Fact Sheet 38
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THE GARDENERS DIARY
WEEK 38
19th June 2005
THE DIARY THE FLOWER GARDEN: Water butts this summer! With water conservation on the agendas in coming months, water butts can be as useful Water butts should be placed onto every down pipe which comes down from the roofs of the house, shed and greenhouse because every drop of moisture we get this summer will come in handy. If you have found that your water butt over flows it's best to connect a rain saver device which will allow the water butt to fill up and the excess water can then run down the drain. Another problem is the still water in the butt can soon stagnate. If the butt comes with a lid always keep this on to stop the water from turning green and smelly. Another tip is to place a natural barley straw pouch inside the butt. These are designed for ponds but can be used in water butts as well. Another tip is to use Biotal Refresh. This is a steriliant which helps keep the water from greening up and smelling. THE GREENHOUSE: Start sowing for Winter & Spring colour. With the greenhouse clear of summer bedding it is now time to consider the coming winter and spring season. Start sowing Pansy, Viola, Primroses, Bellis and Polyanthus as well as other spring flowering bedding. Ensure all seeds are sown into sterilised pots and trays and always use fresh seed compost. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle prick them out and pot them on. FRUIT & VEG: Give attention to Onions and Asparagus. Onions need a weekly feed from now and until they are lifted. Chose a feed that is low in nitrogen but high in phosphate and potash which allows plants like onions and leeks to bulk up well. Another vegetable which needs attention this week is asparagus. Finish cropping from your stock by the end of this month. If you continue into the summer the plant will exhaust itself and will probably fail to have sufficient growth and strength to see itself through to next year. Fasten strings to canes or stakes to help supply support for the stems as they grow up. LAWN CARE: Aerate surface to allow moisture to penetrate. The hot weather can bake the surface soil at this time of year so before watering it can be useful to lightly pierce the soil with a fork or aerator. This will allow the moisture to get down to the roots helping to keep the lawn greener. Also water in the evening because at this time there is less evaporation.
PEST PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: Pyracantha scab.
One problem which can start to occur on Firethorns is scab. This strain of this increasingly common disease first starts to show at this time of the year. The problem is first noticeable when greyish black or khaki coloured, scab-like patches appear upon the foliage. These infected leaves become chlorotic and continue to fall prematurely. It is caused by a fungus which is encouraged by wet weather and overwinters on the plant in infected leaves as tiny pustules. If you notice the disease starting remove all the infected growth by trimming out the affected leaves. Once removed check the remainder of the plant for any of the pustules. Once the plant has been checked and pruned, spray at fortnightly intervals with a fungicide which will help deter scab. It can also be useful to plant new varieties of Pyracantha which are more resilient against the disease. The Saphyr varieties are probably the most resilient. Other plants will also have problems with this disease. Members of the Hawthorn, Medlar and Hebe families can also suffer with similar strains of this disease. 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 | 
