Perfect Gardening Weather

 PERFECT WEATHER FOR THE GARDEN

Spring has been perfect this year. We had enough dry weather to catch up on outstanding tasks, complete the digging, and start the planting and sowing. Then the sun came out for a whole week and just as we were beginning to worry about the soil drying up, along came some serious rainfall.

The spring flowers were glorious and tulips have never lasted so long. The strawberries are two to three weeks ahead of last year and I have harvested my first lettuce and radish, and the sun lounger has been tested on several occasions. Well, I have to do my garden planning somewhere.

Every time I need to crack on with a bit of planting the weather turns dry, then once I’ve finished we get a bit of rain over night to water things in. This is just too perfect.

Is nature trying to make up for giving us two hard winters on the trot plus three wet summers. We lost a few plants in the winter, including some cistus, escallonias and cordyline, but those that survived are really putting on a brilliant display. My Fuchsia Mrs Popple was again frosted back to ground level, but it has survived and now has many young shoots reaching for the sun.

Flowers

The spring flowers will now be replaced with summer flowering bedding plants. Tubs, hanging baskets and beds have now all been replanted with geraniums, tuberous begonias, petunias, nemesia, busy lizzies and lobelia.

I grow some cosmos which is used to fill in any bare patches around the garden, and also sow some Shirley poppies which never fail to put on a good show.

Euphorbia polychroma has lovely lemon yellow flowers, but this year they are quite dazzling.

Azaleas are at their peak and really enjoying the moisture combined with cool but sunny weather.

Lilac is also superb with the white Mme Lemoine still favourite, and the deep lilac Michel Buchner also outstanding.

Himalayan blue poppies continue to flower, but remove the seedheads unless you wish to increase the stock. They grow fairly easy from seed if harvested when ripe and stored in a fridge for a few months. Sow them in a tray in late autumn and keep them outdoors all winter in a sheltered but shady place. Do not let them dry out and they should germinate in April the following year.

Iceland poppies also need regular dead heading to keep them flowering all summer. I also save the seed but sow them in late summer so I can overwinter small plants in trays for planting in early spring. These will then flower for the next two years.

Aconites grow quite easily from seed, so collect it as they ripen and sow it immediately where ever you wish to grow them. They naturalise rapidly.

Fruit

Apple and pear grafts are now shooting so I will soon have new varieties on two trees. I am looking forward to seeing pear Beurre Hardy and Christie and apples, Park Farm Pippin, Lord Roseberry and Pearl.

Mildew on apples overwinters in buds which open up in spring completely infected. These primary infections are quite noticeable, (they are completely white with mildew) so they should be picked off and destroyed before they spread.

Peach fruit set has been really poor. I think the severe winter did not help them. The blossom was quite late to open, (normally a distinct advantage), but never looked very strong, and although they got their regular hand pollination, assisted by a few bees most did not fertilise. They did not get any late frost. I hope to get three fruits this year and they will still be better than supermarket peaches.

Fig bushes got a fair frosting, killing back many shoots, but there is still a wee crop.

Allotment

All my fruit bushes are looking very good, but the gooseberry sawfly caterpillars have massed an attack. I spent an unpleasant moment picking them off and disposing off them. You need to be vigilant as they don’t hang about. They can chomp through the bushes at an alarming speed.

Strawberries are looking great and I may be picking my first fruit by the time you are reading this.

Planting has gone ahead at full steam. Sweet corn, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts are all planted and seeds of Dwarf French beans, Swiss chard, lettuce, radish, spring onion, beetroot, turnip, and Swedes are all sown.

Leeks have germinated but are quite slow to grow.

Glasshouse

Tomatoes have established in the growbags and are now in flower, so feeding has started. The flowers get a daily tickle to spread the pollen which will assist fertilisation as the flower is cleistogamic. Just love that word !!! Google knows what it means.

If you are growing them as cordons, remove the sideshoots regularly and twist the growing stems around the supporting strings to keep them upright.

Grape vines are now showing the flower bunches. I cut back any non flowering shoots to a couple of leaves just to help feed the plant. The flowering shoots get cut back to two leaves after the flower bunch. Thereafter right through the growing season you must cut back all sideshoots regularly to one leaf. Black Hamburg is very reliable and is full of flower, but Flame, my red seedless variety and Perlette the new white seedless grape do not have as much flowers as I would like.

However my newly planted outdoor grape vine, Solaris has a couple of bunches on it. Gardening by the book, I should really remove them to let the new vine concentrate its energies into growing into a strong bush. I was never very great at doing the right thing and I am very curious to know if I can get a good outdoor grape to ripen in Dundee, so I may leave them alone for a bit, but keep the situation monitored. My outdoor Brant is very successful, but it has small bunches that are not very commercial, no matter how sweet and juicy they are.

End

The Growing Season

SPRING PROPAGATION

Early April is a time when gardening really gets serious. Seed sowing of vegetables and flowers is in full production, chrysanthemum cuttings are being rooted, begonias started and plants germinated earlier are now needing pricked out or potted up. My greenhouse is always full even though I keep putting out plants to harden off as other younger more tender plants take their place. Outdoors I will be preparing the ground for the first sowings of vegetables and flowers, then if I can find a few spare days there is fences to be repaired, outdoor tables to paint, the greenhouse glass needs a wash,  my allotment shed roof leeks badly, and now the weeds have started to appear.

Fat chance of me taking advantage of some nice warm day to make sure my sun lounger is still in good working order. However my winter art classes are now finished till after Easter when I start again with a ten week summer session, (information on my website), so I will have no excuse for not getting some gardening done, unless of course I find my latest art project too stimulating to leave. I am currently working on new paintings for the Aberdeen Arts Fair in August where I will have a stand. My beautiful bright red Amaryllis was perfect as a colour prop in one of my figure paintings.

Greenhouse activities

Sowings of broad beans, onions, lettuce, early summer cabbage and cauliflower are now big enough to get hardened off so they are now outdoors in a sunny sheltered spot. They all went into cellular trays so did not need pricking off. This gives me a bit more space for my tomatoes now that they have been potted up and are growing strongly. They should be ready for planting into the growbags next week, but that depends on the weather just in case we get a late cold spell.

Overwintered geraniums are looking great. The largest ones are now outdoors, but younger smaller ones need a bit more warmth to bulk up.

Grape vines propagated last year from cuttings are now all breaking into growth, so they are due to get hardened off very soon. My greenhouse grapes are also starting into growth, so I ventilate on all warm days to keep a buoyant atmosphere so I don’t get troubled with mildew or botrytis.

Seed sowing continues with sweet corn going into small cellular trays to be transplanted into larger ones after germination.

Cape gooseberry seeds are also going into cellular trays as well as kale and Brussels sprouts.

Tuberous begonias have now come out of storage in the garage. I overwintered them in polystyrene boxes filled with a mixture of dry soil and sand, but now the warmer atmosphere has plumped up the buds which want to get growing. I start these in boxes packed quite close together covered lightly in compost, but they will get potted or boxed up again when they start to put on more growth. I have had about thirty non stop tuberous begonias for over fifteen years. The tubers get big enough in time to split in half as long as there is a few buds on each portion.

Chrysanthemums have had a hard time overwintering in my cold greenhouse, and I may lose some varieties, though it is early yet. Time will tell. I have started to take cuttings as they are big enough, (about two inches long) inserting them into trays. They will enjoy a bit of warmth on the living room windowsill to get them rooted, and then it is back into the greenhouse. I have a collection of early outdoor reflex and incurves which get disbudded to give me large heads and another collection of sprays which do not get disbudded. They are grown in a bed system on my allotment, giving a glorious display before getting cut for the house.

Outdoor work

Leeks can now be sown thinly in a well prepared seed bed outdoors. Once they are pencil thickness and about six inches tall, they can be lifted, topped and tailed, dibbled into big holes, then watered in to firm them up. The variety Musselburgh is always a good favourite. They are heavy feeders so make sure the ground for them has been well manured or composted, and still give them a dusting of fertilizer.

Dogwoods and willow growing in the winter border have now been pruned right back to ground level. This always seems very harsh, but they are very resilient and soon grow back quite strongly. I encourage growth with a dressing of compost in winter, then some fertilizer in spring. It is the fresh one year old shoots that give the brightest colours.

Landscaping works

Several shrub roses have been removed as they just were not strong enough to fight off attacks of mildew, rust and blackspot. They were growing on a very steep bank, so now I have to seek plants that can stabilize the soil and prevent erosion of soil running down the slope. Last summer I planted drifts of flag iris that have surface rhizomes that soon cover the ground holding the soil in place. They were supplemented with polyanthus, which were spare after they finished their spring display in tubs. They are brilliant at hugging the ground and continue to flower all spring. I will be adding a batch of Shasta daisies that are also great for soil stabilization, and once the threat of frost has passed I have a dozen young Fuchsia Mrs Popple ready to go out.

To add variety and cover other areas of this steep slope I am growing a batch of Cosmos which will go under glass for a few weeks to get them started, and a sowing of the annual Shirley poppy will go straight onto the steep sloping ground. I will prepare a fine tilth and add a sprinkling of old growbag compost to assist the germination, but they will get no fertilizer, otherwise it will be plenty of growth at the expense of flowers.

Early spring bulbs

The spring bulbs continue to flower. Now it is the turn for the Scilla siberica, Anemone blanda, grape hyacinths, early narcissi, and tulip species. February Gold is one of the first narcissi to flower, and the kaufmanniana tulip Stressa, Shakespeare and Show Winner are in bloom at the end of March. These are followed by the Fosteriana types such as Red Emperor and the white Purissima and the greigii hybrids Red Riding Hood.

End

Winter Pruning of Fruit Trees

  WINTER PRUNING FRUIT TREES AND BUSHES

 The dormant season from November to March is the perfect time to tackle the winter pruning with   pruning saw, loppers and secateurs. Other garden tasks have been put on hold while we wait on better weather once all the snow melts, but pruning is mostly above ground level so deep snow and frost are no obstacle as long as you have warm clothing and the promise of some hot pumpkin or beetroot soup once the job is complete.

Pruning fruit trees and bushes has always been seen as a skill beyond most amateur gardeners and only acquired after good training and years of practice. Even in professional circles I have found great gardeners who never did break down the mystery of pruning. One expert propagator highly regarded for his skills in raising plants never got his gooseberry bushes to bear any fruit.

In reality the principles of pruning are similar for all fruit production although each type has its own needs.

I try to keep my pruning very simple and may not follow the book. I leave that to those undergoing training, who have to follow the Royal Horticultural Society precise methods so they understand the principles and get through their exams.

Then there is the commercial growers who wish to produce quality fruit with high yields, but with the minimum of labour input and aimed at producing trees that can all be picked from the ground.

My methods combine RHS principles applied with a simplified version of commercial practice.

My first aim is to produce a strong well shaped tree or bush, then prune lightly to encourage a balance of fruiting wood and replacement shoots. These must be well spaced to allow light into the tree to ripen up young wood so it can initiate fruit buds.

Pruning also removes weak growth, diseased shoots, crossing branches, branches broken with heavy crops or just too near the ground.

Apples and Pears

 

Pruning method varies depending on whether the trees are bush, cordon, espalier, stepover or fan trained. All of these can be spur pruned by summer and winter pruning. Cut back all side shoots to five or six leaves in mid summer, then again back to two buds in winter to encourage formation of fruiting spurs. In time reduce the size of these spurs otherwise you may get too many fruits at the expense of size.

Leading main shoots are reduced by a third in winter.

My apple and pears are grown as bushes so I do not spur prune them. I carry out replacement pruning of fruiting branches which have got too old and bent down with heavy cropping. This is done with loppers and saw, not secateurs, and I always look for a young shoot to replace the branch being removed.

If the tree becomes too vigorous, I do not feed in spring, but at the end of August. This feed is too late to encourage fresh growth so the tree uses it to build up fruit buds. Late pruning once spring growth has just started will also help to curb an over vigorous tree.

Plums

These are always pruned in summer to minimize the risk of Silver leaf disease. The spores of this disease are around from late autumn to late spring and could penetrate any cut surface.

Form a well balanced tree with five or six main branches in the early years. Plums tend to crop heavy and pull limbs down, so replacement pruning is perfect for them. There is usually plenty of young shoots to replace any limbs removed. Replacement pruning is carried out as required and not necessarily every year.

Peaches

These are usually fan trained against a warm south facing wall or fence, so pruning is carried out to keep the tree in this shape, and allow ample sunlight onto the ripening fruit. Fans have four main branches on each side. These are constantly being replaced by young shoots that are allowed to grow for one year producing new fruit buds that overwinter to make the following years crop. To allow sunlight into the centre of the tree remove all unfruitful shoots in late winter and during summer prune out weak growth, upright shoots and any showing signs of disease. Remove some foliage around the fruit in summer to help colour up the fruit.

Raspberries

Summer fruiting types fruit on canes produced the previous year. These are removed after cropping or in winter and the new shoots tied in. If the variety produces a lot of canes thin these out so that canes are spaced out at four inches apart tied along the top wire with a running knot.

Autumn fruiting types are cut down to ground level every winter as they fruit on new canes.

Blackberry (Bramble)

These are similar to summer fruiting rasps but the canes grow a lot bigger so have to be tied in to a wire framework where they are looped up and down to save space. Train the new canes up the centre and above the fruiting canes to keep them out of the way.

Tayberry and Loganberry is pruned the same way.

Blackcurrants

Immediately after planting cut the new bush down to a couple of buds on each shoot. These prunings can be used as hardwood cuttings to grow into more bushes. Blackcurrants fruit on one year old shoots and older wood. Prune after fruiting or in winter by cutting some older branches down to ground level or to a young shoot coming from near the base. Aim to replace all growth over about four or five years.

Red and White currants

These can be grown as a bush or a cordon as they fruit best on spurs. Allow the bush to form an open centre with about six main shoots. In early summer cut all side shoots to about six inches then in winter further reduce these to two buds. After a few years start to replace one or two main shoots every year with new young shoots.

Gooseberries

These fruit very easily as long as bullfinches don’t go pecking out the buds in spring. Pruning is mainly to make picking easier, so keep the centre open and also remove any low trailing shoots otherwise soil could splash the fruits. Remove any crossing shoots and overcrowded areas.

Saskatoons and Blueberries

Saskatoon  fruit bushes produce berries on all wood, so pruning is only carried out after several years to keep the plant down to an easy height for picking. Every year remove a branch down to ground level to encourage new sucker growth to keep the bushes young.

Blueberries also require little pruning for the first few years as they are quite slow growing. In later years cut some older branches down to younger shoots coming from the base or lower down the plant to rejuvenate the bush.

Grape vines

In Scotland these are either grown under glass or on a sheltered south facing warm wall. Under glass grow them on single upright rods spaced about eighteen inches apart and in winter cut every shoot back to one or two buds of the main rod. Shoots emerge from these spurs and form small fruit bunches. Allow these to grow then prune them to two leaves after the bunch. Then for the rest of the growing period cut all other growths to one leaf. In early autumn thin out more shoots and leaves to let sunshine ripen the fruit. Pruning wall trained vines outdoors is just the same, though grow them on a well spaced framework of main branches rather than rods.

 End

The end of the year

It is time to review the past year in both the art world as well as in the garden to allow plans to be made for 2009.

My painting projects started of with snow scenes around Glenshee in Scotland, then warmed up with figure studies, (Scottish lady) in burnt umber and sienna tones, (my coffee and cream series), a trip to Islay during the whisky festival to put me in the right spirit, produced some Scottish landscape watercolours, then a trip to Benidorm completed the last project in a Scottish colourist style where vibrant colours predominate.
I still have to see what new projects will appear in 2009.

Outside the studio lot of time was spent in the garden and allotment battling to grow crops in a very wet year.
However efforts were rewarded with success on the allotment getting a cup for the best allotment in Dundee in 2008. I put it down to hard work eliminating pests, diseases and weeds, good feeding of all crops and growing the more exotic plants that may be successful should the climate changes give Scotland warmer weather.

Hence I am trying a range of grape vines to see if they will fruit in Dundee. Most promising so far is Flame a red seedless variety. The fig tree is also very happy and rewarded us with about 10 juicy figs. It is only in its second year. Modern varieties of raspberries and strawberries have allowed cropping to continue from early summer to the end of October.

However pride of place goes to our Saskatoons which are now cropping very well. This new fruit crop is mainly grown in Canada and north America, but is very suitable for UK. It is like a blueberry, but with a heavier yield and far easier to grow as it likes most soils.