Watering, Weeding And Dead Heading
THE VILLAGE GARDENER
Watering, Weeding And Dead Heading
Watering, weeding and dead heading are the jobs that need attending to every day at this time of year in an attempt to keep the garden looking it’s best for as long as possible. Some of the late flowering plants, such as dahlias and lilies, will need supporting in the wind and possible rain. Penstemons will need to have the spent flower heads removed to encourage the plant to give one more display before the end of the season. Wisteria whips should be cut back to keep this vigorous plant in check. Rhododendrons and camellias will need extra water at this time of year to encourage next years flower buds to develop. Take cuttings of pelargoniums and fuchsias for propagation. A little care will be needed but they will be free plants for next year. Late August into September is the best time to treat perennial weeds. They will take the weed killer back into the roots as they come to the end of their season.
Garden centres will have some good offers during August on perennial plants that have finished flowering this year. With a little care these will come back next year, bigger and with more blooms. You will know when the offers are on, as the Christmas stuff will be going on the shelves.
If you’re going on holiday in August be prepared for a very different looking allotment when you return, unless you arrange with neighbours to do some watering and to pick some of your produce. It’s better to share than waste. If you stop picking, some crops will go to seed or go past their best.
This time of year there will be a lot of green waste and not enough of the dry brown stuff to stop the compost from being sludgy. By shredding some paper and drying some of the green stuff under the sun you will help keep the compost heap working as it should. It’s a a good time to be turning the compost bins over, as the more heat you can get into it the better.
The village show on September 7th will hopefully be as successful as last year. This, of course, will depend on folk entering their wares and the volunteers.
Take care and happy gardening.
THE VILLAGE GARDENER