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
Here we are again. Another year older……but what the heck. Every year we reflect, on the highs and lows, it all started too wet and finished too dry, but overall not a bad season. So, the next one begins. It is all rather exciting actually. I have spent the last few evenings in front of the fire with my head buried in seed catalogues. There are just so many re-shaped, and new varieties on offer this year. I have never seen so many petunia varieties in all of my life. One catalogue alone is offering me six pages of them. There are climbing, crawling, trailing and upright forms, with both single and double flowers of every size in a big range of colours, including black, lime and orange. You won’t miss them. Fight your way through that and there are some rather special bits,and plenty that will come from seed. There are some good new salvias and do check out the gazanias and zinnias. Zinnias have had a troubled history and were notorious for disease, but they are so good these days. The other thing that you are going to see a good deal of are “plant recipes”, a very prescriptive range of planting schemes, illustrated to show that plants go together and that red, white and blue really can work. I am not totally sold into all of this, as it takes gardening a step closer to decorating and two steps away from the adventure of artistic expression, clearly some will find it useful. In the vegetable section too there are plenty of new introductions and I am particularly keen to try the seed raised shallots. I am hearing many good things about them and, like onions they are very straightforward. That’s just for starters, I have yet to open my 2015 CN Vegetable Seed catalogue. If seeds don’t float your boat, then how about potatoes (I must be great company in a pub don’t you think?). It is potato time all over again and with 7,500 varieties globally, I am always chasing new. The onion sets, garlic and shallots are all in, the rhubarb is pipping and the darkest winter night has passed. I am getting a bit of sowing compost in and will play about with sowing something, probably a pinch of lettuce and summer cabbage. Germination will be slow, they will come though and anticipation is the messenger of hope and the herald of a new season. And finally, if you need another herald, 2015 is officially The Year of the Sunflower, now there is a challenge for January! Happy New Year and Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org