This week the pea straw went on with some energetic help, so good to get it on while the ground is still wet, the straw will keep that moisture in for Spring growth.
After the past rain we have had a chance to see areas in the garden not draining well, if you have plants that are still water logged dig them up and improve where they are growing by digging the hole deep down to the clay, which is probably the pan holding the water. Break up the clay as much as you can, put a layer of gypsum on top of the broken clay then add at least three shovels of gravel to create a sump for water to drain into. By doing this the plant of your choice can stay in that spot without drowning.
I have done the annual cutting of leaves from all my hellebore's, the under sides were infested with greenfly wintering over, wanting to pounce onto my roses come Spring. They will soon produce new fresh leaves after the beautiful flowers have popped up and flowered on their own, giving a wonderful show in the middle of Winter.
This week I have been taking root cuttings of hydrangea paniculata and a few other plants I have trouble striking cuttings from.
Root cuttings: Taking root cuttings is one of the most reliable and economical ways to produce many perennial and woody plants. If you've ever had problems propagating some of your favorite plants, this may be the way for you to go, it is a straight forward process best done during the plant's dormant season between June and September.
For Woody Plants
Note: Many trees today have been grafted to a different root stock, only take cuttings from non grafted tree's & shrubs.
Carefully remove dirt around the roots on one side of the plant, dig fairly close to the base of the plant to make sure you find healthy roots that are pencil thick belonging to the plant you are working on, take 2 to 6 inch (2 to 15 cm) cuttings and cut into 2 to 3 inch (6 to 7.5 cm) sections.
The best way to keep track of top end and bottom end of the cutting is to make a flat cut on top side, and a slanted cut on the bottom side.
Plant in a deep pot, raised planter bed, or just in the soil somewhere,(frost free) put a little sand in the bottom of the hole and dust the bottom of each cutting with powdered sulfur to control fungi. making sure that the tops of the cuttings are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the soil and cover with a layer of coarse river sand or small gravel, Water only when soil becomes dry.
For Perennial Plants.
It is usually easier to lift the entire parent plant, look for large fleshy roots, the thicker the better.Take 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cuttings the same way as above, then replant the parent plant and water in.
In three to four weeks your cuttings should be forming roots, and some even may start to push new growth.
When new shoots appear, give them some liquid fertilizer at half strength.
Once the plants are established, they can be transplanted to individual pots or moved into the garden.
List of Plants For Root Cuttings.
Crabapple, Figs, Hydrangeas, Lilacs, Mock oranges, Popler, Pussy willow, Red and yellow twig dogwoods, Old roses, Snowball bush, Weeping willow, Yucca, Aster, Bear’s breeches, tall phloxes, Gernaium, Globe,
It is usually easier to lift the entire parent plant, look for large fleshy roots, the thicker the better.Take 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cuttings the same way as above, then replant the parent plant and water in.
In three to four weeks your cuttings should be forming roots, and some even may start to push new growth.
When new shoots appear, give them some liquid fertilizer at half strength.
Once the plants are established, they can be transplanted to individual pots or moved into the garden.
List of Plants For Root Cuttings.
Crabapple, Figs, Hydrangeas, Lilacs, Mock oranges, Popler, Pussy willow, Red and yellow twig dogwoods, Old roses, Snowball bush, Weeping willow, Yucca, Aster, Bear’s breeches, tall phloxes, Gernaium, Globe,
Roses: Clean up dead leaves under rose bushes before adding compost or mulch to prevent the spread of pests and disease. Roses can have a clean up spray with Lime Sulphur which will defoliate them and deal to scale, mites, moss & lichen, then later after pruning a Champion Copper and Conqueror Oil spray. This is the only spraying I do on my roses because at this time of the year there are no bee's, butterfly's or ladybirds around the bushes.
Keep planting lilium bulbs. These are best placed in raised beds. Don’t let the roots dry out at all.
Make early plantings of gladioli for November flowering.
Re-pot container grown buxus every second year or if they look pot bound, trim the outer roots and replace any loose soil with new potting mix. They make a huge amount of unneeded roots every year.
Plant polyanthus for a bright patch of colour a few poly's in a pot is all that's needed to brighten up any doorway.
Once wisterias have lost all leaves prune off all long and unruly canes because if you don't they will entwine themselves around established branches and keep growing thicker each year.
Veg & fruit
On the coast Sow broad beans, garlic, shallots and rhubarb in colder areas nothing much can be planted
Give fruit tree and any deciduous trees with lichen a clean up spray with lime sulphur but not apricot trees lime sulphur will burn the fruit buds.
Cheers, Linda
No comments:
Post a Comment