THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2023
The rainfall in November has been a bit above average and will need to stay that way if we are to replenish our deep underground aquifers before next spring. Despite the rainfall, the percolation through the chalk into the aquifers will take many months. It is about this time that I am asked about the chances of snow for Christmas and I remind folk that in Tatsfield it is not unusual for us to get some snow in late November and December. It is never very much and disappears quite quickly. The long term forecast shows that it is cooling down towards the end of November and likely to be more settled this month as high pressure builds over us, that means there could be some frosty mornings. As for a white Christmas maybe our old folk lore knows a thing or two! “If Christmas day be bright and clear, there will be two winters in the year” “If December be changeable and mild, the whole winter will remain a child” After waiting nearly a year I received a small specimen of the Curry Plant (Murraya koneigii), not to be confused with the common name for a silvery garden plant called Helichrysum italicum. This is the plant mentioned in recipe books and by enthusiasts for cooking curries, it is used a bit like fresh Coriander leaves, added to a dish before serving. It is not an easy plant to grow, needs an even temperature of around 15-20C, lots of light, and very careful watering and feeding. Why bother?, I love the pungent smell of the leaves, shop bought so called fresh curry leaves are dry and hardly smell at all, and of course there is the challenge of keeping it alive over the winter months. The plant is now sitting in the conservatory under its own grow light, we will see how it progresses. A grow light is a valuable piece of kit for plants that suffer from lack of light, a bit like us on dull days!, it is also very useful for bringing on early seedlings of vegetables and flowers in the spring – makes a very good Christmas present for a keen gardener? Cyclamen and Poinsettias are very popular house plants (and make a lovely present) at this time of the year but they often deteriorate quickly, why is this? They are grown commercially in cool conditions, sometimes with extra light; our modern houses are too warm and these plants can suffer a big shock, try and keep them in a cool spot, especially not near a hot radiator or fire; watering also needs careful attention as many plants are full of roots and dry out quickly. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN NOVEMBER 2023 As I write these notes (16th October) we have already had our second ground frost! Although it is not unusual to have our first ground frost by the end of October, I think this is a record! What does it mean? Folklore would suggest that early frost combined with such a big crop of wild fruit in our hedgerows indicates a hard winter ahead. There is no science to support this of course but who knows how our winter will turn out! Once again I am being asked whether Dahlias planted in garden soil should be lifted and stored over winter, or can they be left in situ, and if they survive, will they flower earlier? Any perennial plant with soft fleshy roots/tubers left in the soil over winter is vulnerable to attack by slugs and rotting diseases especially if it is a wet winter. Our heavy Tatsfield soil holds moisture and that increases the chances of damage. If we have a series of hard frosts and the soil freezes, that will also cause damage to soft fleshy roots. What are the chances of Tatsfield having a mild dry winter? I would not bet on it! I will be taking up and bringing into the greenhouse my Dahlias, Brugmansias (Datura) Fuchsias, Cannas, Begonias and Abutilon, and putting them in trays, or pots, and covering them in old compost from my mangers and hanging baskets (if you do this make sure to check old compost for the dreaded Vine Weevil grubs). I will trim the tops and collect leaves as they fall off; I will mix sulphur powder into the compost and dust it over the tops of the plants. Over the winter months I will keep the compost dryish and regularly check for signs of damage or rotting applying more sulphur as needed. Another garden query is, should roses be pruned back now? Vigorous roses can be trimmed back by half as part of the autumn garden tidy up, Buddleias can also be trimmed back where they are hanging over borders or paths. This is not pruning! Cutting these plants hard back now could promote growth that can be damaged by winter frosts. Bear in mind that it is not a great idea to be too tidy as many plants are carrying a lot of seed that is a vital source of food for birds. Then there is the question, can I stop mowing now? No, keep on mowing as long as the grass is growing! But make sure to mow the grass lightly, that is leaving it longer that you would in the summer months, it looks better and will not grow back so vigorously. If you have planted Violas and Pansies make sure to check them weekly and remove the seed pods, this promotes flower buds in the milder periods over winter. Producing seed pods take a huge amount of energy and this is what inhibits the production of flower buds. A final autumn tip is to get your bulbs planted now to make sure they root properly and make sturdy growth as soon as the weather improves in early spring. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN SEPTEMBER 2023 - GARDENING NOTES The much reported ‘record’ high temperatures in July and August did not reflect our weather in Tatsfield. A lot of Tatsfield gardeners are asking me why their tomatoes are not ripening; my view is that with night time temperatures in single figures in August, disappointing levels of sunshine and only average daytime temperatures could be the answer! My greenhouse tomatoes are only now just starting to colour up, very late. In contrast however my jalapeno and sweet peppers are doing very well. My challenge to grow that lovely vegetable Okra (Bindi on the menu in an Indian restaurant) continues! I have four plants in the greenhouse now nearly 3’ tall and in flower, but as yet I have nothing to pick. I was aiming to be able to put them in the Autumn Show on the 9th September but I am not hopeful now. The arrival of the rain in July and August was perfectly timed for leafy green vegetables, salads and top fruit (apples, pears etc). Hedgerow fruit is looking very good, I will be making sloe gin this year! Keeping the harvested rainwater clean in my two water butts has been a real challenge despite both being fitted with lids. I tried some non-chemical ‘bio’ tablets that claim they will kill the bugs and other nasties that make the water smell, but sadly they didn’t work. Using chemicals to clean rainwater is potentially dangerous to plants, especially if they are in containers, there is also the concern of contaminating fruit such as tomatoes, cucumbers etc. I will keep on looking for an answer and will update you next month. This is a ‘wasp year’! I have four nests in the garden, all of them close to the house with a few stings to dogs and grandchildren. Wasps are gardeners friends as they have a big appetite for garden bugs, but unfortunately they are not very thoughtful where they build there nests. Please think carefully before deciding that the nest has to be killed; wasp killers are available in garden centre and hardware stores, we also have a local pest control contractor who advertises in the Parish Magazine. My four small cuttings of Brugmansia (Angels Trumpets) that I bought in March are now 4’ tall and in flower, a lovely evening fragrance (they are pollinated by moths), watch out for my rooted cuttings on sale at next years THS Plant Sale! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JULY / AUGUST 2023 - GARDENING NOTES As I write, we are now over 30 days without significant rainfall and the medium term forecast remains largely dry with only light showers possible. The lack of spring frosts has been good for fruit set with a good show of fruitlets on my Bramley and Howgate Wonder (huge apples!), but if it does not rain then there will be a big ‘June drop’. Our local trees have made a very large amount of early summer growth, the big beech in my back garden had made more than 18” of stem growth by mid June and a huge amount of flower which clogs the gutters as it falls, we will see if the seed has set and maybe we will have a big ‘beech mast’ (a large fall of ripe beech nuts). The tomatoes, cucumbers (I will be picking cucumbers by the end of June) and melons in my new greenhouse are nearly three foot tall with flower and young fruit setting already. My peppers and the aubergine seem not to like the hot weather so much, despite open windows and doors the temperatures are around the 30s in the afternoon. My Okra (Ladies Fingers) seedlings continue to be a challenge! They are prone to damping off (a fungus disease on the stem at soil level) and are growing very slowly despite the hot weather, I will fight on and hopefully have some ready to show at the Autumn Show! My system for saving rainwater using a pair of connected 250 litre water butts is working very well but I am having problems keeping the water clean and fresh despite the butts being on the North side of my new shed and are fitted with lids. I am trying out a natural solution using dried bugs as tablets that dissolve in water and multiply, they are supposed to eat up all the smelly algae, I will report on progress with this! If you have summer flowering plants in containers it is time to make sure you are removing old flower heads, dead leaves, and give them a liquid feed. The recent hot spell of weather may have caused some scorch to leaves and flower buds, don’t hesitate to remove them to encourage new growth. Remember it is important to only water these containers in the late evening to allow the plants to absorb and rehydrate overnight and reduce loss by evaporation. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE 2023 Although it has not been great weather for being out and about, it is excellent growing weather and the high rainfall will top up our reserves and bodes well for the summer months. This month should be drier and warmer, maybe even hot! My rainwater harvesting system – a pair of 230litre water butts made of recycled plastic – is working very well, I am now planning how to keep the water free of algae and insect pests. There are a lot of potions for sale making bold claims but surprisingly few actual details of how effective they are and what they control, watch this space! All is well in my new greenhouse with all summer annuals and perennials out and mostly planted already. The automatic roof vents are very effective, saves on frequent visits to check temperatures, opening and closing to try and keep a consistent temperature. My new grow boxes (thank you David Bacon!) are in position and the tomatoes, cucumbers and melons are growing well; the peppers and aubergines are doing well in pots and will soon be taken out into a sunny spot. I made a second sowing of one of my favourite vegetables (Okra or Ladies Fingers) and they are doing well. Okra can grow to 4’ tall and produce a huge crop – we will see! Top and tail them, then cut across into small pieces; now almost dry fry them with spices of your choice and plenty of garlic until they start to cook but remove them from the pan before they go soft! They make a super side dish for a curry! If you fancy trying to grow some give me a call (577100). It is very important to keep your greenhouse as dry as possible, this greatly reduces risks of mildew, botrytis and other nasty rotting diseases. Water the soil around your plants only, do not splash water around on the floor and benches and keep all windows and vents open in hot weather. My manger and hanging baskets are doing well, it is not too late to plant up containers this month. I am using recycled waste coconut fibre (called coir) bought in rolls so I can shape them properly. I am using slow release fertiliser and water retaining granules in my non peat multipurpose compost. The granules are small and white in the packet but quickly swell into wobbly jellies within the compost, as the compost dries, they release the water for the plant to use, this greatly reduces the need for frequent watering. A word of warning! Just because the surface of the compost is looking very dry it does not mean the whole container needs watering, poke a finger gently into the compost and check before watering. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MAY 2023 After a long period of very wet and cold weather, the end of April saw our soggy soil start to dry out and the weather turned milder. The message for all Tatsfield gardeners is “don’t panic!”, be patient. It may be a bit late but preparation for sowing and planting this month will be very good and your plants will catch up. To help this process you will need to cover the area around newly planted shrubs and perennial with a good much – the Tatsfield Composters have lots of Black Gold waiting for you to collect (Saturday mornings 10.00 – 12.00 and Wednesday afternoons 14.00 – 16.00). I have a feeling that rainfall levels this month will be average to below average and you may have to water new plants and seedlings. As part of my new greenhouse project, I have installed two, 230 litre water butts, both of them were full by the end of April. Rainwater is free of the chemicals necessary to ensure our drinking water is safe, this is not harmful to most plants but there are some that are intolerant of alkaline (hard) water. All plants love rainwater and you are saving mains water! Have you noticed how well our spring wild flowers are doing? This is especially so of our native wild Primrose; numbers are increasing on Tatsfield and Westmore Greens and along our hedgerows. If you are lucky enough to have Primroses in your garden remember how important it is not to cut off the flower heads until the seed capsules have turned brown and liberated those tiny brown seeds, this can take four to six weeks after flowering. The seeds will quickly geminate and grow as tiny plants that grow slowly taking up to two years before they flower. In the greenhouse my tiny summer bedding plug plants are thriving in their 6cm multi-cell trays. I am keeping night time temperatures at 10C and a minimum of 15C by day. The automatic roof vents are working very well if a bit slow to react to the sudden drop in temperature with those cold April showers. Last year I sowed my Okra (Ladies Fingers or Bindi) in early March, it was too cold and I lost all of them; this year I sowed them in early April with a minimum temperature of 18C. As soon as they germinated I took them off the bottom heat and under my growlight for 14 hours a day. They are doing well now and – fingers crossed – I will have some for sale in pots at the THS Plant Sale on Saturday 13th May! My Dahlias are growing strongly in pots and have joined the Sweet Peas and Sunflowers outside now; keeping them in the greenhouse will result in too much soft growth that makes them very vulnerable to wind damage. This year I am trying Suttons (THS members get big discounts on Suttons seeds and plants!) grafted Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Aubergines and Sweet Peppers – deliver will be this month fingers crossed!! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN APRIL 2023 There seems to be a pattern emerging for our local weather, the winter is starting later and the long term forecast for April suggests that the cold weather may come and go with brief periods of cold frosty weather in the first half of the month. Perhaps I am wrong and this year we see a warm start to the growing season; take care to protect your vulnerable plants growing outdoors and be ready to cover them with a light cloth or some saved bubble wrap Our heavy clay soil is very wet now so be patient, there is no advantage to be gained by putting plants and seed in cold wet soil, you will be surprised how quickly they catch up when the weather improves My new greenhouse was delivered at the end of March; after much debate I have chosen a wooden frame with the side glazing only down to bench height. It is oriented North/South to give equal amounts of light on the East and West sides, this is particularly important for light in the winter months. I have chosen an electric fan blown heater so that it can be used to circulate air without any heating, important in hot weather and to also reduce humidity. On the benches I am fitting shallow trays with capillary matting , this will allow the plants to take up water as they need it, but each plant will need checking regularly because there will always be a dry spot due to very small unevenesses to the levels of the benches. I am fitting a water tank to harvest and store rainwater; mains water – especially our local hard water – is treated with various chemicals to keep it safe for us to drink, this not always suitable for growing plants, rainwater is much more suitable for plants. We also need to be aware of the risk of restrictions on our use of water again this year. Our local reservoirs are near to capacity but some of our groundwater aquifers are still not full and this is very significant for our local area When your primroses and cowslips have finished flowering please do not remove the flower heads (they will be full of seed pods) until they have turned brown, split open, and release ripe seeds to start a new generation of plants. You can spread these plants around your garden by harvesting the seed heads as they turn brown, put them in a paper bag, place in a dry sunny spot to let the seed heads release the new seeds. These can then be sown immediately in another part of the garden, or why not put them in small paper packets and give them to friends and neighbours? In our local area these valuable plants used to be a common site in our hedgerows and the margins of woodland, sadly they are much reduced in numbers now. The Tatsfield in Bloom team have been sowing our own saved wildflower seed along the hedge in Approach Road opposite the entrance to the allotments, see how many you can identify! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MARCH As I write these notes (mid February) I have been watching bumble bees and butterflies in the garden drawn there by the lovely scent of my winter flowering shrubs mentioned in my last notes. I have noticed also that the pansies and violas are now making strong growth and lots of flower buds. This month I will be giving all my containers a liquid feed (seaweed based) to provide a boost of nutrients and ensure a good display of flower in the coming months. Continuing my theme of having bee friendly flowers in the garden all year round here are some more ideas: buy pot grown Wallflowers in bud now and plant them in a sunny spot - mixed colours and lovely gentle scent on a sunny day; pot grown Primroses in different colours are also available in our local garden centres; the Viburnum family of shrubs are great value with many varieties flowering in March/April buy varieties such as V. carlesii, V davidii, both of these varieties are medium sized shrubs; a lovely low growing perennial is the Lungwort (Pulmonaria) with speckled leaves and small pink, white or mauve flowers. Now is a good time to plan for a summer show of bee friendly annual flowers in borders and containers. Garden centres are now offering packets of annual flower seed collections for specific purposes including varieties that are loved by bees and other pollinating insects. Preparation is very easy, lightly cultivate any bare patches of soil with a rake or small cultivator, scatter the seed and then rake them in and firm the soil gently. If it is dry, give them a light watering to help with germination. It is important to remember not to overwater or feed annual flowers, they are at their best in a sunny dry spot with watering only if the soil becomes very dry. On a recent Tatsfield in Bloom volunteering morning (why not join us for some fresh air and gentle exercise, oh yes and a cuppa in Sheree’s afterwards!), I was asked how severe one should prune a Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii), and when should it be done. A very good question as most folk are far too gentle resulting in this vigorous plant growing into a small tree! Prune now, use a small saw or heavy loppers and cut this shrub down to within about a foot above the ground where you will see tiny grey shoots. The result will be strong shoots that make about six foot of growth and flower in mid to late summer at a height where you can enjoy those lovely spears of tiny flowers covered in butterflies. This month I take delivery of a new greenhouse, I will be reporting on my early successes and disasters! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 A happy new gardening year to all Tatsfield gardeners, I am sure we are all wondering what challenges await us! Do your remember our super Tatsfield in Bloom project Tatsfield is Buzzing that won us another gold medal in 2017? We planted a bed full of bee friendly pollinating perennial plants on the Bakery Lawn, a floral carpet bed featuring a huge bee on the Tatol Bed and gave away lots of lapel stickers for everyone. Our message was to plant your garden with shrubs, perennials and garden flowers that attract pollinating insects. Well the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced that 2023 will be “365 Days of Bees” and encouraging all gardeners to plant their gardens with plants to provide a feast for all pollinating insects, what a great idea to start off your gardening year! The next three months, if the weather is mild, are critical for pollinating insects especially bumble bees, so what can we plant that will be a life saver? Plant shrubs like winter flowering Daphnes, Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), Viburnum bodnantense, Sweet Box (Sarcococca confusa). Plant perennials such as Winter Flowering Heather (Erica Carnea), Christmas Rose (Helleborus), Lungwort (Pulmonaria), Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), Wood Anemone (Anemone blanda). Plant spring flowers such as Pansies and Violas, Wallflowers, Primroses. There will be more bee friendly plants to choose for your garden in each Tatsfield Gardener article this year. The weather has been good for growing grass. To stop the coarse grass species dominating your lawn you should lightly trim the grass when the weather is mild. If the grass is very long, try and cut it in stages rather than cut it low to the ground in one go, it will look awful, and you will have to rake the cut grass up! A very keen Tatsfield gardener asked me if she could prune her roses now. The answer is no, not yet. Pruning bush roses in Tatsfield at this time of the year can promote soft growth too early and leave them vulnerable to damage by frost and cold winds. If this happens it will not kill the plant but it will take months to make new growth, just not worth the risk. Spring bulbs are now poking their noses out of the ground and if the weather remains on the mild side they will be in flower in no time. Try and remember where they are so you can avoid damaging those very soft and vulnerable shoot tips THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2022 The rainfall in November has been a bit above average and will need to stay that way if we are to replenish our deep underground aquifers before next spring. Despite the rainfall, the percolation through the chalk into the aquifers will take many months. It is about this time that I am asked about the chances of snow for Christmas and I remind folk that in Tatsfield it is not unusual for us to get some snow in late November and December. It is never very much and disappears quite quickly. The long term forecast shows that it is cooling down towards the end of November and likely to be more settled this month as high pressure builds over us, that means there could be some frosty mornings. As for a white Christmas maybe our old folk lore knows a thing or two! “If Christmas day be bright and clear, there will be two winters in the year” “If December be changeable and mild, the whole winter will remain a child” After waiting nearly a year I received a small specimen of the Curry Plant (Murraya koneigii), not to be confused with the common name for a silvery garden plant called Helichrysum italicum. This is the plant mentioned in recipe books and by enthusiasts for cooking curries, it is used a bit like fresh Coriander leaves, added to a dish before serving. It is not an easy plant to grow, needs an even temperature of around 15-20C, lots of light, and very careful watering and feeding. Why bother?, I love the pungent smell of the leaves, shop bought so called fresh curry leaves are dry and hardly smell at all, and of course there is the challenge of keeping it alive over the winter months. The plant is now sitting in the conservatory under its own grow light, we will see how it progresses. A grow light is a valuable piece of kit for plants that suffer from lack of light, a bit like us on dull days!, it is also very useful for bringing on early seedlings of vegetables and flowers in the spring – makes a very good Christmas present for a keen gardener? Cyclamen and Poinsettias are very popular house plants (and make a lovely present) at this time of the year but they often deteriorate quickly, why is this? They are grown commercially in cool conditions, sometimes with extra light; our modern houses are too warm and these plants can suffer a big shock, try and keep them in a cool spot, especially not near a hot radiator or fire; watering also needs careful attention as many plants are full of roots and dry out quickly. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN NOVEMBER 2022 Whilst mowing the Bakery Lawn recently I had comments from passing Tatsfielders on the speed of the recovery of the grass, from brown to green in just a week or so. Nature is a wonderful thing, just a decent drop of rain and some warmth in the soil and now our grass is growing fast! There is an increasing interest by local folk in managing their grass as meadow. This brings huge benefits to the garden environment right across the spectrum from wild flowers to insects, tiny animals and birds. It makes the garden easier to manage – much less mowing – and reduces the use of electricity or petrol, less noise and pollution. Now is the time to plant native bulbs in your meadow, Fritillaries (Fritillaria meleagris) and Wild Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus). To gain control of the vigour of your grass make sure to sow Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor), this is an annual native wild flower that is semi parasitic to grass. Yellow flowers and brown seed cases (that rattle with loose seed) look lovely in the summer and within a few years will weaken grass giving more space for more wild flowers – nature is indeed a wonderful thing! You can increase the population and diversity of the wild flowers by sowing seed, or buy tiny plant plugs. Scratch up small areas of the meadow and sow, or plant, in small patches, a job that can be done now or in the spring. The early leaf fall from our trees is nothing to worry about, other than our poor Ash of course, with at least an average rainy winter we can expect a good show of leaves next spring. Our autumn colour display along our lanes and hedgerows is early this year, by late October we have golden yellow leaves on many trees but especially the Field Maple (Acer campestre), a native tree of medium size. This tree makes a great addition to a hedge of native species, it is a very strong and tough plant that will respond well to being trimmed to shape. Remember to rake up fallen leaves from the lawn to avoid yellow and bare patches. Mix them with lawn mowings in the compost heap for a late boost to the composting process. I picked my Howgate Wonder (huge dual use apples) and Bramley Seedlings in mid October and after checking each one carefully for damage, they are now tucked up in trays wrapped in newspaper and will last us until February – with luck! Take the core out of the centre, fill with raisins and brown sugar, put in a hot oven for about 15 minutes, watch carefully and take them out before they burst through the skin; serve with proper runny custard – delicious! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN OCTOBER 2022 Here and there in the low lying areas of the village you may have noticed a very brief ground frost late last month? It was the same this time last year. These early frosts are fleeting, only the early risers will see them and they look just like a heavy dew. Chilly mornings in September and October do not signify colder weather generally, but they do check growth of vegetables and flowering plants. The Met Office long range forecast does not contain any significant rain, or frost, through this month although there may be some showers. The very dry weather continues! One plant that has thrived in our hot and dry summer is Canna (Indian Shot – so called because of its very hard round seeds). I was asked at our Autumn Show if Cannas could be left in the ground over winter and be ok. I said no, best to lift them, dry them out and store in a frost free place. Just like Dahlias, start them off next year in March by putting them in a pot of fresh soil and give them a good drink but do not water them regularly. In the 1960’s they were a very popular summer flowering bedding plant but never planted out until June and not a chance they would survive a winter outdoors. But, with our climate changing at quite a pace it will not be long before they, and other tender perennials, will be ok outside over winter. Remember that if you have basket Begonias, Ivy Leaved Geraniums, Fuchsias and bedding Geraniums, these are tender perennials that can be stored over winter if you have a frost free place to store them. With prices rising all the time it seems very likely that these will be much more expensive to buy next spring. I have noticed some lovely Sunflowers around the village, another plant that thrives in hot weather. The flower heads are now ready to be removed and left in a sunny spot to complete the ripening of the seed. This is a very valuable source of food for our bird population so please do not throw them away!! Put them in a net and hang them up at least three feet above the ground and watch the birds feed greedily as soon as the cooler weather arrives. Alternatively, firmly rub the face of the flower head to release the seed, put it in a paper bag and put the seed out a handful at a time in a bird feeder. If you are thinking of buying some bedding plants to give some cheer over the winter months have a look for Violas, these are the small flowered Pansies that do very well in containers. If planted this month they will grow strongly and quickly start flowering. They will continue to flower when the weather is mild but will also survive frost and cold winds. Give them a liquid feed in the spring to help them grow new shoots and flower buds to give a super show in April and May. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN SEPTEMBER 2022 Well wasn’t it a scorcher! We have been inundated with details of records broken and dire warnings that this is likely to be repeated more often in the future as if this was a new situation. Old weather watchers like me remember the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report as far back as 1990; this created many more study groups who reported regularly with updates. For us gardeners our input came from the Royal Horticultural Society and they published Gardening in a Changing Climate in 2002, this was updated in 2017 (www.rhs.org.uk). These reports all agreed on one thing, our climate is changing and here in the South we will see more extremes of weather with higher temperatures and very dry conditions likely in the summer, an overall drop in annual rainfall levels, but when it rains it is more likely to be in huge amounts in a short space of time. But our problems are not over yet even if we are now having periods of rain. A lot of our water supply is pumped from chalk aquifers deep beneath the North Downs and they are now at a critically low level having started the season below their maximum capacity. It is going to take a very long time for rain to wet the overlaying clay soil and then, very slowly, percolate through the chalk to the aquifers below. We need a higher than average winter rainfall if we are to avoid earlier restrictions next year. The message for us gardeners is to continue to be frugal with our use of water, buy and install water storage like big water butts connected to your downpipes; use much more organic matter both in the soil and on the surface as a mulch that will help to keep the moisture in the soil. If you have a lot of planted containers, put away the hosepipe and put a drip feed irrigation system, with a timer, on your Christmas list! Many garden plants are still showing the results of a hot dry summer, we are seeing early leaf fall on our trees and some large shrubs. This does not necessarily mean they have died; it is very likely that they will recover and be as good as new next year. Be patient, hold off with those loppers and saws, all may not be lost! By now our sunburnt grass should be starting to recover. There will be some bare patches where the annual, and more shallow rooted, grasses have died out. Now is the time to repair them by sowing grass seed. Scratch up those bare patches thoroughly, remove the dead grass, sow the seed, rake it in gently, firm it down and with a small amount of moisture you will see the grass germinate in about 14 days. When buying grass seed choose a mixture containing the dwarf Ryegrasses and Fescues; they are very hard wearing and deeper rooting, more likely to survive in hot dry conditions. The Tatsfield Gardener in July/August With high summer upon us we can assess how our gardens are being challenged by bugs that would threaten our plants and trees. I note that the Chestnut Leaf Miner continues to reduce and we are looking forward to another year with conkers, such a pity that playing conkers is considered to be too dangerous! The Rosemary Beetle population continues to increase and is causing damage to foliage, beautiful shiny beetles with striped backs about 3/4mm long and slow moving; this bug can also attack Lavender. Lily Beetle was not a big problem this year on my Fritillaries and Lilies, hand picking works very well but be careful, their defence is to fall off at the first sign of attack! Box continues to suffer from attack on several fronts – suddenly going brown with no evidence of leaf damage could signify the dreaded Box Blight, a nasty soil borne disease for which there is no remedy, dig up and preferably burn all parts of the plant to ash and avoid replanting in the same place. If your Box is in a pot, going brown could be due to drying out, looks very similar to Box Blight. Box can also suffer from attack by a caterpillar that can strip the foliage. A healthy plant can make new foliage, but this leaves it much weakened, and it will need plenty of watering and a liquid feed. At the first signs of foliage damage, use a jet of water regularly to knock the caterpillars off the leaves. Avoid using insecticides if you can, these tiny caterpillars are an important food source for many species of bird. For some years now the RHS at Wisley have been running trials of alternative plants for hedging and topiary. The plants are now well established and well worth a visit. The trial includes Pittosporum, Sarcococca, small specie of Holly and many more. Conserving our water supplies at this time of the year is critical so please do not water your lawn – if it goes brown it will recover quickly when the rains return. Capture rainwater in butts and anything you can find especially if there is a big rainstorm. Water plants in containers as later in the evening as you can to reduce loss by evaporation. Also, watering during the day can result if severe scorch of leaves if the sun is hot. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE Those folk who have been admiring our spring displays of Pansies and Violas in the manger baskets on our front wall by the garage might be puzzled to notice that the left side basket is now full of dry withered plants hanging over the edge while the right hand basket continues to flourish. Two weeks ago I was standing close to this basket with the watering can when there was a blur of wings that brushed my hair! Using a two-step, I carefully climbed up and peeked in amongst the plants and found buried deep in the compost at the back of the basket a nest with five eggs laid by mummy Robin. I stopped watering, the plants wilted removing the cover over the nest but mummy Robin continued to sit on her eggs and is now feeding very hungry babies. We were very pleased that our resident Blackbird has once again set up home in our log store, one brood is on the wing and we are expecting her to start a second brood soon. We also have Dunnocks, and more, in our hedge at the back. This is a critical time for nesting birds and our gardens are one big maternity ward, be careful out there gardeners! June is the ideal time to prune and reshape those shrubs that flowered early in the year e.g. Forsythia, Lilac and many more. Pruning now will allow them time to make and mature the growth needed to produce flower buds vital for a good show of flower next year. Remember that if these plants are happy in their space and not encroaching on paths, patios, or other plants then leave them be. It is wonderful to see and hear about the many initiatives to plant more trees. But I am very worried at the lack of emphasis on the importance of watering these plants in the first year or two of life. There are reports of large numbers of trees that have died already in the very dry start to the growing season. If you have new trees and shrubs in your garden please take care to give them enough water; please give them a bucket, or watering can, full per plant during warm dry periods and use a thick layer of compost around the base as a mulch to hold the moisture in the soil. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MAY The Tatsfield in Bloom team will be planting out the village flower displays early this year so that the displays are looking good for the Queens Jubilee weekend in June – we need more volunteers!! Please contact Jill Hancock if you can spare an hour to help plant up the containers. Planting out tender summer flowering plants in mid-May has its risks especially as these plants are produced under cover these days, there is still a slight risk of a ground frost. If you are producing your own flowers and vegetables make sure to follow traditional gardening practice of ‘hardening the off’ before planting them out. This practice involves putting them out of the greenhouse/tunnel for a week or two before planting, if the forecast is for a chilly night then cover them in a light sheet or horticultural fleece (not the jumper!) – something light that will not crush the young foliage. It is a great idea to start your beans and peas in pots or trays to give them a good start and earlier crops – but – if they are planted directly from the greenhouse, and there are chilly nights and cold winds, they will suffer a big shock and stop growing. Speaking of runner beans, remember to put a seed in the ground next to the plants as you plant them to give continuity. I was asked a question recently about how to cope with a Clematis montana that was threatening to bring down some fence panels it had grown so big. This is the vigorous Clematis that is flowering now with a mass of small white or pink flowers. When it has finished flowering it will make a mass of new growth ready for early flowering next year. Now is the time to cut it all off the fence, this not a job for careful nipping here and there with secateurs, this is a job for a saw and loppers! Cut it down to about a metre above the ground, yes that means producing a lot of growth so you will need plenty of bags – the good news is that when shredded it makes excellent compost; take it to the community composting site. As it produce lots of new shoots you will need to tie them in – growing it up a trellis can save a lot of time tying in shoots. A very important point – please make sure to carry out a thorough examination of the whole area to check for birds nests. Blackbirds, Robins and many other species love to nest in Clematis as it provides them with dense cover and protect from marauders! If you find an active nest please wait until the fledglings have flown away. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN APRIL 2022 The above average rainfall for our area in February has raised the levels of water in our rivers, reservoirs and chalk aquifers, they are now classed as at normal levels. But March rainfall is below average for the first half of the month, we now need at least average rainfall to maintain water levels. Nutrient levels in planted containers will be low now; a liquid feed will help them to make good growth especially spring flowers. Be careful to follow the dilution instructions, overfeeding will result in too much soft leaf and stem growth and poor flowering. This month is a good time to buy and plant summer flowering bulbs in borders and containers that will give you a big variety of colour and fragrance. They thrive in warm sunny positions, except Lilies, they prefer dappled shade. Some bulbs to consider: Allium (Ornamental Onions) – globe shaped flowers in blues, white, purple flower heads – bees love them
If you have started summer brassicas, tomatoes, and other vegetables early, make sure to keep them outdoors to ensure sturdy plants. You should only take them inside if there is a risk of frost or high winds. Don’t be tempted to get the shears out and start cutting hedges or pruning large bushes, birds are nesting now and must not be disturbed. If you must because they are obstructing a path then make sure to carefully examine the area to ensure there are no active nests. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MARCH 2022 A record dry January and low rainfall levels in most of February has been our saviour and allowed us to do some gentle cultivation on our heavy clay soil. If March is kind, we may be able to get on the ground and have a good start to the growing season. But be aware that we can still have frosts an cold wind up here on the high ground. Don’t get carried away with early sowings and planting out just yet! The old saying goes “In like a Lion and out like a Lamb”; early March can have wintry weather but by the end of the month it can feel like spring has arrived – wonder if this is still true with climate change, we will see! My lawn mowing season started in mid-February with a good brushing followed by a light cut to control the more vigorous grasses, I will be mowing regularly now gradually reducing the cutting height with the aim of having the ‘Tatsfield Links’ back to putting height by Easter! The deep spiking (by hand), thorough scarifying and sandy top dressing worked very well and has reduced the winter moss invasion to just a few patches. Where have all the frogs gone? There have been plenty of scare stories of ‘mass deaths’ of frogs due to disease lately, there are also stories of frogs spawning very early. There is no doubt that numbers of frogs are in decline, and this is due mainly to loss of habitat. Frogs hibernate in compost heaps and deep leaf litter so please be careful out there! Our pond expert Ian Hayman (Tatsfield Aquatics) tells me that he has not seen any frog spawn in February, but he is confident that our local frog population will be as active as ever this month. Ian also tells me that he is very pleased to see such a big population of Newts in our village pond. The weather conditions over the last few months have been ideal for late winter flower, and fragrance. My Sweet Box (Sarcococca humilis), Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) and Witch Hazel (Hamamelis pallida) have filled the garden with colour and fragrance on milder days, surprisingly though I have seen less signs of Mr Bumble than last year. These plants are still available in our local garden centres, go on, treat yourself! Plant them in a sunny place close to a path, patio or doorway and enjoy a free winter tonic of flower and scent. The mild winter weather has been good for our Pansies and Violas, they are now starting to make growth and flower. Now is the time to give them a liquid feed to help them get a good start and be at their best for Easter. I see some hesitant pruning of Buddleias around the village, this always make me smile! To get the best of growth and summer flowers from these lovely shrubs you must prune them when you are in a bad temper! Cut them hard removing all last year’s growth and some of the old woody stuff too, for this you may need to use heavy loppers or a saw. If you continue to be gentle with them, they will become far too big, lose their vigour and flower, and will start to fall apart in windy conditions. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2022 Another gardening year commences, but you are probably looking out there and thinking it looks more like a bog than a garden! Be patient, our lovely clay soil is brimming and not very forgiving if you try to do any sort of cultivating; it will stop raining and the slow drying out process will start. But, there must also be a few smug smiles from those of you who have years of experience working our heavy soil and are already preparing it for a busy year? Clay is a good soil for growing all sorts of plants, fruit and vegetables but timing your cultivations is a vital part of success. My early gardening years were spent working on ‘Middlesex Clay’, a thick pure yellow soil that could be hard as a brick in summer and sticky mess that could suck your boots off – yes it happened to me many times! We were taught how to manage this stuff to produce great sports pitches, vegetable plots and flower beds. Digging the vegetable plots in the autumn before it got too wet and leaving the soil in big lumps for the frost to break them down, adding lime before final preparation for growing brassicas, adding lots of well rotted manure or compost in the final preparation for legumes and salads; over years of doing this we developed a decent, workable, topsoil. In shrub and flower beds we used a variety of organic substances such as coffee waste (very acid) and hop manure – all from the local factories; we also used our own huge compost heaps to dig in where possible but also as a mulch on the surface. Want to learn more? Tatsfield is blessed with an active Horticultural Society, Gardening Club and an award winning Community Composting scheme; have a look in this magazine or go to tatsfieldhorticulturalsociety.weebly.com It is very encouraging to see the growing level of debate about our environment and to read about the many great initiatives that are now happening both globally and nationally. Tatsfield is also involved in making environmental improvements with initiatives by our Parish, District and County councils, articles in this magazine and work by our community volunteers. But what about your garden? Did you know that you can also make a significant contribution to improving our local environment? You can make changes to the way you manage your garden that will not be expensive or even very time consuming. It starts with developing a greater awareness of your garden as a wildlife haven and the simple practical steps you can take to make it even better. This year I will be including practical advice for you in my gardening notes, so watch this space! Did you know that, despite a bad reputation, wasps are a gardener’s friend and are a vital part of our local biodiversity? They live on caterpillars and other garden bugs, and despite many scare stories, they do not usually attack humans unless disturbed. A key part of having a healthy population of wasps is providing a habitat for the Queen who hibernates over the winter in dry sheltered places, especially logs in your log store! I make sure to collect my logs for the fire in daylight so that I can carefully pick off the Queen and place her somewhere safe – don’t worry, she is asleep and will only wake up if you accidentally bring her indoors! Not a problem, please do not kill her! – she will allow herself to be collected and put back outside in a sheltered spot where she will go back to sleep. Yes, I know this takes a bit of believing, but it is this sort of challenge to our perceptions that can help to make a big difference to our environment! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2021 My weather station is still not fixed but I can confirm that by the middle of November we had only 7mm of rain, the long term average is 81mm, I think it is safe to predict a dry month with average temperatures. It is too early to forecast Christmas weather with any accuracy, at the moment the risk of snow on Christmas Day is very low, but it is early days yet!. I noticed that by late October there were large patches of moss on my lawn (my mini putting green), unusually early as moss prefers cool damp conditions to thrive. I was not surprised to discover that the underlying soil had become very compacted after a busy year of use. I scarified the area three times – many barrow loads of moss the dead grass – and have now completed deep spiking it using a garden fork pushed all the way in, giving it a good wriggle and pulling it straight out again. I worked out that the area of around 50 square metres now has over 7,000 holes and has been thinly covered 25 bags of sharp sand. It has been thoroughly raked and brushed several times a week and most of the sand has now disappeared down the holes; it will be interesting to see if the moss disappears. I was contacted by a local gardener who was very distressed to discover that her lovely lawn had been turned into a ploughed field overnight! After much discussion and a thorough site inspection we deduced that the lawn was infested with leatherjackets (Daddy Long Legs). These soft, grey grubs about an inch long are commonly found in grass where they feed on the roots, but occasionally they occur in huge numbers. Badgers are experts at detecting the presence of grubs in grass and will bring the whole family for a feast and that is how her lawn was so badly damaged. No easy cure for this problem unfortunately; it is possible to buy a natural control called Nemasys – a sachet full of naturally occurring microscopic eelworms that attack grubs in the soil. The challenge when using this cure is to water them on when the soil is warm, around 10C and that means getting it into the soil in October. What Christmas present to buy for a keen gardener? How about a composting box made of interlocking pieces of wood or recycled plastic that can be used again and again, available in garden centres or websites. Surprise them with a pot or two of the lovely garden perennial Christmas Rose (Helleborus), in flower and now available in our local garden centres (Coblands in Sundridge or one of the Knights Garden Centres). They are very happy in most soils, they love a bit of shade but also happy with a bit of sun; they also grow very well in Tatsfield soils. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN NOVEMBER 2021 November can be a month with every type of weather from mild, wet and windy to cold, frosty and yes there can be sleet too. There is a great deal of serious discussion about our winter weather as the warnings of fuel shortages continue. Sadly, my weather station has stopped working and it will be a month or two before it is fixed; one thing for sure we have some weather ahead of us! Here is an old saying to guide you – “If ducks do slide at Hallowtide, at Christmas they will swim; If ducks do swim at Hallowtide; at Christmas they will slide”. I read one of those gardening articles in a newspaper recently telling us it is time to “tidy up the garden’. This is a traditional topic in the garden writer’s diaries and is stuck firmly in 19th and 20th century gardening thinking! They say a garden at this time of the year needs a thorough tidy up; every perennial must be cut to the ground, every twig, leaf and weed removed. I have even seen a garden contractor use a leaf blower in a border! As a young gardening apprentice, I was instructed to rake out every leaf and twig and move huge loads of organic material up to the yard and stacked high on the compost heap and there it languished for years undisturbed until needed for mulching the same borders in the spring. We now know that this traditional practice is not only unnecessary hard work, but it can have a severely negative effect on the garden environment and the millions of macro and micro organisms all the way up to hedgehogs, badgers and foxes. May borders are now planted with mainly annuals and perennials and the soil is full of young seedlings of Cottage Marigolds, Aquilegia (Columbine), Myosotis (Forget me Not) and Digitalis (Foxgloves) to name just a few. If I hoe and rake through my border I will lose all these plants that will start flowering in the spring and continue through the summer. That said, I will make sure to continue the war against Creeping Buttercup that is trying to run rampant this year, I think it must have been introduced in brought in compost or in the roots of a new plant. I have lots of ripening seed heads of Cyclamen that will be scattered in the spring, grow for two years and then join the others in a glorious display from August onwards; this is surely sound gardening practice! Removing leaves deprives worms and many other tiny organisms of their main food source; they process the dying organic matter and it becomes part of the chain of events that maintains the fertility of the soil, helping your plants to grow without the use of fertilisers. I have a lot of plants, including grasses, with old flower heads full of seed, at the moment, they are providing food for flocks of Goldfinches and other birds. When they have finished feeding I will then cut them down. I will be cutting the old untidy foliage from my Hellebores (Christmas Rose) so that I can enjoy the flowers now emerging. Be careful not to cut them off too low as there is a risk of cutting off the emerging flower heads! Remember that Tatsfield in Bloom is asking you to save your seedling native trees, especially Beech, Oak and Ash, ready to donate to our big tree planting event this time next year as part of celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Tatsfield Gardener in October 2021 The long term average rainfall for August is 58mm, Tatsfield actually had 61mm; surprisingly the maximum temperature was 26 centigrade and the minimum was just 9 centigrade. The September average is 69mm, so far we have had just 14.5mm It was warmer with highs of 31 centigrade and a minimum of just 11. The forecast average rainfall for October is 98mm, it will be interesting to see how close we get to that as autumn is looking dry! This time last year I decided to leave my dahlia plants in the ground to see if they would survive the wet ground, the slugs, and cold winter weather. In previous years I have been very particular about waiting for the first frost then cutting them back leaving a stem tall enough to attach a label, then they were lifted, all damaged tubers removed, dusted with sulphur powder and placed in trays covered with old dry potting compost. After a very mild winter, but lots of rain, they duly emerged and grew strongly without any apparent ill effects. However, I did notice that they were slow to emerge and get going initially, but they soon caught up. It is not safe to decide to leave them in the ground every winter based on just one mild winter! We know that a cold, wet winter can destroy perennials that are not fully hardy, so think carefully before you decide to leave tender plants in the ground this winter. The very high rainfall levels this year at the critical time for maximum growth produced some very big plants, some grew to twice the size we could normally expect. Outside of our gardens and the many giants that grew there, we also saw our hedgerows grow strongly and produce some big crops of flower and fruit. It is a very long time since I have seen such huge amounts of growth in blackberries and lovely large fruits – ideal for cooking with Bramley apples! Such large amounts of growth is fine if that is what you want, and have the space; if not then this winter and next spring will be a busy time with the shears and secateurs. Our spring displays of dense clumps of daffodils last spring were much admired, they gave superb splashes of colour that lasted for weeks. The trick is not to plant just a few well spaced bulbs, but to buy a bag of at least 20 or more of the same variety and plant them close together. This month will see the best bulbs for sale with plenty of bargains, look out for the big bins of loose bulbs so that you can pick the best quality and as many as you have spaces to fill. Our displays of basket violas were a great success last spring, they were planted in early October into fresh potting compost with added slow release fertiliser. For the best displays next spring they need to make a lot of growth this month. Whenever the weather is mild over winter they will quickly produce flowers especially if they are in a sunny sheltered spot, make sure to buy the fragrant varieties. If your lawn has suffered this year and you are thinking of starting again this is the time of the year for sowing seed (especially early in the month) and laying turf. Remember that our Tatsfield soil is clay and slow draining, adding a good layer of sharp sand working into the top surface can help to reduce a muddy surface, it also discourages casting worms, they hate a sandy soil! 604 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN SEPTEMBER Our roller coaster summer Is moving towards autumn and we are wondering what comes next! In my long memory of such old fashioned ‘English summers’, they tend to be followed by dry warm “Indian Summers’ in the early autumn with cool misty mornings and warm afternoons – we will see. For the record, our long-term average for July is 51mm of rain but Tatsfield recorded 92mm; our daily temperature was between 32C down to a chilly 10C. The long-term average rainfall for August is 58mm, so far (by the 16th) we have already had 56mm; the temperature finally got to a maximum of 25C but also down to 10C. Tatsfield is having a ‘blight year’ with a lot of reports of potatoes and tomatoes going black and dying off. For potatoes, especially earlies and mid-crop, just cut off the tops (known as the haulm) and the spuds should be ok to harvest but make sure to discard any that are showing signs of rot. Tomatoes should be cut down to the root and if in a container (pot or grow bag) discard the growing medium. Do not try to compost these diseased stems, Blight is very persistent and is likely to survive the composting process. If you are growing these tomatoes under cover, make sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces before trying again next year. This is a record year for growth everywhere, not just our lawns; hedges have needed several cuts, trees and shrubs have made more growth than usual, fruit trees are full of young fruit, hedgerows also look like giving a big harvest if the squirrels would only leave them alone! Late sowings of vegetables are doing very well following the disappointments with earlier attempts. Tatsfield clay is very unforgiving when it is wet and cold! My usual summer pruning of rambling roses, wisteria and shrubs that flower on mature stems made the previous year have had to have a second trim this year, if you do this there is a good chance of record blooms next year. The warm conditions and high rainfall have resulted in record weed growth. In my garden I am still battling an invasion of the creeping buttercup; missing just one small piece results in it sending out another lot of surface shoots that readily root and sends out more shots resulting in a mass of crisscrossing shoots. You may have noticed the surge of growth of the dreaded chickweed in the bed of busy lizzies in the Bakery Lawn flower bed. If this weed is allowed to flower and set seed there will be a legacy of weeding for years to come. The old gardeners saying “One years seeding is seven years weeding” is very true! You may have admired the golden Lysimachia (creeping jenny) in the containers in the village, this is a hardy perennial creeping plant forming a mass of golden foliage and yellow flowers. If you would like to have some of this in your garden borders please watch out for the Tatsfield in Bloom Team (or email me at [email protected] ) who will be changing over the plants in early October. 530 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JULY AND AUGUST 2021 This is the time of the year when flowering plants in containers can start to suffer from stress. The high temperatures, big variations in moisture availability and hungry roots that have filled the available compost using up all the nutrients. In this situation the plants stop growing, the production of new flowers stops too, and leaves become discoloured and can start to fall off. But all is not lost, with a bit of TLC your plants can continue to look their best for months to come. Watering more frequently morning and evening will ensure an adequate supply of moisture. Never water in the heat of the day, a lot of it will evaporate and foliage may be damaged. Give the foliage and compost a liquid feed every two weeks or so to ensure a steady supply of nutrients. Nip off any straggly growth, old flowers and seed pods so that the plant will concentrate on making new shoots. Sometimes being too tidy in the garden misses the opportunity to increase your favourite plants by letting them set their own seed. If you want to tidy up then cut off the seed heads and leave them near the parent plant. You can also put the seed in a paper bag and leave it until the seed pods split and shed their seed; find a suitable spot and sow the seed, or save it and sow next spring . Spring and early summer saw a period of excellent growth in trees, shrubs, flowers, fruit and vegetables. I have noticed that many apples and pears are carrying big crops of fruit, in this situation it may be a good idea to thin out some of the fruit clusters to be sure of good sized, but fewer, fruit. If you have a big crop of onions or shallots you may be thinking of storing them to give you a good supply over the winter months. The key to successful storage starts now by making sure they are placed in a warm sunny spot so that the outer skin dries to give a good seal, leave the drying foliage and roots to wither naturally. The best way to store them is to put them in a net and hang them up in a dry frost free place, better still is to make a ‘string’ or rope of onions. Start with larger onions at the bottom of a 30cm (12”) piece of thick string or strong cord hung in a loop from a strong hook. Tie each onion using its own dried leaves or use a piece of string. Graduate the size of the onions working from large at the bottom to smaller sizes as you reach the top. Make sure to put any damaged onions to one side for using soon and regularly check the rope and remove immediately any bulbs that are going soft to stop the infection spreading. I have managed to store onions hanging from the roof of the garage and they can last right through to late February/early March My chilli peppers have made a lot of growth and I am expecting a big crop. When they are fully grown remove them and lay them out in a hot sunny spot to dry, this will take a month or two, for smaller fruits you can make a small string by using a needle and strong thread, these can be hung next to the hot tank or down the back of a radiator. When they are dry, put them in a bag and crumble them, now put them in a pestle and mortar or whizz them in an electric grinder until they are a fine powder. A word of warning! Take care to wear gloves and a mask, chilli powder is a very powerful irritant! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE 2021 We are bombarded with data these days and it is very understandable that we tend to be sceptical about a lot of it. The climate scientists are telling us that we must expect changes to our weather patterns, especially in the South, to a more Mediterranean type. We were told that rainfall would become more erratic with a tendency for more big falls of rain and periods of dry weather. After a very wet winter we had a very dry April; average rainfall should have been around 60mm but in fact we managed just 3.2mm in Tatsfield and that was in two days. May is looking better with 52mm so far by mid-month (the average for May is around 58). Frosts have been few and the prospects for frost free mornings are good, very important now as our fruit trees have flowered and are at the critical stage of setting fruit. Early sowings of vegetables are growing strongly and the prospects for good crops are good; but have you planned what you will be sowing or planting in those empty spaces after picking these early crops? Successional sowing and planting is the way to ensure you can continue to harvest crops during the summer months and on into the autumn. Sow a selection of quick maturing crops like lettuce, spring onions, radishes, stump rooted carrots and also plant out summer cabbage and cauliflowers. Remember the Tatsfield Horticultural Society have decided to have the Autumn Show on Saturday the 11th September. Have a look at the Show Schedule (in this Edition of the Parish Magazine), you will find a good selection of categories to suit your interests, the Society is particularly keen to have more entries by children. The old saying “If the Ash be before the Oak, we will have a soak, but if the Oak be before the Ash then we will have a splash” My observations this year give the Oak a clear lead over the Ash, maybe, just maybe, we might have a hot dry summer? The poor Ash continues to suffer greatly from the dreaded Ash Dieback disease. Last year it was very bad in and around Tatsfield and I am already seeing many trees with a lot of dead wood and unable to make a full leaf canopy. The latest advice from the experts suggests that there are some trees showing resistance and more work is needed to understand if this will be a permanent situation. The Parish Council have carried out work in the Millennium and Kemsley Woods, it will be very interesting to see whether the regrowth from these stumps will be able to resist further infection. We had some superb displays of Clematis montana in the village, but I notice that many are now very big plants growing along the tops of wooden fence panels. These lovely plants are now growing fast to make shoots ready to flower next year. This heavy growth will make fence panels very vulnerable to damage by the wind; now is a good time to give them a severe ‘haircut’! Remove the old growth making sure to check carefully that there are no active nesting birds please! This will generate a lot of prunings; pack them in bags and take them up to the community composting site at the allotments any Saturday morning between 10.00 and 12.00 and we will turn your green waste in the famous Tatsfield Black Gold compost ready for you to buy and put on the garden! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MAY 2021 What an interesting start to the spring weather-wise, lots of frost and cold winds, snow in April and so far very little rain. In March we can expect an average of 58mm of rainfall but we only had 40mm; average rainfall for April is usually similar to March at around 60mm but by the middle of the month my rain gauge showed just 3mm!! The long term forecast predicts average temperatures but rainfall levels will be below average for our region, make sure to save whatever rainfall we get! Cowslips have returned to Westmore Green! Just goes to show what joys there are to see when you stop mowing. Two years ago, the Tatsfield in Bloom team persuaded the Parish Council to agree not to mow a strip of grass against the hedge and ditch opposite the allotments. Wild flower seed was sown along the length of the area towards Crane Cottage. These wild flowers will set their own seed that will be scattered by wind along the unmown strip and we will see increasing numbers of wild flowers in years to come. Please go and admire these lovely flowers but do not pick them, the seed pods will not be ready to shed their seed until June/July. Also, make sure to take a walk around the meadow section of Tatsfield Green and admire the carpets of Primroses, Celandine; keep visiting these sites in the months to come and see what other lovely wild flowers appear. It was great to see so many parents and children enjoying the improved, if a bit chilly, weather on Westmore Green, but such a shame to see them sitting on the grass near to an area where the Daffodils had been recently thrashed to the ground. I am sure there are many more other folk who appreciate the lovely drifts of colour. Have you noticed how many ants there are around so early in the year? There are around 50 species of ant in the UK of which around 8 are common, this depends to some extent on the type of soil in the garden. Ants also occur in the house; these tend to be very small species and can get inside food cupboards and food containers. Outside in the garden they are a very important part of your local ecosystem and should be left alone. However, on lighter soils you may find yellow and red ants especially in grass – these are biting ants and should be avoided as, if disturbed, they will attack! If you need to control ants indoors make sure to buy ant killers specifically approved for use indoors, near food and are not harmful to children and pets. By UK Law that information must be clearly displayed on the product label. Please do not use ant killers outdoors, if you have red or yellow ants in the lawn, or any ants around the edges of the house, and they are getting inside, then use boiling water if you must! In grass the boiling water will leave brown patches but the grass will soon recover. 520 TATSFIELD GARDENER IN APRIL 2021 Our very wet winter weather is now settling down at last. The average February rainfall is 59mm and after a wet start we ended up with 47mm; the average for March is 58mm and so far, we have had just 35mm. The average for April is 60mm, it will be interesting to see if April is wet and soggy or dry! I have had some interesting results with my early sowing of vegetable seeds sowed on 17th February; the Okra has a large seed that germinated very quickly in just five days and grew very quickly; cooling it off under the growlights resulted in the seedlings collapsing – too cold!! I sowed more on 14th March and am expecting a much better result this time. The germination of my Suttons F1 hybrid Chillies was very poor but the few that grew are doing well; a second sowing of non F1 hybrid seed produced better results, all the seedlings are sturdy and growing well under the growlight. The Aubergines are doing well but need to be kept cool with a lot of light. I will be sowing Tomatoes at the end of March. Composting is on our minds at this time of the year. There is no doubt that putting composted organic matter in the soil helps to boost its fertility and makes our clay soil easier to work. When it is put on the soil surface as a mulch it keeps down annual weeds and helps to hold moisture in the soil. You can make compost yourself, in small batches in home-made bins or using one of the ready-made kits; or why not join us at the composting site, bring your green waste and take home bags of our superb Black Gold; the site is open from Saturday 3rd April from 10.00 – 12.00. Better still why not become a composting volunteer – interested? – contact me at [email protected] for more information. I have been asked about the risks of suffering respiratory problems when handling compost. The secret here is to make sure that your compost heap does not dry out. If it does the decomposition process will stop, and when you turn a dry heap it can release micro-aerosols that can be a problem when inhaled, especially if you have underlying respiratory problems. Check the compost heap regularly and add rainwater if the heap is drying out; make sure to add more water as you turn the heap to maintain a good balance between the air and moisture content. If you planted Pansies, Violas, Polyanthus, Bellis and other spring flowering plants in containers last autumn, they may be suffering now due to loss of nutrients that were leached out by the heavy winter rain. This month is the right time to give these plants a liquid feed to replace the lost nutrients, make sure to thoroughly soak the containers so the water runs out of the bottom. 489 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MARCH 2021 We live in a world where superlatives like ‘incredible’ and ‘amazing’ have lost their value and are in everyday use, so what words can I use to describe our recent weather, especially the rain? In the six months from September to February we would normally expect around 480mm of rain/snow (that is around 17” in old money); but this winter the rainfall was actually 611mm (22”), it may not be amazing, but it certainly is remarkable! December was, once again, very mild with plenty of days in double figures and it wasn’t until the end of the month that we saw a few frosty mornings. That trend continued into January with daytime highs in single figures and some frosts as low as -4C. February is also turning out to be colder than average with minimums as low as -5 and sub-zero highs by day. What does this mean for our new gardening year in Tatsfield? At the moment the ground is very wet, that also means soil temperatures are going to be lower than we would want if we are aiming to get some early sowings of vegetable seeds this month. Seed put in cold damp ground will probably rot and germination will be poor or not at all. Any gardening that involves digging holes or even walking on the soil will need to be delayed to avoid a muddy mess! It is just possible that we may have drying winds in March so be patient; young plants and seedlings that are late will soon catch up given half decent spring weather. There could be a narrow ‘window’ when our very wet clay soil dries out and becomes hard and unworkable, so be ready with your spade, fork and rake! This year I have decided to grow my chilli and sweet peppers, aubergines, okra and tomatoes from seed. The chilli and sweet peppers are already sown last week, as are the aubergines, using my new windowsill propagator (www.twowests.co.uk ). They can take up to two weeks to germinate and will grow slowly until they produce their first true leaves and be ready to be put into tiny cells made of recycled plastic. Kept in a bright spot and not too hot they will grow into sturdy plants ready for potting into 9cm pots, and by April/May they will be ready to go outside in mild weather. Final planting into large pots or grow bags should not be until late May or early June. I have been watching carefully as I take logs out of my log store, especially the batch put in last autumn, for queen wasps. They lay dormant with legs folded loosely attached to the grain of split logs – they seem to prefer oak and beech – and if carried inside the house, will wake up and fly sleepily around the room. I can usually find a dozen or more over the colder months, carefully relocating them each time, but this winter I have found very few. This is a concern as, despite the popular view, they are a very valuable ally in the garden and are only a threat to those who suffer an adverse reaction if stung. 536 The Tatsfield Gardener in January and February 2021 A very happy Tatsfield gardening year to all those who relish the challenge to grow in our waterlogged clay and flint soil! Unless of course you are lucky enough to benefit from years of careful cultivation or are living near to the narrow band of greensand below the village to the South. We continue to have near record rainfall levels but luckily not much in the way of very cold weather. November rainfall ended up at 64 (the average is 88mm), but December was well above average (84mm) with 130mm and just a few frosts. The wind continued to bring challenges with gusts of over 50mph, but luckily Tatsfield seemed to get through the storms without major damage or loss of big trees. The long term forecast shows the weather to remain changeable with more cold weather in February. If you have tender plants now is the time to wrap them in bubble wrap, make sure to leave the tops open to avoid it becoming too damp. At this time of the year, we get ready for a new season and after a bit of planning we get out the plant and seed catalogues to choose our crops, yes there are lots to see on the webby thingy too!. Members of the Tatsfield Horticultural Society can get as much as 50% discount off the prices in the Suttons Seed catalogue, contact a committee member if you need the unique Tatsfield code. A question I am often asked is “why would we pay more to buy F1 hybrid seed”? F1 hybrid seed is an exclusive and very carefully selected strain of a plant owned by a single producer; if you save the seed from an F1 hybrid it will not produce the same plant next year. This process is not genetic manipulation, in fact it is an old art much refined over one hundred and fifty years since the benefits of selection was discovered by that clever monk Gregor Mendel with his life changing experiments with peas. The Advantages Uniformity of size and ripening of the crop May have claims of pest and disease resistance Bred for a specific soil type or region e.g. Aubergine Pot Black (Fothergill F1) for a UK climate; Courgette Tuscany (Fothergill F1) UK climate; resistant to mildew; Cucumber Lili (Fothergill F1) sheltered outdoor, downy mildew resistant. The Disadvantages A packet of F1 hybrid seed can contain as little as 10 seeds Uniformity – F1 hybrid vegetables were developed for farmers so that they would ripen all at the same time – not a great idea for us amateurs, we would rather harvest our crops gradually to eat fresh e.g. beans and peas May be bred specifically for a soil type or location and not suitable for Tatsfield Read the product descriptions and claims in the catalogue before making your choice, discuss with neighbours and friends – a carefully distanced chat with the allotmenteer's would be a rich source of local information on what grows best in Tatsfield! This year I will be growing peppers, aubergines, chillies and tomatoes from seed using a small propagator and a grow light – sowing commences in mid-February/early March – watch out for surplus plants on sale at the THS plant sale in May. If you don’t have the facilities to start your own plants from seed this early, you will be able to buy small plug plants from your local garden centre or online. These plants grow very well in large pots and grow bags – go on give it a try and pick your own crops – good luck! 597 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2020 The October long term average rainfall for our area is 98mm, our actual rainfall was 180mm, that is a record!! So far November is looking a pretty average month for weather – winds with gusts of 40mph, three air frosts and rainfall, so far, is just 54ml (the average is 88ml). I am already being asked if we should get the sledges out and polished up for Christmas snow! There is an increasing trend for sudden changes from mild to cold weather with temperatures plunging by as much as 10C in a few days. To have any chance of good sledging snow that lasts we need a big high pressure area that feeds cold air in from the North and East, that is something we haven’t seen for some years now. Looking at the expert’s predictions it does seem that towards the end of the month there is a chance of high pressure moving in with settled colder weather – snow? – maybe!! It has been another bad year for Ash Dieback; it is very sad to see so many of our great native trees almost bare long before they are due to lose their leaves. If you have dying Ash trees in your garden be sure to take professional advice, we have some excellent local tree surgeons in the area. This does not bode well for the future and we must accept that with so many Ash trees dying in Tatsfield, our lovely wooded views will be much diminished. We must act now to replace these losses with native Beech and Oak! Look around your garden for those small seedlings of Oak and Beech and make sure they are not pulled out as weeds! By the time they are a couple of years old they are ready for transplanting. Remember just how big these trees will be in 100 years or so, do not plant them near to your, or your neighbours, houses! If you have a lot of seedlings why not offer them to others who have the space? The Tatsfield in Bloom group will be planting a small tree nursery of Oak and Beech this winter – many thanks to the Allotments Committee for the space – they will be offering these trees to the community in 2022. If you have spare seedlings please contact me on 577100 and I will make sure they are added to our growing collection. Better still, why not give them to your family and friends to plant, maybe in remembrance of someone you lost to the COVID-19 virus. Do you have any Sunflower seed heads in the garden? Did you know that they are a vital food for birds and other wildlife? Collect them carefully and put them in a dry place for a few weeks, then either put them in net to hang up, or break them down to release the seed and put them out on the grass or on the bird table in small handfuls when the weather turns cold. We can’t be sure what kind of growing season we will have next year but now is the time to plan your vegetable growing projects. Order your seed now and when the ground dries out – might be a while yet! – prepare it for sowing and planting. Don’t forget if you are a member of Tatsfield Horticultural Society (www.tatsfieldhorticulturalsociety.weebly.com ) you will get a very large discount when ordering from Suttons Seeds. The Tatsfield Gardener in November 2020 The October average rainfall is 98mm and so far by the middle of the month we have already had 105mm with 70mm falling in the three days 2nd to the 4th, thank you Storm Alex! High temperatures have been within the long-term average at around 14C but we had a slight ground frost (4C) at dawn on the 16th, that is early! We are hearing on the news that we could be looking at a ‘long winter’ possibly with more restrictions on our movements. If that is the case, we must do everything we can not to lose contact with our gardens and, if we are allowed to, get much needed exercise by walking around the local area. Wrap up warm the step outside, there is much to see, our local environment is full of interest. A cheery ‘Good Morning’, a quick chat with other folk, and getting some fresh Tatsfield air is a tonic in itself. See how many Red Kites and Buzzards you can spot overhead, especially along Clarks Lane, the allotments, and above the fields around Goatsfield and Kemsley Roads. If the day is mild and the sun is out you can still see, and hear, bees as they forage in the hedgerows. The birds will also be busy as they feed on winter berries and hunt for insects; have you seen the Barn Owl patrolling the hedges along Clarks Lane at dawn and dusk? Bring the garden indoors by cutting some foliage and winter flowers like Mahonia, Forsythia, Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) and others; if you have a good supply why not pick a bunch and offer it to your neighbour who may not be able to get outside, it will be much appreciated. Another way of bringing some colour and cheer inside is to buy some bulbs and plant them in containers, then place them somewhere cool and dark for four to six weeks; as soon as the leaves and flower buds appear bring them into a warm well lit room and they will grow rapidly and fill the room with colour and maybe fragrance. There is no need to use special planting compost; use old compost from your summer containers but make sure to check the compost for Vine Weevil grubs – easy to spot they are tiny, white and curled but slow moving. When the bulbs have finished, they can be planted out in the garden to recover and grow new bulbs for next years display. In our local garden centres now you will find some lovely presents of bulbs, compost and a pot all ready to give as a gift. I have also noticed pots of the small flowered Cyclamen already in flower, they will keep on flowering for weeks if kept in a cool room. It won’t be long before they will also have pots of bulbs in leaf and bud ready to burst into bloom when given a little gentle heat. This winter I am testing the hardiness of the lovely Oleander (thanks to Louis Philibert who grew it from a cutting!). Fifty years ago we would not have dreamed of leaving such a tender plant outside over the winter, and that includes Pittosporums and Olives now growing as shrubs in many local gardens. I am moving the Oleander which is growing in a large pot to the South side of the house and will wrap it in bubble wrap. Climate change is not always bad news! The Tatsfield Gardener in October 2020 Was it such a dry summer? It is surprising that August rainfall was near the average, we had 71mm with an expected average of around 58mm; so far (15th) in September we have only had 2.7mm, it seems unlikely that we will be near the average of 69mm. The October average is expected to be around 98mm and if that happens it will be a great relief for gardeners and farmers. A recent topic of conversation amongst us gardeners is whether our changing climate should make us think again about whether to take up our Dahlias immediately after they have been ‘burnt’ by the first frost. We would then cut them back leaving about 15cm (six inches) of stem, label them, dry them out and remove the surplus soil, dust with Sulphur powder (to prevent fungus disease) and then store in trays wrapped in newspaper or covered lightly in dry compost they are then stored in a dry, frost free, dark, place until it is time to ‘wake them up’ in March. Why not do away with all this traditional, and some say, unnecessary gardening chore? In a mild winter with no ground frost the Dahlia tubers might well survive undamaged and sprout again next spring BUT, even if this is the case, they are very vulnerable to the attentions of slugs who will feed hungrily on them in the mild wet weather, is it worth the risk? More on the bitter tasting courgette saga! I wrote to the technical folk at the RHS – a benefit of RHS membership is free gardening advice – and to my surprise this is what I received back from RH Chief Gardening Advisor Guy Barter! “This year some gardeners reported bitter courgettes and those unwise enough to eat them had a very nasty stomach ache. This is due to poisonous compounds found in wild or ornamental cucumber family plants. Strenuous efforts are made in seed production establishments to prevent pollination of edible cucumber family plants by gourds or other non-edible cucumber family plants which may well result in bitter courgettes when the contaminated seed is grown. Something must have gone wrong in one seed production field last year, probably in China or India, and seed derived from inadvertent crosses of courgettes and inedible cucumber family plants found their way onto the market. Only one batch of seed was affected. This is the first instance I have encountered in 50 years of vegetable growing so I doubt it will occur again. It is a good reminder though of the inadvisability of saving seeds of cucumber family plants where cross pollination with gourds cannot be ruled out and also the need to immediately discard any bitter courgette.” I agree with Guy, this is the first time in my 55+ years in gardening that I have heard this; maybe it was home saved seed, or it was seed from that one dodgy batch? If anyone experienced this and can remember the name of the seed supplier I would be very interested to know! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN SEPTEMBER 2020 Our weather continues to defy the long term average tables with record temperatures, both maximum and minimum and hardly any rain. The long term average rainfall for July should be 51mm, this year in Tatsfield it was just 38mm; and for August the average should be 58mm, but in Tatsfield we only had 0.6 (by the 13th). Between the 8th to the 13th August the minimum nightime temperature did not go below 18C and peaked at 22C on the 11th; the highest maximum temperature in Tatsfield was 36.8 on the 10th and 11th August. With reports of neighbouring water companies running out of treated water and leaving households without a supply for days it is even more important to conserve our own supplies. Please do not be lulled into a state of comfort if we have some heavy rain! This dry spell could continue into the autumn and even then, we will need a good supply of winter rain to replenish our reservoirs and local chalk aquifers. Using water butts (if they have captured any of the heavy showers) and waste water before turning on the tap; watering early or late (watering in the heat results in a big loss by evaporation); soaking the ground around a plant once a week works better than a light watering every day. It is also important to remember that even if soft plants (bedding plants, salads and leafy vegetables) are kept watered they can still suffer major damage to foliage when temperatures are very high, the soft foliage just can’t cope with the fierce sun and the heat. I am hearing lots of stories about the courgettes that got away – thanks to Tara for her pics! A single courgette (also known as zucchini) plant is enough to provide an adequate supply for a family and yet we do tend to plant more and then wonder what to do them all! As Tara found out, if you take your eyes off them, they suddenly become marrows! The problem here is that big courgettes are tough, full of seeds and can taste quite bitter. I wonder why more gardeners are not growing the round courgette? They are much tastier, available in green and yellow colours, grow more slowly up to the size of your fist so you won’t need a wheelbarrow to move them! They are ideal for slicing and frying, putting in a vegetable stew like a ratatouille, they can be hollowed out and stuffed with a wide range of ingredients; why not make a note now to try them next year? This has been one of the best years for growing; fruit, vegetables and garden plants have all thrived providing you were able to keep them watered – don’t say I didn’t warn you about how hot and dry it was going to be! Our hedgerows have a big crop of blackberries, crab apples, damsons, sloes; if you are going out to pick nature’s bounty please take just enough for your needs and leave some for the local wildlife! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JULY AND AUGUST 2020 It is proving to be a very strange year for us; difficult enough to deal with COVID19 and its aftermath. Things we took for granted as ‘normal’ are now having to be re-examined – going to school, work, and having a summer holiday are all being reassessed. The weather has also been behaving in a different way – or not if you believe the climate change scientists. The May rainfall is usually 59mm but in fact it turned out to be just under 2mm – hardly enough to lay the dust; the May temperature ranged from +2.8 to 33 centigrade. So far in June we have had 33mm (the long term average is 53mm) and most of that was in downpours; but after such hot weather it is likely to end with a bang and dump more heavy rain that is no good for farmers and gardeners. ‘Flaming June’ was very true with record high temperature! Who knows what we will experience for the rest of the summer, my guess if save your water and use it sparingly! Two years ago, I saved a lot of home grown seed of my Foxgloves, Californian Poppies and Aquilegia (Columbine), when they were dry in late summer I sowed them around the back garden and now two years later the display has been the best I can remember. This wonderful display amongst the perennials and shrubs was all free! Not only that but it brought even more pollinating insects into the garden, especially bumble bees, many many more than in recent years, the garden was really buzzing. The flowers are now fading and I will be gathering the seed heads again, putting them in paper (not plastic) bags, and when they are ready I will be sowing them again in the bare areas in the borders. No need to prepare the soil, just scatter them around and then very lightly rake over the areas to cover the seeds between existing plants, they will do the rest! The strange weather has resulted in many roses being confused and some stopped flowering early. I have seen some very sad looking specimens when they should be growing strongly and making a new flush of growth. Very hot weather can stop the production of flowering wood and it can take a week or two of cooler weather to get them going again. If this is happening to your roses then give them a summer prune; remove up to 30cm (12” in old money) of the stems down to a bud, give them a liquid feed and water thoroughly if the weather is hot and dry. In no time they will get going again and be flowering right through to the first frosts. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE 2020 April was heading towards being a record low rainfall month with just 4.6m by the 28th and then it rained and rained ending the month with 35mm, however the average is 60mm (more than 2”). So far by mid May we have had just 0.7mm – the long term average for May is 58mm), it looks as if it is going to be dry! Water is vital for plant growth but not all plants need watering. Established trees and shrubs should have well developed root systems, deep enough to find enough water for growth, they should not need watering except in extremely dry (drought) conditions. Newly planted trees and shrubs may need watering regularly for up to two seasons until they are established. Adding plenty of organic matter when planting and covering the surface in a thick mulch acts like a sponge and holds water until the plant needs it. Shallow rooted plants like herbaceous perennials, bedding plants and most vegetables must have a steady supply of water or they will fail to develop and in extreme conditions they may die Grass is also shallow rooting and without a regular supply of water will go brown. A lawn is a mixture of annual and perennial grasses; the annual grasses will die in very dry conditions but they produce a lot of seed that will germinate as soon as there is moisture; perennial grasses may look dead but they have perennial roots and underground stems that will stay alive and shoot again as soon as it rains. Grass that looks dead in dry weather can recover very quickly after it rains, try to avoid watering your lawn! Using mains water to irrigate the garden can be expensive, especially if you have a water meter, it is also using up an increasingly precious resource. Do your best to save rainwater in butts and other containers, cold washing up water can also be used. I am often asked about watering techniques, how much water is enough, or too much, or too little. As a general rule watering lightly has little benefit for the plant as a lot of the water can be lost to evaporation and the rest does not penetrate deep enough to reach the root system. In fact, regular light watering can have the reverse effect as surface watering only draws the roots nearer the surface as they search for the moisture, making them even more vulnerable to drought damage. It is better to give the soil a thorough watering less often to ensure it reaches the roots and draws them down deeper into the soil. However, plants that grow in a restricted space such as a pot or hanging basket may need watering daily to keep them alive. If the container is allowed to become very dry give it a small amount at first then repeat this until the water runs out of the bottom of the container. Irrigation systems can deliver a precise amount of water exactly when and where it is needed and at the best time of the day e.g. late evening or early morning. Systems are available in garden centres or a specialist supplier such as City Irrigation in Oakley Road, Bromley Common or have a look at their website on www.cityirrigation.co.uk 550 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MAY 2020 Life is very tough for old and young alike at the moment, but we must look forward to better days ahead and having some colour in the garden will be a great help in restoring our spirits. The THS Committee have decided to release to all gardeners in the village the special THS members discount arrangements with Suttons seeds; their website is working well at the moment (www.suttons.co.uk ). If you order vegetable and flower seeds you will get a 50% discount and also 15% discount off other items – just quote the unique order code GS 1006F – go on have a look at my suggestions below and look forward to a happier and colourful summer! Our local garden centre Westerham Heights (571545 or email them on [email protected] ) is taking orders and is open to customers to collect their orders; they deserve out support. For a lovely splash of colour in the garden all you need is a packet of seed! Annual plants can now be sown directly into the garden, or containers, and will germinate in 7 – 14 days, they will grow quickly and be in flower in just a few weeks after germination. Try Cosmos, Nigella, Calendula (Cottage Marigolds), Cornflower, Sunflowers, Sweet Peas; or try annual climbers like Sweet Peas, Nasturtium and Morning Glory. May is also a very good time to sow quick growing vegetable seeds. No need to have a garden plot, these seeds can be sown in a pot, a tray or any handy container. Try sowing a pinch of seed every few weeks to get continuity of supply and avoid a big crop all at one time. Quick growing vegetables include Spring Onions, Radishes, all sorts of leaves including Little Gem Lettuce, Annual Spinach, Courgettes, Haricot and other dwarf beans, Baby Beetroot, Mange Tout and Sugar Snap Peas, Mustard and Cress. If you can get hold of vegetable plants in pots, look out for Tomatoes (try the super flavoured tiny cherry, yellow and plum types), Green, Red and Yellow Peppers, Aubergines and many more. These plants will grow well in containers as well as in garden soil. There is nothing more satisfying than growing, picking and eating your own produce! The old saying “If the Ash be before the Oak, we shall have a soak; but if the Oak be before the Ash then we shall have a splash” What do you think, will we have another dry summer? So far our rainfall levels are below average and I fancy the Oak is ahead of the Ash. We are watching with some anxiety to see how the Ash will do this year after such a bad year locally in 2019 with the dreaded Ash Dieback disease. 457 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN APRIL 2020 In early March I did manage to mow the lawn for the first time since November, I would normally have given it a cut once a month over the winter. Leaving it for such a long time without a cut will encourage the more vigorous coarse leaved grasses to dominate. The marathon of deep spiking with a garden fork last year has really paid off and the surface was quite firm underfoot, I will treat the moss (the worst for years), scarify it out after two weeks and then give it a light top dressing with sharp sand (drainage). After all that work the surface will look awful for a few weeks as the green sward re-establishes, and regular mowing commences. The seemingly endless rain has been quite a topic of conversation but just how much rain did we have? Here is the summary of what happened in Tatsfield. The average long-term total rainfall from October to the end of February for our area is 409mm (nearly 16”), in Tatsfield we actually had 648mm (about 25”)!! The average for March is 58mm and so far in Tatsfield we have already had 40mm. The long term total average annual rainfall for our area is 821mm; with 688mm already fallen, that leaves around 133mm left to fall between April and September that is not a lot of rain – (the long term average rainfall from April to September is 349mm), I wonder if this is the year that long term averages will have to be radically recalculated! All of our local reservoirs and groundwater aquifers are full now, but we will have to wait and see how this strange year of weather works out. I have been asked to look at and advise on what to do about some very old apple trees in Tatsfield. Some are leaning badly; others may have a lot of decay in the trunk and main branches and also heavy crowns of tangled branches. These old trees will continue to grow and produce heavy crops of fruit but can suffer serious damage where the weight of top growth becomes too much for the weakened trunk and main branches. To reduce the risks of damage here are two steps to take – use heavy wooden posts to prop up the leaning trunk – in late summer reduce the top growth by up to 50%; I know this will result in loss of ripening fruit but doing it at this time of the year will reduce the amount of young growth that will follow heavy pruning. Over the next couple of years continue to thin out the young shoots to keep the top of the tree from re-growing a heavy crown. This has been an excellent year for Primroses, Foxgloves and Cowslips in Tatsfield, I am seeing more and more in new locations including our gardens. If you want to encourage more of these lovely wildflowers, please do not cut them down after they have finished flowering. They need to develop their seed cases on the end of the old flower stalks, these will turn brown and split open to let the very fine seeds fall around the area – this process should be completed by the end of June. The seed will germinate, and the tiny seedlings will grow slowly, they can take up to two years to make a plant large enough to flower. If you want to start a new colony elsewhere then gather the seed heads in May, put them in a paper bag and leave in a warm place. Check them regularly and as soon as the seed cases have split open you can sow them in their new position. Jon Allbutt THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2020 A Happy New Year to all Tatsfield gardeners, your new gardening year starts right here! But first, a look back at the cause of our first challenge – wet soil! As 2019 drew to a close all the talk was about the rain that never seemed to end. It is true that at long last we have had some ‘proper rain’; our average rainfall in November is around 88mm (over 2”) but in fact we had 118mm, around double the average. As if that wasn’t enough, we had 152mm of rain in December, the average for December is around 84mm, we had 28mm in just one day (the 20th). Although we were generally lucky to miss the flooding in Kent and Surrey – there are some advantages of being on top of the hill - it has left us with a very soggy clay soil. Just in case you are eager to get out there and start the new seasons cultivations my advice is wait! You may have to wait for a good deal longer to allow the ground to drain slowly and at least leave the surface in a workable state. Working on clay soil will turn it into mud and make it much more difficult to cultivate later on – be patient! This is the time when you plan your new year of growing vegetables even if you only have a small patch of garden. Remember that if you are a member of the Tatsfield Horticultural Society you get a whopping 50% off the Suttons Seed catalogue price by quoting the special THS Members reference code, so join up now! With your new Yearbook you will also get a Suttons Seed Catalogue, or you can browse it online at www.suttons.co.uk If you are a new grower here are a few Tatsfield tips for the vegetables that grow best in our soil. All legumes (peas and beans) grow well if you wait until the soil is the right temperature and not too wet, usually late April or early May onwards. They love a rich soil so incorporate lots of well-rotted manure or compost when preparing the soil. Mange tout and sugar snap peas do very well, but for the longest pod filled with to bursting give Hurst Green Shaft pea a try! Remember, you do not need a large area – legumes will grow very well when grown up a wigwam of canes in a large pot placed in a sunny spot. Potatoes grow well in our soil too but avoid sowing too early as the small tubers can rot in cold damp soil. All salad crops do very well too, you can have two or three crops of lettuce, spring onions, radishes if you make a new sowing every three weeks or so. Our heavy flinty soil can be a problem for root crops – carrots and parsnips in particular. Choose the short-rooted varieties of carrot to avoid the tap root dividing up into a classic ‘hand’ shape. You can be successful with parsnips if you use a 3” diameter by 12” long dibber and push it vertically into the ground in a row 6” apart – fill the hole with a light soil or potting compost and sow no more than three seeds on top – cover and firm according to the instructions on the packet; when the seedlings are starting to form their first pair of true leaves thin them out to just one seed. When you lift them in the autumn you should have nice straight roots. Boil and mash them with salt, pepper and some cream, or roast them unpeeled. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2019 I have been subject to a bit of teasing lately about my weather notes for November!; many of you are drawn in by much media talk of extreme weather events lately! Although in Tatsfield we did have two periods of rainfall with just over 10mm in 24 hours, the total rainfall for October was 109mm (long term average is 99mm) and so far in November we have had 66mm (long term average is 88mm); the end of November is due to be drier in the SE so we could end up on or near the long term average. The latest news from our water storage is that the reservoirs are full now, but our underground chalk aquifers are still in deficit. All is not quite what it seems! Digging open soil in our Tatsfield clay is not a great idea at the moment as it is waterlogged – best to wait until later in the month; however under grass and permanent plantings you will find the soil is still dryish at the bottom of the spade. Long term forecaster (the serious ones!) are not forecasting any long period of dry, cold weather at the start of this month, this may change as we move towards New Year; I don’t think I will be betting on a white Christmas! We moved much more quickly through autumn to winter this year with early leaf fall; make sure you gather your leaves off the lawn as soon as possible to allow light and air to circulate – leaving them much longer will result in big bare patches as the grass dies off. I successfully germinated grass seed sown in January last year but I don’t think I will risk it this year. Laying turf now is a good idea but wait until the spring if you want to sow seed. If you have a pond make sure to check it to see if there are any leaves on the bottom – they need to be raked out carefully, left on the side for a day or so to allow pondlife to get back into the water. The dull and damp weather has allowed slippery algae to grow on smooth surfaces such as paving slabs and wooden decking; this can easily removed with a pressure sprayer but be careful if you use a cleaning chemical near grass or plants as it will cause damage. Looking for the ideal Christmas present for a keen gardener in the family? Why not give them a membership of the Royal Horticultural Society? Have a look at their website on www.rhs.org.uk 433 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN NOVEMBER 2019 September ended up with nearly average rainfall due to the heavy rain at the end of the month and October looks like being at least an average rainfall month; however we are going to need a lot more of the wet stuff to avoid the risk of restrictions next summer. Water levels in our reservoirs and chalk aquifers are now up to their long term average but without average to above average rainfall over the winter they will quickly fall back as supply levels outstrip demand. Being frugal with your use of the water supply can make a significant difference! The Ash tree is our third most common native tree, it supports hundreds of different species of wildlife, it can reach heights of over 30m (100 feet) when mature, it is also a valuable timber crop. Tatsfield has had its worst year for attacks of Ash Dieback; up to now we have had isolated groups of Ash trees showing the typical signs of attack – dark lesions (scars) on young stems – mottled leaves. But now we also have groups of large trees where you can see through the crown of a tree due to the dead and dying branches. Ash Dieback was first reported in 2012 and by 2014 it had been identified in our area of the North Downs and has spread steadily since. – for help with identification go to www.woodlandstrust.org.uk - The duty of the landowner to report an attack is only a requirement where the disease has not previously been reported in our area. This is a progressive disease and expected to destroy up to 90% of Ash trees in an area; the search for disease resistant strains is ongoing with no prospect of a new disease resistant strain in the near future. What can/should we do? If you have young trees with lesions and mottled leaves be careful not to include them in your compost heap as this will help to protect the fungus spores that will be released when you turn or spread the compost. Cut back any dead branches and burn them along with the leaves. If you have large Ash trees on your land that are showing these symptoms it is important to remember that these dead branches will not revive; they will become brittle and start to fall out of the tree; this does not mean the whole tree will fall over! However if it does not make a new leaf canopy next year you may need professional advice about the safety of the tree. There is evidence to suggest that if the tree is cut back below the dead branches it can regenerate; Ash trees are suitable for coppicing (cutting hard back almost to ground level) they can regrow vigorously. Some good news for Tatsfield is the large crop of decent sized conkers on our chestnut trees this year; not just for our youngsters to have fun but also an indication that they are doing well after years of attack by the leaf miner and the ever present threat of a disease called Bleeding Canker. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN OCTOBER 2019 The good news is that over the last three months we did not have an official drought, the not so good news is that we have had some very dry weather. A drought used to be when there was 15 days when rainfall was less than 0.25mm; that was changed in the 1990s to 15 days when rainfall was less than 0.20mm. It seems that our changing climate is challenging the experts to come up with a new way of describing these new rainfall patterns – watch this space! Our heavy clay and flinty soil has dried out so much that there is now a risk to shrubs and even some trees around the village. We will not know the extent of the damage until next spring, even if we get an average amount of rain this month it may be too late for some plants. Grass is a much more resilient plant and your big brown patches will soon turn green again when the rain eventually arrives, any remaining dead areas can be overseeded by using a wire rake and scratching out the dead material. Add some grass seed and brush it into the loose surface. We used to say that sowing grass seed should be completed by the end of October but I took a risk and sowed grass seed in January this year, it took nearly four weeks to germinate but grew very well after that. We have a lot to learn about gardening in these late winters but it will be a good while yet before we rewrite the ‘rule book’! I was reminded recently that we could yet have an old fashioned winter and October is the month when the forecasters try their hand – anyone up for a white Christmas? Many will have already heard the great news that Tatsfield won a Gold Medal in the South and South East in Bloom competition, we also came first in the Large Village category. This is entirely due to the hard work of the Tatsfield in Bloom Organising Committee and our super team of Tatsfield Community Volunteers who gave over 3,000 hours of their time to keep Tatsfield looking so lovely throughout the year. Some of our TIB volunteers have been with us right from the start of this project – over 20 years – and each year some of them decide to ‘retire’ with our grateful thanks. To keep the village looking so good in future years we need more members of the team. You do not need to make a regular commitment or have any particular skills or equipment so why not give it some thought? You will find us around the village centre on Saturday mornings from 10.00am and having a break in the Bakery or Sheree’s after 11.00. If you would like to discuss how you might be able to help us why not give me a call on 577100, you can also contact me by email on [email protected] . THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN SEPTEMBER 2019 My predictions for the weather in July / August period proved to be very near the mark!. We were not quite up there with the record maximum temperature - due to our elevation - but we were very close with 34.4c on 5th July: rainfall of 76.4mm in July and 56,6mm in August were both way above the long term average with most of it falling in very short periods: 23.3mm fell on 20th July and 12.5mm on 12th August. In old money an inch of rain is approx. 25.4mm. There are challenging growing conditions for gardeners, it will be interesting to see how our experts have coped when they present their wares at the Autumn Show this year. Rosemary is one of my favourite shrubs, it is very tolerant of soil and situation, it has lovely small blue flowers on the summer and best of all it is a superb herb picked fresh finely chopped and added to other herbs to flavour stews and roasts, especially lamb. It was also a pest free plant but the dreaded Rosemary Beetle has slo0wly spread from Southern Europe and is now in tatsfield. As it's name suggests it mainly attacks Rosemary but can also have a go at the shrubby salvias, Thyme and Lavender. The adult is about the size of a ladybird and a similar shape with a very shiny body and purple and green stripes. The adult can be seen on plants throughout the year from June to September if the weather is warm and dry, however, in mild winters the larvae can continue to feed causing further damage. The larvae are mobile soft pale grey/green bugs of similar size to the adults. Both adults and larvae feed on the foliage throughout the summer leaving bare stalks as evidence of an attack, A healthy Rosemary shrub can recover and make new foliage but over time the plant weakens and looks very scraggy. A big problem with usi9ng the many insecticide sprays to control this pest is that the sprays will also kill the many beneficial insects that also love Rosemary. I have found that spraying the plant with a strong jet of water will wash off the pests and if repeated often enough will be effective. If you must spray then look for the natural mixture of fatty acids that is less harmful to the beneficial insects. Rosemary will respond well to hard pruning providing the pruning cuts are made back to a green shoot and not brown stems. The R.H.S. is currently running a survey to map the spread of Rosemary Beetle, details can be found at www.rhs.org.uk THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JULY AND AUGUST 2019 Gardening is a series of challenges, mainly by Mother Nature! We took some risks in May and June – first it was cold and wet then it was very hot with some very heavy rain, and now we are threatened with near record high temperatures. The heavy rain is not much use to gardeners, it causes damage and with high temperatures will dry off quickly and not penetrate the soil. Some Tatsfield gardeners reported to me that they had to sow two or even three lots of beans as the earlier sowings rotted in the ground; our Tatsfield in Bloom volunteers worked hard planting up our hanging baskets, mangers and troughs only to see the lovely lime green Coleus plants struggle to grow in the cool wet conditions. In June we had 117mm of rain (more than twice the long term average) but 60mm of that total fell in the 24hours on the 10th and 11th June; the temperature ranged from 27C to just 7C, typical for this time of the year. Now we have the challenges of July and August; probably very hot and periods of very dry weather but rain and wind too, maybe some more summer storms. Here are some survival tips:
Our spring weather continues to give concern over low rainfall levels. April rainfall was 17mm (60mmaverage) and temperatures were from -2 to plus 25c, a huge range. So far (mid mo nth) rainfall in May is 40mm (58mm average) with one 12 hour period getting `17mm (over half and inch) and temperatures ranged from 2c to 17c. In May we saw river and reservoir levels start to fall and our chalk aquifers (a key supply source for us) along the North Downs continues to be in deficit. Unless we start to have above average rainfall over the next couple of months, we are looking at a summer of water deficit- again!. I was asked recently why we should remove old flower heads from plants and whether this was an old gardener’s rule that made little difference to the health of the plant. Plants that produce seed heads after flowering use up a great deal of energy that could be better used to make new growth. It is true that some plants have sterile flowers that do not produce seed, so dead heading there is not necessary. Dead heading rose bushes is important, and when all the flush of the flower is over then cut the old flower stems back to a bud – removing up to 12” of growth – this will stimulate new shoots that will rapidly produce more flower buds and give a good continuity of flower. A couple of years ago we noticed that a group of daffodils on the west side of the pond were not flowering, we call this “going blind” the team scattered superphosphate amongst the green foliage to give the plants a boost and make bigger bulbs for next year. It worked and we had a much improved number of blooms this year. If you daffodils are tired give them a boost. I was surprised to see that a couple of large hedges have had a severe haircut recently – right in the middle of bird nesting season!. It is disappointing to see this despite lots of information asking that hedges be left until July. Please respect our bird population, this is a critical time of the year for them!. This spring has seen an increase in the numbers of the dreaded Lily Beetle, a small bright shiny red slow moving beetle that lays eggs in the foliage that hatch out in to small slimy slug like grubs(larvae) both adult and larvae have big appetites and munch their way through the stems and foliage of Lilies and Fritillaries – spraying is difficult and can harm other beneficial insects in the garden – pick them off and stamp on them- very satisfying. The Tatsfield Gardener in May 2019 Where has all the rain gone? In March we had well over a month’s rainfall in just a few days at the beginning of the month and the nothing!. April rainfall is looking to be short of the long term average of 60mm – so far we have only had 11mm with no significant rain in the forecast. The climate change scientists forecasted a gradual drop in our rainfall with an increasing trend that any rain fall will happen in heavy bursts. Capturing this precious resource for our gardens is becoming more and more important so have a look around your house and see if there is room to connect a water butt to your downpipes. Growing plants from plugs supplied by the many growers is great fun but remember you will need to “pot them on” into larger containers and grow them on in cool conditions with a good source of light: you can put them outside during the day but be sure to bring them in at night if the forecast is for temperatures to be below 5c. Avoid putting them in large size containers, a 9cm pot (round or square) is good enough to produce a good sized plant by the end of the month. I have been looking at what is available in the Garden Centres to help grow your tiny plug plants and I am surprised to see that there are pots and multi-celled trays available that are NOT made from recycled plastic: the good news is that if you look carefully you will be able to buy recycled pots and trays, even better these are also suitable for using again and again provided they are washed with hot water and disinfectant. If you prefer to buy your summer bedding plants ready to plant then don’t forget the Annual Horticultural Society’s Plant Sale held in the village centre each May. If you have some plants that you would like to donate to our fundraising sale then please contact Jon on 577100. Keen vegetable growers might be tempted to plant out their beans and peas that they have sown in pots and trays to get an early crop – but beware low night temperatures and cold winds this month! If you are tempted take my tip and place one or two bean seeds next to each plant just to be sure!. The Tatsfield Gardener in April 2019 Primroses and snowdrops are in flower and the sun has some warmth even in a chilly breeze heralding the beginning od Spring, a wonderful time of the year. The weather in February was a complete contrast with this time last year with warm days (up to18c) and hardly any frost and rainfall about average at 61mm( the long term average for February is 59.5mm). The beginning of March is mild so far but more wind than the average with some damage around the village: very sad to see the Lime fallen on Westmore Green : the rainfall for the first half of march is already over the long term average at 83mm – the long terms average is only 67.9mm!!. Over the winter period I have enjoyed watching bumble bees out and about on mild sunny days, this is because we have had plenty of flower from November right through to march and still going strong. I make no apologies for repeating the list of plants that keep our precious bees going- Daphne, Hamamelis, Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) Sweeet Box (Sarcococca), Christmas Rose (Hellebores) Violas, Pansies, Tree Ivy (Hedera) – to mention just a few. Those of us lucky to have a garden, however large or small, have our own ideas about how we want to enjoy it. Some are mad for bright green grass mowed carefully in lovely lines, others want that mix of plants that give us pleasure all year round, others too want a space for the children to play. One thing is certain your garden evolves over time and so do your ideas, so don’t be shy or hesitant, get out there and make it yours, there is plenty of advice from our own Horticultural Society, TV programmes and of course the web. When making changes to your garden please make sure to try and include features that support our wildlife – plant a hedge rather than put up a fence, create a small pond and always try to have flowers that attract our pollinating insects. Our lovely Tatsfield clay has been very wet and not in a condition to be du over: as the temperatures rise this month you will notice a big change in the condition of the soil so be vigilant and ready for sowing and planting because who knows, by the end of the month it could be hard and dry on the surface, or wet and soggy again! Gardening on clay is about being patient and ready to act when conditions approve. You will have noticed how lovely the shrub borders around the car park are looking after the pruning, weeding and mulching thanks ot our Tatsfield Community Volunteers. Why Do we finish the job by mulching? First of all it shows off the borders really well: secondly it acts as a blanket and holds in moisture and keeps down the weeds, and finally over time it breaks down and provides organic matter to improve the soil and feeds the plants. At Easter our band of composters will have bins full of their awesome Black Gold available for a small donation why not pop up to the allotment site and meet the team –and also meet a member of the Horticultural Society “on duty” for free advice.
This year is the centenary of the Forest Act that led to the formation of the Forestry Commission and the planting of commercial forests but also the planting and management of our great woods to replace huge losses of mature trees to feed industry and two World Wars. I am very concerned with the loss of mature trees in Tatsfield, losses due to old age, development, (remember the row of big trees in the back garden of the Old Ship?) and gardeners wanting more light. Please think carefully before removing trees in your garden, imagine how Tatsfield would look without our great trees and read the thought provoking poem called LAMENT FOR A WOOD LAND THAT WAS NOT. From “The Great Wood: The Ancient Forests of Caled “ by Jim Crumley The Tatsfield Gardener in JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2019 They say it never rains until it pours and so it was in November when Tatsfield had141mm (the long term average is 88mm) : the minimum temperature was -2, and the maximum was 13.5. December rainfall was 97mm (the long term average is 84mm): the minimum temperature was -3 and the maximum was 12.5. The mild conditions have resulted in some winter flowering shrubs starting earlier than usual: on 1st January I counted half a dozen small bumble bees feeding hungrily on my winter flowering Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) and my Sweet Box (Sarcococca numilis) – fill your garden with winter scent and help the wildlife to survive. Have you noticed that one plant guaranteed to do well over the winter period and this is moss. Why is that you ask and what is moss anyway? – Is it really a plant? Moss is a plant but a very primitive one, it does not produce flowers nor does it have proper roots, it also does not have the internal “plumbing” system of tiny tubes that transport fluid and nutrients around stems, shoots and leaves. The reason why it thrives on our lawns and borders at this time of year is that it Loves cool. Damp conditions when the weather warms up and the days lengthen it produces spoors and largely dies off ready to burst back in to growth conditions are just right again. In dark shady places you will notice that it can survive all year round. Tidy gardeners and lovers of fine flawless lawns consider it to be an enemy ab dust be destroyed by using moss killers, rakes and lots of energy!. Before you charge off to the garden centre to prepare for war pause a moment: the various forms of moss are beautiful to look at close up, they are an important par part of your garden ecosystem not only because that are an important part of a birds nesting material but much more than that. If you are a grass nut then consider that the moss is in fact telling you that your lawn drainage is very poor, and may be in shade, using chemicals will not change these situations. Use a garden form and fill the lawn with holes by pushing the fork vertically in to the ground gvig it a generous wriggle on the way down and back up. This takes a lot of time but is very good exercise and is much more effective than the spikers for hire, they only penetrate a few inches. In late February and in to March give the lawn a good raking (scarifying) to take out the moss and other dead plant material (the professionals call it thatch). Putting a couple of hands full of moss in a net and hanging it from your bird table will get you a big thank you from your birds and provide much entertainment. If you are still feeling energetic after that then apply a dressing of sharp sand and brush it in to the hotels@ but if all this activity makes you feel faint, then learn to love your moss. The Tatsfield Gardener in May 2018 Our dull cold and wet late winter merged with April to give us some more of the same, but by The end of April it was beginning to look as if spring was happening at last! Despite the rain and wet snow our display of daffodils along Approach Road looked great, what a resilient plant. You will not be surprised to learn that our March total rainfall was nearly double the ten year average for our area at 100mm: April looks like being an average month for rainfall and temperatures so we can expect to be very busy in the garden this month. If you have Daffodils and Crocus in your grass please leave them until the foliage has started to go yellow and die down but during this period why not give them a bit of help with making next year’s bulb by scattering some slow release fertiliser over them just as they finish flowering. Remove the old flower heads to stop the production of seed as this takes a lot of energy that could be put in to the making of a new bulb. Ne’er cast a clout till May is out” is an old country saying that refers to not putting away one’s winter clothes (clouts) as May can have some short cold spells. Last year we had a couple of really nasty frosts that damaged young growth so be careful and don’t be tempted to put out tender plants unless they can be covered over on a cold night. May is a critical month for newly planted trees and shrubs as they make new growth (roots and stems). A warm week with no rain can result in the plant suffering as the roots start to grow away from their original root ball. A good mulch of composted green waste (why not call in to the composting site for some Black Gold –Saturday mornings at the allotment site in Approach Road) will help to reduce the drying out. When watering remember that a good soaking (a bucket full per plant) once a week is much more effective than a splash of water on the surface. I was asked for advice on the old problem of how to protect garden plants from attack by browsing deer. The best answer is to put up deer fencing – a minimum of two metres (six foot) all around the property , this is not a very practical solution to the problem due to cost and the fact that the boundary line might be your neighbours responsibility!. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is carrying out deer surveys all over the country to gather information that will help us better understand the problem, in particular which plants are avoided by deer. Included in this list are some plants that do well in Tatsfield e.g. Berberis, Buddleia, Choysia, BayTree Laurus (nobilis), Mock Orange ( Philadelphus) and many more. You can contribute to the pool of knowledge by taking part in the survey, but even more useful is the list of plants that, according to completed surveys are being avoided. You can then learn more by looking at the RHS website on www.rhs.org.uk and searching “deer survey”. The Tatsfield Gardener in March 2018 A popular topic in gardening is the question of plants growing over the boundaries of property 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 threes 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 – and this can be very expensive. But what if overgrown plants are preventing a neighbour from enjoying their garden because of the bulk of the growth, the shade or the risk of falling branches?. In this instance the overhanging branch can be cut back to the boundary and the pruning’s returned to the owner. BUT before any action like this 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 question of cost and dealing with the cut waste are agreed. If the landowner is unknown, unhelpful, and 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 an 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. Out Tatsfield clay is not a favourite oil for Rhubarb but a bit of cultivation and a bit of mixing in plenty of good quality garden compost will do the trick. You can buy the Rhubarb as bare root crowns, or in pots to plant now, there is plenty of choice to 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 in to an 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 winder 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 November 2016 I have been dreading the onset of winter, those long dark gloomy days with no sign of the sky for days on end. So what a surprise for us to have such an unusual October weather, a big high pressure over Scandinavia, dry easterly winds, lots of sky, a few showers and crisp chilly mornings. The lack of rain has kept our beloved clay as hard as a rock in some places so be patient, the rain is coming. We are likely to have these conditions again later this month or December often giving Tatsfield a dusting of snow before Christmas, our November weather also usually delivers our first air frost. Looking at the various long term forecasting websites the seem to agree on the possibility of a touch of early winter so keep an on these forecasts and make sure to move your tender perennials to a sheltered spot, or having made sure the foliage is dry, wrap them in an insulating material. Remember that it is equally important to protect the roots from freezing as this can burst the container as the moisture freezes and the roots could die. November is a very good month for planting bulbs and lots of them. Plant them in grass ( called naturalising) , in borders, in containers and also pots. Cheer yourself up by filling pots and bowls with bulbs and put them in a cool dark place until you can see a flower bud deep inside the the emerging leaves, then bring them out in to the light and warmth and watch them flower. Jonquils ( Narcissi jonquil) is a delicate type of daffodil that is also fragrant, other forms are Tete a Tete and paperwhite which has multiple flowers heads on a single stem, Crocuses grow ell in pots and last well when in flower providing the room is not too hot. What will you do with all the leaves you will gather over the next couple of months? Please don't say you are going to burn them!!. Burning leaves is difficult to do quickly, it causes masses of smoke nuisance and can kill a lot of tiny insects that are an important food for other species. You should only burn diseased leaves, say of the Horse Chestnut, infested with leaf mining bugs. Most leaves will compost quite quickly especially if mixed with soft green waste or grass mowing's: be careful when turning a heap of leaves during the winter as your heap may be home to a hedgehog, slow worm , grass snake, newts and lots of other species needing a winter shelter. If you don't want to make a compost heap, put them in black bags and store then until the Spring and then spread them on your borders as a mulch or dig in to the soil to improve the texture and water retaining capacity Jon Allbutt.
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THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE Our spring weather continues to cause concern over low rainfall levels April rainfall was 17mm (60mm average) and temperatures were from -2 to plus 25C, a huge range! So far (mid-month) rainfall in May is 40mm (58mm average) with one 12 hour period getting 17mm (over half an inch!) and temperatures ranged from 2C to 17C. In May we saw river and reservoir levels start to fall and our chalk aquifers (a key supply source for us) along the North Downs continue to be in deficit. Unless we start to have above average rainfall over the next couple of months we are looking at a summer of water deficit – again! I was asked recently why we should remove old flower heads from plants and whether this was an old gardeners’ rule that made little difference to the health of the plant. Plants that produce seed heads after flowering use up a great deal of energy that could be better used to make new growth. It is true that some plants have sterile flowers that do not produce seed, so dead heading these is not necessary. Dead heading bush roses is important, and when all the flush of flower is over then cut the old flower stem back to a bud – removing up to 12” of growth – this will stimulate new shoots that will rapidly produce more flower buds and give a good continuity of flower. A couple of years ago we noticed that a group of Daffodils on the West side of the pond were not flowering, we call this ‘going blind’; the team scattered superphosphate amongst the green foliage to give the plants a boost and make bigger bulbs for next year. It worked and we had a much improved number of blooms this year. If your Daffs are tired give them a boost! I was surprised to see that a couple of large hedges have had a severe haircut recently – right in the middle of bird nesting! It is disappointing to see this despite lots of information asking that hedges be left until July. Please respect our bird population, this is a critical time of the year for them! This spring has seen an increase in the numbers of the dreaded Lily Beetle, a small bright shiny red slow moving beetle that lays eggs in the foliage that hatch out into small slimy slug like grubs (larvae), both adult and larvae have big appetites and munch their way through the stems and foliage of Lilies and Fritillaries – spraying is difficult and can harm other beneficial insects in the garden – pick them off and stamp on them – very satisfying! 445 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MAY Where has all the rain gone? In March we had well over a month’s rainfall in just a few days at the beginning of the month and then nothing! April rainfall is looking to be short of the long term average of 60mm – so far we have only had 11mm with no significant rain in the forecast. The climate change scientists forecasted a gradual drop in our rainfall with an increasing trend that any rainfall will happen in heavy bursts. Capturing this precious resource for our gardens is becoming more and more important so have a look around you house and see if there is room to connect a water butt to your downpipes. Growing plants from plugs supplied by the many growers is great fun but remember you will need to ‘pot them on’ into larger containers and grow them on in cool conditions with a good source of light; you can put them outside during the day but be very careful to bring them in at night if the forecast is for temperatures to be below 5C. Avoid putting them in large size containers, a 9cm pot (round or square) is good enough to produce a good sized plant by the end of the month. I have been looking at what is available in garden centres to help grow on your tiny plug plants and I am surprised to see that there are pots and multicelled trays available that are not made of recycled plastic; the good news is that if you look carefully you will be able to buy recycled pots and trays, even better these are also suitable for using again and again provided they are washed with hot water and disinfectant. If you prefer to buy your summer bedding plants ready to plant then don’t forget the Horticultural Society’s Plant Sale in the village centre on Saturday 11th May at 09.45am; if you have some plants that you would like to donate to our fundraising sale please contact Jon Allbutt on 577100. Do you have a gap in your hedge and are looking for a large conifer to fill it? We have some very large pot grown conifers generously donated by a local resident for sale at bargain prices – don’t be late, these plants will sell very quickly! Keen vegetable growers might be tempted to plant out their beans and peas that they have sown in pots and trays to get an early crop – beware low night temperatures and cold winds this month! If you are tempted take my tip and place one or two bean seeds next to each plant just to be sure to be sure! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN APRIL Primroses and Snowdrops are in flower and the sun has some warmth even in a chilly breeze heralding the beginning of Spring, a wonderful time of the year. The weather in February was a complete contrast with this time last year with warm days (up to 18C) and hardly any frost and rainfall about average at 61mm (the long term average for February is 59.5mm). The beginning of March is mild so far but more wind than average with some damage around the village; very sad to see the Lime fallen on Westmore Green; the rainfall for the first half of March is already over the long term average at 83mm – the long term average is only 67.9mm!! Over the winter period I have been enjoying watching bumble bees out and about on mild sunny days, this is because we have had plenty of flower from November right through to March and still going strong I make no apologies for repeating the list of plants that keep our precious bees going – Daphne, Hamamelis, Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima, Sweet Box (Sarcococca), Christmas Rose (Helleborus), Violas, Pansies, Tree Ivy (Hedera) – to mention just a few! Those of us lucky enough to have a garden, however large or small, have our own ideas about how we want to enjoy it. Some are mad for bright green grass mowed carefully in lovely lines, others want that mix of plants that give us pleasure all year round, others too want a space for the children to play. One thing is certain, your garden evolves over time and so do your ideas so don’t be shy or hesitant, get out there and make it yours, there is plenty of advice from our own Horticultural Society, TV programmes and of course the web. When making changes to your garden please make sure to try and include features that support our wildlife – plant a hedge rather than put up a fence, create a small pond and always try to have flowers that attract our pollinating insects. Our lovely Tatsfield clay has been very wet and not in a condition to be dug over; as the temperatures rise this month you will notice a big change in the condition of the soil so be vigilant and ready to get ready for sowing and planting because who knows, by the end of the month it could be hard and dry on the surface, or wet and soggy again! Gardening on clay is about being patient and ready to act when conditions improve. You will have noticed how lovely the shrub borders around the car park are looking after the pruning, weeding and mulching thanks to our Tatsfield Community Volunteers. Why do we finish the job by mulching? First of all, it shows off the borders really well; secondly it acts as a blanket and holds in moisture and keeps down the weeds, and finally over time it breaks down and provides organic matter to improve the soil and feeds the plants. At Easter our band of composters will have bins full of their awesome Black Gold for sale, why not pop up to the allotment site and meet the team – oh yes and also meet a member of the Horticultural Society ‘on duty’ for free advice. 551 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN MARCH January was typical of our winter weather these days with temperatures as high as 10C and as low as -5C. Some sharp-eyed readers have commented to me that their thermometers register lower readings than my reports; this will always happen especially in the frost pockets i.e. low areas where the cool air gathers. My outside thermometer is housed in a meteorological screen fixed at one metre above the ground, this avoids extremes due to sun or wind chill. Rainfall in January was well below average at just 33m (just over an inch in old money), the long-term average is around 80mm. February however is already heading for above average rainfall with 60mm (around two inches) already recorded before halfway through the month – the long-term average for February is 60mm; in one twelve hour period on the 8th we had 19mm along with the high winds. This year is the centenary of the Forestry Act that led to the formation of the Forestry Commission and the planting of commercial forests but also the planting and management of our great woods to replace huge losses of mature trees to feed industry and two World Wars. I am very concerned about the loss of mature trees in Tatsfield, losses due to old age, development (remember the row of big trees in the back garden of the Old Ship?) and gardeners wanting more light. Please think carefully before removing trees in your garden, imagine how Tatsfield would look without our great trees and read the thought-provoking poem below, reproduced by kind permission of Jim Crumley. LAMENT FOR A WOODLAND THAT WAS NOT SCENT THE DISTILLED WHISKEY OF THE LAND. SCAN THE SHEEP-SHORN GLEN. TOAST THE WOODLAND THAT WAS NOT. DRINK: TO EVERY WILLOW THAT NEVER WEPT WITH THE JOY OF BEING. TO EVERY SILVER BIRCH THAT NEVER FOUND ITS CROCK OF GOLD AT SUMMER’S RAINBOW’S END. TO EVERY ROWAN THAT NEVER RAISED A GREEN BANNER OVER THE EAGLE’S THRONE AND TO EVERY EAGLE EYRIE NEVER BUILT AND EVERY EAGLET THAT NEVER FLEDGED AND NEVER FLEW FROM A ROWAN-BRIGHT NURSERY. TO EVERY HAZEL, OAK AND ALDER THAT NEVER SHADOWED THE BURN AND EVERY TROUT AND SALMON THAT NEVER LINGERED IN POOLS NEVER SHADED TO EVERY SONGBIRD THAT NEVER PIERCED EACH SILENT MAY DAY DAWN AND NEVER LIVED TO DIE IN THE FAST CLUTCH OF EVERY SPARROWHAWK NEVER WEANED IN NESTS THAT NEVER LEANED BY TALL PINE TRUNKS THAT NEVER GREW IN THE WOODLAND THAT WAS NOT. TO EVERY TREE-CREEPING, WOOD-PECKERING, OWLHOOTERING THING THAT NEVER CLAWED BARK THAT NEVER WRAPPED ALL THE UNGROWN WOOD, AND EVERY ROE AND STOAT BADGER AND BAT, SQUIRREL AND WILDCAT, FOUR-LEGGED THIS AND THAT, THAT NEVER STEPPED INTO CLEARINGS ALL ACROSS THE WHOLE UNWOODED GLEN. TO EVERY WOODLAND MOTH AND MITE AND MOSS AND TREE-THIRLED LICHEN, A HEALTH TO YOU WHEREVER YOU PROSPERED. IT WAS NOT HERE IN THE GLEN GROWN BARREN AS A HOLLOW TREE. FROM “THE GREAT WOOD: THE ANCIENT FORESTS OF CALED” BY JIM CRUMLEY 503 THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY They say it never rains till it pours and so it was in November when Tatsfield had 141mm (the long term average is 88mm); the minimum temperature was -2, and the maximum was 13,5; Dec rainfall was 97mm (the long term average is 84mm); the minimum temperature was -3 and the maximum was 12.5. The mild conditions have resulted in some winter flowering shrubs starting earlier than usual; on the 1st of January I counted half a dozen small bumble bees feeding hungrily on my winter flowering Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) and my Sweet Box (Sarcococca humilis) – fill your garden with winter scent and help our wildlife to survive! Have you noticed that there is one plant guaranteed to do well over the winter period and that is moss; why is that and what is moss anyway – is it really a plant? Moss is a plant but a very primitive one, it does not produce flowers nor does it have proper roots, it also does not have the internal ‘plumbing’ system of tiny tubes that transport fluids and nutrients around stems, shoots and leaves. The reason why it thrives on our lawns and borders at this time of the year is that it loves cool, dull, damp conditions; when the weather warms up and daylength increases it produces spores and largely dies off ready to burst back into growth when conditions are just right again. In dark damp shady places you will notice that it can survive all the year round. Tidy gardeners and lovers of fine flawless lawns consider it to be the enemy and must be destroyed by using moss killers, rakes and lots of energy! Before you charge off to the garden centre to prepare for war, pause a moment; the various forms of moss are beautiful to look at close up, they are an important part of your garden ecosystem not only because they are an important part of a birds nest but much more than that. If you are a grass-nut then consider that the moss is in fact telling you that your lawn drainage and aeration is very poor, and maybe in shade, using chemicals will not change these situations. Use a garden fork and fill the lawn with holes by pushing the fork vertically into the ground giving it a generous wriggle on the way down and back up. This takes a lot of time but is very good exercise and is much more effective than the spikers for hire – they only penetrate a few inches. In late February and into March give the lawn a good raking (scarifying) to take out moss and other dead plant material (the professionals call it thatch). Putting a couple of handfuls of moss in a net and hanging it from your bird table will get you a big thank you from your birds and provide much entertainment! If you are still feeling energetic after that then apply a dressing of sharp sand and brush it into the holes; but if all this activity is making you feel faint, then learn to love your moss! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN DECEMBER 2018 At last the long period of dry weather has broken but as I write I can confirm that the soil in my garden is dry as a bone just 6” deep! October rainfall was only 49mm (average is 98mm); so far in November we have had 88mm (average is 89mm); on the 10th November we had 20mm in just 24 hours! - in ‘old money’ an inch of rain is approximately equal to 25mm. We had more ground frosts in October but only one air frost (when the temperature reaches zero); November so far is mild but we are expecting drier conditions and colder weather in the second half of the month. As for December, forecasters are, as usual very cautious, but we can surely expect some cold spells, especially if the high pressure remains to the North and East of us. What do you buy that person who is a keen gardener who has a shed full of tools and gadgets, and boasts a good knowledge of plants? A great idea would be to buy them membership of the Royal Horticultural Society (www.rhs.org.uk ) a monthly magazine full of information, access to the RHS advisory services, early notice and special members deals on shows all over the country, free entry to gardens on members days – great value! It is hard to resist those pots of lovely fresh herbs on offer in garden centres and the shops; nothing like fresh Parsley, Coriander, Chives, Sage, Mint, Thyme, Basil and many others for real flavour but how do we keep them from going yellow and drooping over the edge of the pot? In nature they want to be cool with good light, so why not keep them outdoors in mild weather and bring them in when needed – even a day outside will make all the difference - great idea as a present for the keen cook. Planting Violas and Pansies for winter and spring colour is a great idea especially if they are in a fairly sheltered sunny spot and free of a risk of waterlogging. They will try to make a lot of seed pods that will drain energy from the plant and that in turn will reduce the amount of flower; have a look at them each week and nip off all old flowers and remember to avoid any feeding until late March to give them that early boost to make a big spring show. It has been a superb autumn, our local hedgerows and garden plants have provided an abundance of berries for our birds, but have you noticed that many of them are moving into our gardens now that they have eaten their fill? Please do not forget them over the next three months or so especially if the weather is cold. Why not buy a new bird table and feeders as a present; children love to watch the birds busy on window feeders or squabbling over peanuts and fat balls. THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN OCTOBER 2018 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 [email protected] 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! THE TATSFIELD GARDENER IN JUNE 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 [email protected] 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! Later Blogs With more than a twist of humour I was asked the other day when we would receive warnings of hosepipe bans now the dry warm weather has finally arrived! With record levels of rainfall over the winter and early spring, our chalk aquifers regained their long term deficit and we should have plenty of water for our needs. But that does not mean we can splash it around with gay abandon! Our clay soil will hold on to huge quantities of water and not that far down either, so please be careful and check before you water! Use a stick or cane and push it a few inches into the soil and you should see a damp mark indicating there is plenty of moisture down there. With good preparation your summer flowers and vegetable roots should grow down to the moisture; this will also ensure that in very dry and hot conditions they will be better able to resist drying out. I know it doesn’t look very pretty but if you take a large plastic drinks bottle and make some slits – not holes – at the top, fill it with water, screw the top on tight and push it into the soil upside down near your plants it will be a reservoir and release the water slowly as the plant needs it. If it is too slow, increase the number and length of the slits; you can also connect these large bottles to a seep hose and run it along a row of plants, or vegetables. Use rainwater wherever you can; it is much better for the plants – tap water contains chemicals to keep it ‘pure’, rainwater contains Nitrogen, a vital element for plant growth! Should we ban slug pellets? Yes, this is one of the topics under discussion at the ‘other’ Parliament in Brussels! It is true that we are using far too many slug pellets; it is being detected in our drinking water and has to be removed chemically before entering the mains water system. Early opinion was that it was the farmers who were the culprits but now that we have very sophisticated water detection systems we know that gardeners are also responsible for putting significant amounts of slug killer chemicals such as metaldehyde in our water systems. If the levels of these chemicals in our drinking water are not brought down – by reducing use - then it is inevitable that approval for these chemicals will be withdrawn. There are alternatives to using slug killing chemicals, and they are unnecessary in dry weather; I think slugs get the blame for damage by other means! Be sure to check for the tell-tale slime trail and please use them sparingly or not at all! Take a tip from our hard working volunteers and remove old flower heads, nip off the tips of those fast growing basket plants for good growth and continuous flowering throughout the summer. |
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