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| Gardening
Tips |
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August by Adam Mann
If the soil becomes dry at
this time of the year growth will be retarded but excessive evaporation can be
overcome by mulching.
Suitable materials are composted bark, cocoa shells,
well ground chippings from the branches of trees and gravel which should always
be laid over moist ground. Wood shavings are sold for mulching but the results
are generally unsatisfactory as they fail to bed down before being strewn
around by the strong winds which affect the Island.
Around now is the ideal
time to sow seeds for biennial plants including sweet williams, foxgloves and
delphiniums. As the blooms of lupins and delphiniums start to die back over the
next few weeks new growth can be encouraged by cutting back the old flowers to
just above a new shoot or leaf and by feeding the plants with a generous
application of liquid manure. |
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July by Adam Mann
Composting, All gardens have
the potential to provide a regular supply of materials suitable for composting.
With green issues now high on the enviromental agenda many local authorities
are encouraging a more discerning attitudes towards the dispoaal of organic
waste.
Materials ideal for this purpose are vegtable leaves and stalks,
potato peelings, tea leaves and dead and unwanted plants. Grass cuttings should
be well mixed with crumpled newspaper and added in small quantities. Never
allow any inorganic material such as plastic, especially meat and fish, for
they attract vermin.
The best compost is made from a container having a lid
or a cover such as old carpeting. The golden rule is to ensure retention of as
much heat as possible.
Fully decomposed compost needs to be slightly moist
and black/brown in colour. It should also readily crumble when worked in the
hands and not have any trace of the original material. Compost made from garden
waste is not a suitable substitute for the special propagation mixtures
marketed for seed growing and potting out. Nevertheless ordinary garden compost
is an ideal soil food and should be well worked in to the top spit of the
ground for the best results. |
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June by Adam Mann
When dealing with the weed
problem it is necessary to understand how the various varieties propagate and
survive. Some weeds are annuals and spread by seeding on completion of the
seasonal cycle.
A failure to remove them before the seeding stage will
ensure a legacy of regeneration for the following season.
If time is of no
consequence, weeds can also be eradicated by smothering. Any material which
functions as a heavy blanket and blocks out sunlight is suitable but
considerable patience is needed for the best results. After weeds have been
cleared, mulching is an excellent way of keeping the ground free from further
invasion. A wide range of materials can be used for this purpose including
cocoa shells and wood chippings, but to be effective the coverings need to be
thick and well consolidated. |
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May
With warn Spring weather now on the way,
slugs and snails will start to be active. Every gardener has a preferred
solution but when using slug-pellets, remember to locate them in positions
which are not attractive to wildlife. Avoid placing them in conspicuous piles
and preferably cover them with tiles resting on bricks or stones or a similar
form of screening.
Gardening on the Island can be a disappointing and
frustrating activity for those who are close to the seashore. We are therefore
asking members to let us know of the successes and failures they have had over
the years so that a portfolio can be prepared for use by everyone. |
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April
Congested lumps of perennials can be lifted and
divided and many shrubs will need pruning. At this time of year, trees and
shrubs can also benefit from an application of sulphate of potash worked into
the soil with a hoe. |
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March
Whilst the weather may still seem
forbidding this is not a dead time of year in the garden.Frogs will be
returning to their ponds and many resident garden birds will have started to
nest. Check all shrubs planted out last Autumn if they are in locations that
have taken the brunt of any frost. |
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