Category: Nature

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

 

 

When Did You Last Plant A Tree?

When did you last plant a tree? With November 30th being Tree Charter Day and the Woodland Trust planning to plant 35,000 trees on that day alone, here is a chance for you to consider what you can do to help.

Why bother? As the Woodland Trust says ‘as well as absorbing carbon, trees help to deal with the effects of climate change, stemming flooding, reducing pollution, sheltering livestock and nurturing wildlife’. So whether you are a farmer, councillor, run a business or have a large or small garden, this is for you to think about. And whilst big trees are great, even the smallest garden can accommodate an Amelanchier, Clerodendron or Acer. Alternatively you can sponsor the planting of a tree via the Woodland Trust. Jody Scheckter, ex Formula 1 racing champion who now lives in the UK says ‘A house without a tree is just a building site’. To back up his words he has planted 130,000 trees and 8 miles of hedgerow.

On the positive side some Wenvoe residents have applied for and should shortly be receiving packs of trees from the Woodland Trust. The Government has pledged to reach ‘carbon net zero’ by 2050 which could mean planting 30 million trees a year. Cornwall Council has pledged to plant 80 square kilometres of saplings with £1.7 million committed for the first phase. South Gloucestershire Council will be planting up 1,400 parks, verges and other green spaces with 14,000 broad-leaved trees. 2 million saplings will be planted in the Northern Forest north of Leeds thanks to a collaboration between Leeds City Council and the Environment Agency. It would be good to read in What’s On what the Vale of Glamorgan Council are planning on doing.

You will be hearing more in the coming months about the Environment Wales Act which is increasing pressure on government bodies, including Community Councils, to take account of biodiversity. But we have seen (and reported in What’s On) that there can be a huge difference between the pledges and commitments and actual delivery. England and Wales are woefully behind their own existing tree-planting targets and whilst we have praised Scotland for planting more than all the other UK countries combined we have now realised that these are mainly conifers and their own planting of broad-leaved trees is minimal.

This is a major issue for the decades to come and it is worth noting the words of Greta Thunberg who has considerable support from the youth of today:

‘You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you’.

So gardeners, teachers, publicans, quarry operators, farmers – here is an opportunity to make a difference. Plant a tree and (as the Welsh Government advises) if you cut one down, replace it with 2 or 3 new ones.

 

 

Upper Orchid Field

Upper Orchid Field

Visitors to the Upper Orchid Field will have noticed that the field has been cut and the cuttings removed which is essential to keep the meadow in the best condition for wildflowers to flourish. It is just over 10 years since some residents expressed concern that the field was becoming overgrown and was half-way to becoming woodland. The Wenvoe Wildlife Group was formed and we have been keeping an eye on it as best we can. The Vale of Glamorgan Council, who own the field, agreed to carry out an annual cut but 5 years ago they decided they could no longer afford to do this. The field is now cut by a local contractor with the costs shared between the Wildlife Group and the Wenvoe Community Council. This is one of less than a handful of wildflower meadows left in or near Cardiff but no funding is received from any public body to help to maintain it. The weather has not been conducive to conservation work but we shall continue to plant hedgerow saplings and clear vegetation if and when the sun shines. Our thanks to residents who have donated a Bay tree and 2 Damsons; the latter seem to do well locally. Our harvest of apples continues to go well with the Medlars just waiting for the first frosts. This year’s revelation has been Bullace* which is relatively uncommon in local hedgerows. We have planted it in the Wild Orchard near St Lythans where it has cropped well this year and has proved great for jams and pies

 

*The Bullace is a variety of plum. It bears edible fruit similar to those of the damson, and like the damson is considered to be a strain of the insititia subspecies of Prunus domestica

 

 

 

 

 

So Much Going On

So Much Going On

First a big ‘thank you’ to Frey and Isla for donating a very healthy Hazel to the group. It will be planted out at Goldsland Farm in the Cider Orchard alongside a Public Right of Way helping to form part of a hedge which will both protect the young fruit trees and provide food and shelter for wildlife. Further up the track is the new pollinator patch, referred to as The Bee Loud Glade. Plants, shrubs and trees that can supply pollen and nectar to bees and other insects are being planted there and we aim to add a bench or two and a pond over the winter period. We are delighted that Gwenfo Primary School will be involved with this project by helping with the design, raising funds for the plants and planting them. If all goes to plan we shall be submitting this Glade as our 7th Green Flag site for 2020.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We have been working on the Community Orchard at the far end of the Playing Fields, having cut the grass and topped up the pond which was quite low after a lengthy dry period. Some patches have been left as tussocks which are good for wildlife such as small mammals, bees and butterflies. This year a grass called Meadow Foxtail has done particularly well which shows it is progressing towards a meadow community rather than just having coarser grasses such as Cocksfoot and False Oat Grass. Some of the trees have had reasonable crops including an old variety called Tom Putt. This dates back to the 1700s and was originally widely planted in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset where it became known as the Cottage Apple. It can be used as for cider, eating or cooking and a number of cider producers still use it for their cider.

The wildflower patch in Grange Park has again been a bit of a disappointment. In the 5 years that we have been planting it the amount of sunlight which manages to get through the gaps in the massive Horse Chestnut and Pines has reduced and the plants that have grown have a pronounced lean towards the light. Some of the trees are due to be trimmed by the Council but it is unlikely that this will make much difference so we shall be looking at other possible locations in the park which are in full sun. However first we must await the proposals from the Council to alter the layout and locations of the play areas.

If you have any spare stakes or bits of bamboo with reasonable-sized holes, the group can always make use of them. Throwing out an old beach wind-break? The poles make good stakes for young trees and bamboos are used to replace those in bee hotels. We cut down 12 cm lengths from bamboos so can make use of old and broken pieces.

 

 

RHS Tips For This Month

 

RHS Tips For This Month

  1. Divide established rhubarb crowns.
  2. Cut back perennials that have died down.
  3. Divide herbaceous perennials.
  4. Move tender plants into a greenhouse.
  5. Plant out Spring cabbage.
  6. Keep harvesting apples and pears.
  7. Prune climbing roses.
  8. Finish collecting seeds from the garden to sow next year.
  9. Keep up with the mowing as long as it’s dry enough.

10.Renovate old lawns and lay turf.

It was nice to see a great turn out at the Village Show. It is only due to the volunteers from the library that this event takes place. Their aim is to improve the experience year on year and they would welcome any ideas to make the show better. One of the veg judges, who shall remain nameless and lives on Old Port Road, failed to realise that the village gardener’s fantastic red fruit were obviously superior to the winner’s pale imitation. I lodged a complaint, but they informed me the winner has a nut allergy?? Mr & Mrs Hammond were once again winners; their veg plot in the back garden would be the envy of any veg grower. Anwar, the proprietor of the village shop, was also a winner with some very unusual veg. Thanks for a good show, long may it continue.

Do not neglect your hanging baskets. If you keep deadheading, feeding and watering, they should keep going untill at least mid autumn. Even with the increase in rainfall at this time of year, containers and hanging baskets close to buildings still need extra water.

We need to lift tender summer flowering bulbs and store over winter. Dahlias need the first frost on them before lifting and storing tubers. They may survive over winter in the ground if covered in mulch, but they will be later next year and give a poorer display of flowers. Any remaining summer bedding can be cleared away and replaced with fresh displays. October is a good month for moving and planting trees and shrubs and a great time for planting new hedges. A lot of trees and shrubs are available in bare root form at this time of year and are cheaper than containerised ones. They are especially good if you’re planning a new hedge.

Autumn work on the lawn includes scarifying and top dressing with autumn feed. Do not use any spring feed leftover from earlier as its high nitrogen content will encourage the grass to grow and consequently weaken it. Keep raking up the leaves before they block any light. Toadstools and fairy rings will be a sign that scarification and autumn lawn care is necessary.

Wenvoe Craft Workshop are holding The Christmas Reindeer Cafe event on Saturday 23 November where those who have asked about The Village Gardener’s Rustic Christmas Reindeers will be able to purchase one for a small fee. There will be a raffle in aid of the Wenvoe Wldlife Group, 2 or 3 Craft tables and a chance to sit and chat over a cup of tea or coffee and a piece of delicious homemade cake at the church hall from 12 – 4 pm.

Along with the local garden centre, B&Q are recycling plastic plant pots. Just go to customer services and hand in your old ones.

The former writer of this gardening column, Trevor Case, and his wife Marilyn are back home after they have both had spells in hospital, we all wish them a speedy return to full health.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

A Good Year For Apples

A Good Year For Apples

Generally it has been a good year for our apples and many of the trees in our orchards have been heavily laden with fruit. Also doing well are the insects, particularly wasps and butterflies, that appreciate apples that have started to over-ripen. Our camera traps are also showing foxes and badgers taking advantage of the windfalls and with the first frosts blackbirds and thrushes will be tucking in. One revelation this year has been the size of some of our traditional apples, the photo showing different varieties but with a conventional apple in the middle. These are dual purpose apples, good for both eating and cooking and those in the photo all weighing in at around three-quarters of a pound (0.34 kilograms) each.

 

Also doing well are crab-apples which often turn up in our hedgerows and are covering a pavement near one of the village road exits. This is our traditional apple and was once a very common tree in our hedgerows but the apple that we eat originates in the Tien Shan mountains in Asia and eventually worked its way down the silk roads to reach Britain, no-one is too sure when but was well-established in the mediaeval monasteries. The heritage varieties we have planted often date back several hundreds of years so the apple you could be sampling might also have been tasted by Shakespeare although he made few references to them other than examples like ‘There is small choice in rotten apples

 

 

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