California Dreaming

California Dreaming

All the leaves are brown will surly not be a fitting analogy of what we can look forward to in this autumns palette, according to the Royal Horticultural Society as it is predicting a spectacular display of autumn colour this year due to the wet summer and recent warm sunny weather.

RHS Garden Wisley Curator, Colin Crosbie says, “The wet weather over the summer helped trees produce large volumes of leaves and rather than shed them, as they would do in a dry year, they have retained them. Increased sugar levels in trees as a result of the recent lovely warm sunny days we have been enjoying will also boost autumn colours.

“As the weather starts getting cooler and the chlorophyll that gives leaves their green colour begins breaking down it will expose yellow, orange and red pigments that, as long as we don’t get heavy rain or winds, should provide an incredible display of colour from trees this autumn.”

I have noticed the cold temperatures at night and warm days have started the process of leaves turning in the gardens and woods around the south hams. Ornamental trees will begin to show glorious autumn colour first, with natives such as oak trees and beech providing further spectacular sights later on in the season.

So an afternoon cruising along the river dart or walking at Gallants bower above Dartmouth Castle or a romp through Longwood in Kingswear will be richly rewarded.

But what to do with all of those leaves for surly a vast amount of sweeping and leaf blowing is on the cards. Well don’t burn them, though the smell can evoke memories of child hood, the best use will be to compost as many as one can get your hands on.

Leaf litter is nature’s way of taking care off its own, just scrape away the top few inches of soil in the woods to discover how the soil is fed.

A leaf mould bin is easily constructed from four wooden posts and four meters of medium gauge chicken wire, fill the cage with leaves and keep topping up as leaves are gathered.

It’s a good idea to cover the top with a square of old carpet to stop the gathered leaves blowing out.

Good quality, well-rotted leaf mould (more than two years old) can be used as seed-sowing compost, or mixed equally with sharp sand, garden compost and good quality soil for use as potting compost.

Poor quality leaf mould, or leaf mould that is less than two years old can be used as mulch, soil improver, autumn top-dressing for lawns, or winter covering for bare soil.

 

 

Sowing and planting

• In sheltered spots you can sow over wintering broad beans in situ . Cover the trench with fleece or cloches to provide insulation in colder areas, as well as protection from pigeons.
• Carrots and peas can still be sown in cold frames, but only in mild areas.
• Plant out spring cabbages if not already done. Remember to net them for protection from pigeons.
• Finish planting autumn onion sets for a crop in early to mid-summer next year.
• Plant garlic cloves.

General care

• Dig up outdoor tomato plants and hang them upside-down in the greenhouse to allow the fruits to ripen. Any that don’t ripen can be used green in chutneys.
• Cut back asparagus foliage if not already done last month. Take care of the spines, and give the plants some mulch afterwards.
• Now is a good time to get ahead and prepare new asparagus beds for planting up in the spring.
• When clearing old pea and bean plants, simply cut off the tops for the compost heap, and dig the roots into the soil. They return valuable nitrogen to the earth, acting as a natural fertiliser.
• October is a good time to tidy up the plot by digging over vacant areas of the vegetable plot, and composting any green waste but avoid any seed heads of plant like poppies and tenacious weeds as these will not die off in a cold heap.

 

 

Life is a roller coaster

 

So summer has been a non event and at the time of writing we still await team GB’s first gold medal. So here are a few highs and lows from the allotment plot.

 

A few weeks ago the blight did for my tomatoes. Brown patches appeared on the leaves, and stems, idid not wait to see how far it would develop and as I share tunnel space and not wishing to be the cause of further infection, I took the drastic step of removing the fourty or so plants and burning them.

 

Normally blight tends to infect tomatoes and potatoes grown in open ground, but as I said my plants were under cover, with this summer being so wet and humid the blight virus is so active it is affecting plants grown in doors.

 

All was not lost as I had a dozen pepper plants ready for potting up, so the ground was cleared and prepted and the peppers planted. I will also sow a mixture of winter salads and herbs to grow on for use later when the weather out side gets to cold.

 

It would seem that this summer has been a wash out and all of the things we hoped for on the plot have not neccesary worked out. First of all small seed would not germinate and even when vegatables like spinach did start to grow it soon ran to seed.

 

But this can be turned in to a plus, for allowing some herbs and flowers to do this can be a positive, such as caraway, dill , fennel and poppys can all be havested dried and either used next year for sowing or be used in the kitchen.

 

But all is not lost, the weath weather has helped to settle in the new raspberries planted earlier this year now is the time to remove spent canes on summer-fruiting raspberries and loganberries and train in the new for next year.

 

Autumn fruiting raspberries can be cut back later aftre fruiting.

 

Also new fruit trees have been able to get there feet well in and are set to grow away next

year.

 

This year I have grown all of my onions and shallots from seed and though the start was slow they are now beginning to move away. I sowed three or four seeds per modual and did not thin but planted out each cluster 6 inches apart and am now very gently pulling the largest  for current use and allowing the others to grow on for lifting later to eat during the winter.

 In the past I have grown onions from sets, these are heat treated baby onions, and in general yealds have been good they tend not to store to well and rot.

 

This  technique of growing is a method I learnt from Charles Dowding the new vegatable guru. And so far apeares to work, I shall leyou know if we are eating onions through the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sowing and planting

• There is still time to sow quick maturing salad crops such as summer lettuce, radish, sorrel, chicory and fennel, rocket. These can be sown between rows of winter vegetables like leeks and kale.

 

• Continue to sow spring cabbage, turnips, Oriental vegetables .

General care

• Irregular watering can lead to problems with blossom end rot in tomatoes, splitting of root vegetables and flower abortion in runner beans. Help prevent this by watering well during dry spells.
• Weeds can also compete with vegetables for water, and act as hosts for pests and diseases, so remove regularly by hoeing and weeding.
• Marrows should be raised off the ground slightly, to prevent them rotting from contact with the soil. Some older leaves can be removed, if necessary, to maximise sun upon the fruit.

 

The boys are back in town.

The boys are back in town.

 

 “As I sit and write looking out over the Dart estuary the sky is grey and the rain is falling and has been since the early hoursof this morning, “

This time last year I began the column with the above statement, and strangly enough the same applies as I begin to write now.

It’s no wonder the English talk so much about the weather for we surly have an abundance, already this year records have been broken, including the wetest droute on record.

The false spring in March has caught out many of us for the cold rain in April stopped all growth dead, and it was not untill mid May when the night time temprature rose above 10 degrees some thing vital for steady growth in young plants.

Any how things are now on the move thank goodness.

Over the Jubilee weekend our new pigs arrived this is always a sign that summer is on the way and brings great merryment to the alotmenteers and visitors as the piglets run about. For they very soon understand that people equal food.

It was mentioned that as they arrived on the bid royal weekend, how about naming them after the current males of the Windsor house hold, with the small ginger piglet being Harry, But Nick pointed out that naming live stock is not a good idea for it makes thing a little difficult when one faces it on the plate. So They are just referd to as the boys.

I recently attended the Arts and Craft Garden festival at Coombe Trenchard. Coombe Trenchard is an Arts & Crafts style houses in a peaceful parkland setting, and. its gardens, left largely undisturbed for decades.

The Owners mission is to restore the gardens to their Belle Epoque glory and to share with others the pleasure in seeing the restoration progress and to enjoy the results. Part of the plan is the Arts and Craft Garden festival, now in its second year and now sponsered by Gardens Illustrated Magazine.

The Summer normally gives great opportunity to visit gardens around the south west. The lost gardens of Heligan and the recently restored walled garden at Knights hayes being two fine examples.

 Along with the many of pivate gardens opening there gates for charity.Thes may be found in the Yellow Book which lists all gardens through out the country that open. It’s always good to see what others are up to in the garden and more often than not you will come away with a few ideas for your own plot, The tea and cakes are pretty good to.

 

Sowing and planting

• Sow spring cabbage, turnips, Oriental vegetables, chicory, fennel, and autumn/winter salads.
• Carrots can still be sown, but beware of carrot fly
• Last chance to sow French beans and runner beans (south of England only).
• Plant out leeks and brassicas for a winter supply, if not yet done.

General care

• Ensure all vegetables get a regular, consistent supply of water.
• Continue to hoe off weeds in dry weather. Done in wet weather, the weeds are liable to re-root.
• Don't forget to stop cordon tomatoes by removing the main shoot. Look for the leaf that's above the fourth truss (set of developing fruit) and cut it off here.
• Climbing beans may also need stopping, to maximise cropping on existing sideshoots. Stop them when they reach the tops of their supports.

 

 

Tree fruit

• Continue training fan-trained trees.
• If necessary, prune cherries straight after harvest.
• Check tree ties as tree trunk girth increases.

Soft fruit

• Water cranberries and blueberries regularly with rainwater.

Complete summer pruning of gooseberries and red/white currants.

What’s going on?

What’s going on?

 

The recent strange weather has certainly played havoc in the garden. The early dry spring set every thing in motion about two to three weeks early; in our yard we have a fan trained apple tree

With early flowering clematis climbing through it and already it has climbed the height of the trellis. Gardeners in the southwest experienced more frost damage to established shrubs and plants because of the earlier warm weather and then a return to the norm, this will probably cause no lasting damage as young foliage will be soon replaced with the vigorous growth brought on by more seasonal weather as the year moves on.

 

 

Dittisham plums has for many along year been the talk of the town in high summer when baskets of them appear for sale at many a garden gate in the village from were they hale and is believed to have been unique to village for several hundred years. The plum was only ever grown in the area, and indeed is named after it.

One potential theory to its origin is that they have their basis in the German “Pflaummen Baum” Plum, and trees bought from Germany by monks in the middle ages. A contrasting theory is that the plums arrived by sea and either dumped in the village by a sea captain unable to sell his cargo or washed up the River Dart from a wreck, salvaged and planted by villagers.

 

 

The thought is should the Dittisham plums go the way of the Cornish pasties, (no not to be taxed by the chancellor) and the Melton Mowbray and achieve Protected Geographical Status.

Any way now is the time to turn our attention to pruning our plumb trees and other stone fruit.

 

Plum trees do not require as precise pruning as apples and pears, but still benefit from initial training and the thinning of old wood to ensure they produce as much fruit as possible. Plums are pruned in early spring or mid summer to avoid infection by silver leaf disease.

 

The bush is perhaps the most popular method of training and pruning and creates an open-centred tree with a clear stem of 75cm (2½ft). Its ultimate size will depend on the rootstock it is grown on.

The overall aim of pruning is to create an open-centred tree. This begins with the same formative pruning as apples and pears. Pruning is mostly limited to removing crossing, weak, vertical and diseased material.

 

 

 

Jobs for the month

• Sow French beans, runner beans, squash, cucumbers and pumpkin seeds directly into prepared beds outside. Be alert to late frosts
• Sow sweet corn outside in blocks, at 45cm (18in) spacing, with two seeds per hole. The strongest seedling can be selected later.
• Sow purple sprouting broccoli for harvesting next winter.
• After all risk of frost has passed, plant out tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkins that were previously sown under cover.
• Young plants can be planted out once conditions are suitable, and once they've been acclimatised to the colder outdoor conditions over a week or two.

•  Earth up potatoes when the shoots are 9in high, in order to prevent the new tubers going green. Earthing-up is the drawing up of soil around the stems of the plants, leaving just 2inof shoot uncovered so that the plant has enough foliage to continue growing.
• Start to remove side shoots from cordon tomatoes as you see them. The side shoots develop in the leaf axils, and if allowed to develop will sap the energy of the plant and reduce the quality of the yield.
• Thin out sowings of Florence fennel made last month. The final spacing should be 8in, with 18in between each row.

 

 

 

Divide and Conker

Divide and Conker

The first week or two of March can still feel like winter is still hanging about like a sulky teenager, and one can only hope that the East wind we endured in January and through Febuary will not return. Spring usually arrives by mid-March and the frequent sunny days and lengthening days can provide opportunity for an increasing range of gardening jobs.

If the ground is still wet and cold, avoid walking on the beds, as this will only compact the soil, knocking the life out of it and you will only be making more work for yourself later on.

As Febuary was reasonably cold and dry, I’ve managed to carry out the majority of the winter pruning, but there are always one or two tasks best performed as the weather begins to warm up.

Shrubs like Buddleia, Cornus (Dogwood) and the willow family will benefit from cutting hard back in March. Fuchsias will also benefit being chopped to the ground every few years to help remove that long woody growth and produce an abundance of bigger and brighter flowers. The prunings of these shrubs will make excellent hard woodcuttings especially the willow.

Last year we bought in 150 willow slips at 7ft long from a grower in Somerset. These were simply poked into the ground and woven into a geometric pattern by my daughter and her friend, watered well through last years dry spring and they provided a fine wind break for the Dahlia bed.

Another task that can reap dividends later in the year, is the lifting and dividing of any overgrown clumps of perennials they can be divided at any time of the year if you give the plant appro­priate care afterward. But for the best return on your time and the quickest reestablishment of the perennials, is to divide when the soil is warmer than the air for at least part of every 24-hour period. That’s just before peak daffodil season in spring these con­ditions will allow the roots of the division to grow while the tops stay low, out of the sun and wind.

Dig around the plant allowing plenty of room for the root ball. Once the plant is free simply use two garden forks back to back inserted into the root and prise them apart.

More often than not one plant will multiply into five or six. Dig plenty of organic matter into the planting area and replant only the young healthy growth, discarding any woody parts.

It’s also an opportune time to divide some of the grass family such as Miscanthus and pennisitum.

 

Jobs this month

1.        Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes

2.       Protect new spring shoots from slugs

3.       Plant summer-flowering bulbs

4.       Top dress containers with fresh compost

5.       Mow the lawn on dry days

6.       Weeds come back in to growth - deal with them before they get out of hand

7.       Open the greenhouse or conservatory doors and vents on warm days

 

 

‘Ere be Monsters’

‘Ere be Monsters’

The ‘Rhubarb triangle’ sounds like it might be a sketch from Monty pythons flying circus or a song by Barry Manilow? It is in fact an area 9-square-miles triangle in West Yorkshire located between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell famous for producing early forced rhubarb.

The Rhubarb Triangle was originally much bigger covering an area between Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, but as the demand for forced rhubarb has deminished so has the number of growers.

From the first decade of the 20th century to 1939 the rhubarb industry expanded and at its peak covered an area of about 30-square-miles

For an early harvest of tender and pink rhubarb at home, cover the crowns in December or January with a layer of straw or bracken and cover over with an upturned bucket or a traditional clay rhubarb pot to exclude light. Stems will be ready to pull two to three weeks earlier than uncovered crowns. This can make it one of the first crops from the garden a warm welcome after a long cold winter.

One of the assets of rhubarbs is the fact it crops over a long period, is completely hardy and grows in any garden soil.

Plant crowns in November or December. If necessary, planting can continue up to the beginning of March. Buy named cultivars from your local garden centre or choose a division from a strong, healthy-looking plant.

A gardening pal of mine was dividing up his row of crowns last winter and I became the proud owner of a whole rhubarb patch, for most gardeners just one or two crowns will suffice. If planting more than one crown, space plants  (3ft) apart.

In hot summers, if the ground becomes dry, growth will slow down and even stop. A spring mulch of well-rotted organic matter two to three inches deep will help to retain moisture but do not cover the crowns. Water well during prolonged dry periods.

Allow the foliage to die back naturally in autumn then cut away the old leaves to expose the growing points to winter cold.

Stems can be picked from the early cultivars from March to April. Do not harvest in the first season after planting as this will assist the new plant to establish, as most plants need a year to get there feet in the soil and harvest only lightly in the second season to avoid weakening the crowns.

The last harvest is usually in late summer, around July or August, this allows for cropping during the village show season, the growing of champion Rhubarb can be a hotly contested class in many a village hall or sun lit marquee. The real secret for show Rhubarb is in the uniformity of the three or four stick required in the show schedule. Also remember to pull the stick not detaching the white tip, also not to overly trim the leaf, once trimmed, this should resemble a diamond shaped spade.

 

 

Jobs to do this month, when the weather allows.

1.     Check your winter protection structures are still securely in place

On plants such as tree ferns and out door banana plants.

2.     Check that greenhouse heaters are working OK

3.     Prune fruit trees such as  apples and pears leave plums and cherries until late spring.

4.     Harvest leeks, parsnips, winter cabbage, sprouts and remaining root crops

5.     Deciduous trees and shrubs can still be planted and transplanted

6.     Take hardwood cuttings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more gardening go to http://earthgardencareanddesign.moonfruit.com/

                                     http://dartmouthgarden.blogspot.com/

 

Fruits of ones labour

Fruits of ones labour

 

The strawberry may be classesed by some as the berry of summer but I belive that the raspberry stays the coarse in season from the end of june till november.

Raspberries are easy to grow, low-maintenance and rewarding. Considering their price at the supermarket, they are also inexpensive.

The red raspberry or Rubus idaeus is native of Asian Minor and North America. The first record notes an appreciation for this fruit were the people of Troy, who used to gather them in the foothills of Mt. Ida, at the time of Christ.

It’s believed that raspberries use to be only white in colour.  The greek myth goes that one day, a nymph named Ida was taking care of an infant Zeus. 

 Zeus was crying and to help soothe him, Ida picked some white raspberries.  But when she went to pick the raspberries, she scratched herself on a thorn and started to bleed.  Her blood dripped on the white raspberries, instantly turning them red and they have been red ever since.

Raspberries contain significant amounts of polyphenol antioxidants such as anthocyanin pigments linked to potential health protection against several diseases.

Raspberries thrive in moisture-retentive, fertile, slightly acidic soils, which are well drained. Plant in a sheltered, sunny position; although they will tolerate part shade.

In early March apply slow-release general fertiliser, 1oz per sq yd, then mulch with well-rotted organic matter. To pep up leaf growth in early summer with dried poultry manure pellets 3oz per sq yd. 

Keep raspberries well watered during dry periods.

Planting

Raspberries can be planted any time during the dormant season, between November and March, providing the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.

Raspberries are usually planted in rows and trained along a post and wire system

Before planting, dig in well-rotted organic matter per square yard into the soil and fork in.

• Plants should be 18–24in apart, and if planting in rows, space the rows 1.8m (6ft) apart, if possible running north to south, so that they do not shade each other. 
• Prune the canes to within 25cm (10in) of the ground after planting. 

 

 

Summer-fruiting raspberries

• Cut back fruited canes to ground level after harvesting; leaving the new growth to fruit next year. 
• Select the strongest young canes, around six to eight per plant, and tie them in 3–4in apart along the wire supports.
• Cut back any surplus young stems to ground level.If you have fully prepped the ground and cared for your raspberries the will have produced lots of new growth so be selective and brave enough to cut out any surplus.

Autumn-fruiting raspberries

Cut back all the canes to ground level in February. Reduce the number of canes slightly in summer if they are very overcrowded.

Single fence with parallel wires

This system is well suited to autumn-fruiting raspberries, and increases yield in a small space for summer-fruiting raspberries. Tying in of canes is not necessary. Picking is more difficult, and there is a greater chance of fungal problems in the more crowded conditions.

General care

Sow over wintering broad beans outside or under cloches where the soil is well drained, or in pots in an unheated greenhouse in cold districts.

Plant garlic cloves in modules inside a cold frame, or outdoors in mild areas in its final position

Stake any Brussels sprouts stalks that look leggy and vulnerable to wind rock.

Clean and store bamboo canes in the shed or other dry place to ensure they're still in good condition for next year.

Dig over, incorporating well-rotted organic matter if available and weed vacant areas of the vegetable plot. 

Now is a good time to get ahead and prepare new asparagus beds for planting up in the spring.

Order seed catalogues for next year, if you haven't already done so.

Clear up fallen leaves - especially from lawns, ponds and beds

Plant tulip bulbs for a spring display next year

Prune roses to prevent wind-rock

Put out bird food to encourage winter birds into the garden

For more gardening go to http://earthgardencareanddesign.moonfruit.com/

                                     http://dartmouthgarden.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The X Factor

The X Factor

A Farmer friend of mine is constantly talking manure, always going on about his special reserve of chicken dung and how his dahlias have never been so big.

Of coarse he is more than willing to part with his supply of well-rotted vintage cow dung, for a small fee of coarse and collect your self. But his special reserve is just that.

This got me thinking as to what really is the best way to improve the fertility of the vegetable plot or garden.

Generally it’s a case of you pays your money and you takes your choice, another factor is availability though my farmer friend purveys his wares from the farm gate half way up Swanaton rd, (other gates are available). For myself over the last few years I have been using composted green waste supplied in bulk from the green waste processor at the Mounts.

Composted green waste tends to be clean to handle and easy to transport in the trailer as it has been already composted it can be dug into the ground or applied as mulch.

Dung or farm yard Manure contains more nutrients and assists in feeding the micro organisms that already exist in the soil.

Composted green waste can also be obtained from community composting schemes such as the one in Stoke Fleming, you have to be a member and have to donate your garden waste to the community compost heap, but the return is black gold.

The other advantage is the smell, really there is non, so it wont upset one’s neighbour. The point being right manure, for the right place. Well-rotted farmyard manure should not smell. If it has not yet fully rooted down it can still be spread on vacant ground and left over the winter to continue Masticating, that’s the technical term.

 Which reminds me of the time we built the show garden at the Hampton Court Flower show, we were in the final stage of completing the garden all of the hardscape was finished and had been scrubbed clean, (which reminds me of another story), all of the plants had arrived and were being set out, when the mulch material arrived. Five cubic meters of fresh mushroom compost, Years ago I used to obtain from the mushroom farm at Harpers hill in Totnes, and great stuff it was to, the only problem was the smell when fresh it had a high ammonia odder that tended to linger.

So as the lorry tipped it’s load next to our show garden, the pong attracted the attention of the Royal Horticultural Society Show Manager. Who in no uncertain terms stated that such a smell was not permissible on the RHS show ground? And it had to be removed immediately. So what were we to do, the lorry had departed and not a digger in site?

So after much placating from our project manager and the promise that the smell would lift now that it was in the open air we were permitted to carry on and finish the garden.

The main purpose of coarse is to add bulk organic matter to aid fertility and improve the soil structure to assist with moisture retention and make the earth to live.

 

The Vegetable garden

• Here in the Southwest we can get away with sowing over wintering broad beans in situ, cover the trench with fleece or cloches to provide insulation from a possible cold spell as well as protection from pigeons.
• Carrots and peas can still be sown in cold frames, or in the poly tunnel.
• Plant out spring cabbages if not already done. Remember to net them for protection from those pesky pigeons. I’m sure that Dick Dastardly had the right idea.
• Finish planting autumn onion sets for a crop in early to mid-summer next year.
• Plant garlic cloves. Last year I obtained three different varieties from the Chap at the food festival and all did well on an October planting.

For more gardening go to http://earthgardencareanddesign.moonfruit.com/

                                     http://dartmouthgarden.blogspot.com/

Ready steady Show

Ready steady Show

August is the month when the garden or Allotment is in full production; flowers by the thousand delight the eye and nose. In the vegetable plot many meals have been had from homegrown produce, with many more to come.

The courgette is a fantastic looking plant and if you plant to many one can soon be over run with the blighters. I was recently asked when does a courgette become a marrow?

The answer being that a courgette is always a courgette no matter what the size because a marrow is a different cultivar all together. The idea size for picking is the finger test, so if its as big as your finger then its ready for picking. The flower is also edible; try stuffing the closed flower with your favourite cheese mixed with garlic and basil, dipping the whole thing in tempura batter and deep-frying.

For many gardeners who like to exhibit there produce there are many local village shows to visit. On Bank holiday Monday the Stoke Fleming Horticultural and Sports society will be holding its annual show now in its 135^th year. The day is made up of various activities including races for the children, the hotly contested husband and wife three legged race and of coarse the even more contested exhibiting of vegetables and flowers and home craft.

Placed at the end of the summer the exhibitor has the best of both worlds in that it should not be to late to show summer flowers such as sweet peas but also in good time to show flowers like dahlias and asters.

There are classes for residents of the village as well as open classes for the premier exhibitors.

The trick with showing produce is having the right plants producing the best quality vegetables and flowers at the right time, many is a time I have heard the comment “ only last week every thing in the garden was perfect and now I have hardly a bean to show”

The other comment bandied about on show day is “ my beans at home are better than that”. So why not give it a go and enter your local show? Schedules are available in most of the village shops.

Not to forget the Dartmouth and Kingswear Horticultural societies Show on the 10^th of September. Schedules available from the Flavel and Gardentime.

 

It all makes for a great day out when old friends and rivals can meet up and chat about the trials and tribulations of the garden.

 

 

Sowing and planting

• Here in the Southwest we can still sow quick maturing salad crops such as summer lettuce, radish, rocket, sorrel, chicory and fennel.
• Continue to sow spring cabbage, turnips, Oriental vegetables and over wintering onions.
• Sow green manures such as crimson clover and Italian ryegrass to act as a soil improver and to cover bare areas. When dug in, they conserve nutrients and improve soil texture. These take in nitrogen from the air and process it into the ground.

General care

• Irregular watering can lead to problems with blossom end rot in tomatoes, splitting of root vegetables and flower abortion in runner beans. Help prevent this by watering well during dry spells.
• Weeds can also compete with vegetables for water, and act as hosts for pests and diseases, so remove regularly by hoeing.
• Take care when thinning out any late-sown carrot seedlings to prevent the scent released attracting carrot fly females.

 

More gardening tips @ http://dartmouthgarden.blogspot.com and http://earthgardencareanddesign.moonfruit.com

 

Heavenly scent

Heavenly scent

The Sweet pea has long been considered as the Queen of annual flowers, since there introduction at the end of the 17thcentury through the developtment of Henry Eckford (1823-1905), a nurseryman of Scottish descent, who cross-bred and developed the sweet pea, turning it from a rather insignificant, if sweetly scented flower, into the floral sensation of the late Victorian era. Also on to the early waved or Spencer varietiys full of perfume and up to date with the modern hybrids, that allow the grower to invite a host of celebrities in to the garden;

Terry Wogan a soft charming pink, Lady Diana a very attractive sweetly scented bloom with very pale lavender pink flowers Norman wisdom bears big, sweet smelling white flowers, emerging from primrose-tinted buds.

 And who doesn’t need a little help from Alan Tichmarsh, an almost candyfloss pink, fading to cream, tends to be a bit blousy and sulks in cold weather.

 

Sweet Peas are actually very easy to grow. You can simply plant them in the soil where you intend them to grow in March or April here in the southwest and leave them to it. By July you should have flowers. However, to get the best from your seeds you should consider planting them in autumn or very early spring (February to March). This will enable you to have stronger and earlier flowering plants. I tend to sow then as the plants tend to flower on into late August, which will hopefully offer blooms for the village show.

Sweet Peas benefit from well-cultivated soil and adding a little well-rotted manure or organic compost will certainly help.

For best results use named varieties or cultivars in good potting compost and do not overcrowd – plant 1 seed to a 3 inch pot or 6 to 8 seeds to a 6 inch pot.

Place the pots in a cold frame or greenhouse and cover them with newspaper until the seedlings have germinated. If you are planting in January to February your seedlings may need a little gentle heat to germinate. Make sure you stop the heat as soon as germination has occurred; otherwise your plants will get leggy.

 

 Sweet Peas perform best in an open sunny site.

For plants you wish to grow using the cordon method plant out your seedlings 8 to15 inches apart in rows from March or April in your previously prepared site Each plant will have its own cane to grow up.

If you want to grow your plants naturally, set plants 8 to12 inches apart and give them something to scramble up such as a fence with pea net, or a wigwam of canes with some string or raffia for the tendrils to catch on to.

Make sure your plants do not suffer from lack of water but remember not to water during the hottest part of the day.

Enjoy the flowers which should start to appear from late May to early June. To prolong flowering ensure that the flowers do not set seed, take the flowers into the house and enjoy their scent.

 

 

Tasks for July

As beds are cleared of early crops such as early potatoes, lightly fork over the surface and sow fast growing vegetables like turnips Lettuce, late peas or even a variety of early carrots.

 

These can be planted between rows of next winters Brassicas, as they will mature before the winter vegetables need the extra space, thus enabling two or even three crops off one bed in a year.

 

Keep weeds at bay with regular hoeing and weeding.

 

Deadhead flowers as buds fade, as this will prolong flowering.

 

 

 

 

wind breaks

As I sit and write looking out over the Dart estuary the sky is grey and the rain is falling and has been since the early hoursof this morning, this is the first sicnificant rain for approxamatly four months.

The last few months have given cause for concern, as watering the plot or garden has become a chore, though it does give one a chance to get up close and personal with the plants, constant watering simply can’t replace a good nights rain. Most of the vegatable garden has not thrived and would appear in part to have just hung on. The wind on our exposed plot has been a majour factor in the ground drying out.

In the flower garden we erected live willow screens and planted hardy perenial sunflowers to help filter the wind. The former was ordered on line from a willow grower in somerset and then planted as one would take hard wood cuttings, due to lack of time one bundel was left to saok in the water butt over night, well over night turned into three weeks, so when we came to weave the second fence we dicovered that thin white roots had formed.

Needles to say when the screen was planted and thourghly soaked it soon caught up with and over took its predecessor.

Perrenial sunflowers are a close relation to the jerusalem artichoke and make a thick screen, ours are shielding the gladioli bed, but beware like its cousin, once established it will if given a chance take over the garden. This can be remidied by just thining out with a spade in the winter.

In researching material for this months article I discovered a new term to me,

xeriscaping the word is a portmanteau of xeros

ξήρος (Greek for "dry") and landscaping, and xeriscape refers to a method of landscape design that minimizes water use.

Plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water to evaporation and run-off. The specific plants used in xeriscaping depend upon the climate.

The Xeriscape concept is based on The Seven Principles:
1. Plan and design
Create a diagram, drawn to scale, that shows the major elements of your landscape, including house, drive, deck or patio, existing trees etc.

Once finished, develop a planting plan that reinforces the areas in the appropriate scale.

2. Soil amendment

Most plants will benefit from the use of compost, which will help the soil retain water.

3. Efficient irrigation

Xeriscape can be irrigated efficiently by hand or with an automatic sprinkler system

If you water by hand, avoid oscillating sprinklers and other sprinklers that throw water high in the air or release a fine mist. The most efficient sprinklers release big drops close to the ground.

Water deeply and infrequently to develop deep roots. Never water during the day to reduce water lost to evaporation.

4. Appropriate plant and zone selection

Different areas in your yard receive different amounts of light, wind and moisture. To minimize water waste, group together plants with similar light and water requirements, and place them in an area that matches these requirements. Put moderate-water-use plants in low-lying drainage areas, near downspouts, or in the shade of other plants. Your turf will require the most water and shrub/perennial beds will require approximately half the amount of water. Dry, sunny areas support low-water-use plants that grow well in our climate. Planting a variety of plants with different heights, color and textures creates interest and beauty.

5. Mulch

Mulch keeps plant roots cool, prevents soil from crusting, minimizes evaporation and reduces weed growth. Organic mulches, such as garden compost or composted green waste, which can be bought locally in bag or bulk load form,should be applied 2 to 4　inches deep. Fiber mulches create a web that is more resistant to wind and rain washout

6. Alternative turf

many lawn and grass areas have suffered this spring but don’t worry as it will return to a fine green sward by the autumn.

7. Maintenance

All landscapes require some degree of care during the year. Keep your grass height at 3　inches and allow the clippings to fall. Trees, shrubs and perennials will need occasional pruning to remove dead stems, promote blooming or control height and spread. Much of the removed plant material can be shredded and used in composting piles.

Robinson's most famous contribution to gardening was his book The English Flower Garden, which he published in 1883. He encouraged his readers to aim for a less strictly structured garden, arguing that "the best kind of garden grows out of the situation, as the primrose grows out a cool bank"(69). While Robinson favoured "wild" gardens, he felt that grouping flowers together in an artful way was important. The greatest contribution of the book was probably the introduction of the "herbaceous border" which most gardeners are quite familiar with.