Fact Sheet 52
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THE GARDENERS DIARY
WEEK 52
25th September 2005
THE DIARY THE FLOWER GARDEN: Time to have the autumnal clean up The garden, if you haven't already started, should have its big tidy before the winter months. All rottable rubbish should be placed onto the compost heap and all coarse wooden and diseased material put into the incinerator. Hedges should be clipped and the trimmings should also be burnt allthough if you've got a shredder the coarser wood and clippings can be shredded down and then placed onto the compost heap. When lighting your incinerator try and make sure that the wind is in the right direction to carry the smoke away from yourself. If you live in a built up area fire up on a still day. If your fire is still burning late in the day, cover with soil to put out. Even when you think the fire may be finished it can blaze up if the wind gets to it. Do not use water on the bonfire as this will waste valuable fertiliser which will be contained in the ash. Once cold pick out the charcoal and unburnt pieces, and spread the ashes onto the garden for a good source of potash for the coming year.
THE GREENHOUSE: Time to harvest grapes
Those of you who have vines in their glasshouse can start to harvest from them now. Don't be to eager to pick all your fruit at once though, the bunches can be left on the vine to mature for a couple months so harvest as you see fit to use them.
DISEASE PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: Help cure future problems on trees
Some trees which have had bad cases of disease need their leaves collected and then placed into the incinerator to be burnt. Do not place them into the compost heap or into your leaf-mould pile. Once the tree has shed its leaves spray with fungicide to remove any over-wintering eggs and fungi spores. The soil around the tree should also be sterilised.
Listen to The Gardener's Diary with Luke Ashmead on BBC Three Counties Radio every Sunday afternoon at 2.00pm Contact The Gardener's Diary Here BBC Three Counties Radio 94.7, 98, 103.8, 95.5 and 104.5FM | 
