A talk about spring flowers in the Canary Islands by Mr V Gladwell.

Mr Gladwell gave a fascinating talk. The talk was very well attended. Everone had a good time. We’ve invited him back for next year.

We’re going to get some more photos and post them here. Keep checking back :)

On 7th October Steve Hadley gave us a very interesting and informative talk on “Winter in the Garden”. Here are the tips he passed along:

Tips from Steve Bradley

• Use bubble wrap in greenhouses to keep in heat.

• Use pest candle beforehand/ clean surfaces

• No need to keep heater set high just keep plants frost free/ open green house windows on dry & warm days to improve air circulation (helps prevent mildew/ moulds)

• Knock snow off plants and greenhouse (brush the snow sideways off roof and take care!)

• Protect plants in pots with fleece (keep an eye on weather forecast for frost)

• Use can use fleece covers – commercially available to ensure plants are fully protected

• In plants in pots left outside all winter wrap pots with bubble foam to protect roots in pots

• When potting up plants don’t use crocks at they hinder drainage.

• Crocks also encourage Vine Weevils to live in the base of the pots over winter!

• Place a piece of fine gauze or tight material to stop the Vine weevils getting up intop the pot to overwinter in the compost

• Use pot feet to help drainage

• Tie up young Cordylines so crown protected

• Prune roses & Buddlejas to half height to prevent wind rock and later damage from frost

• Don’t prune grape vines until all leaves dropped and before February to prevent bleeding. In the event of any bleeding affix a piece of potato to the wound. It will stop the sap from bleeding and dry out and drop off in the spring.

• Plants can be planted in the autumn as the soil is still warm encouraging root growth

• Digging soil over before the winter allows the frost to break up clods of soil;

• Stake trees with small stake at base of tree and affix with tree tie. This encourages the base of the tree to strengthen

That will keep us all busy until Spring!

Dudley ,Eunice and Franklin certainly left the mark on my plot . The polytunnel was a sorry sight, along with other plot holders’ disasters. No sheds blew over but lots of roof felt needed clearing up as did plastic sheeting. This breaks up very quickly outside as it most of it is not UV friendly.

A new Tunnel has been delivered and I have been watching YouTube videos on how to make it weather and wind proof, not in a rush to put it up.

Now we are into March sowing under cover can start with the hardy veg such as beetroot, brassicas , broad beans , stumped rooted carrots , leeks and onions, in modules, pots or seed trays. Read directions on the back of the packet for sowing instructions. Choose a good quality seed compost and mix in some perlite or vermiculite to aid drainage. Take it into the house or heated greenhouse to warm up before sowing. Fill your chosen containers, firm lightly stand them in trays of water, using it from the tap as this helps reduce damping off. Drain ,then sow seed just a few seeds in each container ,so that they can be thinned to grow to sturdy plants to plant out weather permitting towards the end of the month.

Cover ground outside where you want to start sowing later in the month. Remember last Spring - it was a cold one. Tender veg is sown later in April /May.

Dahlias are the next to check and to pot on to start them off into growth as they make a lovey show of colour in late summer/ autumn as do chrysants . They will be happy in the greenhouse at home until the late frosts have finished Awaiting the delivery of the new plug chrysanths that I have ordered.

Happy Gardening Gina

In the greenhouse:

• If you been growing plants from seed continue to prick them on to grow in bigger trays / individual pots. Also watch for frosts and protect plants overnight!

In the garden:

• Keep an eye on pots of flowers/ bulbs and if the compost is dry water - or they’ll soon suffer!

• Sow Annuals outside in prepared ground (or grow in pots/ containers)

• Mulch borders with homemade composts / manure

• Cut back any dead growth on perennial plants and split if required

• Keep on top of the weeding by hoeing/ hand weeding

• Start to lower the height of the blades on the lawn mower and start cutting weekly (if the weather allows!)

• Re-sow any bare patches on the lawn (cover with fleece to protect from birds and water when dry)

• Prune:

Mophead & Cacecap Hydrangeas: remove a third of the oldest stems to the ground to help generate new growth and then cut the remaining stems to the top pair of buds

Forsythias: cut back all stems that flowered to a strong bud at the base of the stem and cut a few of the older stems to the base of the plant

Fuchsias: cut back old stems to the ground (but not if they are being grown as a hedge!)

Spring arrived on time for 2022 for just one week, then fickle April arrived with snow, cold winds and frost.

The Easter holiday is when traditionally you plant your potato crop. Take Monty Don’s advice and plant your crops when the soil feels warm to the touch to ensure good germination and growth.

The new frame for the poly tunnel is erected in its permeant site ground cleared of any perennial weeds and levelled. Watched a lot of You Tube videos on how to make it more wind proof. Extra wooden posts at each corner fastened to the frame a trench around the outside to bury the bottom of the cover to make it more wind resistant. Will put the cover on a day when there is no wind. Hopefully this extra reinforcements will do the trick.

How I work on my plot has changed as my body is finding heavy work a bit much - I work in shorter sessions and adopt the No Dig method.

These cold days it has been good working in greenhouse, the dahlias are spilt as they had grown into such large tubers at the end of last season. Green shoots are appearing, they will be happy under the staging for a while longer. Brassicas need pricking out singly into small pots ready plant out in late May as will the leeks into trays or modules.

The soft fruit is showing signs of growth, the beds will be weeded, any damaged canes or leaves removed and feed of general fertilizer to give them boost.

Don’t be tempted to sow any tender veg too early, such as courgettes, pumpkins, sweetcorn, and runner /French beans. They all need warmer days and nights, The end of April will be early enough, some protection will be needed, greenhouse or window sill.

May 21st MERSTHAM HORTI. is having its annual PLANT SALE at CANADA HALL 10am to 12 NOON Battlebridge Lane. All the plants are home grown by the members and committee, so pop along for a bargain.

HAPPY GARDENING Gina

General gardening jobs:

• In the greenhouse: Open the door/ windows on hot days and spray the floor with water to ensure a damp atmosphere that will deter whitefly. Remember to close both at night as the nights can still be cold! If you haven’t already it’s time to grow tomatoes and cucumbers and sow some biennials – like Foxglove and Sweet William. It is still worth hardening off any plants grown in the greenhouse by putting them outside and bringing them back in for a week to help acclimatise them.

• If you are growing bedding plants in pots or hanging baskets it is best to mix multi-purpose compost with John Innes no.2 at a ratio of 2:1. This does increase the cost but modern multi-purpose composts tend to dry out quickly causing plants to die / stop flowering earlier in the current hot spell. Remember to mix both water retaining gel and plant feed with the compost before planting up.

• Dead head bedding plants regularly to keep them flowering.

• Place pots on saucers to catch any run off and save water.

• Keep on top of the weeding by hoeing/ hand weeding.

• Leave the blades on the mower a little higher during really hot weather. The grass is likely to be under stress and under a lot of feet! Keeping the grass little higher helps the lawn to cope better.

• In hot spells concentrate on watering pots/ hanging basket, veg and anything recently planted in the borders. Water in the morning and at night so that it does not evaporate in the hot weather. Give plants a thorough watering once a week than daily as it encourages the roots to go deeper into the soil and cope better with hot conditions.

• Prune any early flowering shrubs (e.g. Weigela, Exophora) and dead head roses by cutting them to the second left below the old flower.

• Cut early flowering perennials (Pulmonaria and Oriental Poppies) to near the ground after flowering.

Vegetable / Fruit growing

• Plant out French and Runner beans, Tomatoes, Courgettes, Pumpkins etc.

• Water as required and feed plants weekly.

• Keep on top of the weeds by hoeing

• Watch for pest damage and make you sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions if using pesticides.

• Spray at the first signs of mildew (again follow the instructions given).

• Earth up potatoes as they start to make growth.

General gardening jobs:

• In the greenhouse: continue to open the door/ windows on hot days and spray the floor with water to ensure a damp atmosphere that will deter whitefly. If you haven’t started already start feeding Tomatoes once the first truss starts to form – follow the instructions on the bottle. Also feed Peppers, Chillies and Melons with Tomato feed.

• Continue to buy / plant up bedding plants for garden beds/ pots/ hanging baskets. When planting in pots it is best to mix multi-purpose compost with John Innes no.2 at a ratio of 2:1. This does increase the cost, but modern multi-purpose composts tend to dry out quickly causing plants to die / stop flowering earlier in the current hot spell. Remember to mix both water retaining gel and plant feed with the compost before planting up.

• Continue to dead head bedding plants regularly to keep them flowering. When dead heading Roses cut back to the first or second pair of leaves.

• If you haven’t already, place pots on saucers to catch any ‘run off’ and save water.

• Continue to keep on top of the weeding in the borders by hoeing/ hand weeding.

• Continue to watch for pest damage and disease. If you are brave enough you can squash greenfly with your fingers – if not blast off with a hose jet. If you use pesticides try to spray late in the evenings when the bees aren’t around and use more eco-friendly ones.

• Remember to leave the blades on the mower a little higher during hot weather. Keeping the grass little higher helps the lawn to cope better.

• Continue to water pots/ hanging basket, veg and anything recently planted in the borders. Water in the morning or at night so that it does not evaporate in the hot weather. Give plants a thorough watering once a week rather than daily as it encourages the roots to go deeper into the soil and cope better with hot conditions.

• Hedges can be trimmed but check for any nesting birds – it is illegal to disturb nesting birds.

Vegetable / Fruit growing

• Check courgettes regularly and harvest when 4 to 5 inches long – this ensures a longer cropping period.

• Continue to harvest lettuce, radish.

• Start lifting early potatoes and continue sowing fast growing crops like radish, rocket and lettuce.

• Give the runner beans a good soak in dry weather to ensure the beans form – the plants dislike dry weather.

• Thin apple fruits: this ensures bigger fruit.

• Prune plums trees, as necessary. Pruning now prevents infection getting in through the wounds caused by pruning. They don’t need much pruning – usually only removing broken or crossing shoots. If unsure check with the RHS, ask someone more knowledgeable or leave it until you know what you are doing!

• If you’ve got the space sow turnips, spring cabbage, fennel and autumn / winter salad crops.

General gardening jobs:

• In the greenhouse: continue to open the door/ windows during these very hot days and spray the floor with water to ensure a damp atmosphere to deter whitefly. Continue feeding Tomatoes Peppers, Chillies and Melons with Tomato feed – always follow the instructions on the bottle. Too much fertiliser is bad for the plants!

• Continue to dead head bedding plants regularly to keep them flowering. When dead heading Roses cut back to the first or second pair of leaves.

• Continue to water pots/ hanging basket, veg and anything recently planted in the borders. Water in the morning, or at night, so that it does not evaporate in the hot weather. Give plants a thorough watering once a week than daily as it encourages the roots to go deeper into the soil and cope better with hot conditions.

• Continue to keep on top of the weeding in the borders by hoeing

• Continue to watch for pest damage and disease.

• Leave your lawns well alone for the present; they will recover

• If you know it’s going to be a really hot day do any heavy tasks early in the morning or late evening.

• Keep Camellias and Rhododendrons / Azaleas in pots watered (if you can use rain water) as they need moisture to help them form flowering buds for next year.

• Hedges can be trimmed but check for any nesting birds – it is illegal to disturb nesting birds.

• Prune the ‘whippy’ stems on Wisteria back to five or six leaves from the beginning of the stem.

• Take photographs of your borders to see what’s in flower and for a chance to look at what grew well and how to improve it next year.