Must Do Gardening Tips for August
THE VILLAGE GARDENER
Tips on managing large gardens
Jan Bird
- Planning is so important; one should always be looking forward to the following year’s display.
- First impressions always matter so keep the public entrance well maintained.
- Hardy geraniums make excellent ground cover; cut back after flowering and you will get a second flush.
- With the use of Biofuels being mixed with petroleum these days it is imperative that you use a fuel additive to protect the engines of mowers etc.
- I have always found that a tray of tea made up for when the gardeners arrive; keeps them attentive when issuing instructions.
Gwen Williams
- One needs scale so be careful of the full-grown height of plants.
- Hiring Victoria to lead the garden team was a good investment as you need someone to put your trust in.
- Colour co-ordination will make beds a lot more pleasing to the eye.
- Patience is one of the best attributes to have, as certain members of the long-term staff are prone to discard some of the plants rather than care for them.
- It matters not the size of a garden as long it pleases you.
Lawns do not need a high nitrogen fertiliser now as this will encourage a lush growth that will be damaged by Autumn weather. The lawn should have a fertiliser with a high potassium content to encourage root growth. Ant nests have been a big problem this year; it’s best to sweep the mound before mowing.
Camellia and rhododendrons should be watered well now to encourage bud development for next year’s display. The dahlias will need extra staking to hold up the heavy blooms. Time to take cuttings of fuchsias and pelargoniums to increase stock. Black spot on roses gets more prevalent as summer goes on; damaged and fallen leaves should be put in bin or burned and not composted. Rose clear is an effective remedy for this along with other rose diseases. Lily beetle can devastate your lily displays; the brown sludge they leave is their larvae, so wipe off the leaves. To catch the culprit, you need to venture out after dark and pick them off the plant. We are told about the overuse of weed killer and the damage it can cause to the environment but used carefully it is extremely effective. During the early Autumn it can be used to kill off persistent perennial weeds like ground elder and bindweed before they start to fade and recoup for next year. Trying to eliminate these weeds by digging out is soul destroying.
On the veg patches and allotments a lot of produce will be ready for harvesting. Feed sweetcorn with tomato fertiliser to get the best cobs. This feed is also good for cucumber, pepper and aubergine plants. Keep removing the leaves below the first trusses on tomato plants to increase circulation and help prevent disease. Pinch out the tops of runner beans to increase side shoots and hopefully more beans. Keep picking the beans before they get stringy. Runner beans freeze well. The spent canes of summer fruiting raspberries can be cut down to the ground leaving the new canes for next year.
Of course, the dreaded cabbage white will be laying eggs on the underside of your brassica leaves so squash them in your fingers, as if they are left alone the crop will be devastated.
Next month sees the long awaited return of the Village Show, so if you are at all competitive then enter some of your produce. There will also be baking and craft competitions.
Take care and happy gardening.