September Gardening News
September is upon us. What delights will this one hold? Traditionally it’s the month that marks the turn of the season, but the muddle of the last month has had me wondering which season we are changing. August was a mish mash of a month, delivering all that meteorology has to offer. We had some blistering heat, some torrential storms, some cool nights and winds to take your head off. Things kept growing, but there were casualties, half of my underdeveloped Bramley apples are on the floor and (because I neglected to put up a trap in April), the Plum moth has wrecked what plums were there. They look as though they have peppered by a shotgun, the exit route of escaping maggots apparent on every fruit. I am also waging war against the Cabbage White Butterfly. A female can, in a short time lay around two hundred eggs and these she will spread about in clusters of twenty or so . Within two weeks the caterpillars are out and voraciously chomping through all available brassicas (that’s the cabbage family including sprouts and kale). We have been netting and spraying with Grazers (a spray that works as a good deterrent…until we get heavy rain). On dry days we see some very sulky butterflies struggling to find a place for their brood. Spraying hasn’t deterred the snails, who have also brought chaos and have messed up my beans. For all of that it has been fun and some of the flowers have been wonderful. I have a fantastic display of mixed sunflowers and modern varieties offer great colours. I have also had success with Mirabilis Jalapa (grown from seed). It is actually regarded as a perennial, forming a tuber at the end of it’s first season. It flowers in the year of sowing and displays flat trumpet like flowers in a range of jazzy colours. Check it out, it’s a bed filler and very jolly. September sees garden centres full of bulbs and winter pansies, together with wallflowers and autumn chrysanthemums. As spaces appear, fill your gaps. There is no rush, stock will be around for at least another eight weeks, but earlier planting will allow good root development and should ensure some winter colour. And finally, if you have space in the vegetable garden, onion sets and shallots will all be available soon. Don’t rush for Broad Beans though, it’s too early! Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
October Gardening News
That was the summer then and whilst the heat still lingers lightly, there is a real smell of autumn now. The night is sweeping in early and every day there is rubbish to clean up in the garden. The summer has been great for the gardener, with strong performances from so many things. The bedding has been stunning, and most vegetables have performed. Nature has of course repeatedly demonstrated it’s might, and we have had to wrestle with blackfly, caterpillars and a good raft of fungal issues, but on balance I thought things were good. The winter vegetables look promising too, with Sprouts and Purple Sprouting well on and Kale already being harvested. Where spaces appear in the vegetable plot we can be popping in over wintering onions and shallots, as well as garlic. Then towards the end of the month Aquadulce broad beans can be direct sown. They are worth the trouble and will bring an early crop to the table. If you have potted any potatoes for Christmas, bring them in against the side of the house. They will enjoy the shelter and the longer they grow the better the result. In the coming days there will be plenty of green waste, so tidy up your compost heap and if you feel particularly energetic strip it down to harvest this year’s compost and start again. Any recent garden waste can be introduced to the restart. The raking out of freshly made compost is very special and the material is perfect for digging into borders to give them a lift. The clearing and cleaning will also be happening in your flower borders too. Perennials want cutting back, tired bedding wants removing and overgrown plants can tied or tidied. Then you can commit to replanting. The winter bedding can all go in, so pansies, violas, wallflowers as well as sweet Williams, forget-me-nots and bellis daisies can all be planted. Make sure of some bulbs as well. There are some good bulbs to be found and as well as the usual daffodils and tulips, take a look at things like Alliums. The ornamental representatives of the onion family are very showy, offering border displays punctuated by bright drumstick heads of flower. And finally, as part of the big clean up, check fruit trees and consider greasing their stems to deter over wintering pests. Top fruit (apples, pears and plums) have all attracted the attention of pests this year and grease is the first step towards managing the 2021 visitor. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
November Gardening News
October quietly slips away, a funny month really. Ahead of the changing clocks a prelude of dark shortened days, punctuated by just enough sunshine to keep the summer borders alive. Indeed I saw some magnificent baskets and borders well into the month. The ground moved quickly from dry to wet too, with some very soggy days. As the month closed we saw turning colour and leaves were jostled from position by boisterous winds. So there will be plenty to do in the weeks to come, with, I suspect some regular visits to tidying up the rubbish and pulling up the tired summer. Compost heaps will overflow with the weight of a bumper year of vegetation (so many leaves). The temperature has kept up and winter planting continues, with autumn bedding and bulbs being drafted in to bring new life and colour to the years close. Every season this year has been out of step and for many autumn planting is only just beginning. There are still some great plants about and most centres have plenty of bulbs. In the vegetable garden things look good, though the pigeons still need watching. Many winter greens are top heavy, so, as last month, do firm them back in. There is not a lot to plant, unless you want to do overwintering peas and broad beans (which are rather special). They will get rooted if sown now and will come quickly to harvest as the spring arrives. Just make sure that you select the right varieties for autumn planting. This month you are also going to be seeing fruit trees and this cusp of dormancy period is perfect for planting both soft fruit and the regular apples, pears and plums. Most centres will have new stock of a range and in particular, you should see plenty of raspberries. Here too consider your varieties, you could be eating soft fruit across the entire summer with a bit of planning. On the subject of planning, November is a good month for rearranging or redesigning, with most plants comfortable with being shifted. I am on the edge of a complete makeover at home, having snatched a little more ground. It is very satisfying. And finally, new lists are appearing, seed catalogues, bulb and potato lists all hot off the press. So this year why not reawaken the adventure, dip into the amazing palette offered by nature and share seeds for Christmas. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
July Gardening News
How mad this shrinking calendar! I remember clearly the conversation that I had with my Dad, the one when he told me that ‘the years would fly by’. He wasn’t wrong, this year the nursery is 70 and I have worked the site for almost 44 years. Is it really July already? Of course it is. It is the month of celebration, when we start to see the results of our labours. It’s the month of judging gardens too and I will be one of those, visiting a garden near you. It is a joyous thing to be part of the celebration hosted by nature and nurtured by community. The odd heavy downpours across the last month and the, at times tropical heat has really seen plant growth flourish. True the humidity has brought in one or two problems with plenty of mildew, black spot and other fungal delights, but providing reaction has been swift most have been manageable. Remember thinning foliage to allow air movement can help. Potato Blight is fungal, so you may want to consider preventative spraying if you have had it in the past. On the vegetable and flower front generally things look good, though the jury is still out on the fruit. I have had plums barely form and now, immature they are dropping to the floor. It will be interesting to see, some apples aren’t looking great either. The dry weather went on just a few days too long and setting fruit has been poorly serviced. The high winds in June brought some damage with some plants, especially the architectural or those supported by canes taking a real thump. I’ve been doing a bit of light pruning to reduce some top heavy or over grown material and have staked some perennials. Pruning needs to be thoughtful and light, to avoid vigorous recovery, but if the winds do return you will see benefits. Incredibly we are on the cusp of the wallflower season and these and other biennials like Sweet William will come quickly from seed. If you have a bit of shelter, sow them straight in the ground and thin them at the start of September. Wallflowers do so well direct sown and are just not as readily available as plants as they once were. Try Siberian wallflowers too, the whole family are great value. And finally, keep watching, watering, picking, feeding and enjoying. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
September Gardening News
Autumn shuffles forward beneath the distraction of muddled days and leaves can only wait as their gloss slides away. There is a fading and evidence everywhere of the nursed wounds of molestation. Almost everything has been visited by disease or pest. The plums and apples, with not much weight, show the scars from exiting grubs and caterpillars have grazed freely, many leaves rendered skeletal. It is amazing to watch the sawfly turn up for a feed, their lava really do get motoring and strip plants completely. The season is turning. It has been a strange Summer and on odd days the sun has been most aggressive in reminding of its capability, with young growth frying. I have seen many examples of growth crisped by magnification too, where leaves have been sprayed to’ cool them’ and still the flowers have fallen. It will be interesting to assess the final harvest. Perhaps September will allow a catch up. There has been a smell of rain,but in reality the ground has stayed very dry. With the turn of the season come the bulbs and winter pansies, Sweet William, bellis and Stocks for over wintering. The chance to tidy and repair. Early interest in autumn plants is strong, the floral displays have often been disappointing and there is a mood for new life. My one real success this summer was with new Petunias, which have delivered zany small flowers in huge profusion. As for my Geraniums, they’ve taken forever to do much. So, I am already setting out new Pansies and Violas and here there are new colours to be found. In the vegetable plot I have tidied space for some Japanese onion sets and have found a few Spring Cabbage to push in. The season is getting on and whilst there are still other greens around, you should only plant to treat them all as edible green. It is unlikely that a sprout planted now will come up with an actual sprout,but the greens will be good and strong for boiling. You should still be able to find a bit of perpetual Spinach around and that will certainly be worth a go. And finally, as recorded earlier, I had high expectation of a good rose season and that’s what we have had. Many varieties are pushing out a late flush of colour. The season has offered a real reminder of why Roses were once so popular. Try one in a decent pot and you will see what I mean. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org