Hope to see you back soon Ieuan and we look forward to welcoming some new members in the coming months.

 

 

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!

 

 

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