February Gardening News
Well, we really have seen the lot this time, a winter with teeth. A run of deep frost, plenty of wet, high winds and flurries of snow. We have had some very bleak moments, but the new season calls. We need to get our act together and make a start on sorting for spring. In just seven weeks the clocks move forward. There is much we can be doing and preparing. Garden Centres all have their seed potatoes in. Whilst there is no panic to start them in the ground the best selection is to be found early and you can have some fun trying a few new varieties. You might just surprise yourself and find something that works better on your ground. Of course if you have some shelter, you can always try a few early ones in pots. Onion sets, garlic and shallots are also about and these can be planted immediately. Of course there is plenty of seed and at this time, I do like to start something off, even if it’s only a pinch of lettuce in a pot. If the enthusiasm is there, all sorts can be started in cool shelter. Much of the leaf veg will germinate quickly, as will some of the old fashioned bedding subjects. Love in the Mist, Cornflowers and Old fashioned Marigolds are quite happy starting cool. Also to be found around the centres are the first summer bulbs, Begonias, Dahlias, Gladioli, Lilies, Nerines and Crocosmia are all about and as with the spuds worth getting in if you want choice. Dahlias can actually be started up inside and then stripped for cuttings at the end of March. The cuttings root easily (even in water) and if you fancy a deep bed of Dahlias this is a cheap way to fill it up. Outside, weather permitting you can top dress standing ground with a bit of lime to break it up and run a bit of manure around soft fruit. The raspberries in particular will be appreciative. If you do have gaps in the fruit, root wrapped plants will be around for another month as will bare root hedging. In fact if you are considering planting contained or bare root trees and shrubs February into March is the time. Plants are about to come to life and will romp after planting. And finally, turn a bucket or an old dustbin over your rhubarb. Its just beginning to show and when forced in darkness is so much better to harvest. A real delicacy. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
January Gardening News
Welcome to a new beginning, full of new challenges and adventures. 2016 closed up in classic style and delivered all of the things that once way marked the traditional crossover between seasons. The leaves were great and the days were punctuated with sharp frosts, mist, fog and dampness. The berries were plentiful and the birds braver, with all manner coming in close to back doors to sample domestic feeders. As we turn into the new season the gardens are full of interest, with winter shrubs all showing great flower and bud. In fact if you landed garden gift vouchers for Christmas and want to treat yourself it’s worth taking a peak into neighbouring gardens to get some ideas. The arching yellow bracts of Mahonia are stunning and many carry a lily of the valley fragrance. The winter viburnums are good too, many are covered in bud and flower, the buds tinged with pink and there a shape and a size to suit every space. The yellow Jasmine Nudiflorum is also showing a lot of colour as is the white winter sweet Sarcoccoca. Then there is my lifetime favourite the winter honeysuckle, Lonicera Fragrantisima, what a delight. It puts on a snowstorm of flower all borne on naked wood, this is a very special plant indeed. If space is tighter then there do seem to be plenty of Hellebores around this winter. The Christmas rose family are great fillers and whilst there are good white flowering forms around, do investigate the range, which offers many dirty colours including almost black. If you are trying to use up the small change then snowdrops are also being offered in pots. When something has a leaf on it, it does bring confidence. Across time I have planted a lot of snowdrops only to see them disappear. Of course if you didn’t get those vouchers then don’t panic, business is still on. You can sit by the fire and consider your seed potatoes, work through your seed list and get a bag of compost undercover to warm it up and make it user friendly. When it comes early sowing there is nothing worse than a cold, soggy bag with a rime of frost and slime on it. And finally just start a pinch of something on the kitchen window sill, the germinating seed carries a message of hope and new beginning. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
December Gardening News
Intriguing, a proper month of Autumn, with sunshine, rain, deep early frosts, mist and a smell of folded vegetation surrendering to the earth. Wonderful dawns and spectacular sunsets and in the dappled sunlight of a mid afternoon the dust and spores floating, coming to rest on the fallen. It has been a beautiful month. So nature packs up for winter and we wrap up the garden. We clean and tidy, deliver debris to the compost heap, bravely trim the lawn to restore order (my goodness how defiant the rush of grass growth) and we check the things that we hope to save, to see that they are safely away from cold and wet. On fair days we might dig, or seek out some manure to heap and hold in readiness for the spring. There are still bare root bits and pieces to plant, hedging plants and soft fruit, especially raspberries. The shed, garage and greenhouse can be given the once over for rodents, there have been so many and left over seed can be collected and stored in a tin away from all marauders. Even the odd snail will find his way to lose seeds. It’s worth checking around and cleaning up tools too, getting the barrow undercover, cleaning the rubbish off the mower. We all leave something out. Then there is time for reflection, a week or two to ponder over the successes and failures and to begin our planning for the season ahead. It has been a testing year, but there have been moments of real joy and others of true frustration. I have not had such amazing cabbage for a long time, nor seen so many pigeons together in one small space. That’s how it is, the adventure, the tussle that is gardening. The hobby that is a celebration of nature’s capability and a record of our attempts at mastering it. The new seed catalogues are around and the seed potatoes will be arriving within days. New varieties appear and old favourites just vanish. There are new tomatoes, still more petunias, every list boasts something and sometimes, something old gets a makeover. I am very excited to see the arrival of some rejuvenated varieties of antirrhinums. Butterfly antirrhinums draw me back to my childhood and in 2017 will be reborn. And finally as I sit by the fire and continue with my reflections, I toast the close of a year and prepare to celebrate my families 70th year in Horticulture, I consider the new season and am still excited. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
November Gardening News
Less suddenly came the darkness? Was it just me or were the evenings really surrendering themselves to the night way before the clocks changed? October seemed like a dark month. There were some hot spots, but by three the sun was racing towards the horizon and now winter steps up. It has been an interesting year, plenty of pests and diseases, some fat pigeons and overall a disappointing harvest. There has been strong vegetative growth, but flower and fruit development has been poor. The gardens are tired and in need of repair, with leaves and rubbish to gather, some light pruning to set plants to order and a tie or two to hold up others. Of course we can also be planting, good containerised fruit and ornamental trees are around and they will cope with transfer. Many will need a stake to secure them and providing that happens they will settle and romp away in the spring. Bare root hedging and soft fruit will also be on offer in the coming days. This material offers an easy and very cheap way to create a boundary. You should be able to pick up Privet, Beech and Laurel if your need is for ornamental subjects, but native plants including Hawthorn, Maple and Hazel should also be available. Bare root is also the way to buy Raspberries and canes for all seasons from late spring to autumn are around. Most garden centres still have bulbs and as usual there are plenty of Pansies. The days are marching on so do get on with decorative planting. You’ve just about got time to push in onions, shallots and garlic too. Then it is back to that tidying. Take a wander around trouble shooting, tender plants and tubers need lifting if they are to be saved, so that’s dahlias, begonias large flowering fuchsias and anything exotic or continental. Just lift them in get them undercover. If in doubt ask for advice or just do it, there may not be a second chance. Bait the shed, disinfect the greenhouse and check your heating and insulation if you have a greenhouse or conservatory. And finally, the lists and catalogues will be out soon, new seeds, new plants and new adventures. As it gets ever more difficult to choose presents for people who just seem to buy what they need when they need it, seeds make a great gift. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
October Gardening News
Then it rained and autumn arrived in the hedgerows, whilst the summer crops dithered about whether to have one last go. Runner beans stalled and have teased with a few late flowers and Marrow plants disappeared into the mist as the white dust of mildew covered them over. As anticipated last month, not the kindest of seasons. The heats been ok, but the wet punctuation has made for some very unpleasant humid days and it’s been great for plant diseases. There have also been a lot of rodents about and I have seen rats all over the place, which is a delight when you want to get some bits into storage. Do keep an eye open. As you clear space in the vegetable plot there are still bits to play with, overwintering onions will fill space and there are shallots and garlic cloves still be found. Whilst conditions stay mild you will still be fine to bung in spring cabbage and they will settle quickly. By the end of the month we will back around to overwintering Peas and Broad Bean seeds too. This is always a big month for bulbs and it is worth getting stuck in. Daffodils in particular which can rot in very wet winters, will make good root and be ready to face anything. You have a bit more scope with tulips, which are altogether tougher. I have had good success with smaller bulbs, overwintering them in small pots in sheltered corners and standing them to transplant in early spring when they are showing green. If you try this, get a little bit of grit in your compost to improve drainage. The winter bedding is still about in plentiful supply and I do urge you to get on if you are going to plant. It is good to have a bit of colour across the winter and there are some strong plants about. Not offering colour but a good investment, you should be able to find plenty of wallflowers as well. If winter colour is what you seek and you have space, then you are still ok to plant shrubs and late displays are starting to show on garden centre benches. The Mahonias are looking very promising, but Viburnums, Jasmine, Winter honeysuckles and winter sweet are all worth a look. And finally, watch the autumn sweep through, this month nature puts on a real show, as leaves turn and plants ready themselves for rest. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
September Gardening News
So the summer eventually decided to creep out for a few weeks and then set about frying anything that looked vulnerable. We have had some very hot days and if you haven’t been on the ball with the watering plants have really struggled and blossom has just been drifting like confetti without setting. All of that and now the autumn knocks firmly at the door. It has been a tough journey and it will be interesting to see how the final harvest unfolds. The vegetables and fruit crops have been well tested, with every pest that can creep, crawl, fly or float on a breeze, turning up and creating havoc. There have been caterpillars, white fly, lily beetle, plum moth, slugs and snails as well as blight, mildew and botrytis all entering the fray. Much of the damage is done, so don’t waste too much money on chemicals, just be thorough in cleaning up. If the caterpillars continue you can drape a bit of net over them and who knows it may keep off the pigeons too. Many of the flowers, have taken forever to perform and already gardeners are seeking to bring new life to the borders, ripping out summer planting and looking for something new. There is a strong interest in herbaceous and alpine plants these days, as many opt for more permanent planting. Most centres seem to be offering a good range of plants at sensible prices. Of course the Pansies are back and in fairness they are still the most reliable of options when it comes to winter colour. True, the Cyclamen are wonderful and there are very pretty and compact Chrysanths about, but they don’t like prolonged cold and wet, so it will be Pansies and violas for me again this year. I have to say the varieties developed for baskets are pretty impressive, for best results these want planting soon (look for the Cool Wave series) but are worth a go. The other winter offerings will be around as the month advances, with Wallflowers, violas, sweet William and more turning up as the days pass. All of that and then there are the bulbs, which are now all in stock and offer huge temptation. I am like a kid in a sweet shop with bulbs and stand open mouthed as I join the carnival. Tulips in particular are a delight. And finally, they are still bits and pieces of veg to play with. As space is created you can introduce late greens, spinach, lettuce and over wintering onions. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
August Gardening News
So we arrive at the end of the month still puzzling over what exactly is going on. It has been a strange season (yes, another one) and how many permutations we see, with high humidity, torrential storms and heat enough to lift the tarmac, it’s been quite tropical. With high humidity has come disease unfortunately and the blight swept into July and has caused havoc in both potato and tomato crops. There has been plenty of mildew and black spot too. Once these things arrive it is really difficult to manage them, so don’t just throw money at them. Heavily infected material must be destroyed or the spores will just hang around and carrying on creating havoc. In the case of Black Spot and Mildew this means removing badly infected leaves. If it’s blight however, try to get the debris out with the bin in green waste. If your plants are clean then you can flash across with a fungicide to offer a preventative barrier, undoubtedly keeping good order until something decides to eat it. As we move into the month bulbs will start to appear in the garden centres. They create colourful displays, but there is no rush to buy unless you want Hyacinths for Christmas. If they take your fancy, make sure the label says they are ‘prepared’ and try to plant them by the middle of the month. Any other purchasing will be to do with making sure you get the varieties you want and there are as one would expected plenty of new things. Once bought pack them away somewhere cool and dark for a couple of weeks. Planted early they may decide to produce too much foliage too early. Before we know it,we will be onto winter pansies. Keep an eye open for the Wave series which are wonderful in overwintering baskets. They have a good trailing habit and will give a spectacular show if you get them planted at the turn of the month. On the vegetable front,you can still play with pinches of salad, all of the salad roots will come and given the early disasters with Radishes and the wet, I will promise late success. And finally carrots. It has been almost impossible to get a decent row of carrots this spring. So, try again. Take out a shallow drill, water it and then sow in some Burpee short or Parisienne globes. The seed is cheap,the varieites are fast and you may just pull a fast onewhilst nature looks away. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
July Gardening News
Once more the corner is turned, the longest day left behind and the fruits of our labour become ever more obvious. June in it’s passing brought us mildew and black spot, quite a number of early caterpillars and the pigeons haven’t given up on anything. The humidity has been a big issue for many crops, continuing to bring along disease, (so keep an eye on the spuds and tomatoes, it’s great weather for blight). An all purpose fungicide can be applied as a preventative, if the conditions continue. It’s also been perfect for midges and mosquito. I am not sure why, but they do like me. So everything is growing, although it has been a bit of a struggle with some of the root veg, most notably the carrots, many of which have found themselves pummelled into the ground and then baked. I think that it’s going to be worth doing some late sowing and if you use early season or short varieties like Early Nantes, I think that you can still expect a result, Beetroot will still make it too. More traditionally we can be sowing Perpetual Spinach and lining up the first of the spring cabbage. It always seems crazy to be making these plantings so early, but it does pay off. Spinach will be fit for harvest by autumn and with sensible harvesting can carry on producing long into the winter. If you have started to lift any early spuds, have a go at replanting a few for Christmas. Stick them on a window sill for a week to ripen and then pot them back into a pot for harvest later. It fun and can give you a taste for Christmas. The borders and containers will all be in full bloom by now, so try to keep them dead headed and watered across the summer. If time permits apply the same commitment to shrubs and roses too (many will repeat flower). Just a little effort will pay dividends and see your investment busy until the autumn. Pansy time will be back soon enough. And finally if you can find a quiet corner, sow a few Wallflowers and sweet William, both have been beautiful this year, but they do need a long growing season, so start now straight into the ground and transplant in late September. Enjoy ! Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
June Gardening News
Well, it did calm down eventually, even if we did spend many nights on frost alert and had to deal with a couple of real corkers. I had minus four in a greenhouse one clear night. As a kid, I would walk the site after dark with my Dad, checking doors and windows were shut, tweaking boilers and sniffing the air. He would make a judgement on the weather and irrespective of the Met Office prediction would tailor the site protection as he thought appropriate and he was usually right. I still follow his ritual. Anyway, in theory we are clear of the cold and the gate is open for us to get on and plant what we will, so if you haven’t then get cracking. The World is your oyster and there are plenty of goodies everywhere. You can safely put tomatoes and cucumbers, as well as squash, aubergines and peppers outside. Whilst there is no getting away from the fact that these things do better under glass, pick a good bright spot and you will still be rewarded. You can still set out sweet corn and push in a few French beans. Compact varieties like The Prince will come through quickly and will produce late into the summer. You can also be repeat planting all of the salad stuff too. Obviously there is plenty of bedding about and this year there is a big range of new material. It is worth shopping about and whilst our friends at the supermarket continue to ply bread and butter, many garden centres have some interesting choices. Have a look at Bidens for example, once a buttercup yellow, vigorous basket plant, it is now offered in a range of colours and more compact form. Mini petunias are another show stopper with colours that couldn’t be mixed on any other palette than natures own. Then there are delightful double begonia semperflorens, but enough, there is a lot to see, so if you need there’s great stuff to be had. On around the garden, the roses are budding well, but there is some early evidence of Black Spot , strike now if you see it and pick off infected leaves and bin them before the condition takes a hold. If mildew arrives in the garden and the humidity suggests it might then spray quickly if you want leaves to look good. Mildew will appear on many plants, but Honeysuckle and Roses are very prone. And finally, take a tip from my old man, walk the site, sniff the air, smile and enjoy. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
May Gardening News
Nature wrong foots us once more and demonstrates it’s extraordinary ability to improvise. At the start of the year, I expressed concern at the way that the daffodils had all decided to rush to flower early. The Cheltenham Festival was two months off and gardens and verges shone with banks of yellow trumpets. Now here we are three and a half months later, with that show just coming to a close. It has been a great year for them has brought cheer to the darkest of days. April has been an odd month and whilst there have been some warm, the breeze has stayed cold and every third day the rain would arrive to just top up the levels. Work on the garden has been snatched and if you have turned ground that firm breeze has allowed us to rake a tilth. Planting needs to continue at a pace now and most hardy vegetables can be in the ground. Runner bean seed can be sown outside directly or in to pots and Marrows, Tomatoes and Cucumbers can be all be on standby for planting in the third week of the month, so look out for plants or start a few seeds on the window sill or underglass. If you have already managed any tomatoes under glass, they will need to get support and do pinch side shoots whilst they are young. If the plan is to pop some outside once again hold off for a couple of weeks. Then pick a light sheltered spot to get the best of them. Of course May traditionally is the month for bedding plants and everyday more will appear on garden centre shelves. Many can be planted in the early days of the month, but take great care before rushing with Begonias and Impatiens which will melt away on a cold night. You can make up baskets and planters now but settle them in a sheltered spot. Do spend some time shopping around too, there are some delightful modern varieties to see in all categories, with Petunias once being showcased by many, with some of the mini flowering varieties being very special. And finally, I have been amused by the interest this year in Flower Sprout, offered as a new? Vegetable. It’s basically a sprout that has refused to turn in. The stalks normally festooned with tight green balls supports mini open cabbages and these you pick and cook. I recall the grumbles of many gardener over the years reporting that their sprouts weren’t blowing. Now it’s in vogue. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org