October Gardening News
What a joy September proved to be, with some delightful days and a real awareness of autumn knocking. I do love the low, chill watery sunrises and the smell of the changing season that sneaks across the land after dawn. The weather though hasn’t knocked out the summer crops and many things have just kept on. The runner beans have been fantastic and all the leaf vegetables look strong, with the winter crops looking very robust indeed. Soft fruit has been terrific too, with raspberries in particular being really prolific. If you have enjoyed yours this year, do try to prune out the old fruiting growth this autumn to ensure good new fruiting stems for next year. With temperatures cooling it is worth taking stock and deciding if you want to preserve tender subjects by storing them away for the spring. Watch dahlias and geraniums in particular. As space appears in the borders, there’s plenty to be picked up to bring new colour. Winter pansies and violas are everywhere as are wallflowers, sweet William, chrysanthemums and many more over wintering bits. Bulbs are in plentiful supply and all can safely be set out in the coming days. There’s a chance to refresh tubs and baskets for winter colour too. This is also a good month to implement changes, to reshape borders, create patios and introduce new shrubs and trees. Cast a glance around and see what nature is doing for the autumn, spotting berries, the turn of foliage and even flowers as you ponder on the what to plant next. A good garden should hold your attention across every season and the idea of having colour at the turn of the year is worthwhile. Look at Viburnums, Mahonias, Winter honeysuckle, Sarcococca, Jasmine as starters. In the vegetable border, you can still pop in winter onions, shallots and garlic and at the end of the month over wintering Broad Beans. If you can find a bit of shelter then winter lettuce and Mizuna are useful for pepping up the salad. As always at this time there is plenty of maintenance work to consider too. Focus on keeping this safe and secure. Cut out heavy branches, thin crowded space and tie and strap plants to avoid breakage and uprooting. And finally, if you were teased by the talk of raspberries and want to try your luck next season, then pick up canes from garden centres next month. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
September Gardening News
So, that was summer then? What a strange month August proved to be, a real mish mash of unpredictable weather, that knocked over and knocked out. It tucked into everything above three feet, pushing over canes and cages and tumbling immature fruit. Not that the fruit issue worried me too much as pests have been active and every apple seems to have been visited by Codling moth grubs (the holes in the fruit announcing the departure of the overfed). Most things can be repaired though and the season of summer vegetables and flowers extended, with a prune, a bit of feed and the repair of support arrangements. Clip off the broken and damaged, even take out the tops of peas and beans and they will bounce back. Put your heel around winter veg to see it into the autumn. Sprouts and sprouting in particular will not deliver if they don’t have a firm hold. Have some net on hand too as the pigeons are already watching the domestic crop. Many gardeners are ready to move on and as we move into September, winter pansies and violas are back, as are many over wintering bedding items.Planting them now will set them up for a good performance through the darker months. There are some great autumn chrysanthemums and cyclamen around too and these will bring colour up to Christmas. Shelves are full of bulbs and it is worth buying this month whilst there is plenty of choice. Check out the labels when you buy, it is possible to create successions as varieties of many bulbs flower at different times. You can for example buy Daffodils and Tulips which are early, mid season and late flowering. So you can have colour from February to late April. If you like your bulbs it is worth the time. On the vegetable front, we are back in to the bulb season too, with Japanese onions, as well as shallots and garlic all appearing. You may still find a few greens about and it is worth trying your luck with Spinach, Chard and spring cabbage all of which can bring something else to the winter plate. And finally if you have space and nothing to do with it, then have a go with green manures. This is a range of vigorous plants, raised from seed which will quickly cover and smother the ground. The plants can be turned into the ground in the spring and as the name suggests improve it’s fertility. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
February Gardening News
Tick, tick, tick, the seconds turn to minutes and another month is gone. Totally mad, Christmas seems so far behind us and the seeds that were my Christmas present sit on my desk and tease me. January was an acceptable mix of confusion, with the weather not wanting to work to a plan, so we had the lot. As we move forward into February, accepting there may be some cold to come, the Spring does seem close and in just seven weeks the clocks will change. The garden calls. I am hoping to get some pruning done this month. Whilst you will need to avoid the very bleak days, restoring order generally and particularly with some of the fruit, is a good plan. Tidy up anything that has flowered through the autumn and winter too. New growth will happen in March and plants repair very quickly. Finish turning over ground on dry days and if you have space, some bits can go into the vegetable plot, most notably onion sets, shallots and garlic. Not much harm will come to early peas and bean seed now either, just stick them in, they are not going to rot and the slight lift in temperature will have them pipping as we hit next month. If you can find sheltered space, have a greenhouse or an empty window sill then you could be starting off a few seeds. Many things don’t require heat, just a bit of protection. So green leaf vegetables including lettuce can all be sown (in moderation) as indeed can some annuals. We always used to start off early bedding in February and pansies, calendula, dianthus, antirrhinum and many others are quite straightforward. Garden centre shelves are full of seed, so do some swatting and have a play. Of course we are also well into spuds now and here again there are plenty to look at everywhere. There is no panic, but early purchase ensures that you get exactly what you want. Don’t rush to plant yet unless you want to stick a few in the bottom of a pot (which can be fun and bring a taste by the end of May). I am going to be trying a new second early introduction called ‘Lipstick’. I love quirky, I am not sure what it says about me, but I am curious. It’s a very flirty red. And finally, it’s the last call on bare root hedging. If you have gaps to fill, save money and get organised. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
January Gardening News
Ho, ho, ho, here we go. Off again on the sleigh ride into tomorrow and who knows what. I get quite excited by the turn of the year and the smell of new adventures. 2018 didn’t turn out too badly really. December was a mixed bag, with one or two very cold nights, with the compensation of some glorious days. The growing year was late and as always a few things struggled to deliver, but in the balance it was ok. Now, with the corner turned and the days starting to lengthen, we can look ahead. As the month moves forward and the mood takes we can look to start planting onion sets and shallots, as well as garlic. We can consider dividing things too, extending commitment to Rhubarb and Raspberries by splitting clumps with a spade and replanting. We can start to look at seed potatoes this month and whilst it is still too early to plant, there is more choice available if you buy early (tubers can then be held for weeks in a cool space). You can also be playing with the first bits of seed and towards the end of January, try your luck with a few Broad Beans and some Early Peas. You can use up your Aquadulce bean seed and look at something like Feltham First if you want to stick in Peas. The ground will still be cold, but the seed will emerge slowly as the days advance. Just keep your eyes open for rodents. They are all hungry and will be pleased to help themselves if temptation is obvious. So store spuds and seeds out of harms way and consider lightly dressing lines in open ground with a bit of grit (they don’t like it. Scratching around on a frosty morning in a pile of sharp grit ? No, I don’t think so). When the weather bites, as it is bound too, retreat and start looking at the seed catalogues. I talked of adventure and the journey into a seed catalogue is very special. As we embark on a new season, it is really important to remind ourselves of how extraordinary nature can be and whilst man will always poke his nose in, the ever changing shape and performance of plants is to be celebrated. Do try something new. And finally, play the game and never think that you are in charge. Losing is no big deal, there is always tomorrow. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
November Gardening News
Isn’t it great when seasons actually deliver more or less what is expected? I felt that October worked and that the season had turned. There were a few cold nights, some beautiful misty dawns, the occasional bright watery days of sunshine and some very soggy rough moments. Things just got beaten up and then the colour started to tease through. The growth having been so luxuriant, I suspect we may be on for a long shutdown and a never ending clean up. I have been sweeping and clearing debris for a couple of weeks already. I am just glad that last month I managed to tidy and harvest from the compost bins. Luxuriant growth creates a bigger compost heap and composting is well worth the trouble. Just don’t make it too complicated. I tend to commit all green debris to the heap. Sorting and grading at this stage can be really tiresome. So, a few of the wrong bits make it through, well you soon spot them when you access the compost. I sieve mine and then reintroduce the lumpy bits to the heap even the brambles surrender eventually, and the exertion is great for body and soul. Oh yes, now where was I? Cleaning, tidying, clipping, anchoring, tying, disinfecting, and pressure washing are all on the agenda. Try to resist cutting the lawn, but if you are in the mood spike it with your fork. If you are up for gardening, then consider bigger planting now. Fruit trees, ornamentals, roses and soft fruit as well as hedging are all moving to dormancy and settle very quickly at this time of the year. In the case of trees it will be worth staking. You can still be titivating borders too and there are plenty of bulbs around as well as autumn bedding. The pansies have been great this year and are showing real promise for winter flower, many being laden with buds. In the vegetable space, you can consider Garlic, shallots and rhubarb as well as overwintering onions. If you can find some Perpetual spinach plants and kale are certain survivors for late planting. They are good fillers and a really useful fall back when other veg is scarce. Try some by the door in a pot, it saves marching off down the garden on a grotty day. And finally take a look at Tithonia, an old fashioned, little used bedding plant that belongs to the Sunflower group. It’s very jolly and I will be giving it a go next year for sure. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
March Gardening News
The spring draws ever closer and hopefully we leave behind the bleakness of recent weeks. It has been a curious winter, with some very precious sunlit days, but the treacherous scything wind has never been faraway and the cold has bullied joint and muscle. How I ached some days. Still we are on the turn, the ground is still sitting wet, but buds are popping, the birds are getting frisky and the days are drawing out. I am doing a bit of rearranging this month, moving a few fairly well established bits to new homes. I have a couple of trees to plant, a rose bush to drop in and I am going to divide my rhubarb. All of this safe in the knowledge that with the rise of the sap and the imminence of new growth everything will settle and repair quickly. I am also going to finish off some pruning, I had hoped to sort a fruit tree out last month, but this month will be fine and I think March is the right month for rose pruning so I will sort it in one go. This month, I will reopen my connection with the vegetable plot too, running in broad bean and pea seed to extend my over wintered rows and looking to push in the first summer cabbage plants. There is still time to plant onion sets, shallots and garlic too, all of which will take off very quickly. As the month draws on the seed potatoes can be planted out (although I have a few early ones already showing in buckets). As long as you keep up with the earthing up as shoots show, you will get a good start. Mounding up the soil definitely improves the crop. Potatoes are carried on buried shoots and not actually on roots, so the more shoot you bury the greater the potential crop. On the flower front, perennials are starting to reappear, as are violas, pansies, polyanthus and primroses, these can be dotted to bring a bit of early colour to borders, all are totally hardy, so just stick them in, though do watch for slugs, especially if you have picked up delphiniums (which are much loved by molluscs everywhere). And finally go through your seed list, as we get to the end of this month, we can push in all sorts of seed and its great prepared when the weather comes right or the mood takes. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
February Gardening News
Hooray, I can see the light. With January behind us, the spirit starts to rise, the extended days just 8 weeks away. The winter has been, well, wintry with a treacherous mix of conditions, changing by the hour. Every second person nursed a cough or a sore throat and whilst there were outdoor jobs that we could have tackled frankly it just wasn’t NICE. But brighter days loom and we can start to get back out there, even if we do need to tiptoe across the grass. There is going to be a bit of attention needed there next month, at very least a bit of prodding with the fork to move some of the wet. It’s looking like being a great season for moss. There’s enough in my lawn to service the Municipal baskets this year. So aeration, silver sand, lawn sand or even something heavier maybe on the shopping list. There is also a good deal of tidying up to do, so much rubbish scattered about, with plants and structures all taking a bashing in recent weeks. Whilst you’re tidying, if the mood takes, give the compost heap a turn, it too will have compacted down. It needs to breathe to be good and there will be some useful material to reward your efforts in the bottom of the bin. If you have any light ground that you turned in the autumn, then you can be setting out onion, shallots, garlic, asparagus and even rhubarb crowns. If you already have some, then rhubarb divides easily, so now is a good time to propagate or manage the size of the patch. Just set the blade of your spade on the crown and push it down, it’s very easy. Even the smallest pieces will re-establish, so spare bits can always be given away. Seed potatoes are about everywhere now and if you have picked some up, lay them out in a frost free location to spur sprouting. Just for fun drop a couple of early tubers into a pot of compost and see if you can get some new spuds up by May. As we turn out of February we can be looking at setting out vegetable plants, so this is a lovely time to start germinating a bit of seed. In shelter or on the window sill, pinches of all leaf vegetables can be started. Cabbage, lettuce, summer broccoli will all show within a couple of weeks. Seedlings will be soon be fit to prick out. And finally………welcome to another adventure. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
January Gardening News
Happy New Year! Yep, it’s the start of another one. December was a bit of a mischief wasn’t it? A few thumping cold nights and the first end of year snow for a while. Our big Christmas seller was fleece. It was at close, an interesting year. I always think January is an exciting month, a month for planning and buying in readiness for the new season. I spend hours poring over catalogues, looking for things that are new and different. As I mentioned last month most seed firms display their catalogues online, with paper copies becoming more of a rarity. The seed industry is flagging up 2018 as the Year of the Marigold for some reason, but the real growth in my eyes is with Petunias, there are an astonishing number and some really lovely varieties. If you are into your flowers check out Gaillardia Mesa too, what a delight that series is with some stunning sunshine shades. On the vegetable front, seed companies are promoting more depth in every area. One firm I looked at offers sixteen types of beetroot. Across the board, depth is the keyword, dozens of different Tomatoes, Chillis, Lettuce, wherever you look the choice is huge. Is 21 varieties of carrot in one catalogue a record? In my camp of course, the big thing is spuds and stock is arriving every day. Ok, I admit it, we get carried away with range too. This year my eyes are on ‘Kennebec’ a big potato with an interesting pedigree. The official catalogue description is ‘hefty’. The variety is favoured by giant veg growers, but don’t be put off it does have a flavour. If you want to actually plant something (weather permitting), then onion sets, shallots and garlic can all be considered as the month moves on and as always, I am playing with a pinch of lettuce on the window sill. If they are only nipped off for a sandwich, they will be appreciated. The new season is only days away. And finally, I’ve been looking at summer bulbs. We all do traditional autumn things, like daffs and crocus, but apart from Dahlias the summer bulbs are not well explored. So this year, I am going to play with some that I have never grown before and that will be wonderful, if they look half as good as the picture suggests. So Hymenocalis, Tigridia and Galtonia were all on my Christmas list. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
October Gardening News
What a muddle of a month we’ve had, a few bright moments, but my goodness when it has rained, we’ve known all about it. There has been a sense of autumn for weeks and trees laden with berries from quite early. It is almost as though the seasons have slipped forward a month. Certainly there was no trace of frost as we turned into April and anyone planting early got away with it. When the sun came it came in blistering style across the middle of June and then stopped and as we entered July the muddles began. The vegetable production has been good and indeed the strong vegetation has supported lively cropping of most things. The blight did knock out the tomatoes, but most other things looked good. At the moment our winter and spring greens all look solid too. The Spring Cabbage has made good leaf and the stalky sprouts and Purples all look in good order. As always at this time, it is worth tramping the rows to firm in roots, as these taller veg are getting top heavy. If you are wanting to fill a few gaps then winter onions and shallots are there to take, there are bits of winter lettuce too. As the month closes make sure that you have your Aquadulce broad beans to hand. The seasonal flowers are all looking well bashed, with only the geraniums really holding up. Many subjects were knocked out very quickly and a lot of snapdragons took a real thump from rust. So, borders are there to liven up and autumn bedding is in plentiful supply everywhere. There are pansies, violas as well as bellis, wallflowers and Sweet William and all need to get planted. You still have time for bulbs too, so get cracking. Before we know it the leaves will be down, so you can start getting a bit of tidying up underway. Gentle pruning is good in the next couple of weeks and it is also time to plan if you are considering new trees, shrubs and fruit. New soft fruit will be on the shelf towards the middle of the month, with raspberries being offered as bare rooted. Site preparation is worthwhile, but do try to be generous with space, soft fruit does benefit from annual maintenance (raspberries can invade). And finally keep on top of the lawn and consider prodding it with a fork to get some air into it. Improving the movement of air and water will reduce moss on the lawn…………..be warned it is coming. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org
March Gardening News
So February carried on where March left off and the teeth were bared to remind us of the treacherous unpredictability of our winters. Snow flurries punctuated the month of February and night temperatures teased around freezing. Life is returning though and a couple of warm afternoons brought midges out across the pond and one or two bats ventured out from hibernation, just to test the wing and the temperature. As yet not much evidence of frog spawn though, but it will come through quickly now, the days are lengthening and the clocks will change before March is out. There is as ever much to do and whilst the ground is wet, we can still be planting. There are new seasons herbaceous and biennial plants to consider. They will all be showing new growth and are primed for summer flowering, so look out for lupins, delphiniums, primroses, aubretia as well as bellis and Sweet William. These things are not as popular as they once were, as more emphasis than ever shifts to tubs and planters, but they are wonderful introductions to the ground, bringing architecture, colour and sometimes fragrance to early summer displays. Soon hardier annual bedding will appear too, further complimenting these offerings. My gaps will be filled with another traditional plant, the ‘Snapdragon’ or antirrhinum. What a robust and versatile plant this is, now offered in a wide range of colours and heights from a few inches to a few feet. Do check them out, there is still time to try some seed if you fancy it. Across the garden this is a good month to plant trees, shrubs and roses all of which are poised to leaf up. Trying to place them whilst they are on the edge of dormancy will see them settle quickly. If your borders are well established, March is also not a bad month to tackle the pruning. Spring growth swiftly repairs wounds. The vegetable plot is starting to come to life, there is still time to plant onions and shallots and as the month draws on we can put out the first potatoes. A sowing of broad beans can be tackled and earlier contained sowings of beans and cabbage can also be set out. Continue sowing seed if you have window sill space or a greenhouse. Many seeds will germinate under cold glass or in a frame. It’s just fun to get going. And finally if you’ve already planted onions or shallots just firm them in, the birds have started tugging them up. Happy Gardening. Chris Evans www.dundrynurseries.co.uk www.thebutterflygarden.org