Gardening

Edition Fifteen - June 2007

There's always something new to learn, having gardening as a hobby. A beautiful mature clump-forming bamboo plant was growing happily in a patio area of the garden, until this spring when it flowered and then died! I dug it up and replaced it with something else, before setting out to discover why it had died.. Apparently it's what they do, flower then die; it is possible to save them but best to discard them... I have since noticed other dead bamboo plants in local gardens...

I'm having great success this year growing crops in pots... Apart from the usual outdoor cherry tomatoes we so love, I'm growing organic red and green lettuce, broad beans, runner beans, peppers and mint, all in pots... Apart from these, there seem to be potatoes growing from old ones that I've chucked on the compost heap.... Umm, I wonder what they'll taste like!

Save garden bumble bees

Jobs for the month - June

House plants

House plants should be fed every two weeks or so from April until September. If, like me, you have some large houseplants, they will benefit from being taken outside on a rainy day, or a warm day and sprayed using the hosepipe on a fine mist. It will clean the dust off the leaves and invigorate the plants.. The Red Spider mite that suddenly appeared on some of my plants has now been eradicated by putting them outside and spraying them with Bug clear gun, but I'll be watchful that it, or something else doesn't appear..

Lawns

It is a good time to Weed & Feed your lawn now the rain has arrived.. It should be applied three days after and three days before cutting the lawn. If the grass is too wet to use a spreader for the job, just broadcast it by hand.. Don't put the first three mowings on your compost heap as they will be full of chemicals from the lawn.

Bedding Plants

Now that you've planted out the summer bedding plants give them plenty of water during dry spells until they're well  established.. If the ground is very dry you will need to continue watering the plants until it can be seen that they are growing away on their own. Some bedding plants will need more water than others so check instructions. It is usually pretty obvious however, if a plant is not happy.. 

Hanging baskets and tubs

I often find that as soon as I put out my hanging baskets there are strong winds that can batter them to bits within minutes, but it is worth just putting them in a sheltered place until the winds die down. The plants will soon grow stronger and be able to withstand a battering.

Lilies

If you have lilies growing in your borders that appear to have their leaves eaten away, look out for red lily beetles and zap them with Provado ultimate bug killer.. Fail to eradicate the beetles and your lilies will get too weak to survive after a couple of years..

Ponds and Water gardens  

Continue removing any blanket weed, using a stick or fork and taking care not to damage any wildlife. Add tender water plants to your pond and add new varieties of hardy plants to your existing stock. Feed the fish more frequently this month. Keep water levels topped up in hot weather.  A good month for visiting your aquarist for new fish to add more interest. They will have four months to grow and get acclimatised to your pond.. Watch out for the beautiful dragonflies near your pond.

Wildlife

Not so long ago I read in my daily newspaper that partly because of modern farming methods, British bumblebees could be wiped out in a matter of years. Bumblebees need a constant source of suitable plants throughout Spring, Summer and Autumn, and many gardeners believe that all flowers benefit bees. But lots of hybrids are sterile and lack the pollen and nectar on which the insects feed. Gardeners are being urged to plant the flowers that give them a buzz by turning their borders into horticultural havens for bees. Bees are particularly attracted to white, blue, purple and yellow flowers because they see ultraviolet colours and make a beeline straight for them! Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender, Bluebells, Cornflowers, Honeysuckle, Rhododendron, Geraniums, Delphiniums, Foxgloves and Daisies are some of their favourites.... Read about  The Plight of the bumblebee  here. I am always amazed at the size of these beautiful creatures that fly into our conservatory, only to seem unable to find their way back out. We keep a `bumblebee rescue kit` on a shelf which we use first to catch and then release them with.

The recent rain has helped adult birds find worms and insects for their young. In fact the rain has helped a multitude of wildlife, none more so than slugs and snails. I saw an article recently about slug pellets being harmless to pets, but having read the labels on the slug pellet containers, this doesn`t seem to be so, therefore I shall find other methods of keeping my plants snail and slug free. I find they dislike broken shells and sharp gravel, or even a ring of salt around the plants if they are planted in a paved area. I've also bought a couple of slug dishes to sink in the garden..

Happy gardening till next month....

RHS Flower Shows 2007

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