A mix of frosts and dark sky's that send very little rain and have even had a warm northwester in the mix so far this week, but this could all change before this is in print. Slowly the garden begins to awaken and spring is in the air with the swelling of buds.
I have shifted clumps of tall white phlox, they had become shaded and too protected by growing trees, these tall white phlox, when flowering have a wonderful musk perfume that drifts about the garden in late afternoon. Tall phlox come in a number of shades, they die down over winter, and need to be planted in an open windy spot that gets all day sun or they will be susceptible to powdery mildew. Mine have just broken the surface and will get a spray of copper oxicloride to help hold back the powdery mildew which they seem to retain in the clump over winter.
I have filled plastic 2 litre milk containers with worm tea from my worm farm, adding to a full watering to the strength of black tea, apply generously to new leaf, budding and flowering plants like pollyanthas, forget-me-nots, dianthus, sweet peas, pansy, viola. Any new plantings can be Helped along along by feeding now to get roots going and keep green and strong through any cold snaps yet to come.
Slow release fertiliser is a good idea now as well, sprinkle around established ornamental and newly planted trees and shrubs, plants start feeding on awaking.
This week I have pruned more hydrangeas, the wood has hardened and buds are plump, Prune only those stems that have flowered, cut at the second bud from the bottom, leave all other stems because these are the flowers for this year. Spread old stable manure around the drip line and a dressing of lime for pink flowers and aluminum sulphate for blue, White never changes, but are best planted in light shade.
This week I have pruned more hydrangeas, the wood has hardened and buds are plump, Prune only those stems that have flowered, cut at the second bud from the bottom, leave all other stems because these are the flowers for this year. Spread old stable manure around the drip line and a dressing of lime for pink flowers and aluminum sulphate for blue, White never changes, but are best planted in light shade.
If the PH of your soil is high blue hydrangeas will always revert to pink no matter how often you add aluminum to the soil. Pot grown hydrangea's can be controlled successfully by tailoring soil to requirements. Peat, pine needles and coffee grinds are also helpful to blue hydrangeas.
Cuttings from hardened geranium steams can be taken now, fresh grown geraniums give amazing colour to a warm sunny garden for all of the growing season and even into the winter, they are so easy to grow from cuttings. Take short cuttings, semi hard wood, (not a new green steam) and let them dry out a little before potting, this means you don't have to deal with them straight away. Plant them firmly into a soil and river sand mix, (Potting mix is too light to get a tight seal), I am forever taking cuttings off geraniums I like when I come across them in other gardens.
Trim dentata lavender after it's winter flowering. Dentata is the tall growing one with the pale lavender bumblebee flower and serrated leaf, they are budding up now so will recover quickly from a cut back, leave trimming other lavenders until it is warmer but you can give all lavenders a dressing of lime.
Keep planting dahlias, peony roses and gladioli from now until September and cut back leggy, straggly bush lavatera and they will bush up again in no time.
Roses: A reminder of how importance it is to feed roses now they are making a move to bud up, powdered rose food needs watered in around the drip line, slow release fertiliser will work each time it rains, manure around the drip line, (not up against the crown), any of these will give the needed boost.
Vegetables
It has been so good not to have to worry about bugs during the last few months when planting out leaf veg, but the birds are tucking into anything green right now, new plantings can be hidden from them with frost cloth.
Gardeners in cold frosty areas will be making a start now, add compost and a little lime in readiness for when you plant later this month.
It is seed potato time again, potatoes have a natural dormancy from the time they are harvested to when they begin to sprout, starting their next growth cycle. This can only be modified slightly by storage conditions. I set them out in a box on damp news paper, and leave in a dark place in the warmth of the house. Some leave them in a warm well lit place, what ever works for you I go with the theory that it is very dark down in the soil where they eventually end up. Seed potatoes are on offer now.
FIRST EARLY VARIETIES: Cliffs Kidney, Jersey Bennes, Maris Anchor, Rocket.
SECOND EARLY Ilam Hardy, Karaka, Red king.
MAIN CROP: Desiree,Agria Mondial, Nadine, Pentland Dell, Red Rascal, Rua
Fruit:
Finish pruning grapes before sap rises if left too late a grape will bleed sap.
Time is running out for pruning fruit trees as well, blossom burst is not far away.
An update on Scruff the dog who I am sure feels life is complete now that we have found the wonderful dog park!! If he could say "What took you so long?" I am sure he would. He is in his element chasing numerous sticks and balls thrown by others,( for their dogs ) Scuff runs himself in circles with the huge and small not wanting to miss anything that moves and needs to be dragged away for fear of his little legs collapsing!
Cheers, Linda
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