Category: The Village Gardener

Replacement for Trevor’s Garden

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Your Programme for September

RHS to do list for September.

  1. Divide herbaceous perennials
  2. Pick Autumn raspberries.
  3. Collect and sow seed from perennials and hardy annuals.

4 Dig up remaining potatoes, before slug damage ruins them.

  1. Net ponds before leaf fall gets underway.
  2. Keep up with the watering of new plants.
  3. Start to reduce the amount of water given to houseplants.
  4. Clean out greenhouses and coldframes ready for use in the Autumn.
  5. Cover leafy vegetables with netting. unless plump pigeon is on your menu.
  6. Plant spring flowering bulbs.

This month sees two of Wenvoe’s annual Autumn events. The village show on the 7th followed by the scarecrow festival two weeks later on the 21st. These events will only survive with participants, so please enter as there are so many categories to choose from. I have heard on good authority that the Ferret’s outdoor tomatoes will take some beating but not eating. The Hammonds have barred entry to their rear garden so that their show entries remain a secret. The doyen of the village show G J, is keeping his veg close to his chest and I’m quite sure he will not disappoint on the day.

If you haven’t already started composting, now would be a good time as there is a lot to cut back and clear at this time of year. Help will be on hand at the village show if you are unsure of how to go about this; just ask Heulwen who, by the way, is very knowledgeable on the setting out of wildflower gardens.

There will be a lot of work to be done on lawns this month. Scarify the lawn with a long tined rake. This is no easy task and will make you tired and upset when you see the state of your lawn when you’ve finished. This is only for a short while. You will then need to aerate with a fork and apply an Autumn lawn feed which will be low in nitrogen. Reseed bare patches and water if no rain is forecast. To see what a fabulous lawn should be like, just take a look at Mr Darlington’s, which is the 1st house on the right in Larchwood.

Spring bulb planting is upon us. If you intend to plant bulbs in the lawn just remember that after they have flowered, you will need to wait at least six weeks before you can cut the grass. Putting bulbs in the border can leave it looking untidy for sometime at the end of their display. It may be an idea to put them in baskets first so they can be lifted and allowed to die back in a hidden corner. This also allows more room for later flowering plants.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

 

 

Your Garden Tasks For August

 

July saw the passing of Dorothy Miller at her home in Grange Avenue. Dorothy was, at the time, the oldest resident born in Wenvoe. She worked at Anstee’s Nurseries, now Pughs Garden Centre, where they propagated roses and sold the cut flowers. Dorothy was known there as the rose queen. Dorothy had an allotment for many years and believed that most ills could be kept at bay by using herbs and plants found in hedgerows. This belief certainly worked for her as she was 97 when time finally caught up with her.

 

RHS tips for August.

  1. Prune wisteria.
  2. Don’t delay Summer pruning of fruit trees trained as restricted forms.
  3. Dead head flowering plants regularly.
  4. Water regularly, particularly new plants and those in containers.
  5. Collect seeds from plants.
  6. Harvest sweetcorn and other veg as it becomes available.
  7. Continue cutting old fruit canes on raspberries.
  8. Lift and pot up strawberry runners.
  9. Keep ponds and water features topped up.
  10. Feed the soil with green manure.

Slugs and snails are well known enemies of gardeners. The old slug pellets are to be banned from use next year because they contain metaldehyde which is water soluble and pollutes water courses and is harmful to wildlife. The new pellets contain ferric phosphate which will degrade harmlessly into the soil. There are numerous tricks that people who tend the soil have been using to deal with these pests. Egg shells around plants do not work, the same goes for copper foil strips. You would need a strip of copper 6” wide for it to work, then some scallywag would, no doubt, relieve you of it. If you decide to catch the molluscs alive don’t just throw them over into next door’s garden as they will be back. Apparently you have to take them at least 20 metres away as their homing instincts only cover short distances. Trials have shown that beer traps work well but you should empty regularly as they smell awful if left. A piece of wood or slate left on the soil will allow cover during daytime, check underneath before dusk then dispose of the little blighters as you see fit. When watering the borders you should only water the ground close to the plants as slugs and snails find it harder to cross dry soil.

Our milder climate means that we have a longer flowering season, especially with Roses. When dead heading your Rose bush or climbing Roses don’t be afraid of cutting back a bit further on spent stems to a healthy bud and you will get more flowers this year. Rambling Roses are different and will only produce flowers next year on this season’s growth. All side shoots that have flowered can be cut back to one or two buds.

August is a good time to take cuttings of your favourite perennials, over-winter these young plants

under glass if you can. One of the RHS star plants for this time of year is the Japanese Anemone. They say it can be invasive but is easy to control. Don’t believe it. You will be pulling up offshoots from this plant for ever.

We must continue to weed around our plants. While doing this look out for self seeded plants and pot them up. They may not come true to the original but will help fill the borders next year.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

 

 

Clutching our maps, proudly wearing our Wenvoe Open Garden stickers and not going very far in the lovely summer sunshine before stopping to say ‘Hello’ to friends and neighbours, we all enjoyed a wonderful afternoon.

The sense of community had been evident since Brian and Sandra Jones suggested Open Gardens in Wenvoe and started carefully planning for the event earlier this year in aid of St Mary’s Church Building Fund. ‘The Village Gardener’ gently encouraged and cajoled, and last week twelve keen gardeners and their families warmly welcomed visitors of all ages.

Here was an opportunity for people to enjoy the diversity of the gardens and to see how the simplest ideas could be effective in a garden of any size. Photographs, written information and personal anecdotes about the history of individual gardens, added another dimension. People were generous with their knowledge about what plants to grow, how water features had been constructed and how to balance the often-eclectic mix of flowers, herbs and vegetables; their modesty about such beautiful gardens and their honesty about the pleasure taken from daily and seasonal care, was an inspiration to the visitors.

Brian and Sandra would like to thank everyone for contributing to the success of Wenvoe Open Gardens. A very special thankyou to the gardeners and their families who opened their gardens to visitors, and to Rachel from St Andrews Road who was the first person to support Brian and Sandra and add her garden to the list. Thank you to Mike Tucker who encouraged all the gardeners, gently soothing some through last minute nerves. By advertising the event in the ‘Barry Gem’, Mike and Glenys also ensured that many visited the village from the Vale of Glamorgan. Thankyou both for this. Carol, the Church Social Committee and the neighbours in St Andrews Road also have a very special thankyou for providing cakes and refreshments in the Church grounds and at 7, St Andrews Road. Both these venues provided a welcome opportunity to take a break and meet up with friends.

Rachel said: ‘It has also been a pleasure to meet the other hosts, especially Brian and Sandra, to share our love of gardening with each other and to make new friends in the village’. Rachel’s daughter pictured here certainly enjoyed helping out and keeping an eye on the lovely cakes that had been kindly donated.

Everyone will be delighted to hear that the contribution to St Mary’s Church Building Fund will be somewhere in the region of £1,500.

 

 

The greatest pleasure for Brian, Sandra and all the gardeners involved, however, was the enjoyment that this well organised event created for so many people.

Congratulations Brian and Sandra on the success of Wenvoe Open Gardens!

 

 

To Do List For July

RHS to do list for July

  1. Check clematis for signs of clematis wilt.
  2. Arrange care for house plants while on holiday.
  3. Keep tubs and pots watered, but be water wise.
  4. Dead head bedding plants and repeat flowering perennials.
  5. Pick courgettes before they become marrows.
  6. Treat apple scab.
  7. Clear algae and blanket weed from ponds.
  8. Order catalogues for next year’s Spring flowering bulbs.
  9. Give the lawn a quick acting Summer feed.
  10. Time to harvest apricots, nectarines and peaches.

To keep the garden full of colour we need to dead head regularly. Hardy geraniums can be cut back to ground level with a pair of shears. Delphiniums and other taller perennials should have their flower spikes cut back to encourage new shoots. Annuals like pansies and petunias can be cut back a little to stop them looking straggly. Give all the plants a feed and water and you should have new displays later in summer. After flowers have faded on irises they can be divided as larger clumps don’t tend to do so well. Smaller sections will give a better display If you still have gaps to fill in with summer bedding then this needs to be done promptly, to allow time for plants to flourish. When removing the spent blooms of roses make sure you prune back to a bud in a leaf axil lower down the stem to make sure they flower again this year. Bulbs that have been heeled in to allow foliage to die back can be dug up and dried out ready for planting in the autumn.

The RHS has some good advice on making sure your runner beans are successful. Add a small handful of hydrated lime to a full 10 litre watering can and apply this along the base of the row, it will help the flowers set and produce more pods. Always put on gloves and wear a face mask when using lime, but it will be well worth the effort.

Earlier in the year quite a few people had problems with their lawns. Mrs Harvey of Gwenfo drive set about making her lawn good again by improving the drainage and careful feeding, which has worked wonders. We now have a lawn expert in the village. Opposite Mrs Harvey are Mr & Mrs Cottle who are recognised for their rose garden, worth a look as you walk by.

Ponds at this time of year are covered in algae and blanket weed. This should be removed as it starves the water of oxygen. Peter Ferris of Old Market, a renowned amateur naturalist, says we should leave algae and blanket weed on the side of ponds to dry out so that any pond life can return to the water.

This month will see some Wenvoe gardens open to the public to help the ongoing commitment to keep the church looking its best. There will be quite a contrast of gardens on show from the cottage garden to modern design. One absentee this year will be Carol Whylie’s wildlife retreat. There are sections of this ladies garden that have been used to make nature programmes. As they will still have cameras set up we have been denied access this year. Carol herself will be present at the church on the day [20th July] handing out the passes and answering your queries on wildlife habitats.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

 

1 … 6 7 8 9 10 … 12