Garden Notes for September 2022.

As John Keats so famously wrote about autumn being the “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness/ close bosom-friend of the maturing sun”, September sees the time when crops are usually harvested and stored for the winter months that are to come. As I write this in August when it is heartbreakingly dry and far too hot I can only hope that the rain will come again. Under normal circumstances carrots should be lifted and stored before the roots start to split, which they will do very quickly once the heavy autumn rains begin. For the same reason, beetroot are better lifted and stored this month. Looking forward to next year, spring cabbage should be planted now. Remember to firm the soil around each plant after planting. Lettuce can also be sown now in a cold frame, or greenhouse. Varieties to choose include ‘Winter Density’, ‘All the Year Round’ and ‘May Queen’.

The exceptional heat and lack of any rain this summer will mean that the idea of watering plants is always a going to be discussed. It is either too dry like now, or it’s too wet as in past summers. The essential thing is to try to get the right balance. When it is dry the closable leaf pores on plants (technically called ‘stomata’) shut down and slow down the process of photosynthesis. When there is enough water the stomata open, transpiration takes place, allowing the air containing carbon dioxide to go into the plant, which, together with sunlight, powers the reaction of water and carbon dioxide to make the sugars that are the plant’s energy source and building blocks. Watering keeps the stomata open in dry spells. As a rule of thumb one square metre of vegetation draws the equivalent of an inch of rainfall every day. Growth of plants in the summer normally requires additional irrigation. There are now numerous automatic systems that can be put in – especially for containers and hanging baskets.

The start of autumn means that many plants are producing seed heads, which we normally ‘dead head’ to keep the succession of flowers going. With the cost of seed increasing year on year (the average cost is now over £3 per packet, and can be a lot more) it might be worthwhile considering saving some seed head for sowing. Flowers like Sweet William, Love-in-Mist (Nigella), Cosmos, or vegetables like Runner Beans, can be harvested just before the seed-pod has fully dried. Use brown paper bags to hang the seed head upside down and store in a dry place. Remember to label the variety, and then when it is all nice and brown shake out the seed and you have saved yourself pounds for a few minutes work. Unfortunately the lovely hybrids that abound now will not breed true and you will have to rely on the expertise of the professional for that, but if you don’t mind a variety of colour in your Sweet William and so on it is fine. One tip is to look out for Garden Centres having a seed sale, there are bargains to be had, with cuts up to 75%, when they are sufficiently desperate to make room for the new stock.

The growth of rampant climbers like some of the clematis (remember to check) wisteria and climbing roses can be cut back in the middle of September.

Regards
Chris

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Photos from this year’s Summer Show are now available to view in the Gallery and a list of results can be viewed here

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Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s competition! Stunning, varied planting and excellent maintenance gave the judges much to think about. Check out our Gallery Page for some images. Certificates and prizes will be presented at the Capel Show on 18 August.

Recreation Ground Allotments
Category – Newcomer:
Pete and Diane Palmer

Category – Full Plot:
Geoff Palmer

Category – 1/2Plot or under:
Phil Simmonds

Temple Lane Allotments
Category – Newcomer:
Roger and Gill Frome

Category – Full Plot:
Viv Taylor

Category – 1/2 Plot or under:
Ben Ashwood

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Garden Notes for August 2021.

Laurel is a very useful plant but it is very vigorous and August is the month to keep it neat by trimming your laurel hedge. Some gardeners say that the laurel hedge should be trimmed using secaturs only. This does give a much improved finish, if you have the time. Using shears is much quicker and does not substantially make much difference. If you can allow your compost more than 2 years to compost, then put your laurel trimmings on to it. If, like me, you can only keep the compost heap for a matter of months, it is better to get rid of the laurel leaves since they take a long time to decompose due to their waxy surface.

Dahlias are supposed to be making a come back, having been rejected as being too gaudy. I have always liked them, and wish that I could grow specimens. To even have a chance to have the large blooms, now is the time to make sure that you disbud them, only one flower being kept on each stem. Dahlias will also need to be tied in as their stems become very heavy with the foliage and bloom and are easily broken by gusts of wind.

Cut out old raspberry canes that have fruited this year. Cut them down to ground level and retain only six or seven of the strongest new canes on each plant for fruiting next year. Overcrowding of the canes can lead to a higher incidence of disease.

Spring cabbage can be sown in the middle of the month; good varieties are Pixie, Flower of Spring or Wheeler’s Imperial. Onions that are reaching maturity should have their stems bent over and the bulbs partially lifted with a fork to encourage full ripening. Well ripened bulbs are much more likely to keep right through the winter.

If you have experienced an attack of potato blight, remember that outdoor tomatoes are vulnerable. In the past there were sprays but now it is impossible to get them so the best thing is to remove the affected foliage and burn it as soon as possible.

Planting up strawberry runners in the later part of August will help provide a good crop next year. If you are buying plants in, make sure that they are certified virus-free stock, as strawberries are very prone to virus disease.

Towards the end of the month, rambler roses that have finished flowering should be pruned. Disentangle the growth from the trellis (use gloves for this!) and cut out all the stems that have carried flowers. It is much easier to do this if you untie all the stems before you start the pruning. All the new stems made this year should be retained and tied back into place. You will really appreciate all the work you have done when they flower next year.

Plant Madonna lilies now, with not more than 2″ of soil above each bulb. Order lilies for autumn delivery. Tiger lilies and some hybrids produce bulbils between the leaves and the stem. Gather the bulbils when they fall at a touch and plant them in a deep seed box, about 2″ apart.

Keep shrubs tidy by dead heading. Especially roses, but do not apply rose fertiliser after the end of July, this avoids late soft growth which will not mature before winter.

Chris

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Calling all children under 12!

School has broken up for the summer and we all want sunny carefree days on the beach swimming and eating ice cream. Sadly, not every day can be a beach day and sometimes we are just at home wondering what to do. Why not have a go at our Summer Fun Challenge especially created for children under 12. It will get you out and about in Capel. You might even learn a thing or two about the village and the amazing countryside around us. So, click here to download Capel Horticultural Society’s first ever Summer Fun Challenge, there are prizes to be won, and we look forward to seeing you with your results in September.

Good luck!

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Garden Notes for July 2021.

When roses have come to the end of their first glorious flush of blooms, try to give them a feed of a complete fertilizer as this will help with the second lot of blooms. Don’t forget to dead head them as well. Outdoor chrysanthemums will also need a feed, one with a high potash content to help the flowering process.

Early crops of new potatoes, early peas and broad beans will soon be finishing, make sure to clear away the top growth as soon as possible to make room for catchcrops such as the round carrots and beetroot. I have been planting radish in raised beds with a high compost ratio and have had lovely juicy radish within 5 to 6 weeks from sowing, just the thing to have a with a crisp lettuce cut from the garden.

Complete leek planting as soon as possible. Sow swede by the middle of the month. Lift shallots when their foliage has yellowed and turned over. Make sure to dry them out completely before storing.

Any flower heads that appear on spring-sown parsley should be removed as soon as possible as they will prevent leaf production which is what you want.

Dahlias need to be disbudded if you want top quality blooms. Keep an eye on them and feed with a fertiliser, as they are very hungry feeders.

If you have a problem with greenhouse ventilation that means you have to leave the main door open, and, as a result, you have unwanted visitors like sparrows and cats dust bathing in the soil, or attacking the plants, try putting up a door insect screen. They cost about £13 and are effective.

Early in the month dig up and divide dwarf and intermediate bearded irises if they have been undisturbed for 3 or more years. Tall bearded irises should be treated in a similar way towards the end of the month.

The best time for propagating many shrubs is at the back end of July. Cuttings of half ripened wood of shrubs like forsythia, ribes, escallonia and weigela can all be taken. Pull off the shoots with a heel of older wood, trim it neatly with a sharp knife and insert them into a box with sandy soil. Shade from bright sunshine, and next year you will have a whole lot more shrubs.

Do not cut the lawn too low, and wait for it to have sufficient length to provide a cut. Keep lawn edges trimmed.

Chris

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Garden notes for June 2021

The pace of gardening really hots up in June, but it is still necessary to keep an eye on what the weather holds in store for us.

Frost susceptible, fast growing plants like dahlias, courgettes and so on should be put into their final homes assuming that there is no ground frost forecast. If it has been very dry, make sure that they have a good drink before and after planting them out. But don’t water them all the time. Give the roots time to settle down and then water (if necessary, and allowed) about once a week with a thorough soaking, preferably in the evening or early morning before the sun has got its full power switch on.

Hedges need regular attention now, and should be kept in shape, otherwise they can so easily get away from you making the task so much more difficult. Grass needs to be mown, but keep the cutter bar on a high level and the lawn will look greener for much longer. Do not put sprinklers on lawns, even if they do turn a dusty brown, as soon as the rain comes back they will recover with surprising speed. If you do water the lawn you are wasting a precious resource to no real effect.
On the subject of watering, make sure that your hose connections are working properly. Overtime the usual plastic based connectors become worn and/or damaged and should be replaced. I was looking for such a replacement and branded products in Garden Centres can be expensive. I found perfectly adequate ones in Lidl at a tenth of the price.

In the vegetable plot, make sure potatoes are kept ridged up, otherwise the tubers get exposed and ruined. Late Savoy cabbage can be sown now – use a variety like ‘Ormskirk’. Winter cabbage like January King should be planted out now. Leeks should be planted out using a dibber to make a hole about 6 to 8″ deep, and then water it in well.

Continue to make successional sowings of lettuce. Ones like ‘Tom Thumb’ ‘Little Gem’ and ‘Mini Green’ are fast growing, and the right size for many people. Webbs Wonderful is superb but rather large.

Early tomatoes should be ripening fast and the fruits should be picked regularly.

Roses are at their best towards the end of the month. It helps to keep them cut regularly and feed with a potash feed to keep them blooming longer. If you want to have specimen blooms it is advised to take out the side shoots carefully, as well as the smaller buds, leaving just one strong one at the end of the stem. Keep an eye out for pests and disease. Keep mildew at bay by regular spraying.

Suckers that sprout up from the base of damson and plum trees can become troublesome unless dealt with early on, so dig them out and burn the resulting twigs.

As alpine plants finish flowering, trim them back to keep the plants neat and compact. It will also encourage them to make good growth for next spring. Any gaps or vacant spots in the rock garden can be planted with summer flowering annuals or bedding plants to maintain the overall colour. Towards the end of the month cuttings can be taken from the alpine stock to increase the number of plants. Root the cuttings in a sandy compost.

Chris

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Garden notes for May 2021

There is so much preparation to be done in May that it is easy to get carried away and be tempted to plant out too early. Garden Centres love this, as you will almost always have to go back and buy replacements for the plants that have died from the unpredictable ground and air frosts that can strike at any time during May.

One plant that can be put out, provided it is in a reasonably sheltered spot, is the outdoor flowering chrysanthemum. Possibly in this day of minimalism, stripped wood floors and stark furniture, the chrysanthemum may be regarded as being too gaudy. I love them. With care they reward you with so many beautiful flowers when everyone else is just going over. So plant these beauties now, make sure to plant them firmly and to make certain that the ball of soil rests at the bottom of the hole you have dug to put it in. Put a stake with each plant

Early Brussels sprouts can be planted out, and it is these that usually produce the best sprouts. Make sure to give them space, just under a metre (3′ in the old days), this way you will get a better crop. The space need not be wasted as you can inter-crop with early hearting cabbage, or early cauliflowers that will be harvested before the sprouts take up all the room. In May you should keeping sowing small quantities of lettuce for successional cropping. As the daytime temperatures increase in the summer it is more difficult to get good germination. It may be wise to invest in John Innes sowing compost. It is much more expensive than ordinary multi-purpose compost but you only have to use a small amount to start the seedlings and germination is considerably enhanced.

Start hardening off all those bedding plants you have bought from the internet or garden centre, by keeping them under a cold frame, or putting them out during the day and putting them back under shelter at night. Keep an eye out for watering, it is easy for them to become dried out in patches, especially if there is a wind blowing. Equally, do not over water, which can be just as bad, if not worse.

May is the time to sow hardy biennials – such as Sweet William, Canterbury bells, and Wallflowers. Sowing runner beans and French beans at the start of the month under glass gives them a good start and helps protect the young plant from the ravishes of slugs and snails. Don’t forget to sow the marrows and zuccini at the start of the month.

As alpine plants in the rock garden finish flowering, trim back the growth to keep the plants neat and compact. By doing this you will encourage them to make good growth for flowering next spring. In the same way flowering shrubs like philadelphus, deutzias and escallonias can be pruned as soon as their flowers fade to encourage new growth.

Chris

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