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Problems With Weather.
By the end of June and going into July we started to get the occasional
showery days with the odd heavier shower, but it was not really enough
to keep everything watered and keep the water tubs full. The Ground was
still drying up in a few hours after the rain. However, it got wetter
with more frequent showers, and even the odd storms, as we went further
into July with the temperature staying a bit cooler than normal, while
Europe, suffered an intense Heat Wave and burned - literally in the
Greek Islands and Portugal with extreme temperatures of over 40 degrees
and massive wildfires rampaging across the land and even going into the
Holiday spots. However, our cooler and wetter weather, here in the UK,
continued throughout July making it the wettest on record and even going
into the start of August it was a little cooler and wetter than normal.
Weeds were growing rampantly everywhere with conditions being ideal for
them and a lot of the Plot-holders were struggling to keep on top of
things, but surprisingly, there was little, or no signs of Potato Blight
on the site.
Yes the tops started to die off on the Early plantings of
Potatoes, but they looked pretty healthy. Cutting the tops off at this
stage is always recommended and then if the Potatoes are left in the
ground for a week or two, it is said that the skins of the Potatoes will
thicken making them less susceptible to damage and help them to keep a
bit better. Even after the tops have been removed, it is a good idea to
earth them up again to prevent the soil from washing down and exposing
the Potatoes which will make them go Green. You can leave Potatoes in
for quite a while like this, but they may rot if it turns wet and slugs
may get at them. This is true of some other Root Crops as Yacon left in
will spoil when winter sets in as will Radish Mooli, however, Jerusalem
Artichokes will generally be OK if they are left in all winter, but they
will start shooting as February starts.
Our mixed up Weather, so far this year, has caused some unusual things
to happen such as flowering Plants, flowering for a second and even
third time. Also, things are not sticking to their regular Calendar of
events and my Figs in particular, have been ripening earlier than
normal. Usually, they start to ripen at about the start of September,
but this time I picked about 40, lovely, fat and juicy specimens in
mid-August, a good 2 weeks, or so early and a few days later I picked a
further 15, or so. Most of them came from just one 7 foot high tree with
another tree still to produce, so I am hopeful for a really bumper crop
this year,
As August came, I started cutting a lot more flowers - especially
Chrysanthemums with some colours opening their Buds before others. This
wasn’t planned, but was still quite handy, as sometimes I get so many
Flowers to cut all at once it can be a bit overwhelming. I also had
plenty of Red, White and Yellow Achillea that I could cut, along with;
some Alstroemerias, purple Loosestrife that I have only recently started
growing, Heleniums and, white and blue Scabious.
At this time of year in particular, I get on well with my Neighbours,
because they often get presented with Bunchers of Flowers!
As I have started “Dead Heading,” some of the earlier flowering Plants
there is a lot of Rubbish going onto my Compost Heap along with the
regular Weeds making my purpose built, large homemade, concrete bin,
fill up very quickly. Having a mixture of some dryish and dead Flower
Heads, with a lot of fresh, green weeds, helps to make a better mix. The
experts always say you should always put in some “Brown,” waste that is
made up of dry stalks, or even Paper and Cardboard to stop the Compost
from getting wet and sloppy and help it rot better. Turning it
occasionally helps to speed the composting process up a bit as well.
These days I do tend to cover the Compost with a piece of Semi-Permeable
Membrane that helps to keep in the heat and keep out the worst of the
wet.
Elsewhere my Bean Canes collapsed, so I cut the fallen part away from
the others as best as I could in the hopes of leaving some to carry on.
However, a lot had to be chopped up and put onto the Compost Heap.
Fortunately, I had done well with my “Runners,” but I had wanted to
leave some Pods on to mature so that I could collect my own Seed again
the same as I did last year. Not just Runner Bean Seeds, but Bean seeds
generally are quite expensive to buy so it is a always good idea to save
your own for sowing in the next Season. Unfortunately, my Borlotti Beans
were growing on the row of Canes on the other side of the Runner’s and
they weren’t ready to pick and won’t be for some weeks yet. Because I
use mine as dried Beans they would have needed to finish growing and
then dry out, so I may not get any at all to eat, or save.
It was a bit late, but I used some of the broken Canes from my Beans to
provide a bit of support for my Chrysanthemums. If you don’t support
them they will flop at the slightest sign of wind and then the Flower
Stalks grow twisted and bent making them unfit for use in Vases.
Hopefully, the Chrysanth’s will go on flowering for some time yet and
will produce more stems and Buds from where they have been cut. They
should go on until the first Frosts come.
Another odd little job that I have recently done was to remove all of
the old Grease, or Glue Bands, from my Fruit Trees. When you put them on
the Trees you generally tie them on tightly with string, or fine wire,
to secure the Bands, or Sticky Paper, in place and stop them from
peeling off. These Strings will cut into the Trunk and can even strangle
a Tree by cutting off the supply of Sap as the Tree swells and thickens
out, especially in early Autumn. The swelling of the Trunk is a natural
process to enable the Tree to grow and to strengthen the tree against
any Winter Storms. Because of this you should also check Tree Ties
regularly. It is usual to put Ties on a newly planted Tree to secure it
to a Stake, but Trees only need support for 3 years, or so anyway,
before the Stakes and Ties should be removed.
In a few weeks, after the Apples have been picked, I will prune back the
small branches to make short, fruiting Spurs for next season and then
put new Grease Bands on all of my Apple and Pear trees. You should do
this every Autumn, or failing that, in late Winter, or early Spring.
I don’t know if the Apples are going to be early this year like the
Figs, but at the time of writing this in mid-August, some mornings, are
feeling quite Autumnal. Thoughts of Autumn coming started me thinking
about Autumn Seed Propagation. It is not only Bean Seeds that the
Thrifty Gardener can save, but there are many garden plants that will
also grow true to type from self-set seed rather than commercially
produced Hybrids.
One such Plant that I fancied growing for next years Plant Sale was some
Canterbury Bells. They really are a sort of Biennial, but actually
flower for 2 years and maybe more in mild conditions – a bit like a
Perennial Wallflower. Fox Gloves are another Biennial, that you can sow
now from your own seed.
Other seeds that I found hidden away in my Tin Box at the bottom of the
Fridge that can be sown now included the lovely Primula Vialli - Vial’s
Primrose. This is one plant that definitely prefers moist and shady
conditions like most, although not all Primulas, as some will tolerate
drier conditions. Vial’s Primrose does not look like a Primula with its
bright Red/purple flowers that are in the form of a spike rather than
the traditional flower shape.
I always get mixed up between Polyanthus and Primroses, but apparently
Polyanthus are a Hybrid of Primula Veris (the native yellow Cowslips)
and the native white Primula Vulgaris. Primula Vulgaris gave rise to the
multicoloured Primrose family. Otherwise, Primroses have short stems and
Polyanthus have their flowers borne on long stems. Polyanthus/Primroses
are often thought of as cheap bedding plants, in particular the short
lived Obconica variety which also holds its flowers in bunches on
stalks. The “Drumstick Primula,” or Primula Denticulata usually has
Purple, or White flowers whereas other Polyanthus and Primroses come in
the full Spectrum of colours. Most will flower in late Winter, or early
Spring and on into Summer. Quite often Primulas will seed themselves
down producing lots of little plants everywhere that can easily be dug
up and replanted. Indeed, I will be able to pot up some trays of 6’s for
the Spring Sale.
Speaking of the Sale, my Pre-Sale, Sales, are going well with some Plot
Holders, friends and neighbours all buying a few bits and pieces and
adding to the Total. It should put a bit of “Cream,” onto the Grand
Sales Total for the Day.
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