Gardening Delights

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

2008-07-05T03:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you out there who like to see a lovely garden, but would rather not have anything to do with the back-breaking work it involves, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is on from
7 - 13 July, starting with the Gala Evening on the 7th. The show is a great day out for all the family and there is something for everyone. There will be loads of tips on growing your own food and you can purchase the relevant garden tools to help you get started.

One of the highlights of the show is a feature about growing and cooking fruit and vegetables from the Mediterranean, Asia and Britain, which is sure to draw the crowds. The fruit and veg are grown in the 'Growing Tastes' garden, designed by Michael Balston. This is a 'must visit' for anyone planning a kitchen garden. Several top chefs have been roped in to demonstrate what delicious food you can cook from stuff that you have grown in your garden.

For this year's show the RHS has teamed up with the Met Office and there will be a presentation about climate change and its effect on the way we garden. There will also be a family weekend and first the first time ever a scarecrow competition, which should be great fun for the children.

8 and 9 July are members' only days, but from 10 July it is open to everyone. Just like at the Chelsea Flower Show there is a sale on the final day starting at 4.30pm and there will be many bargains to be had. You just have enough time to plan how to get a huge bamboo plant on the London Underground.

Still time for fast veg

2008-07-03T05:25:00.000-07:00

If you have really got into veg growing this spring and summer you might want to consider sowing or planting some veg to take you through winter and there is still enough time to get organised.

If you have never grown Kohlrabi, now is the time, It is a member of the turnip family and looks a bit like a space ship. It has a delicate flavour and can be eaten raw in salads as well as cooked. Try both the white and purple skinned varieties and see which you prefer. If you sow it now it will be ready for eating in autumn. You should harvest it when it's about the size of a tennis ball, any larger and it starts getting tough.

There is also still time to sow purple sprouting broccoli and carry on sowing salad leaves and the cut and come again oriental vegetables. Try sowing some fast growing varieties of French beans, some of them are ready in eight weeks.

If you would like to have a supply of home grown vegetables over the winter but don't have a greenhouse don't worry, there are plenty of veg that can be grown outdoors. Get hold of one of the many seed catalogues and you'll be surprised at the variety of veg that can be grown over the winter, even without a greenhouse. I'll be posting a selection of catalogues as well as some ideas for a winter supply of veg.

Growing Fruit and Veg in Pots

2008-07-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

If you want to grow your own fruit and veg, but don't have a big enough garden or the time to tend an allotment, you can still grow a variety of delicious fruit and veg to feed you and your family. Many lovely varieties of fruit, veg and salad will grow well in containers, that can be placed on patios, balconies and in window boxes.

There is a huge choice of crops that can be grown in containers, from mixed sald to strawberries. You might want to try compact plants, such as sweet pepper, aubergines and tumbling varieties of tomatoes. Courgettes, beetroots carrots and potatoes also grow well in pots. When it comes to growing lettuce try the 'cut and come again' salad leaves, and herbs are absolutely ideal to grow in containers and tubs.

Blueberries, figs and apricots can be grown in tubs on the patio but make sure that you select a large enough tub. You should use a good multi-purpose compost and include some water retaining crystals, to keep in the moisture. Make sure that your container is big enough for the plant, tomatoes can grow to quite a size. Be aware that root vegtables need quite a deep container, while lettuce and radishes can be sown in shallow trays. Above all, do remember that container-grown vegetables need plenty of water and on very hot days you might need to water twice a day.

Growing your own Fruit and Veg

2008-07-01T04:41:00.000-07:00

As prices in the shops are rising growing your own fruit and veg is definitely becoming more popular. Once the pursuit of old men on their allotments it has now become the 'in' thing and you are more likely to see young families, as well as single men and women growing their own food. Just take a trip to your local garden centre and where once you only found ornamental shrubs and plants you now see whole sections dedicated to young vegetable plants and soft fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries and currants.

If you are a seasoned veg grower you will have had your seeds delivered early in the year to get the widest choice and a headstart. If you are a beginner and like to start growing your own, it is not yet too late. While it is cheapest to grow from seed it is also much more labour intensive and time consuming and, ideally, you should have a greenhouse. There is nothing wrong with buying young vegetable plants to start you off and you could try tomatoes, courgettes, beans and various lettuce. If you would like to start growing from seed try the various varieties and lettuce and radishes, which are easy to grow and you see very quick results.

If you are short of space all of the above can be grown in tubs on the patio, in window boxes and even in hanging baskets. There is nothing quite like nipping out onto the patio to pick some fresh veg and herbs for dinner.

Fabulous Strawberries

2008-06-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Wimbledon is upon us once again and Wimbledon means strawberries - whether in a bowl with cream or in a tall glass of Pimms, you simply can't imagine the one without the other. How often have you been disappointed when you bought strawberries in the shops and have found them to be hard and sour with absolutely no taste? There is only one solution - grow your own! Strawberries are among the easiest fruits to grow and you don't need a huge garden - they can be grown in tubs on the patio and even in hanging baskets.

If you are planting your strawberries in the soil you should digg it and remove any weeds. You might also want to add some manure to give your plants a good start. Don't forget to put down slug pellets if you want to enjoy strawberries whole rather than half eaten and you should also net them to prevent the birds from having your entire crop. If you are growing strawberries in tubs or baskets feed them once a week with tomato feed, which is high in potash, once the fruit has set.

Once the strawberries begin to ripen check them daily and pick the ripe fruit before it rots on the plant. That way you will extend the growing season. Once the harvest is over remove the old leaves, leaving the crown and any new leaves. This allows the sun to get to the centre of the plant and you will get a better crop next year. You should continue to feed and water well and you can now remove the netting which will enable the birds to pick off any insects on the strawberries.

If you want to extend your strawberry season you should plant early varieties, such as 'Elvira' which produces fruit from June to early July, as well as mid-season and late varieties. A good mid-season strawberry is 'Hapil' which grows from early to late July, while you might like to try 'Florence' which produces dark, sweet fruits in late summer.

Doesn't time fly!

2007-10-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

I realised today that I have not posted anything to my gardening blog for quite a while, but I had no idea that it had been that long! Summer, such as it was is over and the garden looks magnificent in its autumn colour. The awful weather for most of the summer has delayed a number of projects that I had planned in the garden - I was hoping to have finished my long L-shaped mixed border, but that will have to wait until next spring.

For now I will concentrate on tidying up for the winter and planting a few bulbs for spring. Some of the roses are still blooming and the hydrangeas are still magnificent. The rabbits have had a go at the perennial geraniums and I am still desperately searching for a rabbit repellent. I've been told that the only effective repellent is a gun, but I don't like firearms, so that is not an option. Unfortunately next door's lurcher shows no inclination to chase the rabbits - he sits on the lawn and watches them - it takes all sorts!

Two squirrels appeared and helped themselves to the entire crop of walnuts, they've evidently never heard of sharing. Needless to say, I had made the necessary preparations - I wound thick plastic sheeting around the trunk of the tree and covered it in oil. The squirrel took a run and literally shinned up the slippery trunk - I give up! I guess I'll just have to buy my walnuts this year.

Easter Gardening

2007-04-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

What a glorious Easter weekend we are having - it is not often that here in the UK we get warm, sunny weather for the entire Easter weekend, especially when it falls early in April. The last three evenings we have sat on the balcony, enjoying a glass of wine until after 7 o'clock, without shivering from the cold.

We also got much work done in the garden. Looking at my trellice and noticing many bare spaces I had a trip to the market on Saturday where I managed to buy a whole bunch of clematis and honeysuckles. They were virtually giving them away at £3 each - I think I will definitely have another trip to the market next Saturday.

Since I've got the week off work it is going to be a major gardening week. I will at last finish my large L-shaped border on which I have been working for the last couple of years. I need three more large thin conifers and about half a dozen large shrubs, which I will plant this week. Then, all that is left to do is fill the gaps with herbaceous plant and do the underplanting with bulbs and groundcover plants. Then back to work for a nice rest next week.

Writing v Working

2007-03-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

I have once again discovered that writing about gardening is considerably easier than actually working in the garden. However, I did manage to spend the whole afternoon gardening and it was very pleasant. The sun finally came out and it almost seemed like Spring. I managed to finish the pruning and for once got to the honeysuckle and clematis before they got hopelessly entangled.

As we have had a mild winter most of the plants seemed to have survived and it is lovely to see the new shoots on the herbaceaus plants. The Clematis montana is already in bud and it won't be long before we have some lovely blooms. There are good strong shoots on the roses, but I also noticed the first aphids - that means I will have to spray within in the next few days. If you leave it too long you will be overtaken by aphids and blackspot and not come to grips with it all summer.

I noticed a large clump of sweet violets in the lawn by the shed - a lovely sight and a reminder that Spring is almost here and the warmer days are not too far away. It will be Easter in two weeks and I'm hoping for warm weather and not too much rain so that I can begin planting to fill those gaps in my borders.

Gardening Tasks for March

2007-03-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

March is the time to do some serious pruning, if you have not already done it. Now is definitely the time to prune your buddleia – take the stems right down to the wood. Don’t worry about overdoing it – it is almost impossible to kill a buddleia and good pruning now will be rewarded by a fabulous show of flowers in the summer. Your caryopteris might have died back to ground level in the winter frosts – cut away all dead wood, but take care not to damage any new, green shoots.

March is the time to prune your dogwoods (Cornus). Cut your dogwoods down to a woody base a few inches from ground level and you can do the same with your Elder bushes. Hardy Fuchsias can now be cut back hard, but take care not to damage any new shoots. If your honeysuckle is a bit overgrown now is the time to cut it back hard to encourage new growth from the base that can then be trained to supports.

Snip the old flowers off your hydrangeas and cut the stems just above a strong pair of buds. Remove one third of the old woody stems on your lilac to encourage new shoots to develop from the old wood. Cut away the dead stems on your plumbago but take care not to damage new growth. You can leave your Cotinus to grow, but you can also cut it down within a few inches off the ground to encourage new growth and bigger leaves.

There is still time to prune roses. Start by cutting out any dead wood and any stems that show signs of dieback. Cut out any cross growing branches to create a nice, airy bush. Make sure you leave outward facing buds to get the branches growing in the right direction. Cut weak shoots right back to encourage strong growth.

Now is the time to think about supporting taller plants and it is time to get your plant support frames in place. This will encourage new shoots to grown up through the frames and this will prevent them being blown over in the wind. If you have fruit cages check the netting and see if it needs repairing and feed your fruit bushes and trees. Spray peaches and nectarines with copper fungicide to prevent peach leaf curl.

Try to plan ahead for summer and plant large pots with lily bulbs. These can either go on the patio or they can be used to fill gaps in your border. Large terracotta pots are ideal for this and larger pots will hold more plants and provide more colour and make a greater impact. If you are on a tight budget try bare-rooted perennials such as agapanthus for your border. These days they are often to be had in the supermarket at very good prices. For best results plant them in pots and then plant them out into the border when they are growing more strongly.

Now is also the time to sow dwarf French beans in large pots and keep it under glass for an early crop – they should be ready by June. March is the time to plant Begonias in pots for a fine display later in the year. If you are intending to use grow bags bring them under cover in the shed or garage to warm them up prior to planting.

Gardening Taks for February

2007-03-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

The secret of having a good looking garden is to do tasks at the right time. Although it can be cold and uncomfortable in the garden at this time of year your tasks for February should not be put off and you will be pleased with yourself later in the Spring knowing that getting on with those tasks for February have given the garden a good start for Spring and Summer.
Summer flowering Clematis can be pruned back hard now. They will make rapid new growth during Spring ready for a fabulous display of flowers in the summer.
Cornus (Dogwood) can be pruned back now to give it a chance to make new bright shoots to give plenty of interest next winter.

Keep deadheading Winter and Spring bedding plants such as Primulas and Pansies to prolong their flowering season.

February is a good time for moving plants and shrubs that have outgrown their position. Now is the time to divide and replant perennials, as long as the ground is not frosty.

Lily bulbs can be planted in pots now – five to a pot of the same variety will make a lovely show in the summer. Use a heavy pot, such a terracotta to give the plants that extra stability, once they are fully grown

Tasks for February in the Greenhouse
Tender plants, such as Pelargoniums and Fuchsias must be kept at above 4C (40F). Check once a week and remove any dead flowers or rotting stems. Keep the compost on the dry side and make sure that there is good air circulation around the plants. If this is a problem you might need to get a small fan heater.

Summer bedding plants can now be sown into a heated propagator, they need 21C (70F) to germinate. February is also the time to replant your Begonia tubers into fresh compost. They should now be watered and kept at a temperature of 16C (60F). Now is also the time to plant new Begonia tubers.

Kitchen Garden
Keep picking Leeks, Brussel Sprouts and Cabbages, lift Jerusalem Artichokes and Parsnips, save some of your Jerusalem Artichoke tubers to replant in Spring.

In warmer districts Broad Beans, Carrots and Parsnips can be sown under cloches. Summer Cabbage, Leeks and Onions can be sown under a warm propagator and shallots can be planted out.

Choose and buy early varieties of seed potatoes and put them in trays to let them sprout, ready for planting in March. Cover Rhubarb crowns with buckets or forcing jars. If you intend to grow Asparagus now is the time to prepare the bed and order your crowns. Bare rooted fruit trees, bushes and soft fruit canes can be planted now. Sprinkle phosphate of potash around fruit trees and shrubs.

Gardening Tasks for January

2007-03-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

January is the time for clearing away last year’s debris and making preparations for the gardening year ahead. Most herbaceous plants will have died back to ground level and any remaining untidy stems can be cut down to ground level. Take care not to damage any new emerging shoots.

You can carefully rake between plants to remove any dead leaves and stems and put them straight into the compost.

Now is the time to finish taking hardwood cuttings from shrubs, trees and roses. Cover your gunnera with straw to protect the crowns from frost. Pick off any hellebore leaves that have black blotches. Plant roses, hedging and other bare rooted trees and shrubs. Prune wall climbers, such as ivy, away from window frames and gutters. Lift and divide congested clumps of snowdrops.

This is the perfect time to rejuvenate your rhubarb plants. As the clumps get older, they lose vigour, producing fewer succulent stems for picking in spring. Dig deeply to lift clumps whole with as much root as possible. Pull them apart or chop them into smaller portions, each with one or more buds at the top and a few roots at the base. The oldest central portion of the clump will no longer be productive and can be discarded. Choose a sunny position, digging a couple of bucket-loads of manure or compost deeply into the soil, then replant your healthy portions of rhubarb with the buds resting just below soil level.

If you want to have a good fruit crop now is the time to spread compost or well rotted manure around bushes and canes. Extra organic matter improves the water holding capacity of the soil and the more moisture available next summer, the bigger the fruits. Sprinkle sulphate of potash on to the soil before mulching or feed in early spring. Potassium is essential for good flowering and fruiting, and an annual feed is highly recommended.

Clear old crops from your veg plot and fork in compost. Fill a trench with kitchen waste for future bean sowings. Use cloches to warm the soil ready for early sowing. Cover rhubarb crowns with forcing jars. Plant new fruit trees, cane fruits and bushes. Dig up and pot mint roots to force early shoots.

If you have a greenhouse make sure your paraffin heater is topped up with oil. If you are using gas bottles make sure you have a spare. Make sure that you have a small amount of ventilation to ensure they burn efficiently and that the fumes can escape.

Raise pots off the ground to ensure that compost drains freely. Provide birds with fresh water and good quality bird food. Move pots to sheltered sites during cold periods. Knock snow from branches of evergreen shrubs shrubs and conifers to prevent branches breaking under the weight. Order bulbs, corms and tubers for summer flowers, such as dahlias, lilies and gladioli.

Gardening Tasks

2007-03-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

The success of a garden depends largely on doing the relevant tasks at the correct time. It can be an absolute pain to go out on a cold, damp Spring day to prune the roses, but you will be rewarded with a fabulous show of blooms from June onwards.

Nobody feels like going out to tidy beds and cutting down straggly herbaceous plants when the temperature is in single figures and the wind is blowing around your ears, but you can sit back smug later in the year when your garden looks an absolute picture.

Personally, I am more of a fair weather gardener and therefore I’m always running, trying to catch up on tasks that should have been done six weeks ago. Am I out there now pruning the last of the shrubs? No, I’m sitting here where it is warm and dry, writing this blog. I tell myself that writing the blog will remind me of all the tasks I should be doing outside, and so it will – but will it actually make me do the work? Only time will tell!