A YEAR in the GWD Garden

[Rosefriend]

JANUARY

We thought it would be useful and interesting to have a month-by-month "what's going on" thread to read, refer to - and maybe even get inspiration from, so here's "January in the garden" as seen by some.
Feel free to add to the thread either in the form of your own "wrinkles" or by way of asking for more explanation, then we'll archive it at the end of the month and replace it with "February" and so on until we have a complete "Year in the GWD garden" archived for reference.

So, to kick off, here's some ideas from foz:

"Roses:

1. Complete planting any bare root plants left from December but only if ground is not waterlogged or frozen. If ground still unsuitable either leave them heeled in or heel them in until better condition prevail.
2. Check plants for “wind rock “damage, firming the ground around the base where necessary. (HTs and Floribundas would have been pruned back by a third in Nov/Dec).
3. Keep weeding the beds and turning over the top inch or two of any compacted soil.
4. Check ties and supports on climbers.
5. Top up mulch on beds, I used wood chip/bark the worms will take it down over time.
6. Collect hips from any plant(s) you plan to grow the seed from.

Other jobs:

1 Winter wash fruit tees/bushes
2 Winter prune Bramleys Seedling Dwarf bush tree.
3 Check all stakes and ties.
4 Mulch/Feed the veg beds designated for potatoes (I use home made compost mixed with horse manure and or grow bags used for last years tomatoes )
5 Check border shrubs for “wind rock” damage and firm ground where necessary.
6 Sow Sweet Peas in pots and protect in cold frame.
7 Sow Broad Beans direct into veg plot.
8 Continue sowing perennial seeds collected in the autumn.
9 Continue tidying shed and cleaning pots, worst job ever for me"


....and without much to do in 'ClemWorld', from plocket:

"Hum.. I don't do a lot in the garden at this time of year!! Here's a few thoughts though:

Repairs to fences and walls are easier to spot at this time of year because there is less foliage to disguise them. It's also a good idea to check trellis and other structures, and gutters.

Keep paths clear because leaves etc will make them more slippy at this time of year.

Don't forget to keep topping up bird feeders and water trays, especially when the weather gets cold.

Ensure that slightly tender plants like potted bay trees and olives are covered in horticultural fleece before the weather gets too cold. Cover the pot as well if it is terracotta or similar to prevent it from cracking.

If you don't do it all year round, pots should also be lifted off the ground and put on pot feet or something similar as it will help keep the plants a degree or so warmer during the winter."


....a view reinforced by BB who adds:


"While not much is growing in the winter months, you can get a better view of the garden as a whole and it's a good time to check around for any general maintenance that needs doing like loose edgings on your borders, damaged fencing or trellising etc etc. I also reflect back on how the garden has looked as a whole and make notes on everything that I need/would like to change/tidy up/move/repair etc. It's jobs like these that get left or forgotten if not written down and prioritised. Then when we have a reasonable day weather wise and your desperate to be in the garden get your notes out and try and do a few bits. If I don't write it down I forget."


....and in much the same vein, jlottie:


"There's not a lot going happening on the veg front at the moment. I would have suggested thinking about ways of warming up the soil but as its been so mild there is no point for the time being. Bean trenches still need veg peelings and organic matter adding for another few weeks."


....while valiant 4P, battling with frozen troughs and scrambling in her pockets for airgun pellets says:


"1 Continue to feed your soil with compost. Just lay it all on the
surface and let the worms do the work
2 Plan your crop rotation in the veggie garden so you can enrich
the beds ready for the heavy feeders
3 Feed the birds regularly, provide clean water
4 Continue to tidy and weed whenever possible but leave
leaves, twigs etc under hedges and trees to provide over
wintering habitats for the creatures who share your garden
with you.
All just common sense really! Plus order as many seed catalogues as you want and make wonderful plans for the Spring and Summer..."


....and from the haunt of coot and hern, Rita suggests:


"Remove any dead or dying plant material regularly.

Although fish will be semi-dormant, feeding can still be carried out using Wheatgerm sticks, which are specifically designed for feeding when water temperatures are lower. You may feed the fish if the water temperature is between 5°c – 10°c and if the fish appear to be asking to be fed. Do not feed your fish if the water temperature is below 4°c. If you do not have a floating thermometer it is worthwhile investing in one – they are not expensive.

Water chutes and waterfalls should have been by-passed if possible by now, as they act like radiators in reverse – super cooling the water; fountains should be turned off for the same reason.

Pumps and filters should still be run 24/7. Raising the pump off the bottom of the pond, on an upturned beer crate or bricks, will result in some of the warmest (relative speaking) water to remain where it is most needed, at the bottom of the pond.

Very small/shallow ponds containing fish can be covered with bubble wrap if a spell of very cold weather is forecast, but ensure that air can still circulate above the water.
It is important that the surface of your pond is not allowed to freeze over completely; the gases produced by decaying plant matter and fish excrement must be allowed to escape. If they do not, fish and all other aquatic life forms in the pond may be poisoned. Furthermore, the lack of contact with the atmosphere causes an acute reduction of oxygen in the pond water. To ensure a safe over-wintering for all pond dwellers, OASE has developed an Ice Preventer. This 2-piece polystyrene ice preventer contains 3 air chambers, which can be weighted down with sand to minimise the risk of it being blown away. The ice preventer ensures that the pond surface does not freeze completely but leaves an ice-free area for the benefit of the fish; it works without the need for a pump or electricity. Alternatively, try floating a squeezable ball on the surface overnight and then remove it each morning.
If snow builds up on any ice that forms, sweep away as much as possible to allow an adequate supply of light through to the pond.

On no account should a hole be smashed through the ice, the shock waves can stun the fish or, in extreme cases, kill them... in fact winter is not a good time to carry out maintenance to ponds containing fish"


.....but just in case you were beginning to relax, thinking you can largely put it all off for another month, Andy's twopennorth:


"Lawns: there's actually very little to do with the lawn at this time of year. Any remaining leaves can be swept off and areas of waterlogging can be forked to stop puddling.

If the weather's mild and dry with a nice, drying breeze, the grass can be mowed.....but not too short.

Turfing can be done in mild spells.

Avoid walking on the grass when there's a lot of water on it or frost.

Houseplants: most houseplants get "reversed seasons". In summer, we try to keep things cool and shaded.....more reminiscent of winter whilst in the winter, we heat things up and light our houses to the max.

Make sure any plants are kept out of direct sunlight and away from radiators.....probably the most deadly thing for plants.

Many of the plants will appreciate being kept on the dry side....especially plants such as weeping figs. No feeding is necessary at this time of year as growth will be slow.

If you want to keep the winter flowering pot plants such as poinsettias and cyclamen, keep them going as you have been. Pick off any dead flowers and continue to keep cyclamen cool.

Keep an eye out for pests and diseases. I've had problems with red spider mite, thrips and powdery mildew this winter so watch out.


Beds and Borders: again, a very quiet time of the year. There is an amazing amount of colour, scent and interest about at the moment with the winter bark colours of the dogwoods, willows and rubus, the mahonia and winter jasmine's in full flower and the scent from some of the winter honeysuckles and christmas box (sarcococca) can be smelt many many yards away.

Any borders that have been 'rough dug' for the winter should be breaking down nicely now. It goes without saying to keep off the borders and enjoy the plants from afar.


Propagation: you can still take hardwood cuttings of plants like grape vines, philadelphus, willow, privet and dogwoods.

Now is the time to start thinking about what you will be sowing this spring and start to order the seeds. Some bedding plants such as begonias and palargoniums can be sown at the end of the month !!!


Greenhouses: if your greenhouse is empty, now would be the perfect time for a clean and sterilize. Some of those fungal spores will be lying dormant so don't give them chance when you have your seeds growing. Washing down with jeyes fluid or even a strong bleech solution is an excellent way of keeping the nasties at bay. Moss should be removed from the glass joins as these will act as a wick and allow water to drip in the greenhouse.

If you have plants over wintering, it's essential that the plants are kept just ticking over. They should be kept cool and reasonably dry. Any growth will be pale and leggy so I usually cut it back.

Heaters should be checked over so they can maintain a temp of around 10c and it's always a good idea to keep a small fan running.....just to circulate the heat a bit and to stop things getting too stagnant. A min/max thermometer is a good bonus just to see what temps are being maintained.

Now's also a good time to start getting in your seed sowing and potting compost ready for the Spring. Seed tray and pots can be bought too....or old used ones can be washed and sterilised with bleach."


So... maybe you have some ideas of your own to share, or maybe just a nagging feeling that you knew all that, but was hoping to put it off for a while... perhaps it's raised a new query... and just how do the experiences and timetables of our more far-flung members differ?

How's 'January in the garden' round at your patch?


+++


Although we too are having a very mild winter at the moment, unless I had a biggish project going – building a shed or repairing fencing etc, I wouldn’t think about going into the garden in January and February. We normally have our gardens ready for winter at the end of November and in December there are mostly just a few leaves to be got rid of.

Normally it is far too cold to work in the garden plus everything has been covered up and the roses mounded with earth, - we would be doing more damage than good here. All the jobs that people have pointed out to be done in the winter months, are therefore done here in the Autumn or as soon as possible in the Spring.

As far as mulching – well experts have been arguing about the pros and cons for years and will no doubt carry on doing so. I personally do not have mulch in the garden because I feel that it doesn’t do roses much good at all. The reason is that too much compost can lead to an excess of Calcium and Phosphor and a thick layer of compost/mulch can cause the roses to start growing roots “above” the bud grafting which could cause the plant to let the deeper roots die and thus stopping the plant from taking in water and food. The plant could then slowly die. However that is just my personal opinion.

I must admit that I am rather envious of all the people that can potter around in their gardens at this time of the year. It obviously depends on the weather conditions and if this winter is a sign of the winters of the future, then obviously we are all going to have to reconsider our ways and also reconsider the type of plants that we have in our gardens.
Rosefriend

+++

I would like to ad that even if your CLAY soil is waterlogged right now do not try to turn it over or dig it. It will not help as the layers underneath are soggy too and you end up with a back problem.
Pray for frost. It is the best thing to clay and breaks it open better than a human can do.
Wait for a dry day if you have to break through a deeper layer of hard soil. As in dry for several days. Wet clay is simply not the thing to deal with manually.
( and right now my wet clay is getting even wetter... yuk)
Dutchy

+++


Just to add to Dutchy's post above about digging soil. Try not to dig if it's too cold. Soil is a superb insulator and if frosty soil was buried only a spit depth down, the soil can take an extra 3 weeks to warm up in the spring.
Andy

Did I miss it somewhere? search for pests in house plants & greenhouse, because it has been so mild there are vine weevils, scale insects, greenfly, all sorts in the greenhouse and DEAL WITH THEM.
Gertrudj2nd

+++


All very quiet on the cactus front as virtually all cacti and succulents should be asleep now and do NOT need water. There are a few exceptions to this and they will need a little now and then (succulent pelargoniums for example). Next month will see a few beginning to wake.

A good time to start repotting whilst they are dormant though.
Mickthecactus

+++


From Fozzies list - Collect hips from any plant(s) you plan to grow the seed from

Well I've dissected 4 rose hips from a scented red climbing rose and put them in barely damp kitchen roll and put them in a poly bag in the fridge, need to leave them 90 days. I think that's what it said to do
Chuckles

+++

Well I hope Fozzie or Rosefan can help more on this one because I have never grown Roses from seed - I only know the theory of it and I do know that not everyone Stratifies the seeds - some put them into potting soil straight away. If you have them in kitchen roll make sure that it doesn't dry out though.

I believe one can even put the seeds into potting soil and put the lot in the fridge but I wouldn't want that next to my Cheese.

I do know a hobby rose gardener that just bungs the seeds into soil and basically forgets them - seems to work well for him.

RF.

+++


Chuckles B B
as Rosefriend say you do not have to stratisfy them, although some people say that it helps! I put them direct into a tray 50/50 seed compost/soil. It can take a long time for them to germinate, sometime many month.

The other thing to remember is that its a lottery. The parent may not be very fertile and therefore only produce a small amount of fertile seeds, even these may not look like the parent(s).

I do it as a bit of fun, but you do have to be heartless and discard those that are not "perfect" to you. I have severasl I should have put on compost heap years ago and now find it too hard.
Foz

+++


Something I forgot, although this can probably go into the Febuary list, towards the end of the month, you can give your wisteria its second prune (for those who spur prune it ).

The long growth that was cut back to 6 buds back in August should be shortened to 2 or 3 buds now.
Andy

Andy I have a standard Wisteria - does that have to be cut back as well? I do cut it all year actually as it isn't allowed to get too long but at the moment all the growth is possibly about a meter.
RF


Hi Rosefriend.....by correctly pruning wisteria, you encourage a spur system with which the plant usually flowers on. Spurs are just very short.....or a number of very short stems which have been cut back to a couple of buds and are usually only a couple of CM long (i'll get a photo when the batteries have recharged)....these are often the places where many flowers are produced.

To prune Wisteria correctly, all long growth should be cut back to about 6 buds around the end July or beginning of August. Do not cut back any long growth that you want to train.

Then, at the end of Jan, beginning Feb, those shoots that were cut back to 6 buds need to be further reduced to 2 buds.

So yes, i would be pruning the long growth Rosefriend....not only to shape it but to encourage flowering. I'd probably cut it back in a few weeks....providing there's no frost or snow around, right back to two or three buds. Wisteria should be treated brutally.....they are one of the most rampant climbers I've ever seen.

HTH

Andy


Thanks a lot - I wasn't too sure last year what to do as no-one else seems to have a standard, and I don't want it climbing anyway.

Must admit it had over 100 flowers last year and looked marvellous.

As we get colder winters here and you say no frost, would it be better waiting a little longer to prune back? Also I have noticed that there is a little dead wood - that is normal I take it and not an alarm signal?

RF


I'd cut it as soon as you have a mild spell Rosefriend...whenever that is. If it's mild now, do it now !!!

I wouldn't be concerned about the dead although i would cut it right out as you really would on most plants.

I have 2 wisteria....planted either side of my lounge window and trained to go over the window. They've been in for 8 years now and only recently started to really look good. They also give a good amount of shade to the lounge as it's south facing....here's some pics taken last May.

i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/andyjevs/wis1.jpg

i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/andyjevs/wis2.jpg

i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/andyjevs/wis3.jpg

[Rosefriend]

FEBRUARY


ell didn’t January go quick, we are now looking at our 2nd Month in the garden. Hope everyone enjoyed last months thread and found it helpful in some way. Even if it just reminded you of some of the tasks you needed to do.

As we mentioned last month, the plan is to have a month-by-month thread on "what's going on". Each month will then be added to "A Year in the GWD Garden" forming a complete month by month reference. This will be kept in Gardening Chat as a sticky thread for future reference.

Again feel free to add to the monthly thread with your tasks or use it to ask for more details on some of the tasks listed.




So to start with what delights have we from Fozzie

Roses

1 This is my quiet month in the garden.
2 Complete Jan jobs, am still waiting for delivery of late order
3 Keep on top of weeds. Tidy beds
4 Select this year’s parent for hybridising. (It’s nice to dream of another “PEACE” financially).
5 If I had any HTs I would prune them during the latter half of the month (Use the pruned canes as cuttings!)

Other Jobs

6 Start “Chitting” tatties if not already done so.
7 Sow Tom seeds that you intend to grow in GH.
8 Top dress borders (I use Blood, Fish and Bone).
9 Keep on top of weeds, especially this year being so mild
10 Tidy shed, clean tools and pots. I am yet to start this lovely job.
11 I am told I have to wash/clean GH this month as well!!
12 Pot on any annual/perennial seedling.
13 Lift, divide and replant plants/shrubs if necessary.
14 If it stays this warm I will be cutting back ornamental grasses


And onto Plocket with her Clematis tips and more


Ok tasks for February:

In late February or early March Group 3 clematis can be pruned back to about 12 to 18 inches. This will encourage new basal growth as well as growth on the remaining stems. If you have time do it properly stem by stem, pruning just above a joint, or if you are in a hurry just lop the whole lot off! Bearing in mind we could still have some cold weather you can leave the dead stems where they are to offer a bit of protection to the new growth.

Wisteria should be cut back now as well.

Snowdrops can be split and moved when they've finished flowering. Give them a bit of fresh compost to encourage them when you replant them.

Towards the end of the month you can start tidying the garden - pruning back all those dead perennials. I try and leave them for as long as possible in case of a cold snap because even a few dead leaves and branches can offer protection from frost.

I tend to put fresh compost around my plants now, particularly the container grown ones, because this will provide new goodness for them to feed on now that they are starting to grow again.

Feed container grown clematis with high potash fertilizer - weak regular doses are better than one strong dose. Tomato and rose feed are high in potash so if you have those you don't need to buy anything special!

Feed container grown spring bulbs too as they will soon start dying back.

Start sowing seeds!!!

Start to combat slugs and snails NOW! I read on one of the boards recently that if you get on top of the problem now, as they start to get used to the warmer weather, you will have less of a problem later in the year. I haven't had a chance to test it out yet though!

And continue to feed the birds and other wildlife. There is still plenty of time for frosts and snow, and the birds will have got used to you putting out food. Don't forget to put water out too, and change it regularly. Feeders should be cleaned regularly too.

I think that's about it for now!


and Lottie Lady with some hot tips



Oh well in for a penny - this is my first attempt!

Weeding - there are always weeds!

Winter Fruit Pruning on the lottie

Autumn fruiting raspberries can be cut to the ground and blackcurrants can be cut back by one third on older stems, and these will benefit from a mulch of compost.

Thin crowded spurs on older apples and pears and shorten very long spurs. If there are any cankered shoots then cut these out and pick and destory any mummified fruits, again these can be given a mulch of compost.

This is also the time if you feel adventurous and want a project to start now ..

To make a small hot bed.
You can make a wooden frame about 2 or 3 square and 2 feet deep or even use straw bales. Fill this with fresh manure leaving a gap of about 6 inches at the top. Adding moist leaves to this helps to moderate the initial heat surge and subsequent cooling. Cover over and leave to warm up for 2 weeks. You can judge the temperature by inserting a small cane in the hot bed and should feel comfortabley warm to the touch. Top up the last 6 inches with soil and top with a portable coldframe or cloches. You can now sow early radish, carrots and/or turnips in small rows interplanted with young lettuce. You could have radishes 3-4 weeks after sowing. Once the lettuce has filled out it should co-incide with thinning the carrots. Once this is all harvested the hot bed can them be used for courgettes/marrow/cucumbers or even a pumpkin! In the autum the contents of the hot bed can be dug in to the soil.

Covering planting areas with black plastic to help with weeds and warm the soil can be done too.

Now is also the time to be ordering seeds and seed potatoes but I don't think you need telling when to do that do you ? - you eager gardeners!

Make a bean trench

Did out a trench 18" wide and the depth of a spade, if you want a double row make it twice as wide, If you want to use cane wigwams make it circular. Pile in plenty of organic matter, you can add kitchen waste, but make sure you sprinkle some soil over the top. Leave the trench open until you are ready to sow or plant at the end of May. The back fill with the rest of the soil.

You can start sowing in milder areas. summer cabbage, spinach, early carrots, broad beans (traditionally on 14th Feb) in a cold greenhouse or on warmed soil under cloches.

Peas can be started off in the greenhouse/coldframe to give them a head start.

Onion and shallots can be sown but they need a min of 10 C 50F.

Now is the time to plant Rhubarb, new fruit trees and bushes.

Any flower buds on fruit bushes should be protected by fleece against the frost.

Tidy up outdoor Strawberries and cover with cloches for an early crop. ( these can also be grown in a hot bed for an even earlier crop)

Mint & Chives should be divided and replanted or potted up


And the now famous 4P


Organic Gardening In February
This is the month to make garden birds your friends.
Clean old nestboxes and put up new ones.
Hoe under fruit trees and expose soil to birds so they can eat your pests.
Identify plants which are prone to aphids and hang fat balls near them to encourage the birds.
Make sure all hedge trimming is finished this month before birds start nesting. Use these trimmings as pea sticks if required.
This is your last chance to plant garlic.
Put a good thick layer of mulch over emerging Rhubarb - if forcing earth the pot with fresh manure to help it heat up.
Do any pruning of fruit trees necessary and check grease bands are in place and sticky. Lay good manure under all fruit and soft fruit bushes
In cold frosty weather use your time to get your greenhouse and cold frame ready and clean pots and seed trays. If you have any seed compost left use it to condition your garden soil and buy new for this years sowings.
Prune all herbaceous plants left to overwinter and remove old leaves, seed pods etc to reduce the risk of disease
If possible maintain and spruce up fencing etc if weather allows before new growth gets in the way.
Don't forget to admire the bulbs coming up and enjoy any good weather!


and now from Mickthecactus some prickly jobs


February is still a quiet time in the cactus and succulent house but things are beginning to stir....

Cacti should continue to be kept dry. For succulents the same as January continues to apply but Haworthias and Gasterias can have a little water this month as they begin to grow again. Try to pick a dry spell for this as damp or foggy conditions are a no no.

If you grow Stapeliads (and I have a fair collection) they have a habit of rotting if you look at them the wrong way. However, try not to let them get too dry. When the stems begin to feel rubbery I give them a little water but put them straight into the propagator (without the lid on). They respond well to the bottom heat and in a few days stems should be nice and rigid again and they can go back on the staging.

If we do get a mild spell, open a window for a few hours. Cacti and succulents absolutely love fresh air and respond well.

You may begin to see flower buds beginning to appear on some cacti e.g. rebutias and mammillarias but don't be tempted to water. Incidentally, the safe maxim about watering is if you are in doubt - don't.

Most cacti and succulents need some warmth in winter but 40f will be adequate unless you are growing Stapeliads, Melocacti, Discocacti and other Brazilian cacti in which case a min of 50f, but 60f is even better. Madagascan succulents should also be in the warm area.

The most important requirement in winter is light and glass should be kept clean.

It all begins to happen next month and towards the end of February I will start separate threads on repotting and seed sowing.



and Rita - recommends following the same procedure as January on the care of your fish and ponds.



And last but not least from Andy

February can see amazing differences in weather conditions. From biting northerly winds, snow and deep Heavy frosts right through to temperatures into their upper teens. As a result, many garden tasks have to be undertaken judiciously with an eye on the 5 day weather forecast.

LAWNS

If the weather is frost free, turf can be laid. Worm casts will start to appear and these can be brushed off Using a besom.

Future lawns for seeding can be prepared...again providing the soil has no frost on it

Grass can be cut when needed in fine weather but only lightly

Avoid walking on frosty grass as it will turn the grass black..

BEDS AND BORDERS

This really is the time to sit back and enjoy the bulbs, winter flowering shrubs and the first flowers from the spring bedding.

Pruning can be carried out on summer flowering shrubs such as Wegelia, philadelphus and deutzia but pruning now is for thinning out older stems and just generally tidying up.

WISTERIA

For those that prune their wisteria “properly”, you would’ve already cut any long growth back to about 6 buds in August. Now is the time...again is the weather is frost free, to prune those shoots further back to 2 or 3 buds.

GREENHOUSES

It’s getting exciting now. Begonias, geraniums, Antirrhinums, petunias, lobelia and other slow growing bedding can be sown now.

Make sure your compost is stored in a warmish place....there’s nothing worse than going to use compost and it’s frozen solid. Seed trays and pots should now be sterilized to prevent fungal attacks and the Glasshouse should be sweet and clean.

HOUSEPLANTS

As the weather warms up and the day length increases, the bugs start to wake up too. Keep an eye out for scale insects, mealy bug and in particular red spider mites. Spray when needed.

+ + +


Well that should keep you fairly busy for the moment. Get out and enjoy the gorgeous scents and lovely winter colours when the weather’s warm. The increased day length will also allow you a bit more time in the evenings.

So now it’s over to you guys. We would like to hear from you all even if it’s in a small way. What needs doing in your area – let us know won’t you.


Rosefriend and OM


Dutchy adds:

My garden is wildlife friendly.
Cutting back the last remnants of perennials I do at the end of this month.
The first cut was done at the beginning of winter. The dead handsome ones I left alone but the unpretty ones like the Marguerite are cut back to one foot above ground.
I leave the debris on the garden to function as winter protection.
This means that in order to stay on top of slugs I begin putting bird fiendly poison out for them.
I tried getting rid by hand for two years but simply failed.
So now it is poison the slugs as per January. It helps because warm weather bringing about freshly hatched slugs and my leaving things on the garden means there is food.
The second cut also brings food.
Why leave it on then?
To give late frost protection and mostly because I have found that it attracts ladybirds and hover fly too leave their welcome eggs and larvae in there.
It is not just slugs that benefit.
Lady birds this early means my greenfly protection is in full swing.
Always there are pros and cons.

[Rosefriend]

MARCH


MARCH IN THE GWD GARDEN


Spring has Sprung literally, and we are now looking at our 3rd Month in the GWD Garden. Last months thread is now keeping January company in the A Year in the GWD Garden thread so you can still refer to it if you’re running a bit behind.

Don’t get too carried away this month though, we could so easily get caught out by the changeable weather we're having. Always remember we come from a variety of locations too and you need to bear that in mind when doing your monthly tasks.

Hope everyone enjoyed last month’s thread and found it helpful. Again feel free to add to the monthly thread with any of your tasks.

If you want more details on any of the tasks mentioned, or if you do things differently or you maybe just want opinions on what others do, then tell us all about it.



4P – Queen of Organic gardening and friend to our two and four legged visitors

Organic gardening is all about working with nature but at this time of year all gardeners should weed and hoe, prepare the soil for plants and seeds, and tidy up the vegetable plot whenever they get a chance. Check plants regularly for insects and greeblies and remove old leaves and dead vegetation regularly so the bugs have nowhere to hide.

Don't tidy your hedgerows or garden edges too much though as the birds will be looking for nest building materials. Moss, grass, dead leaves etc are all useful materials. Don't forget your own hair and your dogs are all good too.

Keep feeding the birds and providing clean water.

Sow hardy annuals and wild flowers in small pots or plugs so you can plant them straight into the garden. The wider your selection of insect friendly plants the less chance you have of being invaded by "nasties". Calendula, Escscholzia, Limnanthus and Nigella are all decorative annuals which attract beneficial insects. OxEye Daisies, Foxgloves, Cranesbill, Mullienand Scabious are just a few wild flowers which are easily as pretty as conventional garden plants but which have the added advantage of luring insects and butterflies and moths into your garden.

Cloche your veggie beds or cover them with plastic to warm the soil. Top dress over wintered plants such as broad beans and cabbages to give them a boost.

Dig over previously mulched ground ready for planting.

Weed your socks off cos if you don't you'll regret it!

And are you sure you don't have room for a small chicken ark?? They are brilliant pets, full of character and wonderful for your garden (free manure and slug assassins!), easy to look after and provide you with eggs with a flavour you can only dream about from shop bought eggs. If you think you might - now is the time to go and buy Point of Lay hens. Go on, you know you want too...(better yet, go and rescue some poor old battery hens)


Fozzie – Keep your Roses Blooming with a good trim and feed – get those secateurs out.

a. Complete any planting as soon as possible, if you have any left to do! Remember to add Blood Fish and Bone to planting hole to help plant to get started.
b. Pruning Time! (well it’s the time I do it)

i. Gen. – Particularly this year look out for any brown small brown patches in an otherwise healthy stem. When the plants have been slow to drop their leaves, following a mild autumn, frozen water in the leaf axil can damage the dormant bud and cause disease to set in. Prune back to healthy wood below diseased area.

ii. Shrub Rose (newly planted) I always cut back each stem to apprx 6 inches, outward facing bud and all that!

iii. Shrubs (established) for the first 2-3 years after planting I cut back all stems by a half to induce strong bushy growth. Each year after that I do little more than remove dead, diseased and weak growth, once it has attained the height you require, you’ll need to prune the main stems to keep it at that height. Every 4 years or so I rejuvenate the plant a little by removing one or two main stems down to ground level (if bud union below ground level) or 6 inches (if union above ground level).

iv. Climbing Rose (repeat flowering) No major pruning just keep the plant within its boundaries, don’t forget to train the main stems has horizontal as possible, thus getting flowers at a height you can see them at. Take out ant dead, diseased and weak/crossing stems. Cut back any weak side shoots back to main stem, reduce by a half or at least to two flower buds all strong side shoots. It’s the side shoots on the main stems where you will get the flowers.

v. HT (large flowered) Rose (newly planted) - Again all stems back to approx 6 inches.

vi. HT (large flowered) Rose (established) Take out dead, diseased and weak/crossing growth. Cut back all stems by a third. When I had them I used to take out one or two main stems completely, to ground level, every 3 years or do to encourage fresh growth.

vii. Floribunda (Cluster flowered) Rose (newly planted) again all stems back to 6 inches.

viii. Floribunda (Cluster flowered) Rose (established) you must know this bit by now! Cut out all dead, diseased and weak stems. Prune all weak side shoots back to main stem. Prune by about a third all last years’ new growth from the base area (light green coloured stems). Reduce the older stems (darker green) by about a half their length. Again you can remove one or two completely to encourage new growth.

ix. Standard Roses (newly planted) prune all top growth stems back to 6-8 inches and side shoots back to about 2 inches. This should be back to outward or upward facing buds to get a well-shaped and balanced ‘head’.

x. Standard Roses (Established) again remove dead, diseased and weak stems. Prune weak side shoots back to main stem; reduce all other top growth stems by about a half outward/upward facing buds to keep a good shape.

xi. Climbing Rose (single flowering)/ Rambling Rose apart from the usual remove dead, diseased and crossing/weak stems and training horizontal as possible DO NOT TOUCH THEM!

xii. Give them their spring feed. – I used Chicken pellets as a general bed feed including the Rose bed, in addition I will use Blood Fish and Bone and/or Calcified Seaweed on individual Rose plants.

xiii. Pruning tool argument and need for outward facing buds and all that secateurs, shears or hedge trimmers- well I use all three depending on age and size of plant. I use secateurs on the young ones, shears on the older ones to keep growth in check and hedge trimmers on the BIG ones .My Roses are grown as plants not exhibits. The only person they need to please is me. They do not have to be prim and proper- just there is enough.

xiv. Sorry it’s so long I’m starting to loose the will to live and I like the subject.


Lottie Lady – Fruit and Veg. for a successful start to the years crops.


It’s March! Well now the ‘Veggie sow fest' can begin but I have the feeling you have already started so I won’t list them here and there are lots of veggies that can start successional sowing now, salad leaves, carrots. Radishes – you know what you like. Thin out seedlings planted in Feb and prick out and pot on any that you are growing in trays or pots. This is probably the latest you can plant garlic too

For any first timers – make sure that after you have dug over a seed bed that you tread it after to remove any air pockets and the old rule is sow dry and plant wet!

Pests Don’t forget the slug traps, or whatever is your preferred way of disposing of the little blighters. Aphids will be appearing too so keep an eye out for them and remove any infested shoots

If you have cloches and covers on your early sown seedlings you are safe to move them off on sunny days, but make sure you put them back and tuck the plants up again at night just to keep them cosy! This also works both ways so if you feel it is too sunny for young seedlings under glass, shade them with some sheets of newspaper.

It time to plant the spuds that have been happily chitting away – so think about how wonderful home grown new potatoes are if your back aches while you are planting them – it is worth it!

Herbs - Lift and divide chives, marjoram and mint.

Fruit This is probably the latest you can plant bare rooted fruit tress and bushes, and established ones can be pruned and will benefit from good mulch or well rotted compost and manure. A spray of liquid seaweed will give trees a little boost too. Check grease bands are still intact on trees to prevent winter moths crawling up and laying their eggs.

Cover over any beds that you are not ready to plant yet with black plastic to keep the weeds down and the moisture in or sow red clover as a green manure and nitrogen fixer.

Keep a good eye on the weather forecasts for frosts and happy veggie growing!


Rita – Nice easy month, all nice and quiet in the water world.

The same as February, as winter is a very quiet time as far as ponds are concerned.


Andy - Springing the garden into life

March is a time where many things in the garden can spring into life. Traditionally a time of year for daffodil and early tulips, there is often a riot of colour to be seen in our gardens.
However, we must not under estimate the weather which is, at best, unpredictable. Glorious warm sunshine can often be followed by snow and frost so watch any young plants coming through.

LAWNS

Busy time for the greenkeeper. Seeding and turfing can commence/continue when the weather is good and mowing of established lawns should be well under way. Moss killers can be applied now and any damaged edges should be repaired.

GREENHOUSES

Things should be approaching meltdown during March. Most seeds should be sown and tubers. corms and summer bulbs should be potted and started into growth.

Make sure the GH is kept at a minimum of 10 degrees C at night and be careful to ventilate during the day as temperatures can get pretty warm.

Care should be taken to keep an eye out for pests....especially red spider mite as the weather warms up. If things are getting warm in the greenhouse towards the end of the month, shading can be applied

BEDS AND BORDERS

Probably the last month to plant or transplant bare rooted plants. Water well in dry spells.

Weeds will be coming up "like hairs on a cats back" so keep in control of them before they flower and seed. A light fork over of the bed surface will help to make the border look nice and allow a bit of oxygen into the roots. Mulches should be applied if you have the chance.

Prune back any shrubs that have finished flowering such as Forsythia

Plocket – our Clematis Queen


If you haven't pruned back your Group 3 clematis now is the time. Hack back to about 18 inches or if you have the time cut each stem above the lowest leaf joint. You will probably already have some fresh new growth so if it's high up on the woody stems don't worry about cutting it off, but if it's fresh green growth at the base of the plant leave these stems alone. Remember that slugs and snails adore clematis shoots so make sure you keep an eye out and protect as necessary.

You should also ensure that the support or trellis for your clematis is adequate for the year, and start feeding them with a fertilizer high in potash - tomato or rose fertilizer is good. Use half the recommended dose approximately once a week for container clematis and feed those planted in the ground less frequently. They will also benefit from a mulch of fresh compost, well rotted manure or even chicken manure pellets.

If you have a eucalyptus you can prune it back by a third to keep it under control. I tend to cut off one main branch to thin it out. It's also a good time to prune back many garden shrubs, including caryopteris (even if it still looks dead!), elder, winter jasmine (look out for branches that have flopped and self-rooted too), and dogwood. Remember that dogwood (cornus) takes well from cuttings so propagate your prunings if you want more.

Divide clumps of snowdrops if they are looking big, and cut back dead perennial stems to tidy the garden. If your winter heathers have finished flowering they too can be cut back to encourage new growth.


Mickthecactus – and his prickly friends.


Here comes March so hold on to your cactus hats - it all happens now.

There are three major activities starting this month - watering, repotting (unless you have a collection like mine which means a year round rolling programme) and propagation. I will cover the last two on separate threads.

Watering is the key to good cactus and succulent growing - get it right and you get a beautiful show specimen. Get it wrong and you get a heap of mush or a very disfigured plant. Lets start with cacti. The first flowers will start to appear this month on Mammillarias and Turbinicarpus which is a key that they have started growing. The other key is a new brightness in the centre of the plant when new spines grow. It takes a bit of practice to recognise this but it will come. Some cacti e.g. Ferocactus macrodiscus start to grow in February but I still hold off until mid March at the earliest although if you leave them too long without their first watering they can elongate and lose their shape forever so it is a bit of a balancing act. Others like Ariocarpus do not need to be watered until mid April at the earliest but for the vast majority mid March onwards. Wait for a decent spell of weather though when you get a forecast of a few sunnyish days and water then. Don't totally soak them at this stage just give them enough to get them interested and to wash off the winter dust. If you water too heavily they can be too greedy at this time and take up more than is good for them and actually split. And once that happens they are disfigured for many years. Astrophytums are particularly prone to this. Also, if the weather does not turn out sunny they will be sitting in wet cold soil which is an excellent recipe for rot. Then leave them until they have dried right out before watering again but always work with the weather. Small pots will always need more water than big pots and I check if pots are still damp with a thin kebab skewer - it's like testing a cake. If it comes out with soil on it leave for a few days. If it comes out clean then it's dry and can be watered again. Tap water is fine (for me) and I add 1/4 strength tomato fertiliser to each watering.

Most succulents e.g. Euphorbias, Aloes, Haworthias, Stapeliads can also begin to get some water now. Most living stones e.g. Lithops, Conophytum, Argyrodermas, Pleiospilos do NOT need water yet and I will cover their watering when I get to them in the A-Z.

Remember the simple maxim of watering - IF IN DOUBT, DON'T.

Finally, ventilate the greenhouse as much as you can now, again, when the weather allows. Even if indoors open the window if you can. They absolutely love fresh air.

[Rosefriend]

April in the GWD Garden

Yet another month has flown by and we are now into April – at long last Winter has started to shed it’s woolly coat and Spring is in the air. The nights are still a little fresh but there is so much coming to life in the garden and we also have a few extra hours of daylight.

Our resident experts have got plenty to keep you all busy with the monthly task list so get out there and do what we all love doing - gardening.

As always if you wish to add your own tasks, then please do so.



Let’s start with 4P doing her bit for the environment

Here we go! April is the start of the madness, organic or not:
Most hardy crops are OK to sow this month but I personally prefer to sow in pots or modules when appropriate. Broad beans, peas, onion sets etc and lots of root crops can be sown now.
If you have planned your crop rotation April is also the time to sow green manures in areas that are fallow until July/ August. Keep cloches on the soil too to help give a good start to crops sown directly.
Slugs are beginning to get busy so act now! If you decided against getting chickens (see March!) then use whatever organic deterrents work for you - gravel, oatmeal, copper rings, boots etc..
Hoe and weed regularly now and if the soil isn't too cold/wet then start mulching to maintain condition and keep weeds down to a minimum.
Keep feeding the birds and try to keep away from nestboxes. Well intentioned poking about can mean abandoned eggs.
Watch the weather closely - night temperatures can plummet. Don't sow tender annuals unless you can protect them very well at night. Often late sowings catch up anyway.
Check your water butts and do any maintenance needed. See if you can install any more anywhere! Ditto with your compost bins - you can never have enough..
Order natural predators soon to protect your GH and PT plants.
Please don't mow your lawns too close. Unless you want a bowling green, try and maintain other native plants in the grass to help insects. I love Daisies in lawns but there are many ground hugging plants which will assist wild life and make your grass a thriving and valuable area for the garden wildlife. Keeping the lawn slightly longer will also help the grass survive a long hot summer.
Enjoy your garden - it's a wonderful and life enhancing time of year!


And here’s Lottie’s Lottie tips – sponsored by Radox!

After all the digging the bumper' in situ ' sow fest will have started if the soil on your plot is warmed up enough – you can test this the Gardenhammerette way by sitting on the soil – if it’s warm enough to sit on – it’s warm enough for seeds to germinate! Thanks GH!

Harden off any veggies sown last month, remember to put collars around brassicas, or maybe plant through a mulching sheet or membrane to deter cabbage root fly laying its eggs at the base of the plants.

If you have hardy veggies under cloches and the conditions are right these can be removed ready for your next set of plantings, and it’s time to get the supports up for your beans and peas.

Potatoes can still be planted out and if you did some last month they will probably need earthing up now.

If you can maintain a temp of 16C you can sow French & Runner beans and Sweetcorn – I think you have all started your chillies and tomatoes so carry on nurturing them.

Now the impossible task – pick of the flowers of newly planted early and late Strawberry plants to hold them back for a bumper crop next year – I don’t know anyone who does this by the way – the promise of Strawberries is too tempting! Protect the fruit against the birds by whatever method you prefer -

Time to take softwood cuttings of Rosemary, Thyme and Sage and divide established Chives, Fennel can be sown in a cold greenhouse but remember not to plant it near Coriander or Dill as they can cross pollinate. Mint can be divided from now on too. Flat leaved Parsley is much easier to grow from seed than the curly variety, and if you are going for the curly type a tip is to soak them in hot water in a flask over night. Sow Basil indoors for planting out after the frosts have finished, and pinch out the tip when you have three sets of leaves.

Don’t forget the weeds – so there will be plenty of hoeing and mulching to do!

Have a productive spring everyone!


Now for Foz with his feeding and planning tips for your Roses

Quiet month for Roses.

Complete any outstanding pruning and the spring feed. Keep on top of the weeds!
Mulch established roses with manure or compost; on new planted roses I use bark, as they do not need the fertiliser at this stage (you have already given them that at planting time). If we ever get a prolonged dry spell say 10 days or so then you will need to water the new planted roses.

TIP (For those of us that have established climbers or ramblers)

If this is the year you are thinking about/ planning the removal of an old flowering stem and replacing it with a new stem coming from the base. (The removal will be sometime in the autumn). Then, to make life a bit easier, insert a strong bamboo cane near the plant and as the new stem(s) appear you can keep it/them separate from the old wood. You will them be able to remove the old stems more easily (!!), before tying the new onto the permanent framework and removing bamboo cane.


And now to our all round gardening profi Andy

April is traditionally the start of spring. Many of the plants in our garden will be bursting into leaf and flower and the garden will be a riot of colour. Birds will be busy making their nests and many insects will have woken up from their winter dormancy.

But don’t be fooled by nice temperatures, light evenings and garden centres full of bedding plants. Heavy frosts at night as well the possibility of snow can kill off tender plants in one night.

Traditionally, April is the month of showers. Coupled with warm, sunny weather....that can only mean one thing.....weeds !!!! And lots of them. If you don’t keep on top of emerging weed seedlings and perennial weeds, it will make life a lot harder in in the coming months. Hoe off annual weeds during dry spells and leave them to dry out on the soil surface or spray with a glysophate based weedkiller which will zap perennial weeds too.

Lawns

Grass will be growing at an astonishing rate especially if the weather is warm and wet. Keep on top of the Mowing now as you’ll be amazed how quickly the lawn can get to a height where it will need two cuts to get it down to the required level.
A weed and feed can be applied to lawns now as can a moss killer if needed.

New lawns can be made either from seed or turf....keep well watered in dry spells.

Established lawns may look a bit bare in places after the winter sow a sprinkling of grass seed all over will help Thicken things up a bit.

Shrubs

Winter or spring flowering shrubs such as Forsythia can be pruned now usually just to keep them in shape.
Keep an eye on young shoots for signs of greenfly and black fly as well as woolly aphids.
Pot grown shrubs can be planted still....just make sure you keep them watered if it’s warm and dry.

Greenhouses

Now is the time to get some light shading on the glass either by using netting or a water based paint.

Temperatures in the greenhouse or conservatory can reach scorching temperatures so it’s obvious to say that Good ventilation is essential. Watering is paramount on warm days and damping down the paths with water is a good idea to keep humidity levels up.

As a contrast, heating may still be needed at night when frosty conditions are forecast.

Bulbs

Many of the earlier spring flowering bulbs have now finished flowering and are putting on lush leaf growth.

A good feed will help the bulbs be nice and strong for next year especially if the bulbs are in pots. Later spring Bulbs, especially tulips will be in full flower now.

Bedding

Towards the end of the month, wallflowers will be coming to the end of their flowering period as will polyanthus and primroses. Wallflowers can be removed ready to prepare the ground for summer bedding And polys and prims can be lifted and moved to a shaded, moist area at the back of the border ready for their
dormancy over summer.

PONDS

This is a crucial month in the world of water. A temperatures warm up, so does all the pests associated with ponds. Diseases such as whitespot, finrot and fungus are rife at this time of year as the fish are at their lowest Ebb after the long winter.

Feeding should be increased as the weather warms up and the fish may start Spawning if conditions are Favourable.
Green water and blanket weed can both be a problem as increased temperatures, sunlight and nutrients feed he algae. Manual removal of blanket weed will help or there are some excellent chemicals available. If you have plants and a UV in your pond, this will help create the balance needed to starve the algae and after a week or two, there’s nothing to stop you having crystal clear water if the balance is right.

Pumps and filters will need constant cleaning now as the build up of detritus increases.

Ponds can also be given a “water change” now.....just run a hosepipe through the pond and allow it to overflow for an hour or two.



Plocket with her April Clematis tips and more....

Continue to feed clematis on a fairly regular basis, container ones in particular. Now is a good time to put chicken manure pellets or blood/fish/bone around the base to encourage fresh new growth. Container clematis should be fed regularly with a fertilizer high in potash like tomato or rose food.

Look out for slug damage on new shoots, and earwig damage on buds. Both can be treated easily as you see fit!

Dead head your daffodils but let the leaves be for at least six weeks so they can boost the bulb for next year.

Treat containers for vine weevil as this is when they start getting active.


And now a little drink with mickthecactus


The good news is that April is the same as March for Cacti and succulents with the exception that Ariocarpus can be watered for the first time from about mid month - weather willing.


RF/OM


Dutchy adds

One for the bulbs.
Do not forget to deadhead the spend ones.
Other wise they will try and produce seeds instead of healthy bulbs for the next Spring.

This too is the month to keep on top of weeds.
For the root system monsters use glyphosate. It gets the entire plant, roots and all.

Check your pots for Vine weevil grubs.
My front garden rose in pot has already yielded 8 corpses.
( after I flattened them that is )

Something very Important to do when sunny or otherwise fine weather.
Go into the garden , sit down, .......ENJOY.

[Rosefriend]

May in the GWD Garden

May - many people feel that this is one of the most wonderful months of the year, the new growth is a lovely fresh green that never appears again in the year. However May is also an intensive month for a gardener. Flowers, vegetables and Co all have to be planted out, weather allowing.

This is what our resident gardeners have to say about the tasks that need doing in May.
As usual feel free to add your own jobs and any relevant advice.


Let’s start with 4P


May is one of the most wonderful months of the year for any gardener but especially the organic gardener: everything is green, the blossom is beautiful and the weeds haven't taken over! It's also the month when the war on greeblies starts in earnest.
I was going to list some of the best tried and tested natural remedies for insect control but Chuckles' excellent Natural Remedies thread has pre empted me so I will just commend her thread to you - the oats/bran slug cure really does work - gruesome but satisfying! Spent ground coffee also works well (just make sure it's FairTrade!) Chickens are the ultimate though...
For an organic gardener, May is really a matter of careful inspection of plants for aphids etc, vigilant hardening off of young plants for planting out in June, earthing up and fleecing of potatoes, Brassicas etc. and watering of early sown Broad Beans if necessary as they will now be podding up and keeping up with the sowing and pricking out programme.
Next month sees the planting out of Tomatoes, Aubergines, Cucumbers, Peppers etc into Greenhouse or Polytunnel so spend some time digging over your borders, weeding and check the corners and folds of plastic for bugs etc. If you haven't had time previously now is really your last chance to wash down the glass or plastic PT covering. Also spend time constructing your cucumber/melon support frame - make it strong as it has to support a lot of weight. Enrich the chosen spot with well rotted compost - they are very thirsty plants. Start to collect plastic lemonade/water bottles to bury upside down (with bottom cut off) next to your plants to make watering more efficient.
In the garden keep watch for nests and feeding parents. Continue to fill hangers and keep clean water topped up. No hedge pruning now please! If digging let the birds have a look too - this very dry weather has made earthworm activity deep so birds are working hard to get to them.
Don't forget the beleaguered bee population - sow seeds now for a patch of nectar rich native plants somewhere in your garden for the late summer/early autumn. There are many specialist seed packs available now.
May is wonderful. Don't forget to look up from your labours every so often and notice!



Followed closely by mickthecactus


Growth is strongly underway in the cactus house in May. All cacti need watering now as soon as the pot dries out as this month and June are their main growth period. After that they slow down. Also most of the flowering takes place this month.

All succulents with the exception of winter growers e.g. othonnas, pelargoniums also need regular water. Mesembryanthemums also need care. Those that should be kept to a single pair of leaves per head e.g. lithops, conophytum, argyroderma should not be watered until the old leaves have dried up. Then do not overwater or the new leaves will split.

The watering rule still applies - don't water if the forecast is poor for the next couple of days and even more important - if in doubt, don't!

Ventilate the house as much as possible but close up at night as we can still get cold spells. My heaters will still be on until June.

Keep seedlings moist and in good light but not the full glare of the sun.

Continue to repot.

Finally, an excellent set of rules from one of Americas best growers:-

"Proper nurturing of plants in your collection should include the following protocol:

1. Freedom from pests and disease.
2. Good light.
3.Pure air and air movement
4.Acceptable temperature range
5.Ample water at the proper times
6.Enough root and crown space
7.Proper soil ph for species
8.a proper balance of nutrients - both major and trace elements.
9.Crumbly soil media that is well aerated and drained, even when fully watered.
10. Frequent repotting - ideally at least on an annual basis.

See - easy-peasy!!



And now for Foz


MAY

Keep the beds weed free and tidy. During any prolonged dry spell water newly planted roses and those growing in tubs or containers.
This is the Month to start the annual assault on the aphids and other pests/diseases; I often wonder where the first aphids come from. Do they hibernate or what?
I tend to rely on nature (ladybird, lacewings and a number of small bird species). If the infestation gets bad then I use finger and thumb (hence green fingers!) Or you can hose them off plus there are a number of “organic” sprays. If possible use Derris late in the day, when most “goodies” are asleep.
If you must then there are a number of chemical sprays on market

Keep an eye out for black spot, remember R.foetida is thought to be the culprit and she was yellow. So yellow roses will be more susceptible. Most if not all Roses will get it to a greater or lesser degree. If you have been clean and tidy then you have reduced the likelihood of a “bad” infection, also being so dry recent has reduced possible infection. (Remember warm humid conditions = fungal infection.) If it does arrive then you have two options, attempt to treat it or leave it. Me? If infection is not major then I leave alone, as it will cause no lasting damage. However, if you want to treat it then remove and destroy infected leaves, this does not stop the infection but will make the plant look better and you feel better. Treat with a sulphur based product, an acceptable organic treatment. (Some use a solution of baking soda mixed in water, as a spray. approx 4 teaspoons per gallon. I have not used this so do not know effectiveness)
The spores will actually survive and over winter in the stems so if bad infect you will need to prune it out.(I would wait till Nov) Spores on leaves will die after about a month so it will not overwinter on leaves.
Again, if you must use chemicals, then use a spray that contains penconazole, flutriafol or myclobutanil as a control, alternate with a mancozeb product to prevent the fungus from developing resistance. Several sprays may be required during the growing season.

Leaves that become rolled up are likely to contain the young of sawfly or the tortix moth remove and destroy.

For those of us attempting hybridising, I should not have to say, but you should have identified the potential parents and started the diary notes.


And not forgetting Andy


May....my favourite month of the year. The month where the gardener starts to be able to reap the rewards of the early spring.
Everything looks fresh and lush, the trees are all in their finest garb and fields and hedgerows are awash with hawthorn.

Weather can still be unpredictable with cold, even frosty nights likely to surprise the gardener who has planted tender plants out too early. It's not unheard of to have snow either !!!

But, May is the month for bedding plants and you would be very unlucky if you lose plants through frost especially towards the end of the month.
Warm....even scorching days followed by sultry warm evenings, coupled with light evenings are the perfect recipe for sitting in the garden enjoying the fruits of your hard work.

However, there are also problems that you can encounter during May. Drought is a very real possibility....as is torrential rain (isn't the British weather great !!!). The weeds will be loving this time of year and most weeds will set seed now....get them out quick as the old saying rings very true....."one years seeding is seven years weeding"
Slugs will need to be controlled too especially on warm, damp evenings as will the usual pests and diseases such as powdery mildew, aphids and vine weevil.

LAWNS

So onto your lawn.....Cutting should be at it lowest except in times of draught. Lawns can be watered freely in dry weather....check with your local water authority first incase there's any restrictions in place. If you have heavy rain, local areas of flooding will need to be sorted by putting a fork deep into the soil several times to help any water drain away.

You can still create new lawns from turf but watering will have to be plentiful. It is a good month for seeding though and whether it's doing a new lawn from scratch or just over-sowing an old lawn with seed to re-vitalise it, seed will germinate very quickly in warm, wet weather.

PONDS

Most people get a majority of their pond problems during may....blanket weed, green water and diseases on fish can be the bane of the pondkeeper. However, on a properly balanced pond, may will see these problems quickly overcome and an abundance of wildlife will arrive around your pond.

If you run a filter, make sure it is cleaned fortnightly and a pump may require cleaning or unblocking almost daily.
The fish will possibly spawn....you notice them splashing around in the weed especially early mornings.
Top up any evaporation when needed.

PESTS AND DISEASES

Just about every pest and disease known to the gardener will be prolific in May. Every thing from red spider, scale and mealy bug in the greenhouse or conservatory to vine weevil, aphids, slugs and powdery mildew for the outside gardener.

Check your plants over daily....you'll be surprised how quick these bugs get hold and treat as soon as possible.

PROPAGATION


There's still loads of seeds to sow....especially for pot plants and even the quicker growing bedding plants. Many hardy annuals can be directly sown into their flowering positions too.

Now is the time to take softwood cuttings of most shrubs. Fuchsia, ceonothus, salix, cornus, deutzia and loads more can be taken from 3" tip cuttings from very soft, new growth. The secret is to stop the cutting from losing water so get the cutting taken and if you can't get the cutting into soil straight away, pop it in a glass of water until you can.
Daily misting is required and a mini propagator (preferably with bottom heat) or a plastic bag is essential for maintaining a humid environment.

Lastly, when all the plants are planted, the weeds are under control, the lawn and borders are watered and the pests have beaten a hasty retreat.....sit back, pour yourself a cold beer and enjoy the wonders of may in the garden.


And now Plocket


Now that the early flowering clematis have pretty much finished flowering they will be starting to grow new stems which should be tied in/trained if you want a neat framework for next year. Group 3 clematis too will be really getting strong and will need to be checked regularly if you want to train stems rather than let them do their own thing.

Continue feeding clematis particularly if they are in containers and watch out for damage by slugs and snails, particularly to new stems. Earwigs and snails are also attracted to the flowers and can cause lots of damage so they need to be dealt with too. Greenfly will be starting to become apparent so treat as necessary.

If your Group 2 clematis were quite early flowering this year they may well be nearly finished by now, so you can prune back up to about a half which will encourage new growth and even a second flush of flowers in autumn for many varieties. If you prune carefully so the stems are all at different lengths you will have flowers over much of the plant next year rather than just at the top.

Clean the patio and paths if you haven't done so already because the weather is improving and it's BBQ season!!!


Last - but certainly not least Lottie Lady


Tis now May and everything should be coming together nicely on your plot especially with the warmer weather we have had, regular hoeing between rows (best done when the sun is shining) will help keep the weeds at bay , watering all the young seedlings is vital in this warm weather until they get established. Don’t forget to sow some Calendula and Tagetes or some Poached Egg plant to attract the bees and hoverflies etc – and it will make your plot look pretty too!

The early potatoes will need earthing up – and if you haven’t already done them now is the latest you can plant main crop seed spuds.

I have taken the chance and sown my Runner beans into grow tubes as it has been so warm, and already have some dwarf French beans hardening off in the cold frame, along with squashes, courgettes and cucumbers – fingers crossed we don’t get a cold snap! You can also sow Sweetcorn, Runners and French beans outside if you think your soil is warm enough or if not sow them in situ under cloches, they can all be sown in situ safely by the end of the month but I am sure some will experiment and try them now.

Strawberries will need to have the annual ‘tucking up’ with straw soon, Barley Straw is best if you can get. Fluff it up to let the air in. Not an easy thing to do but it is better to take off any runners so that the existing plants put all their energy into the lovely fruit. Prune out any unwanted shoots on Raspberries to let the air and sunshine reach the berries and it will make picking a lot easier too.

If anyone is going for the biggest Gooseberries then pick off every alternate fruit (you can still cook the ones you pick off) and leave the others to bulk up.

I will be trying the steeped Rhubarb leaf bug deterrent on all my brassicas this year, so I will let you know how it works against the cabbage white!

So keep watering, weeding and watching out for all the nasty bugs but most of all enjoy your plot!



RF/OM

[Rosefriend]

JUNE/JULY/AUGUST IN THE GWD GARDEN

Where on earth did May go, hope the somewhat mixed weather didn’t spoil things too much in the garden for you all. Let’s hope we can enjoy the garden a little more this month with some gorgeous gardening weather.

Know what’s in store on the jobs front this month. As usual feel free to add your own jobs and any relevant advice.

Let’s start with 4P


Organic Gardening in June

First the bad news!
Weeds, pests and infiltrators are doing their best to ruin all your hard work in June as the temperature rises and the days lengthen. Keep on top of the weeding and mulch whenever you get a chance. Look out for infestations of sawfly, aphids etc and hand pick off or hose off whenever you find them, ditto with all the other greeblies preparing to decimate your lovely plants. Fungal leaf diseases such as mildew and rust will begin to show, so pick off all infected leaves and bin them - don't compost them. Be careful not to over feed as new soft growth is particularly vulnerable. Water plants at the base and not on the foliage.
Hang up codling moth traps in your apple trees.
Mulch with straw under your strawberries and root runners which will appear this month. Remove those you don't need.
The good news!
June is the month to finally plant out all the babies you've been mollycodling in the cold frames and gh's. Harden off properly!
Plant out all the courgettes, beans etc and continue to sow carrots, spring onions, beetroot, lettuces etc etc. Don't forget to wait until the evenings to thin out carrots, if possible, when the carrot fly isn't active.
Start a regime of softwood cuttings as plants root very quickly at this time of the year.
Also plant all your HH plants out now and sow some late annuals straight in to the ground.
Continue to feed the birds and keep an eye out for their babies. Don't pick up any fledglings you find until you are quite certain they are at risk. Enjoy their antics though!
And as ever, don't forget to linger and enjoy the beautiful garden you have helped create. Don't fret about the weeds - they have their own part to play. June is another green and glowing month - don't miss it!



AND go onto Foz and his darlings

This is the time to just look and admire your Roses. They should have already, or very shortly, started their flowering season. At time of writing I only have one in flower, but with the promise of many more to come. For those with fragrant roses, as Andy says, there is nothing better on a warm evening than a perfumed garden.

In terms of things to do then its just normal garden maintenance. Water when required, particularly those being grown in containers. Treat pests and diseases, all but one of mine have rid themselves of aphids, I must be getting the balance right, they seemed to vanish once the chives flowered. Lightly hoe to aerate and keep areas weed free. Top up mulches, if you use them; avoid lawn cuttings if you have been using a chemical weed suppressant on your lawn area. Keep an eye out for “suckers” and remove them from where they join the rootstock. This may mean scrapping away soil to locate the join. Unless of course you’re growing some of those that I have been talking about that “sucker” naturally and you want them to form a thicket!

For those with Hybrid Tea Roses, you could try, on one or two stems, the practice of disbudding. Many HTs will produce two or three smaller side buds in addition to the main bud at the top. Remove theses as soon as possible using finger and thumb.
It will give you good quality large blooms on long stems that are good for cutting.

If you have black spot and want to treat it then try either of these organic methods. Both will stop the spread of the fungus. So, if you do not have it will inhibit the fungus from growing. A) Dust with sulphur powder. B) Use a Potassium Bicarbonate mixture as a spray (1 tablespoon to a gallon of water). Baking powder (sodium bicarb) will do, but not as effective as Potassium bicarb. I only resort to these in bad years. This year, no real problem, yet! Perhaps it’s not warm enough up here!


And now from Lottie Lady

June on the Lottie!

Last chance now if you haven’t already done so to plant out Tomatoes, Runner Beans, Sweetcorn and if you are trying them, Sweet Potatoes. Don’t forget to spray the flowers of beans lightly with water to ‘set’ them and help to produce the pods.

After all the rain we’ve had again now is a good time to mulch, or top up mulches already in place. If you are using grass cuttings don’t spread it deeper than 2 inches as it will generate too much heat.

Main crop spuds will need earthing up now , and some of you may be harvesting your first earlies YUM! It’s time to sow winter Brassicas too.

Leeks should be ready for transplanting ( don’t forget the longest leek compy!) and late Brussels Sprouts.

Continue to sow salad crops as you harvest your earlier sowings.

Courgettes and squashes should be ready to plant now, make sure you incorporate lots of organic matter with them, they are really greedy feeders and like nothing better than being planted in a manure heap – or even the compost heap if it’s cooked enough.


Fruit

If you can bring your self to trim off runners from Strawberries this will give the plants more energy for the fruit, if not peg them into small pots ready to make new plants.

Pinch out side shoots of trained fruit and tie in the ones you want as they grow.

Thin Apples and Pears so the fruits won’t touch each other as they grow.


Bugs and pests!

Keep your eyes out for the dreaded Cabbage Whites and destroy any clusters of yellow eggs you may find. The Gooseberry Saw Fly caterpillar can also be a problem as can Codling Moth on fruit trees – one pheromone trap can protect up to 5 trees.

Strawberries can be affected by Botrytis (grey mould), remove any infected parts and make sure you have enough air circulation with the straw so the fungus isn’t spread by the rain.

As always weed water weed water weed, but most of all enjoy your time on the lottie!



RF/OM

[Chuckles]

Sept, Oct & Nov in the GWD Garden

Contributions from - Snowowl, Shrubrose, carolann52, gertrudej2nd, Cheerypeabrain, Weeterrier, Chuckles, Drunken Gardener, 4pygmies, Dutchy, Fozzie and Andy

Buy spring bulbs while they are fresh in the GC's.

Bargain hunting is a good now as DIY and GC’s get rid of their stock, cold frames, tools, furniture, good shrubs for half the money, anything they don't want to stock for next year.

General tidying in the borders and weeding
Tidy up the strawberry beds and plant up runners.
Take down runner beans and store away the canes

Look for gaps in the borders and think about what could be sown now to fill the gaps next year.
What plants are were in the borders, stick labels in to remind you

Take Dahlia cuttings
Take Penstemon and hydrangea cuttings
Sow Clematis seeds
Plan NEXT year's crops.
Start off some seeds for winter veg.

Lillies in pots don't forget to give them a good feed even though they have done flowering, as the leaves and stems die back it helps beef the bulbs up for next year.

Hedge trimming
Trim Lavateria
Tidy up climbing roses
Prune the wisteria
Trim down taller plants or the roots will become loose if it’s windy
Any young tree's need making secure.

Manure new beds, to improve the soil, we're on clay.
Clean/sterilise the GH before winter

This is the time for moving plants around in the garden the soil is still warm enough to replant perennials and shrubs. They do need watering though

Pick sloes and crab apples for making sloe gin (yummy), and crab apple jelly

Empty containers and hanging baskets of summer bedding. Put fresh compost in them all ready for winter plants
Think about winter window boxes

Cover small ponds with some rigid plastic mesh to stop leaves falling in

Clean all the nest boxes out.

Remove saucers from under pots, if they get full of rain it goes stagnant and so can the soil/compo in the pot. Plant roots will rot too and wet pots will crack in frosty weather.

Think about what tender plants need a place for winter.
Dig up Dahlias and store them. Check every four weeks for the development of fungus.

Empty the compost bins in Autumn, leaving them free to take all cutting from the borders

Start collecting leaves and make leaf mold
Keep clearing leaves from tops of pots, nice place for critters to snuggle up

Take your Hose Pipes in, if they get frozen they split and leak next year.
Check bonfires before lighting in case the hedgehogs have moved in

Patchy lawns, aerate the soil with and any bare patches can be roughed up and sown with grass seed.
Apply an Autumn-specific lawn feed to give the roots some nourishment to see them over the winter months...
Give your lawn mower some TLC before it goes away for the winter.

Feed the soil - spread muck over as much as possible and don't dig it in - let the worms do it.

Get together with other gardeners and swap plants.

Look out repair jobs that may need doing, trellis, fencing, lawn edges etc make a list so when the weather is fine you know what needs doing.

Fozzie - Sept, Oct & Nov in the GWD Garden
Things I do with Roses (!!) in Sept Oct Nov

1 Keep removing faded blooms, unless like Me and BB you need the seeds to bury and never see again!

2 If you grow HT (spit), you should know better. But to keep the blooms large remove the small side buds if and when they appear, using finger and thumb.

3 Top dress with Sulphate of Potash to encourage the new wood to mature and survive winter frosts

4 It’s a good time to take hardwood cuttings, take no notice of all this v trench and sand rubbish. All I do is push directly into soil around ‘mother’ plant – therefore no label req’d. They have a 50/50 chance. Even if it fails nothing is lost. Take a 9-12 inch cutting, little finger thick at bottom, trim to just below a leaf node, remove all but top pair leaf stalks, shove in soil. Q E D ( I average at worst 50% success)

5 You are often advise to prune at this time, this is normally to reduce ‘wind rock’ as long as you plants are well established you should have no problem, just keep an eye on the newer ones especially if you are on an open site. Heel in again if necessary I prune all my mine in Feb.

6 Select any new roses for next year, mine are always bare root

7 Once you have placed the order you need to think about or even start preparing the ground. They will arrive from Dec onwards.

8 Keep the bed/border tidy and weed free, I love that phrase. If only I could meet the person who first said it!

Andy - Sept, Oct & Nov in the GWD Garden
Autumn can be a funny old season....warm enough to keep bedding going through to past bonfire night or cold enough to strip the leaves from the trees before bonfire night.

Bedding will generally need to be replaced now. Even if it's still looking good, winter and spring bedding needs to go in so the remaining warmth encourages good top and root growth. If winter bedding is planted when it's cold.....especially pansies, they will remain small throughout the winter and following spring.

Bulbs need to go in as early as poss if you can although some bulbs such as tulips can still be planted in a mild december.

Despite the lack of choice of colour, don't forget plants such as ivy, silver dust, dwarf conifers and small fatsia for your tubs and window boxes.

November sees the start of early sweet pea sowing....keep them very cool but frost free.

Tree seeds such as japanese maples, acorns, rowans, crab apples, beech and quince can be sown into a sandy compost and left outside to be stratified...or put in the freezer for 12 weeks (i prefer the natural method)

Get your hardwood cuttings in....grape vines, privet, philadelphus, cornus, salix, deutzia, sambucus and lots more can be done as i've describes in the propagating section

Large clumps of herbaceous perennials can be divided in November. Cut back the dead top growth, lift and divide with a spade. Replant ready for next year.

Plant shrubs, trees or any other bare root plant whilst dormant. November is also a good time to move any tree or shrub if it's in the wrong place. Try not to do this when the ground is frosty or waterlogged.

Rough dig clay soils and leave big clods for the winter weather to break down....this really does work well.

Cut down and cover your gunnera crowns with the dead leaves or straw....other tempremental exotics such as some musa species can be treated the same.

Cannas, dahlias and begonia tubers can be lifted and stored before the first frosts.

Well there's a few things to think about....