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Edition Fourteen - May 2007
Greenhouses
at this time of year will be bursting at the seams with bedding plants.
If your greenhouse is unheated be vigilant about the possibility of overnight
frosts and cover plants with horticultural fleece if there's a chance
of temperatures dropping too low.. And don't be temped to put bedding
plants out in the garden before the end of this month - I've been caught
out before now and once lost dozens of Zinnias, which are particularly
susceptible to frost.
Remember hornets? Swarms of them, renowned for their vicious stings and skill at massacring honeybees, have settled in France. And there are now so many of the insects that entomologists fear it will just be a matter of time before they cross to Britain, see here..
Jobs for the month - May
House plants
The warm, dry spring can encourage Red spider mite to thrive on your houseplants, and it's not always noticeable until the infestation is well advanced.. Take infected plants outside and spray them with an appropriate spray, making sure to spray underneath the leaves too.. Leave the plants outside for a few days and clean them using a fine spray on the hose pipe.. This spring has been exceptional so do examine all your houseplants regularly for infestation by other types of bugs!
Lawns
It has been too dry in much of
the UK to apply a weed and feed treatment, which needs to be applied on
warm, damp soil, three days after cutting your lawn... But don't worry,
you can apply the treatment up till September, and I'd bet money it'll
rain before then!
If your lawn is already looking a bit sad through lack of rain, raise
the height of the cutting blade on your lawnmower and make sure the lawn
has neat edges, which will make it look cared for.
Shrub
borders and roses
Keep the borders weed free using a hoe. Use plant supports for flowers such as Delphiniums that will get flattened by wind, rain and heavy flowers. The ones you see on the right can be raised as the plants grow taller.
Paths, walls and fencing
It's not too late to paint your fence. In fact it's a smashing job for a nice warm day.. There are some wonderful colours for fences on the market and mostly they won't harm the plants like creosote used to do... Walls and paths that have algae on them after the damp winter can be pressure washed to freshen them up, which is another therapeutic job, but you'll need to wear wellies for it!
Greenhouse
From mid-May start putting the trays of bedding plants outside to harden off, providing there is no late frost.. At the end of the month they can be planted out into the garden. Start planting up your hanging baskets and leave them in a warm and light place to grow on before putting them out at the end of the month..
Vegetables
The
warm spring is wonderful for growing lettuce in the garden and conservatory...
The tomato plants are doing well, as are all the other edible crops I've
seen in local allotments, other gardens and the nearby fields..
Crops to sow outside or under cloches during early May include dwarf French
beans, beetroot, sprouting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, summer and savoy
cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, marrows, peas, radish, spinach, swede,
sweet corn and turnips. Delay sowings if soil conditions are cold and
wet.
For an early crop of beans, sow French and runner beans in pots in the
greenhouse or on a windowsill. Choose deep pots, if possible, sowing two
seeds per pot, and thinning to leave the strongest seedling which is then
planted outside in late May or June. Alternatively, sow directly outside
under cloches in May or June for a slightly later crop.
Trees and shrubs
Trees and shrubs will appreciate a good mulching this month to conserve water, stop weeds growing and add goodness to the soil. Look for any signs of disease or pests and spray accordingly.
Ponds and Water gardens
Pond maintenance should be completed by now and your fish will hopefully
be feeding well, but for those of you who are new to fishkeeping this
website is excellent: www.pond-doctor.co.uk
All items holding water in your garden should be made safe for young children,
including ornamental ponds, wildlife ponds, water features and even water
butts. This is equally applies to older people or neighbours who may have
young grandchildren visiting.. Last month a 15 month old child died in
the UK by falling into a water butt that had been sunk into the ground,
and it had a lid on that the child had removed..
Wildlife
Be aware, if you are planning any pruning, that many hedges, dense shrubs
and trees will have birds nesting in them, and it would be kinder to wait
until they have raised their young before you do the necessary. Birds
in our garden are still busy feeding on the sunflower seed hearts they
so love, and I don't have the heart to shoo off the female squirrel who
is so obviously hugely pregnant.. Even the blackbirds have devised a way
of hovering like humming birds at the bird feeders. It's all very entertaining!
Happy gardening till next month....
Index to previous editions of Age-Net gardening column here
Tickets for RHS members
Privilege rate tickets are available for RHS members to all RHS shows,
but tickets must be booked in advance. Click on the individual show links
below for further information.
RHS members are not charged a booking fee for tickets purchased except
for advanced tickets to the Malvern shows. To
find out how to become an RHS member click here
****************************
Some web sites of interest to gardeners:
The living theatre of plants
and people
The Eden Project is a gateway into the world of plants and people.
A meeting place for all to discover how we depend on plants and how we
can help to manage and conserve them for our mutual survival.
Gardening
is an important part of many people's lives. You don't have to give up
gardening because of accident or illness, the onset of disability or the
problems associated with growing older. The information on their website
is designed to provide you with the information to Carry on Gardening.
Carry on Gardening was initiated by the horticultural charity Thrive
and is funded by the National
Lottery Charities Board. It brings together information
on easy ways of gardening gathered over 23 years by Thrive and research
carried out since the early 1970s by Mary Marlborough Centre, Oxford,
on tools and equipment for disabled and older people.
www.alantitchmarsh.com Alan Titchmarsh MBE, TV gardener, writer, broadcaster and
thoroughly nice person. Just a few choice words to describe the peoples`
favourite TV gardener. See his website....
Thompson
and Morgan
A growing resource for gardeners worldwide. The site includes
the international online seed catalogues, the young plants catalogue (UK
only), the wholesale seeds catalogue, together with the award winning
Germination Times and a host of other useful information.
********************
And some reading material:-
"The Yellow Book 2006" contains information of all Gardens of England
and Wales open for charity, from National Gardens Scheme and is available
from all good bookstores throughout the UK priced £7.99. http://www.ngs.org.uk/yellow_book.htm
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