Continuous dull days and rain here on the coast for the second week of School holidays is uninspiring for gardeners but gentle on new spring growth.
Tulips: are taking center stage, dull days will allow them to bloom longer. Tulips are best left after flowering until all green has been absorbed by the bulb, if like me you have a main display of them and need to get other plants in, dig them up with green still attached to the bulb, bed them (bundled) into a spot in the garden where not noticed until die back is finished, then store in a box where rats can not get at them. Dead head all spring bulbs as they finish flowering, leaving them to make seed will weaken bulbs but leaves are left on to feed back into bulbs, with the exception of blue bells, they spread faster if allowed to drop seed.
Roses: are well in leaf now, sun is needed to get them budding and keep them disease free, to avoid mildew problems don't let rose foliage go into the night wet on dry mild nights. Well fed roses are less likely to become diseased, fortnightly folia feeding and slow release fertiliser around the drip line will do the trick.
I need to spot spray convolvulous and couch grass because they are growing so fast, but if roses get even a sniff of hormone spray foliage will become deformed growing wispy yellow leaves and the rose bush will eventually die, so don't risk spraying on a windy day.
Our Grandies are enjoying the "My little garden" Super market promotion seed pots, when I was little a seed growing into a plant was true magic to me and this is the reaction I am seeing from these little ones, let the magic continue to become food. After planting sun flower seeds into trays only a week ago they are now up and will be soon large enough to plant out, they do best planted straight into the ground but I have little bantams who scratch out, and the seed hence pre-growing them. Sun flowers are a quick result for small Children to plant then watch grow taller than themselves.
Compost: is heating up and working well with the addition of new grass clippings, mine are open heaps layered with soft grass and hedge clippings, manure, soil, and seedless weeds, The warm rain will have been good working right through the middle to create the heat needed and a sprinkle of lime to sweeten it all up.
Vegetables: Potatoes are loving the warm ground, mine are up and ready for mounding.....hopefully this weekend! Pumpkin, squash, corn and courgette seeds can go in now, if you prefer to buy plants be sure to harden them off outside in a protected place for a while before planting them out. If your vegetable garden has been disappointing in the past with plants not growing as well as you would like you could do a Ph test and if the PH of your soil needs to be raised you can add lime. I sprinkle lime on my compost heaps in spring and Autumn which then goes on the garden with the added bonus of lime loving worms. Dolomite lime is less likely to drastically change the PH, usually application rates are 2 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet of garden area, every second year to raise the pH from 5.5 to 6.5. Some veg that like a more acid soil so don't go adding lime unless your soil needs sweetening.
DIY ph test can be done using vinegar: Collect 1 cup of soil from different parts of your garden and put 2 spoonfuls into separate containers, add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the soil if it fizzes you have alkaline soil, with a pH between 7 and 8. If it doesn’t fizz after doing the vinegar test, add distilled water to the other container until 2 teaspoons of soil are muddy. Add 1/2 cup baking soda, if it fizzes you have acidic soil, most likely with a pH between 5 and 6. If soil doesn’t react at all it is neutral with a pH of 7 you are very lucky!
Distilling water can be done by 3/4 fill a large jam pot, set on med/ high to create a slow boil, place a glass bowl (receiver flask) into your pot, making sure it floats well enough to allow for some water to be poured into it without sinking. Place a con-caved lid on the pot upside down. Fill the top of the lid with ice cubes, condensation will enable the bowl to fill with distilled water.
Acid Soil Crops: The following crops prefer a pH of 4. to 5.5 Blackberry,Blueberry,
Somewhat Acid Soil Crops: These can tolerate a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 Apple,Basil,Carrot,
Moderately Alkaline Soil Plants: The following crops will tolerate a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 or greater: Artichoke, Asparagus Bean, pole, Bean, lima, Beet, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Chinese cabbage, Celeriac Celery Chinese cabbage, Chive, Cress, Endive/escarole, Fennel, Gourd, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Leek, Lettuce, Marjoram, Mustard, Okra, Onion, Oregano, Pak choi, Parsnip, Pea, Radish, Rhubarb, Sage, Spinach, Squash, summer, Sunflower, Tarragon, Tomatillo.
Very Acid to Alkaline Soil Tolerant Plants: The following crops have the greatest tolerance for a wide range of soil acidity or alkalinity, from about 5.0 to 7.0: Alpine strawberry, Carrot, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumber, Dill, Garlic, Parsley, Parsnip, Pepper,Tomato.Turnip. Phew! a pretty long winded list but can be kept for future reference.
Cheers, Linda.
No comments:
Post a Comment