May Gardening News
Wow! What an exhausting month and what a difference in the weather compared with last spring, when the sun shone every day from the end of March for ten solid weeks. Like last year the ground remains dry, but the big difference has been with the daily chill. The night frosts through April were very destructive and rapier sharp. One lapse in concentration and there was damage. As we move forward into May there is a growing sense of calm ahead and a confidence that will allow us to put out bedding and vegetable plants of our choice, though do leave tender things like begonias, dahlias and busy lizzies until the back end of the month. Apply the same timetable to tender vegetables, the marrow and cucumber range particularly should be held back until late May. Just be watchful, I have lost plants in the first week of June, but most things toughen up and recover eventually. The month of May will be flagged up by all in the gardening industry as being the busiest in the horticultural calendar. It is the month when you can do anything. With care you can still transplant those things that do not work where you planted them and set out new trees and shrubs. The lawn can be remade, re-sown or turfed and if you are happy with what is there already then it will certainly need cutting. The garden will enjoy a feed at this time (and a bit of liquid feed, is easy to apply and will pep up everything). You can still do a bit of pruning too (especially of winter flowering items) and plant to your hearts content. Potentially a joyous month and the foundation block for a bountiful summer. Of course, plans and good intentions are great but everything is subject to COVID influences. The gardening industry like all others is experiencing product shortages across the board. Compost continues to be a nightmare with suppliers offering 4–6-week lead times on orders. Tools are difficult to find and the tree and shrub market is shot to pieces. I have spent weeks trying to replenish fruit trees and have been advised that new stock will not be available before September. Roses are gold dust. And finally, the guidance is, if you see what you want, you probably need to buy it. Or wait until the autumn when we will all catch up a bit. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
March Gardening News
The spiteful wind, that has been a feature of this month has dented the enthusiasm of the keenest of gardeners. It has scythed through every fibre, whilst nature has chosen to just bash on. Encouraged by the stubborn defiance of the dormant world to get back to business, I did sow seed in February and it has germinated. The first lettuce and cabbage are pricked out to trays. The days will race now, with the light extending and in just three weeks we will have our evenings released by the change of clocks. I am back to at the seed sowing and have set out a few early annuals in trays. Some subjects like Poppies, Californian Poppies and Nigella can be sown straight into the ground. Pansies, Sweet William, Calendula and Antirrhinums (which I’ve started) will cope with minimal protection, but subjects like Impatiens, Begonias and even Petunias will require a bit of warmth to get them going. Germination can be slow, so be patient and keep your compost damp. The vegetables are a bit more straight forward, even root vegetables can be started in pots or trays and most will grow in cool conditions. Don’t allow your enthusiasm to draw you in to planting Runner Beans, Marrows or Cucumbers though, all of these will perish quickly once chilled. Late April is soon enough to sow these subjects or you can wait until mid May for the plants which will be offered in most nurseries. Whilst I have potted a few early seed potatoes, I am going to set a few more and as the month draws on (probably in the third week), will look to get some into the ground. It won’t matter if (for your convenience) they all go in, as the varieties all tend to grow at different speeds, with second early and maincrop potatoes taking longer to mature. On the flower front you can also be planting summer bulbs, Liles and Dahlias will all benefit from a late March start and can be put straight into the ground or raised in patio pots. More broadly, finish pruning in the coming days and you can be quite brutal with some vigorous subjects like willow, hazel and cornus. And finally, Celeriac has become a very popular vegetable in recent years. It is easy from seed, but has a long growing season and needs sowing soon for best results. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
May Gardening News
What a difference a month makes? That said there has been a scent of it for weeks. Against the backdrop of the crisis, nature has put on an extraordinary show. The cherries have been magnificent, the forsythia glowed, and the tulips have brought real joy. I have a sentimental connection with them and try to plant more each year as a teasing salute to my late Dad. My Mum had tulips in her wedding bouquet and each anniversary my Dad would send her a bunch, but he never got the colour right, travelling through every shade of pink and of course Mum always had to tell him of his failure. I suspect as the shades grew ever darker, he was just making mischief. With time on our hands there will be a high expectation of glorious displays as more folk take to the garden. With some shortage of resources, we have the chance to play and to savour the detail, to be more meticulous. I take great joy from turning ground and then working it with my fingers to see off rogue weeds and the roots of bindweed and of couch. The reconnection at the basic level brings immense pleasure. Humour me, cultivate a two foot square and work it with your fingers to remove everything that you don’t want to be there. Then plant something in the space and monitor its celebration of your commitment. If you have seed then sow them, no matter how old the packet, you’ll get something and if you have access to plants then as the month moves forward plant with confidence. Hold back the most tender, cucumbers and marrows will not enjoy cold nights and hold on to runner beans plants until the middle of the month, but all the leaf vegetables can go out. On the flower front the same rules apply, so hold onto busy lizzies, begonias and marigolds for as long as you can. Pop into the garden in the evening and smell the air as gardeners have done for decades, you’ll soon get a feel for change. If you don’t have access to seed or new plants, then play with what you have. Prune to create shape, harvest your pruning to create structures. Willow, cornus, hazel and beech can all be used as plant supports (gardeners have not always had access to canes). And finally, enjoy rediscovering the still and bird song at all hours. Look to a sky free from the streak of jet trails. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
June Gardening News
May rolls away, a muddled month, disrupted by Bank holidays and frost. Gardening confidence stayed high and lively throughout though, whilst on a daily basis, we (growers) tripped in and out covering and protecting as the teatime news indicated another after dark crash of temperature. It was all very wearing, the tease of nature changing it’s mind. As we move on into June we can proceed almost without caution, planting out the tenderer vegetables and bedding with the confidence that it will perform. So Marrows, Squash and cucumbers as well as beans can all be put out. Begonias and Busy Lizzies too. I had amazing results from tomatoes outdoors last year, with a harvest that carried through to the end of September. Find a warm sheltered corner and providing you keep up the watering you will reap the harvest. If you are modest with feeding you will even end up with something that tastes like a tomato. Do try and pop in a few herbs this year to compliment your veg, Basil is easy from seed and brings something special to chopped tomatoes and Coriander is great for adding an exotic tang to stews and curries. To keep your herbs rolling, pick off any flowers that might appear. These two plants surrender quickly to the call of the afterlife once they have flowered. Once the borders are planted its all about maintenance, grubbing out weeds which are spurred by your watering, feeding and tidying contained plants and regularly running the mower around. Remember to support tall plants, many grow quickly this month and without help will tumble and break. Tread the ground around taller items, especially winter vegetables which have a long journey ahead. Your efforts now will ensure a robust future. Sprouts in particular get very top heavy. Whilst it always seems silly to be talking about sprouts, there are other plans to be put in place for the seasons ahead. Wall flower seed can be sown now to get robust plants for the autumn as indeed can winter pansy and viola seed. Just find a bit of light shade to give seedlings a chance and you will be set when the summer closes. And finally continue to sow salad bits, they will all come quickly and give a succession that will supplement the summer Barbeque. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
May Gardening News
The sting was certainly in the tail of last month, my goodness there was some treachery, particularly around the middle of the month, when a watery sun offered thin disguise to a cruel wind, that cut through everything. Every other person drawn by the deception nursed a cold. The pollen was lively too, with Hazel and Birch catkins encouraged by the wind, throwing pollen in the direction of all. There was some conciliation though with cherries looking wonderful. Huge clusters of blossom hung from every branch and in support, the bold stands of tulips have been a delight. In fact bulbs generally have all performed well, but I am going to have to reduce the Grape Hyacinths. The tide of blue continues to sweep across every unplanted space. But, enough reflection, it’s May the planting season for everything. All the bedding and all of the veg, will in the weeks ahead get into the ground. We need to tiptoe in the early days, avoiding the most frost sensitive items like begonias and Busy Lizzies as well as our beans and marrows, but steadily it can be done, with those tender things hanging on until the tail. In sheltered corners we can make up baskets and containers, bringing these to the fore as they become established. There are some great plants about and the continued development of the petunia family continues to impress me. Modern varieties that deliver every colour from terracotta to magenta, with flowers that can be anything from an inch to four inches across and may be speckled, dappled, crossed and striped. Nature’s paint box is something quite special. Enjoy the feast. On the vegetable front, this selection continues to expand, fuelled by fancy eating and continental holidays, the public continues to search for more. Every garden centre now offers Chillis, Aubergines, round courgettes, baby cucumbers, oriental leaves, gourds and squashes and so much more. This year our adventure continues as we explore yet more tomatoes. We are playing with forty different varieties this year, exploring new shapes and colours. I have a long historical connection with tomato growing and in my early years cropped about 6,000 plants under glass every summer. My tip for growing a good tomato is to make the plant work, water away from the base of the plant to encourage good root spread and only feed the plant lightly. Lazy plants make lousy crops. And finally, know that when you have found the plant that you like best, another is waiting. In the case of tomatoes more than 10,000 other cultivars. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
October Gardening News
The tide has turned and how very quickly, Autumn rushed in, the brutal heat of summer bringing the early surrender from an exhausted landscape. The trees tell of a desire to shed their leaves and rest. All across the garden there is a sense of shutdown. The harvest has been mixed, the runner beans cropping strongly but over quite a short season, the tomatoes outdoors have been amazing but are being messed up by the arrival of the wet, which is making fruit split. The cabbage, cauli and sproutings have also been tested as word of their availability passed to caterpillars, pigeons and aphids. I suspect these pests took in turns to hold up the net, for even when covered they were ripped and gnawed. But, we’re on to the next bit and we can be clearing away and clearing the way for over wintering crops. Salvage the last of your tomatoes to stand on a window sill to ripen and gather in leftover marrows, squashes and courgettes (cool and frost free they will store for some weeks).In the retrieved space Peas, Broad beans, Onions and Garlic can be set out and there are still some late greens and spinach to be found. Of course, if you have some shelter then you will still get away with a bit of sowing and certainly lettuce and salad leaves are worth a go. We need to be on frost watch now, so consider all tender subjects that you might wish to preserve. Frost is callous and treacherous, coming from nowhere and wreaking havoc. Geraniums and Begonias need shifting and may even be potted to continue showing off on the kitchen shelf, in fact many subjects can be transferred to give an extended show. As space is freed up bulbs and autumn and winter plants can be introduced, with pansies, violas, sweet William, forget me nots and many others being available in quantity. Take time to stop by a stand of bulbs and soak it up, then treat yourself to something. I just marvel at natures pallet and the carnival that heralds spring as the bulbs pop up. And finally get that compost heap topped up and if you haven’t got one, make one. It is hugely rewarding. Nature rips through the piled debris and turns into compost like nothing that you ever buy. Don’t make the job too sophisticated or complicated or you put yourself off…………just pile it all on. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
April Gardening News
Hooray, the clocks have changed and we can garden in the evening (if it stops raining). It’s actually good to see the back of March, what a month that was. The snow was totally disarming and the cold nights have been a test. Of course the thaw and the heavy rain has made the ground very difficult too, many of last months tasks are still to do. Nature knows how to catch up and hopefully things will improve now. So in theory its all systems go, with all of the spuds going in and seed sowing proceeding at a pace. I am always amazed by the speed with which seedlings grow once the light returns, with two leaves becoming four in no time. If you are thinking of sowing Runner Beans, Marrows or Cucumbers give them until the third week, but almost everything else can be sown as soon as you like. Remember these highlighted subjects are frost sensitive, so if you are considering buying plants then hold on until May. Tomato plants are equally vulnerable unless planted under cover. We can also start work on the flowers, with hardy annuals and perennials, as well as bulbs all wanting to get going. Snapdragons, Dianthus, Carnations as well as violas and pansies are all about as are delphiniums, lupins and hollyhocks. Keep an eye open too for Rhodanthemums. This stunning plant has risen to popularity in the last two years and is quite a special plant. It is tough, with grey cut foliage and single chrysanth like flowers. Find it and you will not regret it. If you want to run in some seed then try broadcasting (that’s waving your arms randomly) Godetia, Nigella, Larkspur, Candytuft and Cornflower all of which will grow where ever you throw them, bringing drifts of gentle colour to summer borders. If you are still looking for jobs and have space then visit summer bulbs and once again all subjects can go into the ground now. And finally, in recent years various growers have promoted Sweet Potatoes as capable of delivering a viable crop in a single season in the UK . Gardening Which said not and I have tried and failed. This year I will try again. There are new varieties around and plants are likely to be available from many centres in a few weeks. The reports suggest something has improved. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
September Gardening News
Well, August was a funny old month wasn’t it? The heatwave seemed long lost by the second week and it rained. The nights began to close in too and there has been a real feeling of autumn some days, with the temperature dropping close to single figures. There were berries everywhere you looked, with hedgerows and borders giving up flower for fruit. I saw a Pyracantha dragging the ground with bright berries and Rowan similarly laden. The borders have stayed full, but the vegetative growth does seem to have come through at the expense of some flowers, perhaps September will give us a colour burst. The vegetable harvest has been steady, the beans have been good and the ground crops have greatly enjoyed the wet. I am still trickling in bits of salad seed. Marrows and courgettes have had an interesting run with a lot of fruit rotting from the blossom end. Damp traps between the dead flower and the fruit and rot sets in quickly, so take a bit of time to flick off the flowers once a fruit has formed. It will fall away easily and you will be rewarded for your attentions. As we move into September and gaps appear, we can start again. The winter pansies are everywhere as indeed are bulbs. I do love to see the bulbs and in particular savour the joyous carnival of Tulip colour. A chance once more to marvel at nature’s ability to conjour shades that man could never dream of. Anyway the range of bulbs grows ever bigger, so do check them out. There are plenty of short varieties to satisfy the patio need too and if patio planting is your thing then do revisit dwarf conifers. In recent years the favoured centre piece has been the Hebe, but they do get thumped if the weather goes wet and cold, so conifers are making a slow comeback. They have been in the wilderness thanks to the mythology of the Leylandii and the expectation that conifers pull your house down. They are back and worth a space, many only growing two or three feet. And finally, the caterpillars are back. A few weeks ago, people were saying ‘there aren’t many butterflies about’. They must have been in hiding making a plan I think. Cabbage Whites are everywhere and picking of the marauding munchers has become a full time job. I do hate spraying, so am back to picking off by hand every day. Crawling beneath the pigeon net is a bit of a drag I must admit. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
May Gardening News
April bounced along, in fact it flew once Easter had arrived. The late Easter was the starting pistol and we had the benefit of a few weeks of light evenings ahead of it to prepare. So many people use it as the start time for gardening, so there were many lined up for the charge and since that weekend trading has been lively. I say late Easter but in fact not as late as it can be, The date is determined by the first Full moon of the spring and in 1943 it didn’t happen until April the 25th in 1943. Anyway, it is all systems go now. The last of the spuds can go in, we can run successions of vegetables, keeping pinches of lettuce, radish, spring onion and beetroot going, pushing in summer cabbage and would you believe even planting sprouts. The real joy these days for me is that the supermarkets have introduced so many new vegetables. Well, not perhaps new but better publicised. Celeriac, Kohl Rabi and Flower Sprouts to name just a few. Celeriac is a long winded grow, but Kohl Rabi is a doddle and quick. As the month advances tomatoes, beans, marrows, courgettes and cucumber can all be put out. In the case of Tomatoes and Cucumbers watch out for late frost and be prepared to cover them with something overnight and if your garden is naturally cold then leave them in until the last week of the month. Beans and Peas in fact can be sown straight to the ground if you haven’t got plants (they germinate very quickly at this time). Try to give all plants space if you can, aphids and white fly are already busy and they are disturbed by the breeze. Of course all the bedding is about too and as with the veg, most things can be planted out. Here too there is a cautionary note, so do watch the night temperatures. Dahlias, Busy Lizzies and Marigolds don’t like frost much. I remember loosing every Marigold I had to a very late frost in the first week of June. And finally, look out for Chillis and heritage tomatoes. There are Chillis everywhere and even if you are not a fan,they are very decorative. The heritage tomatoes take you back to the ‘olden days’ when tomatoes really tasted and they certainly worth a space. 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