Fact Sheet 49
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THE GARDENERS DIARY
WEEK 49
4th September 2005
THE DIARY THE FLOWER GARDEN: Treat timber ready for the winter. Whilst the weather is still decent try and get some of those maintenance jobs done which you have put off all summer. One job in particular to consider is to treating fence panels, decking and other wooden structures like sheds with some wood preserve. By doing this now the wood preserve will soak into wood quickly and will hopefully prolong the life of your wood. Before you splash on the treatment, ensure your structure is stable. Make sure that you choose the right wood preserve for the job in hand. There are various wood treatments available on the market and in array of colours. Check the tin for the preserves use. Some are for use on smooth and planed timber as others will be for use on rough unfinished timber. If it is for a decking area then you'll need to apply your selected covering then apply a special treatment to preserve and prolong the life of the deck. Remove all algae and lichen etc. from the timber by spraying with an algaecide then once the growth has died off scrub off using a hard brush. Apply a rather liberal coat of preserve by starting at the top and making your way down as you do with all painting jobs. Most preserves are water based and are usually non-harmful to plant life, oil based treatment like creosote can harm plant growth so place polythene over your prize plants to protect them from splashing.
THE GREENHOUSE: Prepare plants for their return into the greenhouse.
It's time to start preparing Half-hardy plants which you will be overwintering inside the greenhouse this winter Don't wait until it is too late and some of them have been damaged by an early frost. Clean the plants up and remove any dead, damaged or diseased growth. Check them for signs of pest damage and treat accordingly. Slowly move the plants into the greenhouse as and when they are ready. Start with the most tender species and so on. FRUIT & VEG: Sow Turnips. Turnips can be sown this week. This popular winter vegetable is a member of the Brassica family, they grow best in a non-acid soil with reasonable drainage and it is best to position them in a sunny aspect. Sow thinly in drills at 10-15mm depth and allow 30cm between each row. Keep the soil hoed to deter weed growth and keep the crop moist in dry spells as a sudden flooding can make your prize turnips split. Harvesting can start from mid-October though preferably lift in November and store in boxes with layers of dry peat or sand and store in a cool shed.
LAWN CARE: Worm casts!
With the weather getting moister and cooler the common earthworm can become a nuisance to every lawnsman up and down the country leaving their worm casts everywhere. Unfortunately there isn't any chemical control available anymore so the only way to remove the worm casts is to get a besom or ekel broom and gradually remove them from the lawn before cutting. These casts can do wonders to your flower beds as they are high in nutrients which your border plants will thrive on. PEST PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: Yellowing patches can be a real dog! If you have problems with yellowing patches on your lawn and also have a female dog then its easy to put 2 and 2 together. Bitch urine is very high in nitrogen and is so strong that it can burn even the toughest meadow turf. What is the cure you may ask? Well unless you get rid of your dog it will continue. Of course this is rather an extreme measure. The answer is to either try and keep your dog off of the lawn which can seem an impossible task or cordon of an area for your dog to maraud up and down. Slowly move the cordoned area around the lawn so that different areas can recover from the damage. The yellowed patches will recover with the grass appearing a bit strawy. To increase recovery spike areas with a fork and wash with a hose.
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 | 
