Browsed by
Author: hortoris

Snake Bark Maple – Acer Varieties

Snake Bark Maple – Acer Varieties

Burnby Hall Pocklington

Acer rufinerve is the tree I have always believed to be the Snake Bark Maple shown above. It has red autumn leaves and the distinctive bark. However there are other Maples with a snake bark and they tend to cross pollinate.

Acer grosseri var. hersii

  • A popular snakebark maple for small gardens, since it grows rapidly in its early years and then settles down.
  • Can be pruned in winter to control final size.
  • An established tree is unmistakable with its upright branches with green bark striped conspicuously with white.
  • The seeds in pairs of broad wings are clustered on long strings.
  • In autumn the thick, rubbery leaves turn yellow, orange and red shades.

Acer capillipes

  • The background colours may be green, dark purplish-brown or red overlayed by a vertical lattice of fine white lines giving a snake skin effect. …

    Read More Read More

Apple Spray Programme

Apple Spray Programme

Apple blossom

Apple trees can fall prey to a variety of problems.  Start spraying now!
This programme will control capsid, sawfly, wooly aphid, winter moth and codling moth insects. It also should help prevent or treat scab and mildew.

When to Spray

  • When dormant in winter I sprayed with Mortegg tar oil until it was banned by the EU. Now you need to buy a winter wash.
  • At bud burst spray a combination of Tumblebug and a fungicide like Systhane.
  • Again as green buds then pink buds appear a similar spray is needed.
  • At petal fall the worry is aphids so another spray may be needed.
  • For codling moth infestations spray Tumblebug once a month from mid June.
  • I do not spray once the fruitlets have set.
  • Savona is a fatty acid based non-toxic spray that kills by contact and leaves no residue

Organic Spraying

  • ehow have a list of spray methods that use such organic products as oil, copper sulphate, sulphur, Bacillus thuringiensis, and pyrethrin. Only nthe last of these would I think of as organic. see link
  • Best solution is no solution to be sprayed. Grow resistant varieties and wrap fruit in paperbags to keep insects off.
  • Make your own solution from garlic water or one of these recipies
  • Grease bands are worth placing on the trunks of trees each autumn.
Be Witch Hazels Hamamelis in Bloom

Be Witch Hazels Hamamelis in Bloom

Hamamelis x intermedia primavera
Hamamelis x intermedia primavera was flowering on an open shrub. It was about 5 feet high and had a 7-9 feet circumference.

Hamamelis x intermedia Orange Beauty

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Orange Beauty’ was 8 feet tall and well furnished with scented blossom.

Hamamelis x intermedia Jelena
Hamamelis x intermedia Jelena was the star of the display at Harlow Carr gardens on the 1st February. They obviously like the acid soil conditions and showed no sign of the cold December spell we all suffered.

…

Read More Read More

Rose Pruning Tips for Healthy Roses

Rose Pruning Tips for Healthy Roses

Peace Rose

It pays to understand the Rose you are going to prune. Shrub roses flower on the previous years wood. Hybrid Tea and Floribunda flower on new wood.

Shrub Roses  (Light pruning)

  • Some flower only once per season, others are repeat flowering.
  • Both types can be congested and prone to disease if not thinned yearly.
  • Non-repeat flowerers are best pruned lightly after flowering.
  • Repeat flowerers can be pruned when dormant taking out slightly more wood.
  • Prune to allow air and light into the shrub.
  • Encourage new growth from the base cut back an occasional old stems to ground level.
  • Light, tip pruning of side shoots helps keep a compact habit

Hybrid Tea Roses  (Hard pruning)

  • HT’s are vigorous plants usually producing a single bloom at the end of each shoot.
  • To encourage new wood on which they flower, ‘harder the pruning the better the flowering’.
  • Shorten stems to about 8″ from the ground
  • Remove all weak shoots entirely.
  • In warm areas cutting back can be slightly less severe 10-12″

Floribunda Roses (Medium Pruning)

  • Floribundas produce flowers in clusters at the end of shoots.
  • A treatment between that for shrubs and HTs works best.
  • Aim to cut to an outfacing bud 2-3″ above last years cut. Once a stem has 3or4 steps in it then cut into old wood.
  • Shorten main stems to 12″ from the ground. Remove weak stems.

Generic Rose Pruning Tips

  • The best time to prune is as roses start into growth. From mid February in the UK.
  • Aim to keep the centre open.
  • Cut out dead and diseased wood then destroy.
  • Cut out crossing or rubbing branches.
  • Newly planted bare rooted shrubs can be pruned to an outfacing bud 3″ high. This helps start a good framework for future years.
  • Deadhead after flowering cutting back to where fresh growth is maturing.

For Climbing and Rambling rose pruning read

I’m just Mad about Saffron

I’m just Mad about Saffron

Crocus

A costly spice Saffron is made from the stamen of Crocus sativus. Used as a Chinese medicine, in food and as a dye, saffron has been used since medieval times. It has been cultivated by Greeks, Romans and Chinese for 3500 years and is now a cash crop in Afghanistan, Kashmir and Spain.

Description of Saffron

  • Crocus sativus throws up a spear of green leaves only after flowering.
  • The fiery red-yellow, orange stamen are collected and dried to make saffron.
  • There are only 3 stigma to a flower so it takes 100,000 blooms to make a pound of saffron.
  • ‘The saffron flowers blow in September; but leaves come not forth till the spring’  from Culpeper’s Complete Herbal 1653.

Uses of Saffron

  • Saffron was used as a medicine for digestion, circulation and heart problems but overdoses could lead to death.
  • Saffron is bitter sweet and has a pungent aroma and can be used whole, as a powder or in an infusion.
  • Saffrons main culinary uses are in colouring rice, fish stew and paella.
  • Saffron Walden was the centre of the UK production even changing the name of the town to recognise the fact.

The photograph is of a hybrid crocus not a sativus. The video is not of sativus but Donovan.

Wake up Wildlife after Winter

Wake up Wildlife after Winter

Aphorisms by Sri Chinmoy

As days get longer and light levels increase you will see renewed activity from the wild life in your garden. Do not be too quick with the chemical controls but look to see what you can do to maintain a balanced eco-friendly environment.
Many hibernating creatures eat slugs and pests so they are worth looking after.

Birds

  • By March as gardens start to warm up the birds will be more active and visible.
  • Some birds will be more territorial in spring.
  • Nest boxes can be put up at anytime of the year.
  • If there are few natural nesting sites a ready made box may help.
  • Clean out existing boxes to remove parasites.
  • Breeding birds need to be fit so keep feeding through spring and summer.

Amphibians and Hedgehogs

  • Frogs and toads will soon start to produce spawn.
  • Take care around damp ground so you do not disturb Frogs and Newts   prematurely from hibernation.
  • Be careful cleaning out ponds, raking up wet leaves or moving wood piles.
  • Wildlife may be hungry after hibernation and a hard winter. A small plate of dog food will help hedgehogs.
  • Dry and safe places to awaken from hibernation are key.

Bird box

Plant Names that Match

Plant Names that Match

golden acre gardens leeds

This plant I christened Brown Beard although it may have a registered name, breeders rights or even a plant patent.

It can be fun to select plants because of their name. It may be a persons name or a special event or commemoration that strikes a cord. Gardening should be fun, it is not a competition to see who can remember the most Latin names.

Lily, Rose, Daphne and similar names are easy to match to people (as Daisy and buttercup could be to cows).
When it comes to existing named varieties the Sweet peas and Roses take the bouquet. They have traditionally been named after people usually relatives of the breeder.

Burnby Hall Pocklington
…

Read More Read More

Mini Veg for Growing from Seed

Mini Veg for Growing from Seed

seeds 004

Some Mini Veg varieties are naturally suitable for growing in pots or small spaces.
Some are best when picked young and small.
Planting close together and picking or pulling as they develop produces tender mini veg.

Thompson & Morgan sell a mini veg collection or a range of these and other varieties to select from.

Cherry Tomatoes

  • Gardener’s Delight a national favourite
  • Sun Gold- orange fruit
  • Sun Baby -yellow fruit
  • Tumbler for hanging baskets
  • Gartenperle for containers and baskets

Lettuce

  • Minigreen an iceberg variety
  • Little Gem and Jewel are cos varieties
  • Tom Thumb – butterhead type

Peppers

  • Redskin F1 sweet pepper
  • Mohawk F1 sweet pepper
  • Friggitello sweet pepper
  • Etna – chilli pepper
  • Thai Dragon- chilli pepper
  • Fiesta- chilli pepper
  • Apache- chilli pepper

Brassicas

  • Dutchy and minicole Cabbages
  • Fribor and Showbor – Kales
  • Frostie and Pixie – Spring cabbages
  • Freedom and Graffiti – Cauliflowers

Leeks

  • Carlton F1
  • Flextan
  • Volta
  • Oarsman  our finger thick pick

Carrots

  • Adelaide – F1 finger
  • Nelson- F1 finger
  • Rocket- F1 finger
  • Carson – conical

Growing Tips

  • Try to maintain even and consistent watering
  • Grow in the sun and give week soluble feed
  • Pick young, what you need to eat and leave the rest growing on
  • Careful cropping will provide m9ini veg for sometime
  • Try a similar formula for growing mini veg such as Courgettes, Beetroot, Aubergines and Turnips.

Thompson & Morgan sell a mini veg collection or a range of these and other varieties to select from.