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Fact Sheet Twenty Four
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THE GARDENERS DIARY
WEEK 24
13th March 2005
THE DIARY
THE FLOWER GARDEN: Plant roses for summer colour.
If you want something to plant this week that will give you summer colour, scented blooms & in a wide range of colours then there is one family of shrubs that will beat any bedding plant hands down. Roses.
With a wide range of different types and styles available to grow and with a majority of varieties now grown in pots, buying roses has never been easier.
Most people are put off by roses due to the heavy work load of plant care and maintenance. Though their plant care really isn't really all that bad.
It is the wide range of diseases like mildew, black spot and rust that put people off but if a spray program is started from the first leaves breaking bud.
Spray every couple of weeks with a combined insecticide and fungicide. This will keep the aphid attacks and disease problems to a minimum.
If you are not a keen lover of spraying, a quick look at your gardening books or read the labels at the garden centre will show you that there is a wide range of varieties that have good disease resistance. Usually these varieties will have glossy foliage.
Once you have chosen your varieties, to succeed at growing new roses always dig the hole twice the size of the container. Mix some planting medium into the base of the hole. Take the plant out of its container and then plant with a 50/50 mixture of garden soil and compost. Once planted, firm in, top dress with some rose food and then water in well.
Take a look at out Extra fact sheet on planting containerised shrubs for more guidance.
FLOWER GARDEN: Attention to tree ferns.
If you possess a tree fern it's now time to remove the protection from the winter months and ready it for this years growth.
Remove any fleece, leaves, bracken etc. from the crown of the plant. Then carefully remove the dead fronds of last years growth. Fronds are the leaves of the fern and you need to trim these back 25mm into the hairs near to the stump.
Once these have been removed insure that the stump is firmly placed in its planting position whether it's in the garden or a pot.
Once this is done pour some water into the crown of the plant until it starts to over flow. Do this daily for the first 15-20 days and continue to regulate the water flow.
The new fronds should start to appear within that time. As they develop feed the tree fern with a fertiliser.
Through this period if there is forecast ground frost then wrap some fleece around the crown until the frost is thawed.
IN THE GREENHOUSE: Regulate watering on greenhouse fruit.
Start giving greenhouse grown fruit such as Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines etc. regulated amounts of moisture.
This means make sure the amount of water you use is the same every time you water.
If the cycle is broken developing fruit may develop irreparable damage
Don't let the soil become dry at any time.
ON THE LAWN: Get Rolling.
Newly turfed lawns that were laid in the autumn may need rolling to level them out.
This will level out the soil under the turf and will stop you scalping the ruts.
Rollers can be easily purchased or hired though if you are a serious lawns man you will already have one.
In coming weeks we will be loking at how you can hire tools. PEST PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: Blind Bulbs.
If you have noticed that areas of Daffs and Narcissus are a mass of foliage but hardly any flower; then this is a sign that they have come up blind.
There could be many reasons why this could be happening. It could be due to that the bulbs are getting over crowded and need lifting and replanting the next season.
A dry season the previous year can also cause blindness.
It could be due to some gardeners believing the myth of tying up the foliage after flowering. This should never be done as the foliage contains food needed for the following year's blooms.
A more serious problem could be basal rot
This is caused at the base area of the bulb rots due to a soil borne fungus and affected areas need to be lifted and burnt. Then the area needs to be sterilised with a soil steriliant. 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 |
