Browsed by
Month: August 2014

Fruit Tree Training and Styles

Fruit Tree Training and Styles

Wall trained
Espalier trained fruit trees can make the best of a south facing wall. In this style of training peaches, nectarines and apricots can be grown.
Large areas can be covered by just one plant.The branches are tied in the horizontal position and pruned to stay in formation.

Space is saved in comparison to a round tree with a central leader by having only a narrow width away from the wall.

Cordon trained

Training against a wall or on strong wires using cordons is often a good method for growing Apples.

Chose your variety and root stock with cordons in mind.

Cordon gooseberry

This Gooseberry is trained as an upright.  This is often called a leg and is used to make picking easier. You can also get more plants into a smaller area. The style and method is the similar to that used for growing a standard.

Cordon training

I wonder how this V shaped cordon is growing on 2 seasons later. You can just see the second branch starting to grow on the left.

Fan train
…

Read More Read More

Plant Pots Tips

Plant Pots Tips

Pots for mini Hosta
‘Plant pot for dwarf Hostas to keep slugs at bay.’

Pots and Weather

  • Use clay feet to keep pots off the ground so they do not get frozen causing the bottom fall out.
  • To protect root balls in pots you can wrap them in bubble wrap or several layers of hessian.
  • Use frost proof pots if they are to stay outside through winter.
  • Use a saucer, dish or tray to catch excess water. This saves good fertilized water from running away.
  • Do not put pots in windy spots. Tall plants will blow over quite easily as the wind acts like a lever and fulcrum.

Watering and Feeding

  • Peat is hard to re-wet so use a wetting agent or add moisture retaining granules.
  • I add granular feed to compost if the plant is to remain potted for more than 3 months. They also need a liquid feed when plants are in growth.
  • Use John Innes No 3 for fruit trees grown in pots and other robust shrubs etc.

Broken pots

Pests and Problems

  • Lily beetle can be stopped by picking off the red adults and squashing them. Use an insecticide as eggs will be in the compost and a new generation will arrive next spring.
  • Insects that sting can be a problem on pot plants near your outdoor seating. If you suffer avoid being too close to lilies that attract most insects.
  • Read about getting Potbound
  • Vine weavill can’t swim. Keep compost wet or construct a moat by using a tray or saucer.
  • Slugs can climb up pots. Put a copper ring or Vaseline around the pot top.
  • Steralise pots with Jeyes fluid after they have been used but before they are put away or replanted.

General Pot Tips

  • Crock the bottom of the pot with bit of broken terracotta pot to help drainage.
  • Terracotta pots dry out quicker particularly in sun or windy sites.
  • Anchor valuable pots if they are likely to be stolen.
  • Freshen up the top soil in the pot with John Innes if the plants are heavy feeders.
  • Groups of pots or large individual pots look more attractive than a clutch of smaller plastic pots.

Fucshia pot

Tips to Avoid Mildew

Tips to Avoid Mildew

White dusty fungus on your plant leaves may be Mildew. Each species is susceptible to it’s own Mildew and either powdery or downy mildew it is still a pain.
Some plants suffer more than others and with some varieties it is seasonal. Michaelmas Daisies and Phlox seem to suffer late in the year whilst Gooseberries can suffer in spring.
Brassicas, Marrows, Cucumbers, Sweet Peas and even Potatoes can suffer badly.

Tips to Avoid Mildew

  • Buy plants that have been bred to be mildew resistant. This is well worthwhile when selecting roses.
  • Do not let plants get stressed particularly through lack of water. Mulch your roses after a good rain and keep the mulch topped up and give them plenty of water.
  • Allow air to circulate around plants by careful pruning. Mildew thrives in a humid, still atmosphere.
  • Prune out affected parts and do not compost affected leaves. Spray badly affected plants before winter to try stop spores over wintering.
  • Do not over use a nitrogen fertiliser that will encourage sappy growth which is prone to attack.
  • If moderate powdery mildew is present plant-based oils such as neem oil and jojoba oil can be used to reduce or eliminate the infection.
  • Chemical treatment is controlled on edible plants but Rose Clear 3 and Systhane Fungus Fighter are good fungicide products but read the label.

Book Cover

Mildew 2011 update

  • The dry spring and early summer has kept mildew down to a minimum in my garden this year – so far at least.
  • The Flowering Currants and Honesty Lunaria annua are the only plants with signs of mildew and they are not worth treating with chemicals.
  • Since mildew is plant specific I do not worry about composting old leaves.

 

Read Gardener’s Mildew Cures

Growing Phlomis Varieties

Growing Phlomis Varieties

Phlomis are small shrubs for a warm sunny border. The unusual flower stems and Mediterranean style silver leaves make this a feature plant. They often grow 3-4′ high but there are many varieties that may differ in height.

Varieties of Phlomis

  • Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ above is one of the readily available shrubby varieties. The square stems and whorls of yellow flowers are quite striking. It  probably originated from a seed from Phlomis russeliana.
  • Jerusalem Sage or Phlomis fruticosa may be damaged by late frosts but wait until the end of May to trim off affected shoots. Trim annually to avoid a leggy base.
  • Phlomis tuberosa flowers from May with pink too purple flowers in whorls.
  • Other Phlomis that may survive our winters include, Phlomis samia, Phlomis orientalis, Phlomis longifolium and Phlomis italica,
  • Phlomis tuberosa is a hardy perennial with long flowering rich, ruby red stems flanked in whorls of lipped, candypink flowers. Deep green foliage and serated edges gives the perfect contrast.

Hols spain 181

Growing Tips for Phlomis

  • Excellent drought tolerant herbaceous or shrubby perennials.
  • They often have felted or hairy grey leaves.
  • All varieties have many flowers arranged in whorls up the stems
  • Seedheads form pepper pots with 4 seeds from every flower.
  • Grow from seed sown in February to June or September to October – germination may take upto 4 months.
  • Phlomis can also be propagated easily by division.
  • Grow from cuttings taken between June and August. Remove flower buds and trim below a node.
  • Seedheads last through winter, providing bird food and interesting winter shapes
  • Phlomis appreciate well-drained soil and sunny spot and are often found wild around the Mediterranean.
  • Phlomis are quite hardy in the UK

Uses of Phlomis

  • Phlomis Russeliana can make good ground cover
  • Yellow Phlomis mix well with blue geraniums
  • Phlomis tuberosa growns 4 feet tall as does the shrub like fructcosa.
  • Phlomis chrysophylla has soft woody growth to make a good shrub. Prune out old wood by one third to make them bushy

I grew my Phlomis from seed collected from a public garden in Shrewsbury but you can buy yours from Thompson Morgan

…

Read More Read More

Perfect Perennial Plants

Perfect Perennial Plants

2014 may be the year you get into perennials but if you need inspiring try a visit to Breezy Knees garden near York
Phlox paniculata

There are so many perennial plants to chose from it is hard to make a choice.
White Phlox above stands out against the lush green leaves.

penstemon

When planning to purchase plants plenty of people prefer Pinks, Penstemon (preceding Photo) and Phlox, that are part of the plug plant perennial collection from Jersey Plants Direct.

carnation

As regular readers may realise I am into alliterative Pinks, Carnations and Dianthus at the moment. I even have a lot of Sweet Williams around the garden. (Don’t the earwigs get up your nose?).

Penstemon posts to peruse –
‘Perfect Penstemon Growing’ – Tip of the post Keep growing young plants to increase your stock.
Mixed Penstemon adding a general fertiliser at the base of the plant is better than heavy manure or strong nitrogen feed as this will just encourage excessive leaf growth.
Growing Penstemon they can give an uninterrupted display of flowers for several months.

Phlox Perennial Phavourite
Tips for growing Phlox – Try the rockery varieties as well as the Paniculatas
Scented Phlox – Phlox will flower in some shade but prefer and smell best in full sun.

Pink Photographs
Perfect Pink Pinks -Pinks prefer neutral to limey soil.
Cottage Garden plants – That is what grans Favourite is for.
Types of Carnation and Pinks– the Dianthus genus encompasses 400 + species and cultivars.

Perennials for Summer

Perennials for Summer

poppy

Perennials are a mainstay for a summer garden or border.

Benefits of Perennials

    • Well obviously they are perennial and should last several seasons, often many years.
    • There are perennials to act as ground cover, add height, shape and texture or provide colour and foliage.
    • Careful selection will provide colour shape and form for every season of the year.
    • Perennials can be herbaceous and totally die back into the soil in Autumn. Others are more twiggy or shrub like.
    • Perennials generally can survive frost and stay in the ground all year round
    • You can get more plants by separation of larger clumps or some root cuttings

Geranium Rozane Gerwat

Selection of Perennials

Hardy geraniums are available in various colours, flower profusely and are seldom bothered with pests. When flowering has finished cut back the leaves and you may get more flowers or fresh leaves. They are good for ground cover.
Oriental Poppies or Papavera orientale have lush flambouyant foliage. They only flower once per year but are vibrant and eye catching.
Penestemon are ‘good doers’ in the flower stakes. The plants only live a few years but can be cut back every year to maintain some shape to the attractive plants.
Red Hot Poker or Kniphofia uvaria are a tough range of perennial plants. The sword shaped leaves produce the taller spires of flower that give the plants their name. Reds and yellows predominate but green flowers are interesting varieties.
Verbascum also have spires of flowers giving height and interest to the back of borders.
Lupins are a favourite of this web site and my garden.

verbascum Australis

It is not too late to add to your collection of perennials. Pot grown plants will establish good root systems if planted now and watered until established. Then you can hope for many years of fruitful growth.

Links
Russell Lupins
Perennials in Red White and Blue

Colour in a Garden Without Flowers

Colour in a Garden Without Flowers

Grasses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an interesting photo because it shows a diverse range of colour in the garden without any flowers. This is an excellent way to design a garden because it provides year round interest. Flowers are then icing on the cake.

The colours in this garden shot also depend on the time of the day, the sun really brings to life some of the leaves and grasses.

The tall grasses also provide interest because of their swaying in the wind and gentle rustling sound.

Heuchera

Leaves of this Heuchera are now being bred in a range of colours and the textures that add additional variety.

Lettuce - Bijou & Freckles

Even in the vegetable garden you can grow some interesting colour schemes. These lettuce are just a couple of the varieties now available. I also like the ornamental cabbage giving colour throughout winter and the rows or savoy and purple cabbage can draw the eye. …

Read More Read More