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The summer is starting to mature and it’s a matter of keeping everything going. It was a hot dry June that rolled over into July and keeping everything watered has been a challenge. With temperatures in the mid 30s (90s in old money) it hasn’t always been easy to keep up the good work.
Don't worry if your lawn is looking
brown, the autumn rains will soon green it up again. Grass recovers well from
dry spells but it may need scarifying later in the year to remove all the dead
thatch. Lawn growth slows down in late summer so raise the cutting
height of your mower which will help to retain moisture at the roots. Avoid any
further weed and feed until September.
In the borders and containers it’s all about watering, feeding,
staking, deadheading and cutting back. Tidy up wisteria which will be rampant
and can cause a lot of trouble if the whip like side shoots are allowed to
thicken up. They get around guttering and under roof felts. Prune climbing
roses as they finish and now is the time for taking cuttings from tender
perennials like pelargoniums and fuchsia. Where possible take cuttings from
non-flowering stems. It’s also time to think about winter and spring bedding
and bulbs. Bedding plants like primula, polyanthus, pansies and viola can still
be grown from seed or available as plugs. Spring bulbs need to go in during the
Autumn, with tulips wait till November, and there is a dazzling variety
available. My recommendation would be to consider dwarf irises which flower
early and overlap with the large Dutch crocus. Both are available in compatible
colours and compliment each other in February and March.
The hot weather will have ripened onions and shallots and the leaves
will be falling over as August progresses. Do not bend or knot the leaves as
this can cause neck rot. When ready lift and allow to dry on the soil. If the
weather turns wet, dry them off in the shed and if clever plait them together
and hang them up with your garlic. Keep cutting courgettes and marrows while
they are tender and to encourage more flower. The leaves will start to suffer
from powdery mildew which can be cut back to extend the fruiting period. You
should be well into the new potatoes with second earlies ready for harvest. I
did Rocket this year and can confirm the claim that it is the earliest of the
earlies. Sowing to lifting the first root was 11 weeks and the tubers were
already large. Carrots and beetroot can be harvested or left in the ground to
keep growing. Water sweetcorn regularly to swell the cobs, watch for the silks
turning brown and the test of ripeness is to pop a corn with your thumbnail and
the juices are milky. Sweetcorn needs to be eaten or frozen as soon as it is
picked as the cobs start to form starch which diminishes the flavour. Pinch out
the tops of tomato plants to channel the energy into the fruit. For greenhouse
plants leave 5 or 6 trusses, for outdoor plants 4 is sufficient and will give
everything time to ripen. Also pinch out the tops of runner beans and climbing
beans when they reach the top of the supports to encourage side-shoots and more
beans at a manageable height. Trim back herbs to bring on more growth and any
surplus can be dried or frozen. Spray when required and use a high potash
fertiliser to get the best from all your crops. Sow seed for spring cabbage
like Durham Earlies. Weed and tidy as you go.
Apples have been plagued by aphids this year and I have resorted to
pinching out the branch tips to try and get rid of them. Maintain a high potash
feed every two weeks until harvest and consider netting your trees if pestered
by birds and squirrels. Stone fruit is
early this year so you have probably already harvested your cherries and plums.
Check fruit for codling moth by cutting it open and looking for a small pinkish
white grub. A clear sign is a sawdust like “frass”. Plant out any rooted
runners of strawberries for next years crop and remove old straw to improve
ventilation. Prune fruited stems of current bushes and cut back fruited
raspberry canes, but leave the green stems for next year.
Now is a good time to give hedges a last trim which should keep them
looking tidy through the winter... then it’s time to open the bar.
We are always looking for new members and try to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables and flowers or even enter any of the 3 shows we hold each year, then please get in touch, we would be happy to hear from you.
If you are interested in becoming a new member, (all ages are welcome), please contact Rosey on: 01634 377812 (evenings) or Email: rosemary@ringwoodaccounting.co.uk
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
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