Harvesting is in full swing and our freezers are bursting at the seams with vegetables and soft fruit and although it has been a challenging year some crops have done well, peas and beans, potatoes, and especially onions whilst tomatoes on the other hand have not been the best, I think due mainly to the fluctuating temperatures in the greenhouse and the lack of sunny days. We have had a good year with apples and pears, but the rhubarb hasn’t cropped any where near what it did last year. Every year is different and as long as some crops do well then I’m quite happy, after all the process of growing brings almost as much pleasure as the end result.
What is interesting is that not everyone experiences the same issues, that’s the nature of gardening, the great thing is that we all enjoy sharing our experiences.
I am always looking for ways to extend the vegetable season but as the days shorten and the temperatures drop time is running out for sowing. There are hardier cultivars of salad leaves such as winter lettuce and oriental leaves such as pak choi, ideally they should be given the protection of a cold frame or greenhouse this also reduces the risk of slug and snail damage.
Hardier vegetables that grow steadily over the winter months will provide early crops next spring but do need a free draining soil and ideally a little protection from strong winds.
There is still time to sow spinach, turnips and winter lettuce, but spring greens such as cabbage, broccoli, kale and cauliflower are best purchased as plants at this time of year , this gives them chance to establish before autumn.
I find that the purple sprouting broccoli is a fantastic spring crop and continues to provide tasty ‘tender stems’ over several weeks, although it does need a long growing period. Sown in July we harvest from March to the end of April, if you can get hold of some plants it’s well worth a try.
The bright colourful blooms of summer bedding plants are a welcome sight, either planted directly into the soil or grown in containers to brighten up a dull corner, sadly their displays are now starting to fade and tender annuals are reaching the end of their life cycle, those that are perennial are generally not hardy either so, if you want to keep them over winter they will need a light frost free place, ideally a greenhouse or conservatory. Half hardy geranium (pelargonium), and canary marguerite (argyranthemum) should be carefully lifted retaining as much of the root as possible, usually a rootball about 10cm (4 inches) in diameter is sufficient, carefully shake of as much of the compost as possible and repot in fresh compost in a pot that is about 2cm ( 3/4 inch) larger than the rootball. Water once then keep them on the dry side throughout winter.
The term spring bedding can be a little confusing as generally they are planted out in the garden or in containers during early autumn, to allow them time to establish and prepare for flowering next spring. Planted in combinations with spring flowering bulbs such as tulips and narcissus, they will cheer up even the dullest day. Hardy primula’s, pansies, violas, forget-me-nots and bellis (ornamental daisy), have been traditionally used as spring bedding plants for years but they are general garden plants in their own right and can continue to grow year after year given the right conditions and aftercare. We never plant forget-me-nots, simply because they have been in the garden for many years, seeding around and popping up all around the garden. They are easily removed if they are in the wrong place and can be planted in gaps or containers for a splash of spring colour.
Mulching is something we do twice each year, spring and autumn but if your soil is on the heavy side there are advantages to mulching in autumn. The soil is still warm and not soggy. Applying a 50 – 75mm ( 2 – 3 inch) layer of well rotted organic matter over the soil and around plants will help retain moisture, providing a little nutrient but more importantly feed the micro organisms in the soil who in turn help plants access nutrients and keep them healthy. They also suppress weeds and those that do germinate are more easily removed as their roots are in a looser material. If you make your own compost from garden waste then this is ideal for mulching although you will no doubt find that you never have enough. Bought in garden mulch is generally cheaper that potting compost, but if you have access to a local stables, then the oldest part of the manure heap is best, you are looking for dark brown compost although if there is a little fresh straw in it thats fine, it will rot down over winter.
Happy gardening, Martin
Next month, (what to do with leaves, why not try growing garlic and get those bulbs in).
Plant Portrait –
‘Hardy Geraniums’
I start a new series of articles this month and although I am always picking up tips, I feel the need for a little break and would like to share with you a few of my favourite groups of plants.
Whilst I do collect some uncommon and quite difficult plants, there are many that I grow that are readily available, easy going and great for many situations.
My first portrait is Hardy Geranium’s which I have grown in many situations and gardens over the past 50 years, They are very accommodating and although every plant group has its challenging individuals, on the whole I find Hardy Geraniums a great border filler.
Firstly we need to clear up one element of confusion, that is what is the difference between Pelargonium and Geranium. In the commercial sector the plants we buy as half hardy bedding plants are referred to as Geraniums when in actual fact they are Pelargoniums. Along with many scented leaved species Pelargoniums are a beautiful and varied range of plants, but are not hardy and in all but the mildest gardens will not overwinter.
Hardy Geraniums are also known as ’Cranesbills’ referring to their seed heads which are long and pointed rather like the bill of a Crane. The cultivars and forms available are wide and varied, most of which are relatively trouble free, requiring little attention apart from cutting back, they can tolerate shady to sunny areas with a range of flowering from March through to October.
There are over 600 different cultivars but not all are readily available, however the range circulating in local nurseries and garden centres can offer a range of colours from white through shades of pink, and soft to deep blue.
One of the most readily available and widely promoted Hardy Geranium Cultivars is Geranium ‘Rozanne’ a very reliable plant flowering from early summer through into October, with violet blue flowers about 5cm (2 inches) across. Reaching about 50cm (18 inches) in height and tolerant of part shade to full sun, happy in most types of soil. The plant will die back in late autumn and just requires the dead growth trimming back to the crown in winter or early spring, a small hand-full of organic fertiliser applied as the plant emerges in spring will help keep the plant going throughout the year.
For shadier and drier areas ( although it will tolerate sunny areas too) a reliable choice is Geranium macrorrhizum, with cultivars that range from white through to deep magenta pink, this geranium is bone hardy, and will survive in the harshest of conditions. It keeps its foliage throughout the year so will always provide cover to suppress weeds. Although its main flowering period is June through to July, it does continue to throw the occasional flower throughout summer. The foliage gives off a sweet scent when brushed against although not to everyones taste, but it takes on red tones during autumn providing interest and colour. It grows to a height of about 40cm (15 inches).
Where space is limited Hardy Geraniums are quite happy growing in containers.
