Wow one day a hard frost the next no frost and a warm balmy day, plants must be really confused....I know I am. Still that cold snap we received last weekend reminded us of what is to come.
Frost draws moisture up then warm sun and wind drys top soil out so keep an eye on plants with shallow roots like Rhododendron, camellia, hydrangea and newly planted shrubs and annuals they may need a good hand held hose soak.
A heap of cutting back was done here this week, my ready compost is going down fast, as autumn leaves and annual weeds have been removed from gardens it gets shoveled on thickly over beds, then the pea straw goes on.
Bearded Iris rhizomes and freesia bulbs need to be exposed to bake in the sun, compost and mulch are being kept off them.
I shifted a couple of shrubs that were wrenched in March , this garden gets carried away and tries to out grow the size allotted to it!! shrubs I planted and thought at the time I could keep shaped to fit the space but after a while I get fed up with trying to keep them the right size, they are dug up and given a ride in the wheel barrow. Don't hesitate in reducing the height and width of trees and shrubs, it is essential if garden space is limited, if only to let more light on to lower growing plants and bulbs to stop leggy growth and encourage optimum flowering.
Cutting to an inside bud will encourage narrow growth and a cutting at outside buds will allow open wide growth. While pruning can provide some control over size it is not an effective method to keep a large shrub in a small space, removal might be the only answer.
Roses: Stop dead heading now to allow rose wood to harden for the big prune in July. By allowing sap to go into making rose seed it will not stop new growth.
Vegetables and fruit .
Garlic, time to get it planted, growers will save garlic cloves for planting from year to year but if planting for the first time get what is offered in Garden centers rather than what is offered for eating at a supermarket.
It is said to plant garlic on the shortest day but any time from late May until August is ok. Select large single cloves (plant point up) 5cm deep and 20cm apart in warm, well-drained sites where soil has been recently limed.
There are many veg seedlings on offer for planting now before it gets too cold, broad beans can go in as well.
Continue planting strawberry plants, raising the beds where drainage is suspect and adding manure rich compost to the beds.
Having been such a good ripening season apples are dripping from trees, it is best to pick apples for storing when not too ripe and store in a cool dark place
Start pruning pip fruit trees any time after the leaves have fallen, using clean tools from tree to tree, remove dead or damaged wood, crossing or inward turning branches, excess leaders or sucker growth developing on the main trunks. Shorten back vigorous leaders by about a 1/3 to promote branching. Prune long side branches back to a weak twig to discourage further spread.
Cheers, Linda
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