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Category: Gardening

General gardening tips and hints

January Fruit and Vegetable Tips

January Fruit and Vegetable Tips

Snow garden

With snow lying deeply and icicles hanging from many roofs it is strange to be thinking of 2017.

January Tasks for Fruit and Vegetables

  • Check stored apples and vegetable clamps.
  • Chit early potatoes, for planting in April, by placing in trays rose end up towards the light.
  • Several vegetables can be cropped when the ground is unfrozen including, Leeks, Sprouts, Parsnips, Winter Cabbage, Turnips, Salsify and Sprouting Broccoli.
  • If those vegetables appeal to you buy some seed now for spring planting.
  • Sow  Leeks and Chervil in the greenhouse.
  • Start winter digging. Tidy up under fruit trees and remove mummified fruit.
  • Plant new fruit bushes and cane fruit.
  • Prune apples and pears and fertilize with a high potash feed or wood ash.

Other Tasks for January around the Garden

    • Keep permanently planted containers in groups in a sheltered spot.
    • Privet and Hawthorne hedges can be hard pruned in mild weather to reduce height or width.
    • Clean greenhouse and summerhouse glass to let in more light.
    • Avoid over-watering houseplants and do not leave behind curtains to get frosted.
    • Spread well rotted horse manure or compost.(not on houseplants!)
    • Sow alpines and other seeds that need exposure to frost.

 

Plants for Hot Sandy Soil

Plants for Hot Sandy Soil

sandy-cystus

Understanding the soil and natural conditions in your garden can help you organise and plan the type of garden that will be successful. I am going too offer tips on gardens with a sandy soil and in particular where there is a heat trap. To make a colourful impact in a tricky situation chose plants that grow naturally in those conditions.

For structure in a hot sandy area we think about palm trees and deserts but for trees in the garden I would opt for Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) . A golden variety called Golden Spire or a blue green variety ‘Columnaris Glauca’ . Also in the larger shrub category there is a good selection including Golden Holly Ilex aquifolium or Spotted Laurel (my wife’s favourite) Aucuba japonica with green and gold glossy leaves plus scarlet berries on female plants.

Annual bedding in Sandy Soil

  • Petunias do well in fast draining soil try the Merlin series if you can find them or any seed variety of petunia plants.
  • Mesembryanthemums the Livingstone daisy is a semi succulent and will do well in quick draining conditions. the bright daisy flowers can add a big splash of colour.
  • Nasturtiums like Empress of India flower well when there isn’t too much fleshy leaf growth.
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The Joy of Gardening

The Joy of Gardening

Gardening is one of the most popular pastimes; everyone knows we are supposed to enjoy our garden but do we enjoy gardening or at times does it just feel like hard work? Is it similar to the Joy of Sex or 50 Shades of grey-green?

These are some tips for enjoying gardening.

Don’t Expect Perfection

Some people are never happy until every weed is removed and every plant is in the right place. This means that, even in a small garden, you will always be facing an uphill struggle to keep on top of the garden. A good gardener places emphasis on getting the important structure right, but then allows nature to have her own say as well. Don’t feel guilty just because some weeds are creeping through your borders. Don’t expect plants to behave exactly as you want. If you look at nature, you rarely see plants in a nice neat rows. (see: definition of a weed)

80 / 20 Principle

The 80 / 20 principle says that you can achieve 80% of your improvement with 20% of your effort. When gardening start with the jobs that make the biggest difference to the look of the garden. Don’t start with weeding an area out of sight by the compost heap. Start with making small changes in your main border which will make a big difference.

Take Time To Enjoy

A garden isn’t just a place of work, but somewhere to enjoy. You will always be able to find jobs to do in a garden; but, sometimes you need to say that you are just going to enjoy the garden – the weeds can wait for another day. Similarly, when you work, be focused. In one hour of concentrated weeding, you can probably do more than several odd 5-10 minutes sessions.

Garden is Living Entity.

Don’t just think about plants. Try to encourage wildlife such as birds; they help to create a feeling that the garden is being lived in rather just something to admire like a museum.

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Leaf Miners Indoor & Outdoor Pests

Leaf Miners Indoor & Outdoor Pests

Leaf miners have been at work here, NC

Leaf miners are the larvae of moths, beetles, maggots, flies or caterpillars that have hatched between the upper and lower epidermis of a leaf. They then burrow there way out eating part of the leaf and leaving a trail.

Common Types from 524 Leaf Miners

  • Chrysanthemum leaf miner ‘Phytomyza chrysanthemi’ also known as the Margurite fly.
  • Privet leaf miner ‘Gracilaria cuculipennella’
  • Palm leaf miner ‘Homaledra sabelella’
  • Other favourite indoor targets include Ficus species and African Violets.
  • A few mining insects use other parts of a plant, such as the surface of a fruit.
  • The horse chestnut leaf miner ‘Cameraria ohridella’

Damage and Control

  • Deterioration of plants leaf by leaf results from the tunneling or mining activity.
  • Some damage is linear some is serpentine.
  • Blotches and circular ruptures may occur where the surface has been eaten away.
  • Sprays are largely ineffective as the insect is protected under the surface of the leaf.
  • Systemic insecticide is the only cure. Insecticides recommended for leaf miner control on farm crops include carbaryl, chlorfenvinphos, diazinon, dimethoate and trichlorphon.
  • Infected leaves should be pruned off and destroyed.
  • Farmers may reduce or prevent problems by planting trap or distraction crops near the plants to be protected

 

Jatropha leaf miners

Sources Creative Commons
Top; by Martin LaBar, on Flickr’ leaf miners, insects that, generally as larvae, burrow between the upper and lower epidermis of leaves. An interesting ecological niche!’
Lower; leaf miners by tonrulkens, on Flickr

Read British Leaf Miners

Kill Moss and Algae on Paths

Kill Moss and Algae on Paths

Book Cover

Winter and during wet weather are the worst times for moss and algae growth which makes paths wet and slippery. Slippery surfaces are unsightly and dangerous and need treatment.

Physical Removal

  • Algae can be removed by a pressure washer or stiff brush.
  • Dislodge moss between paving by running a sharp knife along the cracks.
  • Use a stiff wire brush on block paving. Try buy a long handled wire brush to save your back.
  • Choose a dry sunny day so the surface has a chance to dry.

Chemical Treatments

  • Most moss and algae treatments are biodegradable since harsher chemicals are banned by the EC
  • Path Clear products in concentrate or ready to use are available from amazon
  • Natural fatty acid products like Bayer Advanced moss killer use acetic, pelargonic and fatty acids.

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Medicine for Houseplants

Medicine for Houseplants

 

A restOrchids

Keep Plants and Pots Tidy to Prevent Disease

  • Potential breeding places can be eliminated by sprucing up your plants,
  • Deteriorating leaves and faded or dead blooms should be removed.
  • Dead leaves and debris should be picked off the surface of the soil.
  • Dust off any obstructions that can block the pores of the leaves. Some plants benefit from a damp sponge on the leaves.
  • In the case of sick and infested plants disinfect/steralise saucers and containers.

Give Plants What They Need

  • A rest may be all a plant needs if it been performing flowering miracles through summer
  • Provide the right conditions to suit the type of plant.
  • Do not over water or leave standing in water.
  • Provide the right sort of soil for the plant. Special composts are now pre-formulated for Orchids, Cactus, acid lovers, Bonsai etc.
  • Keep temperatures at a consistent and appropriate level.
  • Give plants adequate light and avoid sun scorching

If All Else Fails

  • Sick plants should be separated from healthy plants to avoid cross contamination
  • Always wash your hands and tools after handling a sick plant.
  • Develop a callous attitude to badly infested or diseased plants. Accept some failures and destroy them saving your time and energy for healthy specimens.

 

Thrifty Gardening

Thrifty Gardening

Gardening is an area where there are many ways of saving money or reducing costs. A thrifty approach to gardening is not only possible it is highly desirable particularly in the early stages of gardening. It would be easy to buy the most expensive and decorative plants in the garden centre only to find that you didn’t know what you were letting yourself in for. The plant may die or fail in some other way because you didn’t understand its needs and the care required to look after it. So ask for advice.

Pelargonium grandiflorum

Extra Plants for Free

  1. Increase your own stock by collecting seeds from annuals and plants you like. Leave a few vegetables to ‘run to seed’ e.g. peas and beans are good examples – at the end of the season let them grow until the seed pod is mature then collect and separate to dry the beans or peas and sow them again in spring.
  2. Increase your own stock by taking cuttings. Don’t worry about the occasional failure but take enough cuttings to cover losses.
  3. Increase stock by dividing up large clumps of plants. Many plants like Iris need this division treatment to remain healthy.
  4. Local horticultural and gardening clubs, neighbours, church fairs, friends, and family are good sources of cuttings, seeds and cheap but healthy plants.
  5. Look in your own garden for self sown plants I had some great cowslips in the garden when I arrived probably from seeds dropped by birds.
  6. Seeds or cuttings collected from positions where they are not needed to maintain the environment. (That is not to encourage theft from gardens or damage to the environment but there are many occasions when an opportunity won’t cause any problem)

Save on Consumables and Equipment

  1. Water is costly when metered so mulch rather than water. Water key plants individually and deeply. Collect rainwater in a barrel.
  2. Make your own seed pots from old packaging, margarine tubs, yoghurt pots or paper towel roll ends.
  3. If you have several old marked labels clean then in a jar of bleach to be able to reuse.
  4. Use organic slug control methods which tend to be free or cheap.

Top Gardeners Tip
Grow what gives you pleasure but if you can eat it or use it instead of buying something, like a bunch of flowers or present then you will get double value & pleasure.

How To Take Root Cuttings

How To Take Root Cuttings

Root Cuttings make an excellent way to increase the number of plants. They can be taken in the middle of winter when not much else is happening in the garden.

Plants which can be Grown through taking Root Cuttings

  • Phlox
  • Mint,
  • Japanese Anemones
  • Primulas
  • Oriental Poppies

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Cheap Good Value Perennials

Cheap Good Value Perennials

I was passing through Ilkley in Yorkshire when I was impressed by a small ‘Old Bridge Nursery’ by the side of the river Wharfe. There was negligible growing space but the crammed site was owned by an operation near Filey on the Yorkshire coast. It struck me as a good idea to have extra growing and growing-on capacity in such an auxiliary location.

Priced in pence per perennial pot (or per part of per pot perhaps) they seemed to be reasonable value for a three and a half inch pot . The roots were strong and just beginning to grow through the bottom of the pot and in most cases nicely filled the pot. Less than an inch of plant was showing but I bought 3 plants of which 2 were AGM varieties.

The Aster was so well developed I split it into 3 plants so they only cost very little each. As they are late to flower there is time for each plant to catch up and grow away strongly.

The red leaved Penstemon variety just caught my eye. If it grows and flowers well and is different from the red flowered, yellow leaved variety I have then I will take cuttings to increase the stock again for no cost.

I also got a Rudbeckia to fill a hole where another plant had been. I got to select the best plant from 50 but there were many other perennials that still had to show the first sign of newq growth .

I also bought 3 dwarf rhododendrons to plant in a space where a Eucalyptus tree is going to have to come out.

Tips for Good Value Perennials

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Autumn Backend Roses

Autumn Backend Roses

 

Late October and it feels very backendish. I am always pleased at the late rose buds that keep flowering in  ones and twos at this time of year. In a mild Autumn they can go on until Christmas even in Yorkshire.

Autumn Rose Tips

  • If you have been troubled with ‘black spot’ this year, collect all infected leaves and destroy then spray the rose again now with a fungicide.
  • Mulch your rose with the rotted compost you have been cultivating since spring.
  • Some people recommend pruning now to stop wind rocking roots loose but I wait until spring.
  • I have just taken cuttings of some roses.  8 inch lengths of stem of semi ripe wood have been put in a corner of the garden with some sand at the bottom of the hole. I will leave them a year or so and see what happens. A friend seems to have great success but she doesn’t know how she manages it.
  • Have a last look at nurseries and garden centers for the colour or variety of rose you want then order bear-rooted stock.
  • Good housekeeping makes for good roses.