THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN NOVEMBER
At this time of the year I am asked to speculate about the kind of winter we are likely to have. The weather patterns are so unpredictable that by the time you read this we may have frost and snow on the ground! The very unusual early ground frosts in late September left many Tatsfielders (who were out and about very early) scraping their windscreens. The domination of high pressure over the UK may continue to be a feature and in November that means cold weather. A much more important question however is whether we are going to get a period of consistently, and much needed, wet weather. A wet and windy day here and there is not going to help much. Our total rainfall for September ended up at just 34mm in Tatsfield, that is less than half our long-term average and so far October looks like being below the long term average of 98mm – so far we have had just 13mm. Is winter coming early this year?, maybe!!
In anticipation of some good frosts this month make sure to dig over your vegetable plot and leave it in rough clods for the action of the frost to break it down into finer particles and make it much easier to prepare for sowing and planting next spring.
I am often asked questions about the proper management of hedges. Hedges are very important wildlife habitats and yard for yard they are cheaper that putting up a fence or a wall. They are much more attractive to look at especially if you mix up the species to provide flower, fruit and different coloured foliage. BUT – remember that planting fast growing conifers will present you with a major battle to keep them in shape – they want to grow up to 30metres high (100ft) as quick as they can!! If your hedge is adjacent to a footpath it must be kept within your boundary; if it is allowed to hang over – and obstruct – the path you may be contacted by the Parish or County Council (see the letter from Cllr Hodge in the October Parish Magazine) requiring you to cut it back to your boundary. If you do not do this then they may do it and charge you! Now the big question – when should I cut my hedge? Your top priority is to avoid cutting it when there is a risk if disturbing nesting birds – that can be from February to July. If you must do it in this period then you must check the hedge very carefully to be sure there are no active nests. This is particularly important if you are carrying out heavy pruning to re-shape the hedge. Lastly remember that the top of a formal hedge should be narrower than the bottom to allow light and rain to reach the base. If your hedge is overgrown now is the time to get it cut back and reshaped!
Are you planning to buy plants, flower and vegetable seeds for next year? I have good news for you – Tatsfield Horticultural Society (THS) is now a member of Suttons Group Scheme; under this scheme members will receive 50% discount of their seed order and 15% off other products in the Suttons Catalogue. The 2019 catalogue will be available to members when they renew their membership early next year. For details on how to join THS contact Christine Stainer on christinestainer@yahoo.com or call her on 577803
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN NOVEMBER.
At this time of the year I am asked to speculate about the kind of winter we are likely to have. The weather patterns are so unpredictable that by the time you read this we may have frost and snow on the ground! The very unusual early ground frosts in late September left many Tatsfielders (who were out and about very early) scraping their windscreens. The domination of high pressure over the UK may continue to be a feature and in November that means cold weather. A much more important question however is whether we are going to get a period of consistently, and much needed, wet weather. A wet and windy day here and there is not going to help much. Our total rainfall for September ended up at just 34mm in Tatsfield, that is less than half our long-term average and so far October looks like being below the long term average of 98mm – so far we have had just 13mm. Is winter coming early this year?, maybe!!
In anticipation of some good frosts this month make sure to dig over your vegetable plot and leave it in rough clods for the action of the frost to break it down into finer particles and make it much easier to prepare for sowing and planting next spring.
I am often asked questions about the proper management of hedges. Hedges are very important wildlife habitats and yard for yard they are cheaper that putting up a fence or a wall. They are much more attractive to look at especially if you mix up the species to provide flower, fruit and different coloured foliage. BUT – remember that planting fast growing conifers will present you with a major battle to keep them in shape – they want to grow up to 30metres high (100ft) as quick as they can!! If your hedge is adjacent to a footpath it must be kept within your boundary; if it is allowed to hang over – and obstruct – the path you may be contacted by the Parish or County Council (see the letter from Cllr Hodge in the October Parish Magazine) requiring you to cut it back to your boundary. If you do not do this then they may do it and charge you! Now the big question – when should I cut my hedge? Your top priority is to avoid cutting it when there is a risk if disturbing nesting birds – that can be from February to July. If you must do it in this period then you must check the hedge very carefully to be sure there are no active nests. This is particularly important if you are carrying out heavy pruning to re-shape the hedge. Lastly remember that the top of a formal hedge should be narrower than the bottom to allow light and rain to reach the base. If your hedge is overgrown now is the time to get it cut back and reshaped!
Are you planning to buy plants, flower and vegetable seeds for next year? I have good news for you – Tatsfield Horticultural Society (THS) is now a member of Suttons Group Scheme; under this scheme members will receive 50% discount of their seed order and 15% off other products in the Suttons Catalogue. The 2019 catalogue will be available to members when they renew their membership early next year. For details on how to join THS contact Christine Stainer on christinestainer@yahoo.com or call her on 577803
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN OCTOBER
Tatsfield has done it again; a Gold Medal in the South and South East in Bloom competition! Congratulations to all our wonderful Tatsfield Community Volunteers for making keeping our village right up to the Gold Standard throughout the year – this is no mean task as the other competing villages get better every year. The Tatsfield in Bloom Group are always looking for more volunteers – many hands make light work – if you would like to have a chat about how you can get involved in keeping Tatsfield looking great why not contact Jill Hancock on jillhancock12@gmail.com or ring her on 577622. The In Bloom Group will be meeting this month to discuss our plans for next year – every year we have a new theme – if you have an idea of something special happening in the village next year get in touch and let us know!
Our weather continues to be very dry overall but I am expecting that we will begin to see rainfall at more normal levels this month at long last. August turned out to be just above the long-term average with 85mm of rain that was really useful, it made a big difference to hedgerow fruit that was looking very poor in July. September is looking like being very dry with only 4.4 mm by the 15th.
Many of our trees have lost their leaves very early this year but this does not mean that they have died. It is not unusual for Limes, Birch, Chestnut and Cherries and some others to lose their leaf canopy early after a very hot spell; if our rainfall levels return to the averages expected then these trees should recover and present a full canopy next year. If you have a lot of early leaf fall on your lawn make sure to sweep them up as soon as possible at this layer can prevent the grass from recovering after such a long dry spell.
If you want a good show of winter and spring colour make sure to plant your Primulas, Polyanthus, Pansies, Violas, Bellis (Daisies), Wallflowers, Forget me Nots and spring flowering bulbs as soon as they are available, usually at the end of the month. This gives them time to make some stem and root growth before the cooler weather sets in. It is very important to make sure to give them a good drink of water if the dry weather continues.
With our winters tending to start much later there is still time to fill in those gaps in the vegetable garden with some quick growing crops. Sow winter lettuce, salad leaves, spring onions, radishes, stump rooted carrots – go on give it a try!
IDENTIFYING AND MANAGING JAPANESE KNOTWEED IN YOUR GARDEN.
Japanese Knotweed has been a problem weed in our gardens, in the countryside and industrial sites for a very long time. It was first introduced around the late 1880s as a garden curiosity and soon spread over a large area of Europe. In the UK it is a major problem over much of the South, South East, South West, the Midlands, Wales and is spreading steadily northwards.
It has the ability to break up concrete and paving, it is very persistent and spreads underground, it has proved to be a most difficult weed to control; for these reasons where it has been found it has caused a blight over the value of houses and is a major limiting factor for potential development sites.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act it has been identified as an invasive species and it is illegal for any person to move any piece of it, and plant or dispose of it as normal waste. You are not obliged by law to remove it from your garden; but you could be liable if it is proved that your infestation has invaded a neighbours property. If you decide that you want to dispose of this weed (roots or stems) or move any soil or rubble containing parts of it, you can only do so by using a specialist, licensed, waste disposal contractor. Moving any waste containing Japanese Knotweed must be carried only by a specialist contractor to a designated and licensed waste disposal site; you must retain your copy of the Waste Transfer Notice as proof that you have complied with the Law.
The Parish Council is taking action to have a few small outcrops of Japanese Knotweed treated on parish land. This process is likely to take three to five years of annual treatments before we can be sure it has been totally destroyed. Treating Japanese Knotweed in your own garden with a herbicide specifically approved for this purpose is possible if there are only small areas of infection; however a large established infestation will require specialist treatment by a licensed contractor using industrial equipment.
We are very keen to know where this troublesome weed is growing elsewhere in Tatsfield; we would like to hear from homeowners and landowners who think they may have been invaded. Please look at the pictures attached to this article and/or contact the Parish Clerk at clerk@tatsfieldparishcouncil.org.uk, the Royal Horticultural Society has a very good section on Japanese Knotweed on their website www.rhs.org.uk
Jon Allbutt
577100
TATSFIELD GARDENER IN SEPTEMBER
Our gardens are gradually beginning to recover from the very hot dry spell this summer. We had just 2.2mm (a tiny amount) of rain in June and temperatures as high as 23C; in July we had no rain at all until Friday 29th when the dry spell broke with a violent storm, and by Sunday 31st we had a total rainfall of 29mm (just over an inch and well below the long term average); the hot weather in July peaked with a record high of 35.2C on the Thursday 26th, during this week the night time minimum temperatures hovered just below 20C; August looks like being a fairly average month for rain and temperatures although on the 9th we had 19mm of rain!
Despite the cooler temperatures and some rain, conditions remain serious in our gardens with evidence around the village of drought damage to some trees, shrubs and hedges, cutting back dead branches will make the gardens look tidier but it will be next spring before we know whether the damage is serious enough to require hard cutting back or removal of dead plants. I have lost a number of small shrubs that have been in position for nearly 20 years and have decided that it is time for a clear out. Cutting down and clearing out now is good as it allows time to cultivate the soil, add some much needed compost, deal with any perennial weeds and get ready for planting before the end of the year.
The good news is that yields of some vegetables and fruit trees is very good but our hedgerow fruit was much reduced except for a few areas where there is moisture in the ground.
My lawn was not watered during the dry spell and now has large brown patches of dead grass. I have cut the green bits very close and scarified the whole area in several directions to remove all the dead material – if you don’t have a scarifier use a wire rake, very good exercise! = the bare patches have been sown with a pre-germinated grass seed. Pre-germinating grass seed is very easy to do, mix a handful of grass seed thoroughly in a bucketful of slightly damp sandy soil top dressing mixture; keep it in the bucket, cover it and leave for three or four days then put it into the bare areas firming it gently; water it lightly if the weather is dry and it will be up and growing in about a week.
It has been a super year for many insect species and that includes the wasp! This is a great worry for those who react badly to a wasp sting and it is very wise to have nests treated that are near the house. In general they are not very aggressive and not much interested in humans, but they will react if disturbed! They are gardeners friends like so many of this group of insects so please do not wage war on them unnecessarily! For those of us who have wood burning stoves it is good to remember that the queen wasps will be overwintering in our log stores. To avoid bringing them indoors – and waking them up! – fill your log baskets during the day; it is easy to carefully pick off a sleeping wasp and move her somewhere safe.
Jon Allbutt
577100
15th August 2018
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE
There are many inaccurate stories around about the Hornet, especially the ‘invasion’ of the Asian Hornet. There is no invasion of the Asian Hornet, its sting is not fatal unless you are highly susceptible to insect stings. It is true that the Asian Hornet is known to prey on honey bees but not exclusively so. Hornets do not attack humans in swarms – unless of course you decide to use their huge nests as a football! Hornets are large wasps and live their life cycles fairly peacefully and do not prey on humans.
Why am I mentioning this? Well in early May I spotted my first Hornet (a Queen) in Tatsfield; it was looking for a nesting site around my wood store and in my garage. It was a common European Hornet that looks like a large noisy wasp. It sounds a bit like a noisy Bumble Bee and flies much slower than the common wasp. Just in case you should see one and think it is the Asian Hornet just remember this chap is much darker than the typical yellow and wasp stripes and it has yellow ‘socks’ on its legs – they common European Hornet has dark coloured legs.
Hornets are difficult to kill so if you have a large grey football shaped nest you should get in touch with a professional pest controller who has the right stuff but it may not work in one single treatment, better still why not leave it alone. However we are being encouraged to report sightings of Asian Hornets so if you think you have an Asian Hornet nest you should report it to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk
My weather station recorded nearly 80mm of rain (including wet snow) in April which is towards the top end of the long-term average and May is already looking to be average or below. There were a few frosty mornings but they soon dispersed; however many plants are now showing the effects of the earlier very cold weather.
Please remember that hedges must not be cut until after the end of the month at the very earliest as there are many bird species still nesting, many with second broods. If you must have your hedge cut please make sure that you have – very carefully - examined it to be sure there are no active nests.
I have been hearing tales of woe from gardeners with failed germinations with beans, peas and other vegetables. Seeds will not germinate in cold wet ground! After record winter rainfalls our Tatsfield clay is holding a large amount of water and clay is a soil that is slow to drain and warm up so be patient! Work the soil as soon as it starts to dry, add a little sharp sand to help it along and make a tilth ready for sowing.
I enjoy the debate about whether the Ash is before the Oak (there will be a soak e.g. lots of rain this summer) to form a full leaf canopy; I am happy to report that the Oak is well before the Ash so according to country folklore it will only be a ‘splash’ – we will see!
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE 17th May 2018
There are many inaccurate stories around about the Hornet, especially the ‘invasion’ of the Asian Hornet. There is no invasion of the Asian Hornet, its sting is not fatal unless you are highly susceptible to insect stings. It is true that the Asian Hornet is known to prey on honey bees but not exclusively so. Hornets do not attack humans in swarms – unless of course you decide to use their huge nests as a football! Hornets are large wasps and live their life cycles fairly peacefully and do not prey on humans.
Why am I mentioning this? Well in early May I spotted my first Hornet (a Queen) in Tatsfield; it was looking for a nesting site around my wood store and in my garage. It was a common European Hornet that looks like a large noisy wasp. It sounds a bit like a noisy Bumble Bee and flies much slower than the common wasp. Just in case you should see one and think it is the Asian Hornet just remember this chap is much darker than the typical yellow and wasp stripes and it has yellow ‘socks’ on its legs – they common European Hornet has dark coloured legs.
Hornets are difficult to kill so if you have a large grey football shaped nest you should get in touch with a professional pest controller who has the right stuff but it may not work in one single treatment, better still why not leave it alone. However we are being encouraged to report sightings of Asian Hornets so if you think you have an Asian Hornet nest you should report it to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk
My weather station recorded nearly 80mm of rain (including wet snow) in April which is towards the top end of the long-term average and May is already looking to be average or below. There were a few frosty mornings but they soon dispersed; however many plants are now showing the effects of the earlier very cold weather.
Please remember that hedges must not be cut until after the end of the month at the very earliest as there are many bird species still nesting, many with second broods. If you must have your hedge cut please make sure that you have – very carefully - examined it to be sure there are no active nests.
I have been hearing tales of woe from gardeners with failed germinations with beans, peas and other vegetables. Seeds will not germinate in cold wet ground! After record winter rainfalls our Tatsfield clay is holding a large amount of water and clay is a soil that is slow to drain and warm up so be patient! Work the soil as soon as it starts to dry, add a little sharp sand to help it along and make a tilth ready for sowing.
I enjoy the debate about whether the Ash is before the Oak (there will be a soak e.g. lots of rain this summer) to form a full leaf canopy; I am happy to report that the Oak is well before the Ash so according to country folklore it will only be a ‘splash’ – we will see!
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MARCH 22.02.2018
A popular topic in gardening is the question of plants growing over the boundaries of properties into adjacent gardens; what can, and can’t a neighbour do about it? In law there is no doubt, the property owner must ensure that he keeps his plants (including trees and hedges) within the boundaries of his property and not cause a nuisance or risk to his neighbours, footpaths or the highway. Where there are risks to highway users, and/or obstructions caused, a local authority can serve a notice on the landowner/occupier to cut back or make safe the offending growth; failure to comply can result in the work being done by the local authority and charged to the landowner/occupier – this can be very expensive!!
But what if overgrowing plants are preventing a neighbour from enjoying his/her garden because of the bulk of the growth, the shade or risk of falling branches? In this situation, the overhanging growth can be cut back to the boundary and the prunings returned to the owner. BUT before any action is taken it is vital to discuss the problem with the neighbouring landowner/occupier and reach an amicable agreement! It is very likely that the neighbour was just not aware that a nuisance was being caused and may readily agree to do the work, or agree that the work is completed by the neighbour, and the questions of cost and dealing with the waste are agreed. If the landowner is unknown, unhelpful, uncooperative or is unreasonable then the neighbour can ask the local authority to help – in this case it would be Tatsfield Parish or Tandridge District Councils. Try to avoid a confrontation or a dispute; do everything possible to reach agreement, have a look at the leaflet “Over the Garden Hedge” available on www.gov.uk
Rhubarb! Is Rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable? It is a vegetable that is often cooked with fruit and served as a dessert! It is delicious, nutritious and very easy to grow needing a sunny position and a nutrient rich soil. Our Tatsfield clay is not a favourite soil for Rhubarb but a bit of cultivation and mixing in plenty of good quality garden compost will do the trick. You can buy Rhubarb as bare root crowns or in pots to plant now, there is plenty of choice to provide a supply of early, mid or late varieties giving a good supply throughout the year. A few tips – don’t plant too deep or the crowns could rot – keep a good layer of mulch around the plant – leave the crowns uncovered over the winter to stimulate early growth – plant several crowns and cover one of them with a big clay pot or black bin in December to force the stems into early growth ready for early picking.
The weather for Tatsfield in January continued with rainfall above the average of around 70mm at just over 100mm recorded; however, our local reservoirs are still well below their winter levels. Temperatures were at or a bit above the average with minimums of around -3 (only a few of these) and maximums just in double figures. It was windy at times (gusts of over 40mph were recorded) with some minor damage.
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
For this edition, I want to talk about trees, especially the mature trees that might be growing in your garden. Judging by some of the awful examples of ‘tree pruning’ (I call it vandalism) around the village in recent years it seems that trees are being regarded as a nuisance, dropping leaves, casting shade, fears about branches falling down and causing damage and injury. How can I change your mind in the hope that you will come to regard your trees as an asset, a positive benefit to the local environment supporting many hundreds of species of insect, birds, moss and lichen? Unfortunately, there are no laws preventing you from doing anything you like to a tree, unless of course it is subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). If you are not sure whether your tree is preserved check with the Parish Council or Tandridge District Council Tree Officer. If, like me, you really value a mature tree in your garden why not enquire about having a TPO for it? That will make it more likely that it will be protected for the future – advice on this is available from the above.
I have been asked for my opinion of whether Ivy growing in trees is a good, or a bad, thing. This is a subject that generates heated debate amongst professionals and amateurs, this is what I think. If ivy grows right up into the crown of a mature tree it increases weight, reduces light and the free passage of air through the branches; this greatly increases resistance to wind and the risk of damage in a gale. Whilst I accept that it also provides good nesting for birds, I would not allow excess growth of ivy that puts the health of the tree at risk. Ivy can be controlled by carefully cutting through all the vines at the base, over a number of weeks the top growth will go brown and then the dead vines can easily be pulled down. However, if the tree is large and the ivy growth is high up, and heavy, you may need professional help.
There are some excellent tree surgeons offering their services in our local area, there are also some cowboys about! If you are considering having some tree work done please check that they are qualified, insured and have good references from local folk – do not be afraid to check the paperwork! Trees are a vital part of our environment, our visual landscape in Tatsfield would look very different without them.
My new weather station is working very well; in December, we had 135mm of rain (around 5”), that is more than our local average and much needed to top up our local reservoirs. Temperatures in Tatsfield in December varied from -5C to nearly plus 10C, about what we expect given our height above sea level and exposed position on top of the North Downs.
The rain has now encouraged the Daffodils to push through the soil and the growing points will be vulnerable where they have bee naturalised in grass; please be careful when walking around the edges of Westmore Green.
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2017
This year I planted some wallflowers at the edge of the lawn near the busy bird table and discovered that the wood pigeons are very partial – wallflowers are in the cabbage family! They are now protected by a barrier of black cotton thread fixed to canes around the outside, this should work as they usually land at the side and waddle in for the attack – we will see! Wallflowers will give you a variety of colours and fragrance in the Spring and will do well in Tatsfield if you can give them a sheltered sunny spot.
Cold weather is on the way but exactly how much and for how long is hard to guess. I see many Tatsfield gardeners are leaving in the ground and in containers geraniums and begonias still in flower – a risky strategy - take are of those tender plants now! Lift tender perennial bedding plants, put them in boxes, dust with Sulphur and store in a frost-free place. Check them regularly and remove any dead leaves use more Sulphur if necessary and avoid watering them unless they have become very dry.
Still looking for a Christmas present for a keen gardening relative? Why not give them some winter cheer with a bowl of bulbs already in bud to provide some colour, and maybe scent, on a cold dark winters day. If their garden has a dark shady spot why not buy them some ferns, hostas, bergenias or hellebores (Christmas Rose).
Our local garden centres have very good selections of small conifers that are ideal to mix with heathers to give height and shape to a planting scheme – but – be very careful to read the label and make sure it is a dwarf or medium sized plant; most labels should tell you how tall they will grow over 10 years. Also make sure to choose heathers that are suitable for our alkaline soil (lime tolerant), choose colours of Erica carnea or Erica darleyensis or Erica erigena. How about getting a young child interested in gardening and growing, give them some packets of flower or vegetable seeds, a container and some compost to get them started.
Two of the most popular pot plants to have over Christmas are cyclamen and poinsettias; when buying cyclamen try to choose a plant with plenty of unopened buds for a longer display; avoid buying a poinsettia with yellow or dropping leaves. Both plants prefer to be in a cool room and not near a fire or hot radiators, they also don’t like standing in water, overwatering is a killer!
September 2014
As the growing season starts to draw to a close we can look back with a great deal of satisfaction and what everyone seems to agree was a very good growing year. Particularly satisfying are the Ivy Leaved Geraniums in the baskets and mangers in the village centre; in previous years they just didn’t make enough growth and flower, not so this year! Top and bush fruit have done very well, I have solved the mystery of why I never have a crop of Redcurrants but have tons of Whitecurrants on a bush nearby. They flowered very well with lovely long trusses of fruitlets that developed nicely, but as they filled out and started to change colour they just disappeared in a matter of a few days. The answer is – Blackbirds! They clearly have an eye for colour and can’t resist them! I don’t like putting netting over the bushes as this can trap the birds making it very difficult to untangle them without cutting up the netting. The old CDs flashing as they twirl only work for a short while so it may be that I have to make a rigid cage if I want to enjoy Redcurrants next year!
Another mystery is why my Garlic failed to make decent sized bulbs and speaking to other allotment holders it seems that I am not alone – no idea why – any ideas? My onion sets grew very well except for my redskins that started to grow and then they died leaving me with just a few. If you have any space left after harvesting crops it is not too late to sow leafy vegetables like Pak Choi and late Lettuce varieties, with good growing weather this month you should have some early winter pickings until they succumb to the first frosts.
Growth in our ponds has also been very strong this year leaving some with no surface water to be seen at all. While this provides important shade and oxygen a complete cover of the surface is not ideal so now is a good time to carefully cut back some of the growth. Make sure to leave the cut material at the edge of the pond for a day to let the pond life return to the water before bagging it up for disposal.
Despite some very heavy rain at times the ground has become very dry especially amongst permanent plantings such as shrubs and perennials. I have noticed that the late summer flowering Cyclamen (Cyclamen hederaefolium) is very slow and just a few days after a good soaking with rainwater I now have that lovely carpet of pink/white flowers. If you decide to water where the ground is very dry remember to soak the soil, not the plant! It will take several sessions before you can be sure of penetrating our heavy soil.
At this time of the year I am asked to speculate about the kind of winter we are likely to have. The weather patterns are so unpredictable that by the time you read this we may have frost and snow on the ground! The very unusual early ground frosts in late September left many Tatsfielders (who were out and about very early) scraping their windscreens. The domination of high pressure over the UK may continue to be a feature and in November that means cold weather. A much more important question however is whether we are going to get a period of consistently, and much needed, wet weather. A wet and windy day here and there is not going to help much. Our total rainfall for September ended up at just 34mm in Tatsfield, that is less than half our long-term average and so far October looks like being below the long term average of 98mm – so far we have had just 13mm. Is winter coming early this year?, maybe!!
In anticipation of some good frosts this month make sure to dig over your vegetable plot and leave it in rough clods for the action of the frost to break it down into finer particles and make it much easier to prepare for sowing and planting next spring.
I am often asked questions about the proper management of hedges. Hedges are very important wildlife habitats and yard for yard they are cheaper that putting up a fence or a wall. They are much more attractive to look at especially if you mix up the species to provide flower, fruit and different coloured foliage. BUT – remember that planting fast growing conifers will present you with a major battle to keep them in shape – they want to grow up to 30metres high (100ft) as quick as they can!! If your hedge is adjacent to a footpath it must be kept within your boundary; if it is allowed to hang over – and obstruct – the path you may be contacted by the Parish or County Council (see the letter from Cllr Hodge in the October Parish Magazine) requiring you to cut it back to your boundary. If you do not do this then they may do it and charge you! Now the big question – when should I cut my hedge? Your top priority is to avoid cutting it when there is a risk if disturbing nesting birds – that can be from February to July. If you must do it in this period then you must check the hedge very carefully to be sure there are no active nests. This is particularly important if you are carrying out heavy pruning to re-shape the hedge. Lastly remember that the top of a formal hedge should be narrower than the bottom to allow light and rain to reach the base. If your hedge is overgrown now is the time to get it cut back and reshaped!
Are you planning to buy plants, flower and vegetable seeds for next year? I have good news for you – Tatsfield Horticultural Society (THS) is now a member of Suttons Group Scheme; under this scheme members will receive 50% discount of their seed order and 15% off other products in the Suttons Catalogue. The 2019 catalogue will be available to members when they renew their membership early next year. For details on how to join THS contact Christine Stainer on christinestainer@yahoo.com or call her on 577803
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN NOVEMBER.
At this time of the year I am asked to speculate about the kind of winter we are likely to have. The weather patterns are so unpredictable that by the time you read this we may have frost and snow on the ground! The very unusual early ground frosts in late September left many Tatsfielders (who were out and about very early) scraping their windscreens. The domination of high pressure over the UK may continue to be a feature and in November that means cold weather. A much more important question however is whether we are going to get a period of consistently, and much needed, wet weather. A wet and windy day here and there is not going to help much. Our total rainfall for September ended up at just 34mm in Tatsfield, that is less than half our long-term average and so far October looks like being below the long term average of 98mm – so far we have had just 13mm. Is winter coming early this year?, maybe!!
In anticipation of some good frosts this month make sure to dig over your vegetable plot and leave it in rough clods for the action of the frost to break it down into finer particles and make it much easier to prepare for sowing and planting next spring.
I am often asked questions about the proper management of hedges. Hedges are very important wildlife habitats and yard for yard they are cheaper that putting up a fence or a wall. They are much more attractive to look at especially if you mix up the species to provide flower, fruit and different coloured foliage. BUT – remember that planting fast growing conifers will present you with a major battle to keep them in shape – they want to grow up to 30metres high (100ft) as quick as they can!! If your hedge is adjacent to a footpath it must be kept within your boundary; if it is allowed to hang over – and obstruct – the path you may be contacted by the Parish or County Council (see the letter from Cllr Hodge in the October Parish Magazine) requiring you to cut it back to your boundary. If you do not do this then they may do it and charge you! Now the big question – when should I cut my hedge? Your top priority is to avoid cutting it when there is a risk if disturbing nesting birds – that can be from February to July. If you must do it in this period then you must check the hedge very carefully to be sure there are no active nests. This is particularly important if you are carrying out heavy pruning to re-shape the hedge. Lastly remember that the top of a formal hedge should be narrower than the bottom to allow light and rain to reach the base. If your hedge is overgrown now is the time to get it cut back and reshaped!
Are you planning to buy plants, flower and vegetable seeds for next year? I have good news for you – Tatsfield Horticultural Society (THS) is now a member of Suttons Group Scheme; under this scheme members will receive 50% discount of their seed order and 15% off other products in the Suttons Catalogue. The 2019 catalogue will be available to members when they renew their membership early next year. For details on how to join THS contact Christine Stainer on christinestainer@yahoo.com or call her on 577803
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN OCTOBER
Tatsfield has done it again; a Gold Medal in the South and South East in Bloom competition! Congratulations to all our wonderful Tatsfield Community Volunteers for making keeping our village right up to the Gold Standard throughout the year – this is no mean task as the other competing villages get better every year. The Tatsfield in Bloom Group are always looking for more volunteers – many hands make light work – if you would like to have a chat about how you can get involved in keeping Tatsfield looking great why not contact Jill Hancock on jillhancock12@gmail.com or ring her on 577622. The In Bloom Group will be meeting this month to discuss our plans for next year – every year we have a new theme – if you have an idea of something special happening in the village next year get in touch and let us know!
Our weather continues to be very dry overall but I am expecting that we will begin to see rainfall at more normal levels this month at long last. August turned out to be just above the long-term average with 85mm of rain that was really useful, it made a big difference to hedgerow fruit that was looking very poor in July. September is looking like being very dry with only 4.4 mm by the 15th.
Many of our trees have lost their leaves very early this year but this does not mean that they have died. It is not unusual for Limes, Birch, Chestnut and Cherries and some others to lose their leaf canopy early after a very hot spell; if our rainfall levels return to the averages expected then these trees should recover and present a full canopy next year. If you have a lot of early leaf fall on your lawn make sure to sweep them up as soon as possible at this layer can prevent the grass from recovering after such a long dry spell.
If you want a good show of winter and spring colour make sure to plant your Primulas, Polyanthus, Pansies, Violas, Bellis (Daisies), Wallflowers, Forget me Nots and spring flowering bulbs as soon as they are available, usually at the end of the month. This gives them time to make some stem and root growth before the cooler weather sets in. It is very important to make sure to give them a good drink of water if the dry weather continues.
With our winters tending to start much later there is still time to fill in those gaps in the vegetable garden with some quick growing crops. Sow winter lettuce, salad leaves, spring onions, radishes, stump rooted carrots – go on give it a try!
IDENTIFYING AND MANAGING JAPANESE KNOTWEED IN YOUR GARDEN.
Japanese Knotweed has been a problem weed in our gardens, in the countryside and industrial sites for a very long time. It was first introduced around the late 1880s as a garden curiosity and soon spread over a large area of Europe. In the UK it is a major problem over much of the South, South East, South West, the Midlands, Wales and is spreading steadily northwards.
It has the ability to break up concrete and paving, it is very persistent and spreads underground, it has proved to be a most difficult weed to control; for these reasons where it has been found it has caused a blight over the value of houses and is a major limiting factor for potential development sites.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act it has been identified as an invasive species and it is illegal for any person to move any piece of it, and plant or dispose of it as normal waste. You are not obliged by law to remove it from your garden; but you could be liable if it is proved that your infestation has invaded a neighbours property. If you decide that you want to dispose of this weed (roots or stems) or move any soil or rubble containing parts of it, you can only do so by using a specialist, licensed, waste disposal contractor. Moving any waste containing Japanese Knotweed must be carried only by a specialist contractor to a designated and licensed waste disposal site; you must retain your copy of the Waste Transfer Notice as proof that you have complied with the Law.
The Parish Council is taking action to have a few small outcrops of Japanese Knotweed treated on parish land. This process is likely to take three to five years of annual treatments before we can be sure it has been totally destroyed. Treating Japanese Knotweed in your own garden with a herbicide specifically approved for this purpose is possible if there are only small areas of infection; however a large established infestation will require specialist treatment by a licensed contractor using industrial equipment.
We are very keen to know where this troublesome weed is growing elsewhere in Tatsfield; we would like to hear from homeowners and landowners who think they may have been invaded. Please look at the pictures attached to this article and/or contact the Parish Clerk at clerk@tatsfieldparishcouncil.org.uk, the Royal Horticultural Society has a very good section on Japanese Knotweed on their website www.rhs.org.uk
Jon Allbutt
577100
TATSFIELD GARDENER IN SEPTEMBER
Our gardens are gradually beginning to recover from the very hot dry spell this summer. We had just 2.2mm (a tiny amount) of rain in June and temperatures as high as 23C; in July we had no rain at all until Friday 29th when the dry spell broke with a violent storm, and by Sunday 31st we had a total rainfall of 29mm (just over an inch and well below the long term average); the hot weather in July peaked with a record high of 35.2C on the Thursday 26th, during this week the night time minimum temperatures hovered just below 20C; August looks like being a fairly average month for rain and temperatures although on the 9th we had 19mm of rain!
Despite the cooler temperatures and some rain, conditions remain serious in our gardens with evidence around the village of drought damage to some trees, shrubs and hedges, cutting back dead branches will make the gardens look tidier but it will be next spring before we know whether the damage is serious enough to require hard cutting back or removal of dead plants. I have lost a number of small shrubs that have been in position for nearly 20 years and have decided that it is time for a clear out. Cutting down and clearing out now is good as it allows time to cultivate the soil, add some much needed compost, deal with any perennial weeds and get ready for planting before the end of the year.
The good news is that yields of some vegetables and fruit trees is very good but our hedgerow fruit was much reduced except for a few areas where there is moisture in the ground.
My lawn was not watered during the dry spell and now has large brown patches of dead grass. I have cut the green bits very close and scarified the whole area in several directions to remove all the dead material – if you don’t have a scarifier use a wire rake, very good exercise! = the bare patches have been sown with a pre-germinated grass seed. Pre-germinating grass seed is very easy to do, mix a handful of grass seed thoroughly in a bucketful of slightly damp sandy soil top dressing mixture; keep it in the bucket, cover it and leave for three or four days then put it into the bare areas firming it gently; water it lightly if the weather is dry and it will be up and growing in about a week.
It has been a super year for many insect species and that includes the wasp! This is a great worry for those who react badly to a wasp sting and it is very wise to have nests treated that are near the house. In general they are not very aggressive and not much interested in humans, but they will react if disturbed! They are gardeners friends like so many of this group of insects so please do not wage war on them unnecessarily! For those of us who have wood burning stoves it is good to remember that the queen wasps will be overwintering in our log stores. To avoid bringing them indoors – and waking them up! – fill your log baskets during the day; it is easy to carefully pick off a sleeping wasp and move her somewhere safe.
Jon Allbutt
577100
15th August 2018
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE
There are many inaccurate stories around about the Hornet, especially the ‘invasion’ of the Asian Hornet. There is no invasion of the Asian Hornet, its sting is not fatal unless you are highly susceptible to insect stings. It is true that the Asian Hornet is known to prey on honey bees but not exclusively so. Hornets do not attack humans in swarms – unless of course you decide to use their huge nests as a football! Hornets are large wasps and live their life cycles fairly peacefully and do not prey on humans.
Why am I mentioning this? Well in early May I spotted my first Hornet (a Queen) in Tatsfield; it was looking for a nesting site around my wood store and in my garage. It was a common European Hornet that looks like a large noisy wasp. It sounds a bit like a noisy Bumble Bee and flies much slower than the common wasp. Just in case you should see one and think it is the Asian Hornet just remember this chap is much darker than the typical yellow and wasp stripes and it has yellow ‘socks’ on its legs – they common European Hornet has dark coloured legs.
Hornets are difficult to kill so if you have a large grey football shaped nest you should get in touch with a professional pest controller who has the right stuff but it may not work in one single treatment, better still why not leave it alone. However we are being encouraged to report sightings of Asian Hornets so if you think you have an Asian Hornet nest you should report it to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk
My weather station recorded nearly 80mm of rain (including wet snow) in April which is towards the top end of the long-term average and May is already looking to be average or below. There were a few frosty mornings but they soon dispersed; however many plants are now showing the effects of the earlier very cold weather.
Please remember that hedges must not be cut until after the end of the month at the very earliest as there are many bird species still nesting, many with second broods. If you must have your hedge cut please make sure that you have – very carefully - examined it to be sure there are no active nests.
I have been hearing tales of woe from gardeners with failed germinations with beans, peas and other vegetables. Seeds will not germinate in cold wet ground! After record winter rainfalls our Tatsfield clay is holding a large amount of water and clay is a soil that is slow to drain and warm up so be patient! Work the soil as soon as it starts to dry, add a little sharp sand to help it along and make a tilth ready for sowing.
I enjoy the debate about whether the Ash is before the Oak (there will be a soak e.g. lots of rain this summer) to form a full leaf canopy; I am happy to report that the Oak is well before the Ash so according to country folklore it will only be a ‘splash’ – we will see!
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE 17th May 2018
There are many inaccurate stories around about the Hornet, especially the ‘invasion’ of the Asian Hornet. There is no invasion of the Asian Hornet, its sting is not fatal unless you are highly susceptible to insect stings. It is true that the Asian Hornet is known to prey on honey bees but not exclusively so. Hornets do not attack humans in swarms – unless of course you decide to use their huge nests as a football! Hornets are large wasps and live their life cycles fairly peacefully and do not prey on humans.
Why am I mentioning this? Well in early May I spotted my first Hornet (a Queen) in Tatsfield; it was looking for a nesting site around my wood store and in my garage. It was a common European Hornet that looks like a large noisy wasp. It sounds a bit like a noisy Bumble Bee and flies much slower than the common wasp. Just in case you should see one and think it is the Asian Hornet just remember this chap is much darker than the typical yellow and wasp stripes and it has yellow ‘socks’ on its legs – they common European Hornet has dark coloured legs.
Hornets are difficult to kill so if you have a large grey football shaped nest you should get in touch with a professional pest controller who has the right stuff but it may not work in one single treatment, better still why not leave it alone. However we are being encouraged to report sightings of Asian Hornets so if you think you have an Asian Hornet nest you should report it to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk
My weather station recorded nearly 80mm of rain (including wet snow) in April which is towards the top end of the long-term average and May is already looking to be average or below. There were a few frosty mornings but they soon dispersed; however many plants are now showing the effects of the earlier very cold weather.
Please remember that hedges must not be cut until after the end of the month at the very earliest as there are many bird species still nesting, many with second broods. If you must have your hedge cut please make sure that you have – very carefully - examined it to be sure there are no active nests.
I have been hearing tales of woe from gardeners with failed germinations with beans, peas and other vegetables. Seeds will not germinate in cold wet ground! After record winter rainfalls our Tatsfield clay is holding a large amount of water and clay is a soil that is slow to drain and warm up so be patient! Work the soil as soon as it starts to dry, add a little sharp sand to help it along and make a tilth ready for sowing.
I enjoy the debate about whether the Ash is before the Oak (there will be a soak e.g. lots of rain this summer) to form a full leaf canopy; I am happy to report that the Oak is well before the Ash so according to country folklore it will only be a ‘splash’ – we will see!
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MARCH 22.02.2018
A popular topic in gardening is the question of plants growing over the boundaries of properties into adjacent gardens; what can, and can’t a neighbour do about it? In law there is no doubt, the property owner must ensure that he keeps his plants (including trees and hedges) within the boundaries of his property and not cause a nuisance or risk to his neighbours, footpaths or the highway. Where there are risks to highway users, and/or obstructions caused, a local authority can serve a notice on the landowner/occupier to cut back or make safe the offending growth; failure to comply can result in the work being done by the local authority and charged to the landowner/occupier – this can be very expensive!!
But what if overgrowing plants are preventing a neighbour from enjoying his/her garden because of the bulk of the growth, the shade or risk of falling branches? In this situation, the overhanging growth can be cut back to the boundary and the prunings returned to the owner. BUT before any action is taken it is vital to discuss the problem with the neighbouring landowner/occupier and reach an amicable agreement! It is very likely that the neighbour was just not aware that a nuisance was being caused and may readily agree to do the work, or agree that the work is completed by the neighbour, and the questions of cost and dealing with the waste are agreed. If the landowner is unknown, unhelpful, uncooperative or is unreasonable then the neighbour can ask the local authority to help – in this case it would be Tatsfield Parish or Tandridge District Councils. Try to avoid a confrontation or a dispute; do everything possible to reach agreement, have a look at the leaflet “Over the Garden Hedge” available on www.gov.uk
Rhubarb! Is Rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable? It is a vegetable that is often cooked with fruit and served as a dessert! It is delicious, nutritious and very easy to grow needing a sunny position and a nutrient rich soil. Our Tatsfield clay is not a favourite soil for Rhubarb but a bit of cultivation and mixing in plenty of good quality garden compost will do the trick. You can buy Rhubarb as bare root crowns or in pots to plant now, there is plenty of choice to provide a supply of early, mid or late varieties giving a good supply throughout the year. A few tips – don’t plant too deep or the crowns could rot – keep a good layer of mulch around the plant – leave the crowns uncovered over the winter to stimulate early growth – plant several crowns and cover one of them with a big clay pot or black bin in December to force the stems into early growth ready for early picking.
The weather for Tatsfield in January continued with rainfall above the average of around 70mm at just over 100mm recorded; however, our local reservoirs are still well below their winter levels. Temperatures were at or a bit above the average with minimums of around -3 (only a few of these) and maximums just in double figures. It was windy at times (gusts of over 40mph were recorded) with some minor damage.
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
For this edition, I want to talk about trees, especially the mature trees that might be growing in your garden. Judging by some of the awful examples of ‘tree pruning’ (I call it vandalism) around the village in recent years it seems that trees are being regarded as a nuisance, dropping leaves, casting shade, fears about branches falling down and causing damage and injury. How can I change your mind in the hope that you will come to regard your trees as an asset, a positive benefit to the local environment supporting many hundreds of species of insect, birds, moss and lichen? Unfortunately, there are no laws preventing you from doing anything you like to a tree, unless of course it is subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). If you are not sure whether your tree is preserved check with the Parish Council or Tandridge District Council Tree Officer. If, like me, you really value a mature tree in your garden why not enquire about having a TPO for it? That will make it more likely that it will be protected for the future – advice on this is available from the above.
I have been asked for my opinion of whether Ivy growing in trees is a good, or a bad, thing. This is a subject that generates heated debate amongst professionals and amateurs, this is what I think. If ivy grows right up into the crown of a mature tree it increases weight, reduces light and the free passage of air through the branches; this greatly increases resistance to wind and the risk of damage in a gale. Whilst I accept that it also provides good nesting for birds, I would not allow excess growth of ivy that puts the health of the tree at risk. Ivy can be controlled by carefully cutting through all the vines at the base, over a number of weeks the top growth will go brown and then the dead vines can easily be pulled down. However, if the tree is large and the ivy growth is high up, and heavy, you may need professional help.
There are some excellent tree surgeons offering their services in our local area, there are also some cowboys about! If you are considering having some tree work done please check that they are qualified, insured and have good references from local folk – do not be afraid to check the paperwork! Trees are a vital part of our environment, our visual landscape in Tatsfield would look very different without them.
My new weather station is working very well; in December, we had 135mm of rain (around 5”), that is more than our local average and much needed to top up our local reservoirs. Temperatures in Tatsfield in December varied from -5C to nearly plus 10C, about what we expect given our height above sea level and exposed position on top of the North Downs.
The rain has now encouraged the Daffodils to push through the soil and the growing points will be vulnerable where they have bee naturalised in grass; please be careful when walking around the edges of Westmore Green.
THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2017
This year I planted some wallflowers at the edge of the lawn near the busy bird table and discovered that the wood pigeons are very partial – wallflowers are in the cabbage family! They are now protected by a barrier of black cotton thread fixed to canes around the outside, this should work as they usually land at the side and waddle in for the attack – we will see! Wallflowers will give you a variety of colours and fragrance in the Spring and will do well in Tatsfield if you can give them a sheltered sunny spot.
Cold weather is on the way but exactly how much and for how long is hard to guess. I see many Tatsfield gardeners are leaving in the ground and in containers geraniums and begonias still in flower – a risky strategy - take are of those tender plants now! Lift tender perennial bedding plants, put them in boxes, dust with Sulphur and store in a frost-free place. Check them regularly and remove any dead leaves use more Sulphur if necessary and avoid watering them unless they have become very dry.
Still looking for a Christmas present for a keen gardening relative? Why not give them some winter cheer with a bowl of bulbs already in bud to provide some colour, and maybe scent, on a cold dark winters day. If their garden has a dark shady spot why not buy them some ferns, hostas, bergenias or hellebores (Christmas Rose).
Our local garden centres have very good selections of small conifers that are ideal to mix with heathers to give height and shape to a planting scheme – but – be very careful to read the label and make sure it is a dwarf or medium sized plant; most labels should tell you how tall they will grow over 10 years. Also make sure to choose heathers that are suitable for our alkaline soil (lime tolerant), choose colours of Erica carnea or Erica darleyensis or Erica erigena. How about getting a young child interested in gardening and growing, give them some packets of flower or vegetable seeds, a container and some compost to get them started.
Two of the most popular pot plants to have over Christmas are cyclamen and poinsettias; when buying cyclamen try to choose a plant with plenty of unopened buds for a longer display; avoid buying a poinsettia with yellow or dropping leaves. Both plants prefer to be in a cool room and not near a fire or hot radiators, they also don’t like standing in water, overwatering is a killer!
September 2014
As the growing season starts to draw to a close we can look back with a great deal of satisfaction and what everyone seems to agree was a very good growing year. Particularly satisfying are the Ivy Leaved Geraniums in the baskets and mangers in the village centre; in previous years they just didn’t make enough growth and flower, not so this year! Top and bush fruit have done very well, I have solved the mystery of why I never have a crop of Redcurrants but have tons of Whitecurrants on a bush nearby. They flowered very well with lovely long trusses of fruitlets that developed nicely, but as they filled out and started to change colour they just disappeared in a matter of a few days. The answer is – Blackbirds! They clearly have an eye for colour and can’t resist them! I don’t like putting netting over the bushes as this can trap the birds making it very difficult to untangle them without cutting up the netting. The old CDs flashing as they twirl only work for a short while so it may be that I have to make a rigid cage if I want to enjoy Redcurrants next year!
Another mystery is why my Garlic failed to make decent sized bulbs and speaking to other allotment holders it seems that I am not alone – no idea why – any ideas? My onion sets grew very well except for my redskins that started to grow and then they died leaving me with just a few. If you have any space left after harvesting crops it is not too late to sow leafy vegetables like Pak Choi and late Lettuce varieties, with good growing weather this month you should have some early winter pickings until they succumb to the first frosts.
Growth in our ponds has also been very strong this year leaving some with no surface water to be seen at all. While this provides important shade and oxygen a complete cover of the surface is not ideal so now is a good time to carefully cut back some of the growth. Make sure to leave the cut material at the edge of the pond for a day to let the pond life return to the water before bagging it up for disposal.
Despite some very heavy rain at times the ground has become very dry especially amongst permanent plantings such as shrubs and perennials. I have noticed that the late summer flowering Cyclamen (Cyclamen hederaefolium) is very slow and just a few days after a good soaking with rainwater I now have that lovely carpet of pink/white flowers. If you decide to water where the ground is very dry remember to soak the soil, not the plant! It will take several sessions before you can be sure of penetrating our heavy soil.
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