POTTERING AROUND
Relaxation
in the garden is difficult in early summer, even after most crops have been
sown or planted and harvesting has not really started as there is always some
wee job needing attention.
The old
leaves of crocus, daffodils, tulips and other spring flowering bulbs have all
died down so these can be removed and added to the compost heap.
Any bare
soil left behind once all the leaves have been removed can be planted up with
annuals from seed or summer bedding plants such as Impatiens, Marigolds,
geraniums, petunias or lobelia.
Dead head
rhododendrons and azaleas so the bushes can direct all their energy into
growing the young shoots that will ripen up in autumn and produce next years
flowers. Add these to the compost heap.
The damp
mild weather has encouraged the growth of annual weeds so remove these before
they get too big and again add to the compost heap mixing them in with any
grass cuttings from the lawn.
Even
after completely using up all last years garden compost and starting another
heap in early March, my new compost heap is already gaining size as I add
shredded tree and shrub prunings and all our kitchen waste.
This was
turned at the beginning of June to assist rotting then some fertile soil added
to the top so I could plant a few spare tomatoes and pumpkins. Slug pellets
were necessary to control compost heap slugs and snails, but now they are all
growing quite strongly and small tomatoes are beginning to develop.
Good
growth is assisted by the heat produced as the compost heap rots down, and now
these outdoor tomatoes are flowering on their second truss. Both these plants
and my greenhouse tomatoes, now flowering on their third truss, will get weekly
feeding, removal of side shoots and tying up as they grow tall and need good
support. Never underestimate the weight of crop as the tomatoes ripen, as
supports need to be very robust.
Indoor
and outdoor grape vines have now all developed the grape bunches so summer
pruning has started. As I grow mine on the cordon system with one upright rod
that produces several fruiting laterals, the pruning is simple but constant
from now right up till late autumn. Any barren shoots with no sign of a bunch
are removed. All other fruiting laterals are tipped at two leaves after the
fruiting bunch. There after every shoot is tipped at one leaf so the plants can
turn their energy into developing the fruit rather than producing excess
growth.
Keep the
ventilators in the greenhouse wide open all summer and open the door as well on
warm days to prevent any build up of mildew, botrytis or other diseases likely
to affect tomatoes or grapes.
Now is a
perfect time to propagate numerous plants, e.g. fuchsias, by softwood cuttings.
Take these about two or three inches long and put into a free draining compost
then after watering cover with a polythene bag for a month. Once they are
rooted they can be potted up. Some plants such as the succulent Delosperma can
be propagated by pulling off pieces and putting them into pots of compost where
they root very quickly.
Hanging
baskets do not have an abundance of compost so need regular feeding to keep
them growing and flowering. Give them a general feed once a week.
Some
taller growing herbaceous plants such as delphiniums need tying in as they can
grow quite tall. Mine will grow up to six feet tall, and give great value with
the bright blue flowers.
Cistus purpureus is a small evergreen shrub with
grey foliage and deep pink flowers with central crimson blotches. It flowers in
early summer and is perfect for seaside locations and drier soils as long as it
gets watered enough after planting to get it established. Plant it in full sun.
END