Gardening News Letter – June By Jane Follis
SUMMER is finally here. I am sitting in my office ? a timber shed at the bottom of my garden – and it is registering 36 degrees in here even with the air conditioning unit going at full tilt!!
It was cooler in Majorca, but then we had the ocean at our feet and a soothing sea breeze keeping us cool. I had a wonderful, and much needed break and feel ready to tackle anything. As many of you know time was quite frenzied before I went away, but hopefully I managed to complete everything and thank you all for your patience and understanding.
Ali, Jo and Cath worked really hard whilst I was away and my thanks also goes to them, particularly working in temperatures of 30 degrees on some days. The gardens they have so far tackled are looking superb ? it just goes to show what a little tlc can do. If any of you are interested in using the maintenance service, just drop me an email or pick up the phone. jfgdndesign@aol.com or 01296 747775.
This wonderful weather does nothing to help the drought situation. I read an interesting article at the weekend by Chris Beardshaw regarding ?bowsers and dousers?.
Here is an extract.
? It is a simple way of delivering water, through a hose and in hose-like quantities with no fear of a fine or worse. Put simply, all you need to do is fill a vessel (the bowser) with water, either rainwater from the guttering or ? and this is the crucial part ? from the tap. Then force the water through a hose (the douser) using an electric (or even hand-operated) pump. A spokesman from Thames Water confirmed that as long as the hose is not connected to the mains supply, it is perfectly lawful to use such a system? So how does one go about acquiring one of these gismos? First, find a water container. Anything will do ? a bucket, an old bath, a barrel or so on? Then you need a simple aquatic pump. DIY stores garden centres and suppliers of swimming pool
equipment sell something capable of showing 20 gallons a minute? The pump simply sits in your water container and is powered from your mains electricity.?
SEASONAL TIPS
Lawns will be likely to suffer in the heat and we obviously can?t water them. Don?t worry too much they are resilient and will come back in the autumn. Keep mowing regularly.
I can?t stress enough the need to water all shrubs and perennials. Any shrubs planted either last autumn and in particular this spring will need constant attention. It takes a while for them to build up a strong enough root system to withstand drought conditions, or indeed any severe weather, and they will need at least a watering can full for each plant. You might not be able to see instantly the effect of lack of water in the shrubs but the perennials will let you know by drooping and wilting, particularly if they are recently planted.
This is the month to clip box hedging. I was told many years ago it should be done on Derby Day!!
Continue to cut back any early flowering shrubs and deadhead perennials. You will often get a second flowering if this is done throughout the flowering season.
Lift and divide primulas that have flowered. This way you can increase your stock throughout the garden and they are one of the first indicators of spring with their bobbing yellow flowers.
Continue to stake perennials. They will be growing at a rate now and although we have no sign of winds and rain they can easily be blown over and spoil the summer displays.
Roses of all kinds need to be sprayed with a dedicated rose spray against aphids. Dead head roses often to promote new flowers. If you see any suckers close to the root, remove them with your hands rather than secateurs as the latter will promote new growth.
THE VEGETABLE PATCH
Mine looks a bit like a desert, but I am harvesting salad crops, broad beans (divine if you treat them like a mange tout for eating), spinach and mange tout. I thought I had lost my tomatoes, but they have just about survived lack of water for nearly two weeks. I planted courgettes, French beans, purple sprouting broccoli and more salad crops before I left and they look thirsty but haven?t died. My peach tree seems to have leaf curl, but the apples, strawberries and raspberries are doing well.
My advice if you are planting out would be to water the ground thoroughly the day before, water the pots and then water them in immediately after transplanting. If you can provide temporary shade with some netting this should help during the first week whilst they are trying to establish a root system. Water each day, or perhaps every other day to help them cope with the conditions.
Earth up the potatoes. Straw up strawberries ? I usually buy a small bag of straw from the garden centre pet section ? much easier to store. Cut back the old canes on raspberries and other cane fruit once the new suckers have appeared. Thin out apples to get a better crop.
Keep sowing salad crops every two weeks or so for a constant supply throughout the summer.
THE GREENHOUSE
Remember to shade the greenhouse if you didn?t do it last month. June is the month when plants in the greenhouse are growing at their fastest rate and they might need a nitrogen and potash feed.
Remove the side shoots from tomatoes on a regular basis.
Damp down regularly to help control spider mite.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS AND PLACES TO VISIT
HARTWELL HOUSE
21st June ? Historic garden tour and lunch. 10.30am
RHS Members
