Category: Environment Group

Hardy Souls Behind the Cenotaph

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

At -20C the hardy souls set about clearing the overgrowth behind the cenotaph. Terry [he who must be obeyed] Ewington came to check that social distancing was being observed. Golden retriever Bungle passed by and refused all efforts of his owner to move Bungle on until he had been smoothed. If you would like to help us and learn some of Wenvoe’s history then Ian, Ieuan and the team would love to meet you. Our next gathering will be at 9.30am on the 8th March by the phone box.

The Wenvoe Cenotaph

 

 

January’s Planned Work Postponed

ENVIRONMENT TEAM

January’s Planned Work Postponed

Due to the rapid increase in Covid cases, it was decided that January’s planned work would be looked at next month. Most of the current team will hopefully have had their first vaccination by then, just saying.

Next meeting on Monday 8th February on the village green, where we will discuss our ambitions for the coming months.

The team would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work done by the couple who regularly pick up the litter around the village.

 

 

A Lovely December Morning

ENVIRONMENT GROUP

On a lovely December morning the Environment team met up on the village green to plant daffodil bulbs donated by Dyffryn gardens. A great turnout for the final meeting of the year; thankfully Ieuan turned up to bring the average age down a notch. Our next outing will be on the 11th January back at the village green at 9.30. Please bring cutting equipment and a rake. Tel 07704340840 to join this eclectic bunch.

 

 

Help Us With the Clean-up

Help Us With the Clean-up

The team met to clean up at the front of the community centre in October. We feel a civic duty to try and keep the village tidy. The one thing going for us at the present is the fact there are so few of us, that social distancing is never a problem. The team will meet again on the 9th Nov. in the phone box or on the village green if we have a good turn out

 

 

Death to Brambles

ORCHID FIELD RE-VISIT

Following last month’s visit to clear brambles by over a dozen workers, another attempt is planned to complete clearance of some areas on the field on Thursday 8th October from 9.30am. Hopefully the field will have had its annual cut and clear by this date. Please bring your own tools. All are welcome

 

 

Bramble Clearing Collective

ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Bramble Clearing Collective

The Wildlife Group had help from the Environment Team on a glorious morning at the orchid field. John made the suggestion to assist in clearing brambles.

We will meet on the second Monday of each month by the Community Centre at 9.30am in an attempt to keep the village tidy. October meeting Monday 12th. If anyone is interested and has an idea of where we should tidy up next, just come along and join in.

 

 

 

Orchard Field Work Group

ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Orchard Field Work Group

The group will meet on Monday 14th September by the gate to the Orchid Field at 9.30am with the aim to clear some of the rapidly growing brambles around the field. Please bring suitable tools and gloves. (Sharp garden shears are very good for cut-ting back).

The meeting is open to all who wish to attend. There is plenty of space to ‘social distance’ while working.

 

 

Environment group’s tips for the month:

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Environment group’s tips for the month:

  1. Prune all summer flowering shrubs once blooms are over.
  2. Water Camellia and Rhododendrons, to help buds develop for next year.
  3. Collect ripened seed and store for next year.
  4. Cut back your wild flower patch to help scatter seeds.
  5. Spray ground elder and other perennial weeds while in leaf.

Michelle in Vennwood has some forthright advice for non gardeners:

  1. Builders merchants provide all you need.
  2. Lay some slabs, they don’t need mowing.
  3. Use gravel. That way no one can get near without you hearing them.
  4. If you feel the need for green stuff, plant in a pot .
  5. Put gravel on top of the pot to stop birds throwing the dirt everywhere.

Some of Wenvoe residents have great back gardens, including Heather on Gwenfo Drive whose rear garden would rival any show garden at Chelsea. Sixties pop star Brian and his wife Wendy have a classic rear garden anyone would love to have. Mr & Mrs Cottle and Mr & Mrs Lawrence have lit up Gwenfo Drive with their front gardens for many years. Mr & Mrs Grant’s garden is looking really good.

If your lawn hasn’t lived up to expectation this year, it will probably be down to a lack of effort last autumn. Scarifying is not easy but essential along with aeration and nutrients. Do not feed your lawn with high nitrogen feeds at this time of year. It will promote growth and weaken the grass. Autumn lawn feed should be used now as this is lower in nitrogen and will promote root growth.

Hanging baskets need quite a bit of attention to keep them looking their best. They need watering every day, especially if they are hanging under eaves and feeding at least once a week is a must along with dead heading when needed. Dahlias will benefit greatly from cutting the spent heads off, as will roses. Now is the time to stop feeding roses. Blackspot can be prevalent this time of year on roses. The brand Rose Clear is the most effective for controlling this, pick up any fallen leaves as they can spread the disease. Pelargonium cuttings can be taken now. They are easy to grow, certainly easier than growing from seed.

A lot more people have been growing vegetables in containers this year. From what I have witnessed, potatoes, French and runner beans, peas and carrots have been most successful. If there was to be an autumn show this year the competition would be stiff. The usual suspects will be in the running. The Hammonds, I know, have grown some wonderful stuff this year. A periscope will be needed to spy on Gordon’s garden this year, there must be some monster veg growing there as shutters have gone up all around the estate.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

 

Environment group tips for July

 

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Environment group tips for July.

  1. Start saving seeds as we may have a shortage again next year.
  2. Make watering the roots of plants a priority. Watering the foliage is a waste.
  3. Keep a diary of what grows well and where.
  4. Always buy british grown plants. This will keep pests and diseases at a manageable level.
  5. Start your own compost heap.

Allotment holders tips.

  1. The more productive you are, the less space for weeds.
  2. Neat and tidy equals less disease.
  3. Remember it’s always colder at the allotment than down in the village.
  4. Use fruit bushes as a windbreak.
  5. Grow some comfrey, it’s free fertilizer.

There were some great front gardens to be seen in June. If you venture into Orchard Close you will see lovely gardens brimming with colour facing you. They belong to Mr & Mrs Green and Mr & Mrs Thomas. On Old Port Road Mr & Mrs McDonald have done a brilliant job on their garden since coming to Wenvoe. With restriction on movement still in place, a short walk around Wenvoe looking at people’s gardens will soon brighten your day.

July is another good month for pests and diseases in the garden. Aphids will try to ruin your runner bean crop. However you can treat these with insecticide or by squashing between your fingers; it’s a good way to shorten their lifespan. Powdery mildew, rust and clematis wilt are just some of the diseases that will affect your plants at this time of year. Cut out the infected areas as soon as you see it, then give the plants a feed to help them recover. Keep clearing up leaves and debris around plants, especially roses as this can harbour a lot of disease. It is a boring job but a garden vacuum will make this job easy.

Cut the spent stems off lupin, hollyhock and delphiniums down to a bud, then give them a liquid feed and you should have a second flush of colour. Once herbaceous geraniums have flowered, cut the whole plant back to about 10cms, it will then go into overdrive and give you another display, albeit not as good as before.

Deadheading is so important when trying to keep plants flowering, as once they have set seed their job is done. With your runner beans, you have to keep picking the young beans otherwise they will stop cropping. If you’re growing courgettes, you will need to pick them before they become marrows. Take off the leaves below set trusses of tomatoes, to allow air and light to get to the fruit.

Be on the lookout for any Ash or Sycamore seedling that have escaped your gaze. If they become established you will have a devil of a job removing them when they grow amongst your plants.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

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