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Gardening
Article Week Ending September 4rth 2009 Hello
Folks
Most
perennials that have finished flowering can be divided now or later in
the Spring. When dividing large clumps, the old centre should be
discarded as they are no good, but the young outside shoots can be
replanted. The red leaved Heuchera seem to be very popular this year and
this is another plant that can be divided if it is getting too big.
Carefully cut through the Rhizomous root keeping some of the thin feeder
roots, and re-plant. One plant I do not disturb until the Spring is the
Penstemon. As with some of the other slightly more delicate perennials I
like to leave the dead flower stems and leaves on to protect the new
undeveloped young shoots that are there ready for the next year.
Any
Summer flowering shrubs, such as Buddleias, that have finished
flowering, can be cut back and
the prunings put through your garden shredder so that they can be added
to your compost heap to mix in with the grass cuttings. There are many bulbs coming on display for sale in the garden centres, including Hyacinths that should be planted in pots during September for Christmas flowering. The pots or bowls must be kept in a cool dark place such as a cellar, if you still have one, until the leaves are about 3 inches high and then should be transferred to a light, but still cool place. When handling Hyacinths it is better to wear gloves as the dust they have been sprayed with can cause hands to itch. Tulips
don’t need to be planted until November really as they don’t like to
sit in wet soil too long, so the Dwarf Tulips I have bought have been
hung up in the garage where they will keep cool and not dry out.
Daffodils aren’t so fussy about when they are planted, but if you are
not ready to plant them yet, or any of the other bulbs on sale now, you
can store them for weeks before planting. In fact they will be better
bought early and stored in a cool garage rather than buying them later
after they have been drying out on show in a warm shop for weeks. If you
keep the bulbs in the garage or shed do watch out for mice though! Well
I think that’s all for now. Cheerio.
Gardening
Tips Week Ending September 7th 08 Hello
Folks
Another month has gone by with very little Summery weather. It
has not really been cold, but very dull, making the Tomatoes
slow to ripen this year, but the late raspberries are doing well
as are our Thorn-less Blackberries. The Curly Kale and Chinese Cabbage
look like lace curtains now from all the Cabbage White grubs, but on
looking very close the Cabbages are shooting from the base again.
Cuttings
of perennials such as Penstemons, Doronicums, Ornamental Sage and Thyme
to name but a few can be taken now, as well as cuttings of semi-ripe
wood from shrubs. If you have Geraniums and have a special one, cuttings
of these can be taken, but as with all plants none flowering shoots are
the best, It
is also time to go round your garden collecting seed-pods. It is best to
dry the pods and separate the seeds from the chaff keeping the seeds
‘till the appropriate time for them to be sown. Some can be sown
almost straight away and I have found October is best for Geraniums. Do
remember though that seeds saved from your own plants may well produce
plants with flowers that are different from their parents. Geraniums are
quite easy seeds to handle and after germination the young plants should
be kept growing on the window ledge over the coming Winter. Many
Perennials that have finished flowering and are getting over crowded,
can be dug up and divided. When re-planting them discard the old middle
piece and re-plant the new young shoots remembering to water them well. I
think that’s all for now Frances
Hartley
Gardening Tips Week Ending September 7th Hello folks
A nice bit of Summer at last. The second lot of raspberries and runner beans are doing well
now. The Garlic also did quite
well, but the tomatoes are not quite so good, due I think to the changeable
temperatures.
If you like fresh
figs they are another easy fruit to grow . They are nothing like the dried
figs sold in packets in shops etc. There are no seeds and should be plump and
juicy when picked about the size of a Victoria plum, I have had several off
mine so far with more to come. They are brown Turkey , they thrive best
in poor soil and face south, roots should be restricted. Do not plant
close to the house walls. The
new bulbs are on sale now. I found some lovely double Narcissuses, with a slightly coloured centre
that are also highly scented. I shall definitely put some more
in this year. If
Buddleias have finished flowering stems can be cut back. They seem to
have put on a lot of growth this year hard and pruning should be done late
February next year, but cutting back a bit now will save the wind
rocking from them and loosening the roots. In fact any Summer flowering
shrubs can be pruned now. If you are pruning Hydrangeas only cut dead
flowers off and don’t go too far down as next years flower buds will have
started forming just below the current years flowers. Well
I think that is all for now. Cheerio Frances Hartley.
Gardening
Hints And Tips
Buddleias have flowered well this
year and will need cutting back a little to prevent the plant from
rocking about in the winds. If this is not done and they rock it will
leave pockets round the roots that the frost can get into. It is a good
idea to leave them for a week or two as the birds love the seeds on
them. It is best to do the main cut, when they should be cut back hard,
at the end of February. Also prune the old fruiting stems on the early
fruiting Raspberries but leave the new shoots as these will fruit next
year. If
you like Hyacinths in flower for Christmas they should be potted as soon
as possible, certainly no later than the last week in September. There
are some very pretty pots in the Garden Centres now that contain bulbs
and compost and are reasonably priced. They make nice Christmas
presents but they must be kept in a cool place until you are ready to
start them growing. If
you have Lilies growing in pots keep them watered until the foliage
starts to die off and then stop watering. They can be kept outside
against a wall of the house for the winter and will be fine until the
Spring comes. All
for now Frances
Hartley The Autumn It has been a good summer on and off, but now it is time to think about the coming Spring. Garden Centres are getting their bulbs in now and I like to get mine while they are still fresh before they have had them in too long. There is such a big range of Narcissi now that one is spoilt for choice. The bulbs have been in cold stores and when they are brought out into the warm shops and garden centres they start to dry out and deteriorate. If you are going to store them for a while before planting a little later, as it is still early, the bulbs are best hung in a cool garage or shed in fruit nets or old tights. Hanging them like this will keep the mice away from them and let the air get round them.
If you grow things like Geraniums keep dead heading the plants to make them produce more flowers or else they will try and set seed. It is also time to take cuttings from them. I still prefer compost with a good layer of sharp sand to root them in but whatever you use don’t use rooting powder because it will encourage black leg. Also be very sparing with the watering as they prefer to be on the dry side. I will talk more about bulbs next time. Cheerio Frances Hartley
Gardening
Tips 24/9/06 Hello folks it's me again, I
was asked if Clematis are hardy and of course they are but they need
careful planting. They do like a sheltered sunny spot with their roots
in the shade. The easiest way to do this is place a piece of a slab or a
layer of large stones over the ground round the roots after you have
planted it. Don't forget to give them a good watering in when planting
before adding the stones which will also keep the moisture in. The Garden Centres now have the
Winter flowering Pansies in. It is best to buy them in tight bud, not in
flower as they will establish themselves better. There is also a big
selection of miniature Cyclamen about. They are very nice for instant
displays in your borders or tubs but they will not stand the frost. The
really hardy ones for the garden are Cyclamen Neopolitan and Coum
Varieties. Both are fully hardy and will spread if left undisturbed, but
do not be tempted to put them in full sun as they like a bit of shade.
Hope this is of use to some of you.
Cheerio for now. Frances Hartley.
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Onions
and Garlic should be ready for lifting and storing as soon as we have a
long dry spell. I find Garlic will keep well if they are hung up in the
garage in old tights or stockings.
Garden
Centres have plenty of bulbs in stock now that are all very tempting,
but don’t forget when handling prepared Hyacinths to wear gloves, or
put your hands in a small plastic bag, as the powder put on them to stop
Mildew, can cause irritation to your hands. If you want Hyacinths for
Christmas they should be going in now as soon as possible and kept in
the dark till the flower spike is well up, otherwise the leaves will
grow tall and hide the flower.
I
have noticed there are a lot of Blueberry plants for sale now, perhaps
because Blueberries are supposed to be very good for you. We have one as
they make
a nice change and add a bit of colour in a fresh fruit salad. They are
quite easy to grow, but be aware they do like an acid soil, if yours is
clay, or lime, like mine, use a very large pot to grow them in. If pots are
too heavy for you to move, there are slatted
wooden stands about 10 inches square on 4 castors, available in some of the garden centres. I have 4 and find
them very useful.
The
pruning of any Spring and Summer flowering shrubs that need it should be
finished by the end of September, unless it is something like a Crab
Apple that you are going to cut back severely, or even pollard, then they
are best left as late as possible in the Autumn before the first frosts,
to let the goodness and sap go down out of the leaves and branch tips.
If there is a week or two before the frost, the cut ends will have time
to heal over and prevent frost damage.
Bedding plants are still making a beautiful
display that can be encouraged to continue by feeding. Plants in baskets
and tubs especially will have used up all the food in the compost even
if you have used a slow release fertilizer. A foliar feed such as liquid
seaweed is very good at this time as it can be watered over the foliage.
If
you grow fruit trees and get grubs in the fruit now is the time to put
Grease Bands round the trunks. This may seem a silly thing to do to stop
grubs in the fruit, but the insects crawl up the trunks in the Autumn
and lay their eggs in the buds which will develop into the fruit for the
next year. The eggs hatch in the spring and then as the fruit grows so
do the grubs eating away at your prize apples etc. Grease bands can be
bought from most garden centres and some gardening/D.I.Y. stores.
Another problem with fruit trees that can be prevented by a little
action now, is fruit drop of small underdeveloped fruit on Plums and
Damsons. A little sprinkle of garden lime round the base of the tree,
not on the trunk, will work wonders.