Fact Sheet Twenty Eight
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THE GARDENERS DIARY
WEEK 28
10th April 2005
THE DIARY
THE FLOWER GARDEN: Start a weekly weeding programme The majority of gardeners now have their gardens neat and tidy. Unfortunately gardeners can become complacent and with all the other jobs going on at the moment we can easily forget the most important job and that's to keep your plants and crops weed free. Ease the load by doing a little and often. Also keep scraping and ruttling the soil over to deter weed seed from germinating.
THE GREENHOUSE: Plant Tomatoes in the unheated greenhouse
First of all, if you haven't sterilised the greenhouse yet wash the glass and frame down with a sterilising fluid. If you are planting directly into the soil inside the glasshouse you will need to add some goodness. This soil can be very barren and stale, especially if you have grown tomatoes in the same soil year after year. Ideally dig in some organic material to increase the fertility of the soil. Plant your plants but do not over water them in there early stages of growth as the soil will be kept cold and can hamper their progress. If you prefer to grow your tomatoes in grow bags. Then only plant a maximum of 3 plants per grow bag. Again keep watering to a minimum. Sometimes it can be worth planting your plants into 10-12" pots this allows the tomato plant to produce a good root system for support.
If the weather takes a turn or the worst it can be useful to keep some fleece handy to insulate the plants against the cold evenings. If you have bubble insulation leave it up until late May as this will also help to protect the plants from any cold spells. LAWN CARE: Keep mowing Keep mowing all through this month but don't scalp the grass. Keep the turf at least 2" in length. By keeping the lawn in this shaggy state, it will help the turf survive and stay greener through any dry spells we have over the coming months.
PEST PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: Papery bark on Rhododendrons
Rhododendrons can sometime suffer with their bark turning papery. These shoots do tend to die back. The root system of the plant is functioning inadequately due to the soil around the roots being waterlogged. The stems which are showing symptoms need to be removed. Prune them back to a healthy bud. If the wound is over an inch then you will need to seal the wound with some pruning compound. Once the damaged growth has been removed, improve the soil conditions by adding some gritty sand and leaf mould. If the problem continues, in the autumn lift the plant out of the area and place it into a container. 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 | 
