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Category: Gardening

General gardening tips and hints

Lily Beetle Spotting & Prevention

Lily Beetle Spotting & Prevention

What has got 6 legs, a head, 2 eyes and red wings and  is not a dice game of Beetle. It is the red lily beetle Lilioceris lilii that consumes large quantities of one of our favorite plants.

How to Spot Lily Beetle

  • Adults are 8mm long, bright red with a black head and legs.
  • Eggs are 1mm long and orange-red, found in groups on the underside of lily leaves and they hatch in around a week.
  • Larvae have orange bodies with black heads but are normally covered with their own slimy black excrement.
  • The fully grown larvae are 8-10mm long.
  • At the pupal stage they lie in the soil.
  • Both the adults and larvae can defoliate lilies and fritillaries in short order.
  • Leaves get ragged and black gungy deposits can be seen on infected plants.
  • The red beetles easily fall off leaves and hide in the soil when gardeners try to remove them by hand.
  • The beetle was initially confined to south east England but has spread north.

The Lily Beetle Cycle

  • Adult lily beetles emerge from the soil from late March to May and feed on  foliage between May and  September.
  • Adults feed and lay eggs on the underside of leaves of host plants from late April until early September.
  • After about two weeks, when the larvae are fully grown, they pupate in the soil. Two to three weeks later new adults emerge.
  • The beetles overwinter as adults in sheltered places, often in the soil but not necessarily near lilies.
  • This non-native pest became established just before the second world war.

Prevention, Predators and Parasites

  • Red lily beetle overwinters in soil, leaf litter and other sheltered places so good husbandry can help.
  • Small infestations can be picked off by hand. There is some pleasure in squashing a red beetle that has caused your plant so much damage.
  • There are some parasitic wasps but probably not enough to help your lilies survive.
  • The RHS to which I am indebted for this advice say ‘ Pesticides are likely to be more effective on larvae than adults
  • Heavy infestations which are impractical to remove by hand can be treated with pesticides
  • Organic insecticides containing natural pyrethrins  Several application of these short persistence products may be necessary to give good control
  • Synthetic pyrethroid pesticides such as lambda-cyhalothrin (e.g. Westland Resolva Bug Killer), or deltamethrin (e.g. Sprayday Greenfly Killer) can be used
  • The systemic neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid (e.g. Bug Clear Ultra) can also be used’
  • In my experience it is wise not to expect miracles with chemical treatments and beware they can kill pollinating insects.
Gaillardia Bring Sunshine like Flowers to Borders

Gaillardia Bring Sunshine like Flowers to Borders

 

Gaillardia is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family part of Compositae or Asteraceae like the daisy. Gaillardia are native to North and South America. I hope they grow well in Yorkshire as I have just created a new bed from birthday presents brought up from sunnier and warmer Oxford.

As a perennial  Gaillardia have a long flowering season are commonly called blanket flower, or if confused with Rudbeckia they can be called cone flower. The daisy-like flowers are produced from early summer to early autumn in shades of orange, red and yellow, add sizzle to the garden and attracting nectar-seeking insects.

Gaillardia Specifics from Gardeners Tips

  • Gaillardia do not require deadheading  but the plants will look better and be fuller if you do cut the stems back when the flowers start to fade.
  •  Gaillardia is easy to grow but can be a short-lived perennial so divide plants every 2-3 years and encourage reseeding.
  • Grow best in full sun.
  • Gaillarida forms a slowly spreading mound.
  • Gaillarida has lance-shaped gray-green leaves.
  • Flowers are 3 – 5 inches across in various shades of yellow and red. Most have petals surrounding a center disk which produces florets. Plants grow 18 inches high by up to  24 inches wide
  •  Gaillardia x grandiflora  Common Name: Blanket Flower
  • Part of the 1,620 Asteracea genera and 23,600 species of herbaceous plants. The  12 species of Gaillardia hybridise so we see a range of colours and forms.

Sowing Gaillardia Seed Tips

  • Sow fresh seed six to eight weeks before the last  frost  in your area.
  • Use a moist but not soggy mix including some vermiculite
  • Sow three seeds in the center of the pot. Do not cover the seeds.
  • Mist over the top of the seeds.
  • Try provide a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit and eight hours of light per day.
  • To  avoid washing the seeds from the pot’s center or burying them under the soil apply water slowly when the soil becomes dry.
  • After germination remove the weakest seedlings and avoid disturbing the roots of the strongest seedling.
  • Fertilize the seedling every fortnight with a 10-10-10 nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium water-soluble fertilizer.

Suggested Gaillardia Flower Varieties

Gaillardia × grandiflora
  • Gaillardia ‘Arizona Sun’: popular  3-4″ flowers have a red center surrounded by yellow. And Arizona Apricot.
  • Gaillardia ‘Burgundy’: Wine-red petals with a yellow center disk that ages to burgundy.
  • Gaillardia ‘Summerina Orange’: Zingy orange shades from soft red through yellow radiating from a rosy center disk.And Sunseekers Orange.
  • Gaillardia ‘Goblin’: Large green leaves are veined in maroon. Very hardy.
  • Gaillardia ‘Smileys Giggling’ YellowStriking yellow flowers grow true from seed.


Gaillardia with slippers. It goes to show that a cool blue will tone well in the garden with the bright Gaillardia colours.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose in the Garden

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose in the Garden

reuse

Now part of this garden is down to crazy paving the Qualcast grass box is needed less and can be put to a different use.  It looks like a ‘unibarrow’  has got in on the act to make a feature planter for these pansies.

Being green is second nature to Gardeners because we are so near to nature so reuse, reduce and recycle is part of our DNA.

Tips to help you reuse old tools

  • Sharpen blades, even on old spades, with a whet stone – angle the blade at 5-10° and push and pull across the stone – 5 times should be enough
  • Bind the handles of old tools with bright insulating tape so you can find them easily.
  • Look at car boots and secondhand sales for special tools that you will only use occasionally. I got an Onion hoe this way.
  • Put on a new handle or repurpose a tool so it can do an easier task. An old hand fork can be given a long handle for light digging without bending.
  • Go to a hire shop and reuse their tools
  • Old tools are often very well made and it is worth the effort of having them repaired professionally. If they have lasted a long time it is a sign they are fit for purpose.
  • Remember the 70 year old spade that had 10 new handles and 3 new blades.

Other Re-Tips

  • I get most of my many gardening books from charity shops and I recycle them there too.
  • I reuse garden center pots for seedlings and growing-on but would prefer more compostable materials to be used by suppliers.
  • Good gardeners recycle old plants via cuttings, seed collecting and splitting of clumps.
  • Buy locally grown plants as they will suit the local conditions and don’t come with exotic airmiles

What to Reduce in the Garden

  • Make low maintenance areas and reduce the labour you need.
  • With the right plant selection you will also reduce the amount of chemicals required.
  • Reduce the need for water by clever garden design
  • Reduce your carbon footprint. Grow dense hedges and trees to capture carbon.

Recycled greenhouse

Credit
Recycled greenhouse by scrappy annie CC BY-NC 2.0 ‘A greenhouse spotted in Stropkov, Slovakia a few years ago.
It was made from recycled plastic bottles, strung on to wires. A brilliant idea….’

Book Cover

Cooking Green: The Essential Guide to Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in the Kitchen by Kate Heyhoe

Canes for Support in Gardens

Canes for Support in Gardens

‘Oh the old bamboo the old bamboo never-ever bother with the old bamboo’ That song reminds me to weed out the poor and damaged canes I have left over from previous seasons. Away with split canes that snag and frustrate and may carry disease.

In Praise of Canes

  • A good long one will do better than a good short one – well not always as excess length waves around and looks untidy. Fortunately you can shorten canes with secateurs and the off cuts can be used for shorter plants.
  • Why should Sweetpeas be forced to spend energy on climbing when I can help them with a good cane arrangement.
  • Why should runner beans get top heavy and risk being blown sideways.
  • Good gladioli and chrysanthemums will be better for a bit of practical and moral support
  • Temporary solutions to problems can often be solved by judicious use of canes.
  • Now my plants are able to perform with the aid of my new canes, string and net supports.
  • I like the idea of mixing bamboo canes with more twiggy stems. I also like the idea of putting two canes across the middle of twin rows of canes for extra support and rigidity
  • This year I resolve to support my plants better than ever before.

None Bamboo Canes

  •  A Large Hazel has already provided a crop of stems to use as further supports. They can be woven in with other supports and look more natural than bamboo.
  • Willow and hazel can be cross hatched to provide a frame work for shrubby plants to grow through.
  • Pea sticks are often short slivers of bamboo painted a dark green. Useful for around 12″ of support.
  • Nylon and other plastic ‘canes’ are obviously not canes but are long lasting and can do a similar job.
  • New tree and shrub supports are more likely to be stakes and ‘gardeners should be choosers’ when it comes to the right strength of item for the job.

 

To my surprise Amazon now supply or arrange to supply canes in volume via the web – it makes transporting the 7-8 foot ones in my car a thing of the past.

 

 

Garden Problems Caused by Wind

Garden Problems Caused by Wind

Problems Caused by Wind

  • Wind desiccates leaves – moisture is gone with the wind
  • Even well rooted plants can be rocked by wind and this can be fatal to roses or fruit trees. Shrubs and tree growing at a slant caused by wind will never give of their best.
  • Wind abrades, rips and tears. I have just lost a good spray of chrysanthemums that I was looking forward to seeing in flower. Chrysanthemums stems often break near the joint with the main stem and I should have tied them up with more care or kept them out of the wind. Fleshy leaves like dahlias do not do well in wind.
  • A cold wind does no one any good and the wind chill factor can damage plants as well as gardeners.
  • In severe windy conditions pots can be blown over, loose debris scattered and even structural damage may occur. Pots appear top heavy when there is lots of growth that catches the wind. My clematis and runner beans  have caught the wind and both are leaning from the wind.
  • Trees and shrubs can be stunted by wind and will not reach thier normal potential. You seldom see giant trees on our windy coastline.
  • Unwanted seeds can be dispersed with only a gentle breeze

May all your winds be zephyrs and all your gales be miss spelt girls

Mildew on Oxford Roses

Mildew on Oxford Roses

The dry weather has cause a lot of problems with moldew. (I should have said mildew but that is a Freudian slip I will leave in.) The worst affected in my garden is an early flowering clematis but this rose stem is not far behind.

It was draping over a wall in the centre of Oxford with two immaculate flowers on an adjacent branch. Humid and still air plus lack of rain are to blame.

Avoid & Treat Mildew

  • Select roses that have been bred to be mildew resistant.
  • Roses get stressed particularly through lack of water. Mulch after a good rain and keep the mulch topped up
  • Spray badly affected plants with Rose Clear 3 to try stop spores spreading.
  • Limit nitrogen fertiliser which encourages sappy growth  that  is prone to attack.
Meterology for Gardeners

Meterology for Gardeners

In theory Meterology should help our ability to predict weather conditions including snow, rains and floods based on seasonal cycles using observation, measurement and atmospheric conditions.

Red Sky at Night …………………

Old wives or gardeners tales and sayings such as rain before seven fine by eleven, wet on St Swithens day rain for 40 days, wet seaweed, cones opening in wet weather etc are based on observation and experience. However hightech is taking over with models used to predict the long term climate around the Earth.

Meteorological Equipment & Instruments

  • Gardeners rely on the thermometer for soil and air temperature. A max min thermometer will help measure/control night time temperatures.
  • Commercial growers will have sophisticated humidity meters to assist controlling growing conditions.
  • Anometers are used for measuring wind speed but I am happy enough with a simple wind vane in the garden.
  • There is now a plethora of digital weather stations for home and garden use

Flood Warning

Professional weather forecasts and warnings are important as they forewarn gardeners of potential problems. I usually react to them just too late not just in time.

Transpiration for Gardeners

Transpiration for Gardeners

Transpiration is a basic and crucial function that moves water around plants to cool and keep them healthy. Leaves have pores or stomata that open to allow moisture to transpire or evaporate. Large trees can transpire up to 500 gallons per day, our garden plants transpire far less but enough to cause wilting if there is insufficient moisture for the plant. Stems and flowers can also transpire and loose water.

Transpiration Strategies

  • Many trees have wide spreading and deep roots to provide the moisture they need.
  • Tomato plants have a deep main root to gather water and surface roots for feeding. Leaves can also wither or be defoliated to reduce water loss.
  • Succulents save water by opening the stomata pores at night to reduce transpiration and often have  waxy leaves. Cacti don’t have leaves and few stomata elsewhere so transpire very little.
  • Many plants loose there turgidity when short of water and thus transpiration is reduced.
  • Other  plants have small leaves or hairy leaves
  • Mediterranean natives may have silvery reflective leaves, or produce volatile  oils to reduce transpiration by reduced evaporation.

 

Plants & Gardeners Water Strategies

  • Many plant leaves are designed by nature to funnel water to suit the plants needs. Check how Rhubarb leaves collect water over a large surface but it is channeled to the ridges that take it to the roots. You may have heard the saying ‘ water rhubarb even when it is raining’.
  • Soft leaves seem to loose more moisture and the more leaves then the more they transpire. Hence gardeners need to mulch and water plants during dry spells to sustain transpiration.
  • Plants in pots still transpire and water hungry plants may not be suitable for containers for that reason. Remember the bigger the pot the more soil and thus moisture it could contain.
  • Shade and wind breaks can reduce water loss by cutting down on transpiration. You can have too much of a good thing and wind and sun are an enemy to successful transpiration.
  • Evergreens transpire even in winter but our climate is generally able to provide the water needed but be wary of long hard frosts particularly for young plants.

kale
Kale leaves are shaped to harvest rain.

Brugsmania build in a water trap

Pink Rose Dew by name and nature

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purple Patch in Your Garden

Purple Patch in Your Garden

As gardeners mature they enter a purple patch in their life and potentially in the garden. Some of the best plants with purple or coppery coloured leaves take several years to mature like the notional gardener. Amongst the favourites must be the copper beech and the many Acers with reddish leaves.

Photographed against a blue sky the colour glows out in the morning sunshine. Unphotographed this purple patch gardener is probably very content for it to be so.

Acer palmatum have fine leaves that are not very dense and allow light and breeze to pass through. If it is a wind rather than a zephyr the leaves can suffer from wind burn. Many purple gardeners have got that way from wind and sun burn

primula-2

dark-dahlia

I was struck by the two pictures of plants flowering virtually two seasons apart but similar in colour and floral form. The spring Primula has a purple outer petal getting redder by the centre until it becomes yellow. The late summer flowering Redskin Dahlia has a similar pattern to the petals with the yellow stamen having a similar kaleidoscope effect.

The leaf textures and colours are quite different but like the purple flowers they will also repay close attention. Colour in the garden needs close observation and sometimes a bit of serendipity. This will be helped by a passing understanding of light and reflections within the colour spectrum. For more information see Garden Colour Tips

Gardeners Tips 2011 acer

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Vermiculite for Gardeners

Vermiculite for Gardeners