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.
