Bishampton and District Gardening Club - Pete's Topical Tips

Cleaning and preparation for the year ahead…

15/1/2019

February and March 2019

January in the greenhouse is time for a good clean. Too many are used as sheds; poor use for a valuable asset! Why not grow salad leaves in troughs? ‘Cut-and-come-again’ lettuce will germinate in a cold greenhouse all the year round and give healthy salad crops you know are good for you! I have successfully grown Mizuna outside as well as Mituna; which is just as hardy. Or try Spinach in troughs and for a spicy alternative try Giant Red Mustard. Radishes are another alternative. If you let any go to seed the seed pods can be eaten too!

I don’t start heating my green house until Valentines’ Day. Then it is all systems go - Dahlias are put on the hotbed to start them growing, ready for cuttings to be taken later. Any spare room you can fill with tomatoes; chilli peppers; sweet peppers or aubergines. Start them in 4”/10cm pots in a fine compost; when they germinate and have two true leaves, I pot them into 3”/9cm pots. Make sure you consider quantity; 2 growbags with 3 plants in, is a good number for most.

I did germinate my show onions in a propagator in the house. I don’t believe in unnecessary expense, so as the house is warm, the onions grow in the dining room near a south facing window. They are now in cell trays and come February 14th, will be moved into the greenhouse to benefit from the extra light. They will also be potted into 3”/9cm pots before being hardened off in April and then planted direct into the ground. I also sow some annuals into cell trays ready to plant out in April on the plot, to offer pollinators some early sustenance.

Most fruit trees can be pruned from now to March; only apples and pears in the top. Damsons, plums and cherries should be pruned when they are in growth – so May until August. This is in order to reduce the chance of silver leaf. Soft fruit pruning needs to be done for blackcurrants – take out the old wood. The best flowers and fruit occur on last year’s wood; so don’t cut that out. Redcurrants fruit on old wood so leave alone unless the bushes are getting out of control. Not many people grow white currants which is a shame because they are sweeter then the other two. Gooseberries have a habit of growing branches that drag on the ground, I always cut these out as it is bad enough picking through the spiny horrors without grovelling on hands and knees to pick soil splashed fruit.

Don’t forget our Spring Show, it’s on Sunday 7th April this year. Remember, you don’t have to be a member to enter – see our website for details of this year’s exciting monthly meeting topics and visits planned as well as an application form.

www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email info@bishamptongardenigclub.org.uk

Cheers,
Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton & District Gardening Club.

The nights are drawing in…

14/11/2018

Now the nights come earlier, I will be perusing the seed catalogues and pondering over what I am going to grow next year. I don’t always believe the glossy pictures and overzealous descriptions. I have been caught out in the past by glowing descriptions of a cut flower with long stems and continuous flowers, only to find it is a foot high and a single stem. I have lifted all my Gladioli and have cut the leaves off. I leave them in the greenhouse to dry and after a fortnight I remove the old corm and roots. Some of the little cormlets I keep and grow on next year, but only the special ones.

I have lifted all my Dahlia tubers and boxed them up. They are now residing in the barn, hopefully, they will be ready to take cutting from in the Spring. I have left a row in, but have covered them with a good 4” of rotten horse manure from a known source. You have to be careful about buying manure as if the straw has been sprayed with a hormone weed killer, it can hang around and be toxic to a lot of plants, particularly tomatoes. I used to live near large hay fields and the famer always told me if he was spraying, as I used to grow about 400 tomatoes in a Polytunnel. There is still time to plant Winter and Spring pots. Under-plant Pansies and Bellis and Polyanthus with Hyacinths, Tulips and Daffodils. Dutch Iris will continue to give colour with late Tulips, in fact any bulbs will push their way through the foliage above, so it is worth checking they haven’t lifted any plants as they grow.

If it isn’t frosty, and you haven’t already done it, give the lawn a last cut and put the lawnmower away. It is always a good idea to let it run out of fuel, so you can have an easy start in the Spring. Please do get your tickets for our annual Christmas dinner – for only £18 you get a three course dinner along with a very silly local quiz that’ll make you realise how unobservant you are as well as a hearty laugh or two.

For further information on your local, friendly gardening club, please do get in touch, all our details are online: www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email info@bishamptongardenigclub.org.uk
Cheers, Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton & District Gardening Club.

Autumn is nearly here…

21/9/2018

Autumn is approaching fast, time for a tidy up in the garden. Try to gather any fallen fruit; a lot will have grubs in and will overwinter in the soil to reproduce in the Spring. Put them on the compost heap with the last of the grass cuttings to heat up and decompose. Tidy up any broken branches, I have several plum branches that were too heavily laden and broke under the extra weight. With the showers of rain the lawns are recovering well and will require cutting probably into November.

I never feed the lawn in Autumn, I think one weed and feed in Spring is enough. If you are lawn proud, then my regime will not be for you; I think feeding needs more lawn moving so I don’t do it.

Keep dead-heading roses and Dahlias; both will keep flowering until the first frosts. With the Dahlias you have to decide whether to leave in the ground or dig up the tubers and store them dry until next year. If leaving in the ground, it is best to mulch with three inches of compost as they will not survive the frosts otherwise. Any foliage from Dahlias will compost more readily if reduced in size by shredding or just throwing them on the lawn and running the lawn mower over them a couple of times. It is surprising how small an area they go into when chopped up. Needless to say, a rotary lawn mower not a cylinder mower!

Don’t forget it’s time to buy new bulbs and things like Amaryllis or Hyacinth for the home to cheer it up over winter, or as a seasonal gift. More on this next time. We’d also love to see you at our monthly meetings in the Villages Hall, Bishampton – it is always the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30. We offer a variety of speakers as well as evening trips and days out.

Any questions? Please do get in touch, all our details are online:
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email info@bishamptongardenigclub.org.uk
Cheers, Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton & District Gardening Club.

Summer nearly here…

21/5/2018

Have you all cut back your Forsythia yet? In the next few weeks, any Weigelia that has flowered can be cut back as it is another shrub that flowers on last year’s new shoots! Indeed, any evergreen shrub can be cut back into a manageable shape; Robinia and similar can get out of hand if not kept under control. Most hedges will look better for a quick trim, new growth will be easy to cut and a large hedge can be done in a very short time. If you haven’t got a mechanical hedge trimmer, I have often used a strimmer, don’t forget the safety glasses!

Primroses and Polyanthus that are overcrowded can be split up and divided. If you want to grow some from seed early June is the time to sow them. Similarly, if you want Wallflowers, Sweet Williams, Foxgloves or other triennials from seed, get these in June as well. I usually grow them in a deep seed tray and prick them out into cell trays (15 inserts in a tray) then put them in their final position in early October. Anyone wanting Forget-me-nots to go with a bed of tulips if you haven’t got seedlings springing up all over the place sow some seed now.

Anyone growing Runner Beans who finds they run out of steam early in September, why don’t you try a late sowing? Put two seeds in some 9cm or 3½ inch pots in late June and enjoy some tender beans up to the first frosts.

I will plant my Dahlias that I have raised from cuttings in the first week of June as I plant them out, I pinch the tops out to make them bush out. I restrict them to different amounts of stems according to the size of the bloom. The average size decorative or cactus will support 10-12 stems. Disbudding will give you maximum size of bloom. Gladioli jumping up through the ground, like plenty of water and a top dressing of general fertilizer. Good look with all your growing!

What are you doing, Wednesday 6th June? Why not join the Gardening Club – we’re very friendly! In June, we have the pleasure of Helen Picton and her fascinating talk, ‘Daisy Days – the rise, fall and renaissance of the Michaelmas Daisy.’ Also, in the evening of June 20th we are visiting the prestigious Croome Walled Garden, with a guided tour and optional refreshments afterwards. If you’d like to come, but can’t get a lift, contact us and we’ll do our best!

You can now pick up your free copy of our Summer Show Schedule, or download it online. We would love you and your loved ones to enter your blooms or veg or even crafts to make the August show an amazing spectacle.
Plenty for young children to enter as well. Any questions? Please do get in touch, all our details are online: www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email info@bishamptongardenigclub.org.uk
See you soon!

Cheers, Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton Gardening Club.

Spring is nearly here…

12/3/2018

Tomatoes are a favourite for home gardeners, although when visiting friends, I am often surprised at their poor results. It is important to know the variety you are growing is it ‘indeterminate’ or ’cordon’? Both names refer to a plant that likes to grow on a single stem. When it has grown up a string or stake it will produce shoots at leaf axils, these need to be broken off rather than cut out. Breaking will stop any other shoots growing; cutting often results in shoots forming again. Most plants will support 6 or 7 trusses. I always tell people to buy the biggest growbag they can get. If growing in pots, get one as big as a bucket.
The other type of tomato is the ‘determinate’ or ‘bush’ variety. These start as a single stem that breaks into many shoots that all have flower trusses. This makes a plant that can be grown in a big hanging basket, a planter, or a big pot. Some varieties make huge plants, mostly bearing small fruits. Once the first flowers show and small tomatoes have formed, add some tomato fertiliser to every can of water; you are sure to be repaid by loads of fruit and healthy foliage.
Watering is vital. Don’t let the plants dry out when they have fruit, or you risk a condition called ‘blossom end rot’ which results in a black or brown patch at the bottom of the fruit. However, try not to get water on the foliage. If you are worried about pollination, just tap the plant gently.

Many books say that you can’t grow cucumber in the same greenhouse as tomatoes. Yes you can! They enjoy warmth, so plant them further away from the door and not until the end of May. Always make sure you buy or grow F1 hybrids. The variety ‘Carmen’ is a standard size or ’Passandra’ which is half the size but very prolific.
Our next event is our Annual Spring Show – Saturday March 31st – entries and staging is between 9 and 11am - we’d love to see your daffodils, tulips and pansies, amongst other things.
It truly is beautiful to fill the Villages Hall with spring flowers.
If you’re not up to entering, please come along and enjoy a free feast for your eyes between 2 and 4pm. Entry forms and details can be found on our website www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email info@bishamptongardenigclub.org.uk

Sunday, April 22nd trip to John Massey’s Garden at Kingswinford. Entry £5, cash only please on the door for the National Gardens Scheme. To see and read about the many treats in store, see their website: https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com

See you soon!
Cheers, Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton Gardening Club.

Jobs to get on with now…

12/1/2018

Replenishing the food in the bird feeders is as far as I get on these cold and bitter days. I have started to clear the greenhouses, ready for my start day, for a bit of heat. I usually start some peppers on a heated bench. Valentines Day is my start day – any earlier and I don’t have room for all the plants I like to grow.

I always put some mouse traps down before I sow any seeds as they can devastate seedlings. Don’t sow until you have two days of empty traps. Mice love sweet pea seeds, marrow and cucumber. They will also graze on onion seedlings and bite the top out of many seedlings. I have some violas on a bench outside, (ready for the Spring Show on March 31st), and I notice one or two have been pruned back by the little furry beasts!

Pruning apples and pears is a high priority. I am old-fashioned enough not to prune in frosty weather – a good excuse for not getting too cold! Don’t forget that stoned fruit shouldn’t be pruned until it is growing, as the chance of getting disease into the trees is lessened.

Another tip is to spray your secateurs with antibacterial spray out of the kitchen after each tree is pruned. Bacterial canker, which can be seen as raised bark and lesions on trees can rapidly spread and should be removed. Look at the pruned shoots and see if there are any brown streaks in the area - if there is cut back until it is clear of dark coloration. Start your mower and make sure it is in running order as grass will need cutting in March. If it needs attention, get it done NOW – don’t wait until the last minute.

If you have started heating a greenhouse, think about putting a couple of big pots that could be sown with carrots, radish, lettuce a bit of protection - they could remain in the greenhouse until you need the room for more tender subjects. By the time the vegetables have grown, they can stand outside conditions.

So folks, our annual programme starts off with local plantsman, Bob Brown from Cotswold Garden Plants in Badsey speaking about his Thirty Best Plants on February 7th – make a note in the diary. March’s presentation is Simon White from Beales’ Roses coming all the way from Norfolk to talk about the A-Z of Roses – we’ve been trying for some time to get someone to talk to us about this garden favourite so it should be popular. Planning ahead, our Spring Show this year is March 31st as Easter’s early so get all these dates down in the diary!

Winter is here…

17/11/2017

Winter and the dark night’s are here! Time to look at seed catalogues and decide on next year’s order. Another job is reviewing all the tools in the shed and cleaning them. A good idea when someone says what do you want for Christmas? An opportunity to get a new border fork or something similar.

Anyone storing dahlia tubers or gladioli needs to give them a check in case of rot or mouse damage.

Autumn fruiting raspberry canes can be cut down to the ground now. Blackcurrant bushes can be pruned by taking out some old wood. Redcurrants fruit on old wood so only need to be tidied up maybe taking out branches that get too close to the ground out completely. Gooseberries can also can be tidied up by having branches that too close to the ground removed.

Roses can be half-pruned to stop wind rock with a final pruning in March. The reason for not hard pruning at this time of the year is that with our mild winters they can grow new shoots that can be killed later when we have cold weather in February.

Next year’s programme is available in print and to download from the website and is packed with talks and outings so have a look. We start the year off with every popular Bob Brown from Cotswold Flowers and our Spring Show is early this year on March 21st.

Have a good Christmas and New Year and start the year with resolutions to do better in the garden and make sure you put in those important first Wednesdays in the month in your diary for our Gardening Club meetings!

Cheers

Peter Chamberlain
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk
Tel: 01386 861438

Results of Bishampton’s Summer Flower and Produce Show

17/9/2017

The very first Kathleen Yeoman’s cup for the most promising young gardener was won by Megan Coombs.

Angela Miller scooped the Maggie Chamberlain Cup for her entries in the floral art section at Bishampton’s Summer Flower and Produce Show. In particular, she produced some lovely ideas for Strictly Come Dancing, The Good Life, and Jubilee Walk which drew the judge’s compliments.

Elsewhere it was a clash of the Titans again with Rosemary Rickard and Pete Chamberlain vying for first place – finally Rosemary was pipped to the post with Pete the overall champion yet again to claim the Greengrow Trophy plus trophies in vegetables, fruit and pot plant sections.

However Rosemary was a worthy runner-up winning four cups – The Chairman’s Challenge Cup; the Hiller Challenge Cup (Flowers); the Country Cakes Cup (Photography), and Bishampton Stores Cup for Home Produce.

The Four Acres Challenge Cup for the tallest sunflower was one by Huw Mclelland and the Bevington Challenge Cup for the longest runner bean by How and Eden Miller.

The show was well attended with 257 entries for the 74 categories.
The accounts for this year’s Open Gardens event which was the Club’s most successful yet, yielded a healthy profit with £300 donations being presented to the Midlands Air Ambulance and Evesham & Lurcher Greyhound Trust.

The Club’s next two meetings will be Diane Bateman on 4th October doing a talk on Fascinating fungi followed by Paul Williams on 1st November presenting on Potatoes, Petunias, Peppers and Poisons.

Visitors to the talks which start at 7.30pm at Bishampton Villages Hall, are very welcome with an entry fee of just £2 per person. For further information, see our website at www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk, email info@bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or telephone 01386 861438.

Sunny Summer…

11/7/2017

What a summer so far! I know you think I might be deranged but it is time to order bulbs for the winter and spring – get your order to a known bulb supplier and order by September and you will have every chance of getting what you want, whether it ‘s scented daffs for Christmas or smelly hyacinths. I never seem to time it right and have nice blooms in January! My real favourites are amaryllis, they are foolproof and so spectacular. Perfect presents!

Dead heading is a priority in this hot weather be it roses or dahlias. They will repay you with more blooms if you’re attentive. My sweet peas have reacted to the hot weather by shortening their stems – instead of nine inches, they’re struggling to make 3”!

This year’s village Summer Flower and Produce Show will soon be with us. All over the country shows are closing some due to lack of support, others due to lack of a committee to do all the hard work. We are lucky that the Gardening Club does a fantastic job running a Spring and Summer Shows.

Please support the Show on Saturday, 19th August – it is open to everyone. The 74 (yes 74!) classes cover vegetables, flowers, pot plants, home produce, flower arranging, and artistic subjects – as well as a special children’s section – so if you have visiting grandchildren for example – encourage them to have a go! Pots and containers are judged in situ a week before, so please let me know if you’re entering yours!

If you are new to showing, come and talk to one of the committee members, they will welcome you with open arms!
You can get a copy of the schedule with the entry form from Bob Teasedale who lives at Glebe House, Main Street, email info@bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or download one from our website at www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk/events.

With this dry weather, if you water the garden it’s better to do it less often and give it a heavy soaking, preferably in the evening as there’s less evaporation. My plum trees have such heavy crops I pick a lot off as I walk the dogs around the orchard. I try to space them about two inches apart but it never works out as the dogs get bored and I have to move on to another tree – besides a lot are too high to reach!
I might cut the branches down to pick them as some trees are so tall I would need a cherry picker to reach them. At least it would be the right time to prune as all stoned fruit should be pruned when growing to avoid disease getting into the cut branches.

So DON’T FORGET THE SHOW – Saturday 19th August – entries Thursday 18th 6-8 pm Villages Hall, or by post to me Four Acres, Hill Furze, WR10 2NB. Staging of exhibits 9-11 on the day and the Show is 2-4pm with the obligatory cake and tea to whet your whistle, prize giving and auction at the end.

Pete Chamberlain
www.bishamptongardeningclub
01386 861438

Coming soon…

10/5/2017

Before I go into gardening tips, don’t forget our Open Gardens triennial event on Sunday 18th June 11am-4pm! Tickets now on sale for Bob Flowerdew’s talk on The Perfumed Garden on Wednesday 5th July and our annual trip on Sunday 23rd July to Oxford Botanic and Waterperry.

Anyone doing the Chelsea Chop can chuck the remains on the lawn and mow it up, put into the grass box and straight on to the compost heap.

Check out the roses for aphids and blackspot. There are some sprays that will do both. Do any dead heading before you spray – no point in wasting it!

Polyanthus in big clumps can be split up and replanted but don’t forget to water them in well.

If you want to grow wallflowers, now’s the time to sow the seed and any other of the biennial such as Canterbury Bells, foxgloves, sweet Williams etc. I sow mine in deep seed trays and transplant when big enough into a holding area until putting them into their permanent position in late September/early October.

My dahlia cuttings are hardening off in a mix of pot sizes, The ones potted in mid-April in 6” pot, then some in 5” pits and the last in 3.5” pots. I never plant out till the last week in May as a cold night checks them and a frost kills them. My early sweet peas are up the canes, so I am tying them in every few days, cutting tendrils off when I have time.

I’m still sowing annuals for cutting – zinnias are a great favourite as they last well! Helychrysum or strawflower do well for me too. I grow king-sized mixed as they are tall and the flowers are a decent size.

I try to have a few lettuce plants growing all the year – this means that I put a few seeds in a 3.5” pot every fortnight and I pot six of them into a cell tray and when I plant those out, I replace them with more seed. However I usually fail in August as I’m busy showing! I have several small cherry trees that fruit well. When the fruit is pea size, I cover the with a sheet of small mesh netting using some clothes pegs off the washing line to make a bird-proof bag. They’re too nice to feed the birds!

Pete Chamberlain
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk
Tel: 01386 861438
Email: info@bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk