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Showing posts with label
Upchurch Horticultural Society.
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Showing posts with label
Upchurch Horticultural Society.
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Sponsored by: Upchurch River Valley Golf Club
Upchurch Horticultural Society will be holding their
October Show on
Saturday 15th October 2022 in the barn at the rear of
97 Chaffes Lane, Upchurch
Open to the public from 2:00pm
Sale of produce at 3:40pm
Refreshments - Plant Sale - Auction of Exhibits
Toilets - Ample Parking
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
The Summer is over, and we have moved into Autumn, and October is the tidy up month. It is a good month to get the garden put to bed unless you plan to work through the Winter. Personally, I retire to the kitchen these days to develop my interest in cooking which pleases the Duchess immensely.
September brought some much needed rain with it and cooler temperatures, which has allowed the garden to start the process of recovery and refilled the water butts. We didn’t even get a hosepipe ban, not to mention standpipes in the street. However, we need to learn the lessons from this year as ever hotter Summers may become the norm. Unless, of course, the world can face up to Global Warming. Good luck with that one!
The lawn is picking up quickly and is much greener, although there are some large brown patches of dead thatch and even bare earth that may need re-seeding next year. I have set about the lawn with a spring tyne rake to scarify the dead stuff and it is making a difference, but not easy work. There is still a chance for a low Nitrogen Autumn weed and feed, which will help to strengthen the roots over the Winter, ready for next Spring. The edges can be tidied up with a half moon cutter now that the soil is damp. Then it is best to avoid unnecessary foot traffic.
The vegetable patch finally managed to produce some Runner Beans, in fact, there is now a glut. The hot weather really set them back, and the first flush of flower failed to produce much of a crop. Hopefully, they will now continue well into October and make up lost ground. The Climbing French Beans are also doing well, although they finish a bit earlier than the Runners. Also, hoping for some October Marrows, which will be a bonus. One of the Marrows actually turned out to be a Pumpkin (gosh knows where it came from) which has become a staple for soup… pints of it! Also, I discovered a recipe for Thai Red Curry with Pork and Pumpkin. If you simmer it for over 20 minutes, the Pumpkin dissolves into the sauce and gives it a lovely sweetness. Anything that is frost sensitive needs to be harvested this month and stored in a cool dry place. That just leaves the Winter crops to stand in the ground.
The borders and containers should keep producing colour through to the first hard frost, and hopefully, you have a good number of Autumn flowering perennials in your garden. Chrysanthemums are a wonderful Autumn perennial and one of the finest plants. A lot of growers specialise in them, and of course, the Emperor of Japan sits on the Chrysanthemum throne. They can take a lot of effort to grow however, a Charm Chrysanthemum can grace any garden and gives a great flush of small blooms that look spectacular. Now is the time to plant Spring bulbs except for Tulips which can wait until next month, and think about Winter/Spring container plants.
Fruit picking should finish this month with the last of the Apples and Pears. It has been a bumper crop, and it is amazing how much dwarf rootstock has collapsed under the weight. My Braeburn is creaking at the stake and I am praying it will reach harvest before it gives way. I have hammered the stake into the ground and re-enforced the strapping, and still, it is keeling over at an alarming angle. Plum trees should be pruned before Winter and give everything a good mulch.
We are planning to move to Suffolk in October and will be saying goodbye to Upchurch. It has been a wonderful 18 years living in this village, and we have enjoyed it very much. The Upchurch Horticultural Society is going from strength to strength at the moment and is there for anyone in the village or local environs who would like to get involved in gardening. Dave Candy has asked me to be his special Suffolk Correspondent, so I will continue with a monthly article for The Gabriel and Upchurch Matters website.
Gardening is going to be a bit different up there, with heavy clay soil away from the coast that is prone to water logging in Winter, so I will have to lift the maincrop Potatoes. Also, from all accounts, there is no B&Q in Framlingham, although there are two Cs in Beccles. (Just an example of Suffolk humour).
I was born in Kent and will miss it, but I do like Adnams Ghost Ship, and they have brought out another beer called Sea Fog... sounds all very spooky. So it’s time for some practice… and I look forward to being with you again next month.
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
At the time of writing, temperatures are pushing the 30s, drought conditions have been announced and a hosepipe ban must surely follow. Unless you have been able to water regularly your garden probably looks like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The ground is rock hard and if we do get a downpour it will run off and lead to flooding. Pleasant ideas of outdoor living run the risk of heat stroke, butane is going through the roof and BBQ buns are astronomical. If this continues into September we may well see standpipes in the street. Having said that come January and February we will look back with fond memories of a wonderful Summer.
I really don’t know what to say about the lawn, it’s amazing how crispy it is underfoot as you walk over it. Now we are on a meter, I gave up watering it a month ago and now it is scorchio! Walking the Junkyard Mutt early yesterday morning I noticed a slight mist over the fields and the grass was slightly moist to the touch. Looking over the fields there was a faint green shimmer that hints at a recovery. However, this year, it is a lost cause and we will just have to wait for the Autumn rains to see how well it returns. Normal English meadow grasses cannot cope with this degree of heat and drought and maybe we have to consider tougher grasses. The most drought resistant grass seed are Zoysia, Bermuda, Kikuyu and Kentucky Blue Grass. It may need a trip to the seed merchant to look for a bespoke mix of seed that has a chance of handling these conditions.
Oh dear, it’s happened again!
Hopefully, you have been able to water the vegetable patch. The lawn will come back but the Runner Beans won’t. This weather, they need a good drenching every day along with all the veg. Despite that, the flowers are dropping and the yield has been poor so far. The Marrows have turned out to be Green Bush and I can only guess that they are from the Tiger Cross Marrows that were grown 2 years ago that are an F1 hybrid of Green Bush and have reverted back. Either way, it is good to have stuffed Marrow again. Hopefully, your main crop Potatoes are holding up and ready for lifting this month along with a lot of other crops which can be harvested now.
Borders and containers also need a lot of water to keep them going and you can use a hosepipe to fill a watering can which avoids running up and down the garden. Even established shrubs have needed watering this year as everything has looked a bit limp and leaves are shedding. A mulch around the roots of shrubs and fruit trees can help to retain moisture in the soil. Monty Don commented last week that maybe we need to start facing up to hotter Summers and look at more Mediterranean planting. Attractive hard landscaping can reduce the size of lawns and borders with a switch to perennials and shrubs that can handle drought.
Much of the fruit is ready for harvest. Plums, Cherries and Apricots have probably been picked by now with Apples and Pears ready this month. Some varieties like Braeburns run on into October. Keep watering, feeding and mulching up until harvest. Tidy up Strawberry plants and cut back Raspberry canes.
September is also the transition time from Summer to Autumn and it will be interesting to see what happens to temperatures. All this hot, dry weather is enough to give someone a thirst. As my mind wanders to Mediterranean gardens I can’t help thinking of ice cold Italian lagers. The big question is which one?.... Peroni Nastro Azzuro or Birra Moretti?…. I know I will go for both.
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by: Upchurch River Valley Golf Club
Upchurch Horticultural Society will be holding their
September Show on
Saturday 3rd September 2022 in the barn at the rear of
97 Chaffes Lane, Upchurch
Open to the public from 2:00pm
Sale of produce at 3:40pm
Refreshments - Plant Sale - Auction of Exhibits
Toilets - Ample Parking
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
Well, Summer has definitely arrived with a vengeance and temperatures soared into the 30s in July. All going well you are on top of the garden doing gentle maintenance, albeit a lot of watering and enjoying outdoor living. Sun loungers should be getting good use with evening meals and BBQs on the patio. There have been mutterings of 2022 matching the Summer of 1976, but it needs to keep going for another couple of months yet.
Hopefully, the lawn managed to get a second weed and feed in early July. If not, hold off until we get some rain unless, of course, you are regularly watering the lawn. I have chosen to stop watering mine and let it go. It has taken on a curious marbled appearance as the old meadow grass from the original lawn has turned brown, and the Canada Green is holding its colour. To get a fully drought resistant lawn would require a complete re-seed. Lawns will green up again when the rain returns but will need a lot of scarifying… if you can be bothered. Dead thatch at the roots can allow disease to get established, so it is a good idea to get it all out.
The early Potato crop has been excellent this year with very little scab on the skins which indicates dry weather. Scab isn’t a problem as it easily peels off, but for those who like to exhibit their produce it is a nuisance. That is why exhibition growers cultivate their exhibits in bags rather than in the soil. I am old fashioned and like to grow in the ground. My main motivation is for the kitchen, but on show day, I have to stand back and make way for the winners.
The Broad Beans are harvested and the ground can be re-utilised, and normally I would plant a crop of Turnips to be ready by the end of October. The Beans were spaced out more this year and not so badly affected by Chocolate Spot which is a fungal infection. The Climbing Beans are flowering, and the first pick is very close. A number of Marrows have self-seeded, and the small fruits are starting to swell. It will be interesting to see what variety they are because the crop has failed for the last two years, and I do not know where the seeds have come from. The last Marrows to be grown successfully were Tiger Cross which is a very large Marrow, and I would love to take some seed to the new house. It’s also a good time to think about sowing winter vegetables with a number of new varieties available as well as old favourites like Durham Earlies. This will provide Spring Greens and then provide Cabbage in April/May.
The Braeburn Apples have been thinned out further to take the load off the branches, and the remainder will be allowed to swell and should be ready for picking by late October. The amount of effort that goes into hybridising new varieties of Apples is amazing. The Braeburn is a cross between Granny Smith and Lady Hamilton and combines the tart crunch of a Granny Smith with the red colour of Hamilton as green apples are not highly popular. It was a great commercial success, but things moved on to Gala, a cross between Kidds Orange Red and Golden Delicious and then Jazz, a cross between Braeburn and Royal Gala. Cripps Pink, also called Pink Lady, is probably the next big thing in the UK now that restrictions are lifting. It is also being grown in Upchurch!
If you are looking for an active hobby, horticulture is a good option, and there is just so much to it. Commercially it was always regarded as a low value business, but that has changed in more recent years, and it never ceases to amaze me what people are prepared to pay for plants that can be grown from seeds and cuttings. But as I have always said, gardening is to be enjoyed otherwise you are doing it wrong.
All this talk of Apples has put me in the mood for a chilled Cider. Cider can be made from any of the varieties mentioned, but probably the best Cider Apple is Dabinett which is not a culinary Apple and is grown mainly in Somerset… to answer your question… Thatcher’s!
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
Summer has now arrived, and at the time of writing it is proving to be a bit wet. It was an excellent Spring, especially April, but not turning into a scorcher. Hopefully, by the time this article is published, things will have improved. However, the daytime temperatures are warm with sunny spells so we were able to have lunch on the patio while the evenings are still a bit cool.
The lawn can have a second high Nitrogen weed and feed to keep it in top condition although avoid this if the weather turns very hot and dry. Raise the height of the mower blades a little, and the longer grass will retain moisture at the roots and make the most of any rainfall and heavy dews. If you have the energy, continue to scarify the lawn and rake out any dead thatch after each cut. It is an effort and a job for a perfectionist, but the lawn will look better for it through the Summer.
We have a little Hedgehog hole in a fence panel, which is meant to allow the prickly little fellas to move around more easily. However, it also allows the Rabbits to move around more easily, and my Beetroot and Lettuce have been severely nibbled. I have a second crop coming along, so I will keep these in pots and see how well they do.
Seedlings need to grow faster than they get eaten!
The Aphids have suddenly appeared in large numbers, so I started using the Provanto. Last year it got so bad I found an old bottle of Picket in the shed which belonged to my Father. One dose of that on the Apple sorted the whole problem out. However, I looked at the bottle again and noticed it was manufactured by ICI who became defunct in 2008 and my father died in 1998. I checked it out, and Picket is still suitable for use, although Murphy’s Malathion has been banned and there is a bottle of that in the shed. If you have old chemicals hanging around, check to see if they are suitable for use, but even if they are, the effectiveness may diminish with time.
The June Drop has accounted for about 20% of my Apples, and it is quite amazing how the plant manages to eject the weaker fruit. When it stops, I will look at what is left and thin it out even further. The Pear crop this year is quite meagre, which is unusual, but the trees are left over from the old Vicarage garden and are very old. Hopefully, it is not the end as they are Beurre Hardy Pears which are a lovely dessert pear when pealed. The Victoria Plum blossomed well this year, but the Pigeons took a lot of the small fruits. Attracting wildlife to the garden is a good thing, but it can backfire on you!
Borders and containers need maintenance through the Summer as some plants finish for the year and others come into flower. Some flowers are very short-lived, like Azaleas and Irises but give such a good display and are worth their place in the border. Others start flowering now and go all the way through to the Autumn like Dahlias. However, good deadheading and pruning will make the most of all plants, and there is plenty of advice available on the internet so you can specialise in your favourite varieties. Also, cut flowers are lovely in the house and cheer up any room.
The Blue Tit Box has been successful again this year, and the chicks fledged at the beginning of June. There are usually one or two casualties each year, but when the box was opened and cleaned none had been left behind. The Tadpoles that were removed from the pond as spawn in March have been allowed to grow to a reasonable size and now returned. Hopefully, that will give them a good head start over the predators and help increase the Frog and Toad numbers, which have dwindled.
I do hope you are enjoying your garden, whether you are a keen gardener or not. I particularly get a lot of satisfaction out of growing fruit and vegetables especially as prices are increasing so rapidly. A kitchen garden can be a good asset to the household, especially in retirement and I am giving some thought to propagating from my own seed so that it becomes fully sustainable. All that is required then is to provide the labour and let nature do the rest. Unfortunately, I will still have to go to the Co-op to get the beer.
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
Hopefully, most of the hard work is over and you can ease into June and outdoor living with a tidy and well organised garden. Unbelievably we have managed to get all the weeding done, and the garden has never looked so good… but then we are selling. However, the plan is to make the most of the Summer before taking on another property in Suffolk.
May has turned out to be a bit wetter than April, which has spared the lawn a bit, although the hose came out a number of times as the grass took on a light brown hue. A number of small round bare patches have been appearing courtesy of the Junkyard Mutt. Diluted urea is very high in Nitrogen which is good for the grass, but when it becomes concentrated it just kills it off with a ring of vigorous green grass around the edge. The lawn has a good mix of Canada Green weaved into it, which contains Creeping Red Fescue which is a rhizogenic grass which will re-cover the bare patches fairly quickly.
It's the Dog.
The vegetable patch should be fully planted out and well underway, and New Potatoes will be ready for lifting this month. The Rocket went in at the end of March this year and will be ready to start lifting by the middle of June. No need to cut down the haulms as New Potatoes do not require thick skins, but it is a good idea to do this with the Maincrop if you wish to lift and store. It also provides protection from blight which becomes more active later in the year. Earth up the Maincrop if you wish, or just spread a bit of soil over any potatoes which break the surface. I tend to plant my seed potatoes quite deep in well conditioned soil, and very few come to the surface. Watch out for blackfly, which will start to show at this time of year. Spray at any sign of attack and pinch out the top of broad beans planted earlier in the year.
June is the month when fruit trees naturally reject unwanted small fruits in what is called the “June Drop”. This is fine for traditional fruit varieties and the remaining fruit can be allowed to swell and ripen in the coming months. However, with modern dwarf rootstock and especially with young trees, further thinning will be required in July or else the crop load may get too heavy and start ripping off branches. Keep battling the pests, which can become very persistent and give your trees a periodic potash feed.
Perennials will be blossoming all over, and will need regular deadheading to keep them coming. Water regularly and use a potash feed to keep them at their best. Similarly, with baskets and containers do not allow the compost to get dry and feed periodically. It is all about staying on top of the borders now and getting as much flower out of them as possible.
The most important thing of all is to enjoy your garden, especially with Summer coming and the long warm evenings. Otherwise, all this hard work is just a chore. Solomon, who was a very wise man, said that there is nothing better a man can do than eat, drink, be happy and take satisfaction in his labours… for gardeners, now is the time to do it. I intend to start this evening!
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Meetings held at 97 Chaffes Lane, starting at 7:30pm
Sponsored by: Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
June 1st - BBQ at Peter’s Barn - Planning for July Show
July 2nd - July Show
July 6th - July Meeting
August 3rd - August Meeting - Planning for September Show
September Meeting
September 3rd - September Show
October 5th - October Meeting - Planning October Show
October 15th - October Show
November 2nd - November Meeting - Schedule Planning for 2023
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
We are coming into May and most of the preparation work should be well advanced. Allowances can always be made for weeding which is definitely my Achilles heel. Every now and then I get a burst of enthusiasm and get half a border weeded and that’s it for a few months! Now that BBQ weather is possible it is good to be able to admire the garden especially if you have guests and weedy borders do detract from the occasion.
The lawn should have had several cuts by now and with a high Nitrogen weed & feed, scarification and de-compacting the sward after winter, it should be looking quite lush and green. Regular cutting and a bit of watering in dry weather should keep it looking good through to the Summer.
Hopefully, the vegetable patch is dug over and raked level and it’s always a good idea to scatter a balanced general fertiliser 7-7-7. Last year’s Broad Beans will be ready for harvest shortly, beans planted in the Spring will be flowering with small pods developing. These can be taken for early greens, although I prefer to wait for the beans to fatten up and then pod the whole crop and freeze the surplus. Don’t be tempted to leave them to get too big as they will go past their best and will need more simmering to soften them up. If you time it just right the beans will be green and fresh and can be added raw to a salad.
Salad crops should be underway and ready for picking this month. I did mine in open trays in the greenhouse and planted them out in April, followed then by a second sowing in trays. New Potatoes should be coming along and Maincrop planted back in April. Vegetable seeds planted straight in the ground can be thinned out. It’s time for the Climbing Bean frame to be erected. All the seedlings should be hardened off and planted out. Don’t forget to pull the rhubarb which always freezes well.
The Apple blossom burst in the middle of April and was spectacular this year and all the stone fruit is well underway. This is when the pests get to work, so spray when you see the first signs of attack. My Apple suffers from Woolly Aphid which then produces galls to protect the plant from the little sap suckers. It looks quite old and knarled although it’s still quite a young tree. A watering can of Miracle Grow at the base of each tree helps the fruits to develop.
Borders and containers will be bursting all over and if you have divided older clumps of perennials you should have a mass of plants springing into action. As the Spring bulbs die down deadhead the spent flower heads before they go to seed and gently remove the dead top growth. Basal cuttings taken in early Spring should be growing nicely and can get planted out to fill gaps. It never ceases to amaze me how many casualties are suffered each year. Some perennials take to the borders and thrive, others struggle and eventually, you have to give up on them. I planted a number of different perennials recently to get some colour into the borders. The Echinacea and Alstromeria seem to have got a hold and starting to clump up but the Rudbeckia and Osteospernum are looking very sad. I am also waiting to see if the white Delphiniums make a return after a good start last year. You just have to keep experimenting to find out what succeeds in your own garden.
May is a very busy month but it marks the turning point when you can start to take satisfaction in your labours and enjoy the summer months and long evenings. Not everyone has the time or inclination to tackle all the gardening tasks detailed in these articles. However, a few colourful pots on a patio can create a great area to sit and relax in the evening or BBQ at the weekends. A fruit tree can always be planted in a border and dwarf rootstock with a supporting stake will give a good crop and not grow too big. A small vegetable patch can provide successive salad crops throughout the year with winter varieties now available.
Gardening gets you outside, keeps you active and will certainly help you sleep well. It’s great to sit outside in the evening as the sun goes down, throw a log on the chiminea to keep the chill at bay and enjoy a sundowner. Then after the sun has gone down throw two logs on the fire and have another.
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
Well, here we are again. I didn’t manage to get back in March but am ready for April to get to grips with another year in the garden. I was busy retiring in February so failed to produce an article last month, but now have all the time in the world. Curiously, I recently discovered that Russia and Ukraine supply 40% of all the world's fertilisers, so be prepared for a possible shortage.
Enough of this relaxation there is weeding to be done. As usual, I am behind in clearing the weeds from the borders which diminishes the effect of the Spring bulbs. The first Crocus flowered on 05 Feb 22, which is the earliest date so far, and the Spring flowers are in full bloom, although the Snowdrops have gone over now. I have started pruning the hedges around the vegetable patch which will open it up and get more air and light to this year’s seedlings. I am also digging trenches where I intend to grow vegetables and filling them with well-rotted compost to improve the condition of the soil. Seedlings and cuttings were started early in the greenhouse and just starting to germinate now. I do not intend to do too much in the vegetable patch this year as part of the retirement plan is to move to a quiet part of Suffolk and start all over again!
The lawn improved considerably last year and is now ready for the first cut. The blades are set high which will give an even cut but not too short. That will be followed by a good scarification with a rake to get all the dead thatch and moss out following the Winter. Then break up the compacted soil with a fork to allow air to get into the roots. Finally, a high Nitrogen Weed & Feed to get everything greened up and growing and clear the weeds… who needs Green Thumb!
The next two months are very intense in the garden, and it’s a question of keeping going. Everything falls into place eventually, and you reach the end of May with a garden looking good and ready for the Summer.
The more effort you put in now, the better it will be.
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
Meetings held at 97 Chaffes Lane, Upchurch
Starting at 7:30pm
Wednesday, April 6th - April Meeting
Saturday, April 30th - Plant Sale in The Paddock, Upchurch
Thursday, May 5th - Classes in Making Hanging Baskets at Stockbury Village Hall
Wednesday, June 1st - BBQ at Peter’s Barn - Planning for July Show
Saturday, July 2nd - July Show
Wednesday, July 6th - July Meeting
Wednesday, August 3rd August - Meeting Planning for September Show
September Meeting
Saturday, September 3rd - September Show
Wednesday, October 5th - October Meeting - Planning October Show
Saturday, October 15th - October Show
Wednesday, November 2nd - November Meeting - Schedule Planning for 2023
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
We draw towards the end of the year as December arrives and with it comes the Winter. The Autumn has been mild so far with bright sunny days, good nighttime temperatures and a couple of frosts. The longer term forecast is saying colder weather and the internet is blathering about sub-arctic conditions with food and fuel shortages. Looks as if we will all be scavenging for berries praying for an early Spring. It's all a Russian plot to keep us preoccupied while they invade Ukraine on Boxing Day. I really don’t think they have forgotten the Battle of Sebastopol when we gave them a good stuffing…. I wonder if that happened at Christmas as well?
To my surprise, I have carried on working in the garden while the Junkyard Mutt has nabbed my place by the fire. There has been too much finishing up to do this year so all the time we get mild days I am carrying on.
The lawn is looking so much better now and the Canada Green has been a success. I will carry on working it into the thin patches next year and maintain a high cut. Scarifying the lawn after each cut is hard work but it removes all the dead thatch and leaves it looking fresh and healthy. A good lawn isn’t easy but when it is in good condition it’s a pleasure and so typically English.
I am experiencing a strong feeling of Nationalism and feel that we are facing a lot of threats from Johnny Foreigner. Those Russians keep testing our borders to see if we can defend ourselves. Europeans are subverting us with covert economic maliciousness and our American cousins wouldn’t even give us as much as a “kiss my backside”. It’s a time to stand up and face the world and see who our friends are.
Meanwhile, the Turnips have done well and along with the frosted Parsnips, are proving a great addition to casseroles. The Leeks are looking better and putting on a bit more size. The Climbing Bean trenches have been dug and filled with compost, while the rest of the vegetable patch has been well turned over and ready for Spring.
The flower borders are still producing colour and we have yet to have a frost hard enough to finish them up. Even the Dahlias are still blooming when normally they are black stumps by now. The Winter containers still need to be sorted ready to provide early Spring colour.
It’s also time to sort out the seed order for next year and get the Leeks and Onions up and running (my soil is too thin for Onions). They can be sown at any time now and raised under glass. Broad Beans can be planted in Autumn but I was pleased with planting in March, harvesting at the end of July and then sowing Turnip seed into the cleared patch and lifting at the end of October. That gave two crops from the same ground, although I need to plant further apart to allow ventilation as the Broad Beans picked up a fungus infection. I am going to change my Marrow seed next year and go for a larger variety as the crop has consistently failed and I am sadly missing my stuffed Marrow. A fresh juicy Marrow stuffed with a mince, chorizo, bacon and tomato filling (with other special ingredients) is a classic old English favourite…although the chorizo is a welcome Spanish addition that compliments it… and the Spanish did help us to defeat Napoleon. So did the Portuguese, which is probably why I like Port.
A classic old English dish… with a touch of Spanish.
I must admit I am looking forward to Christmas this year as there wasn’t one last year, and a good Tawny Port is a favourite with a cheese board, although it will be English cheeses only. Cheddar, Red Leicester (does sound a bit commie), Somerset Brie and a Stinking Bishop (nothing against the Church).
There was a character in the Old Testament whose name was Booz in the old translations and Boaz in the new ones. Booz was a good guy, very honourable and respectful of women. After his daily toil, he would settle down by the wine press and enjoy a few drinks to make his heart happy. There was also a character called Adam… he was a gardener, but sadly he sinned and became a farmer. I have decided that it is best to remain as a happy hearted gardener.
On that note, I would like to wish you all a happy hearted Christmas and hope to be back in March.
UHS is always looking for new members and tries 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
The first half of October turned out to be quite mild although not sunny but then turned colder. At the time of writing the leaves have yet to really start falling and Autumn is being held at bay but by the time this article is published the clocks would have gone back and the dark evenings will be here. During a time of energy shortage, I am glad I bought my logs back in June and it’s amazing how easy it is to find wood lying around. Although, even fallen wood collected from private land counts as poaching. I still have a few jobs to complete around the garden and will venture out on good days but I am now settled by the fire with the Junkyard Mutt at my feet.
The beans have lasted well into October, but then they were planted quite late, so I still need to cut them down and dig next year’s compost trench. The Parsnips are waiting for the first frost and the Turnips for the first casserole. Looking back over the year in the vegetable patch, the successes this year have been the Climbing Beans and the Rhubarb. Everything else has been quite poor. As the garden has matured, shrubs and hedges have grown taller and thicker and the patch has become quite shady. Light and sunshine are essential for success and I need to do some serious pruning. The Marrows failed again for the second consecutive year as the seedlings died within days of being planted out. I have been using a variety called Zebra Cross but will switch back to Lion Cross. The Sweet corn cobs are small and the Leeks are not bulking up. My soil is thin and sandy and growing onions has always been difficult as they are greedy plants. The patch will need some serious soil preparation to get it back to normal. The Rhubarb finally died down and is mulched with compost to fertilise the crowns.
The Carolina Reaper - Now in Upchurch!
The perennials continue to produce a bit of flower but the first frost will finish them up. Meanwhile, I will overwinter seedlings, cuttings and divided perennials in the greenhouse. With the door and louvres closed the nighttime temperature remains above the frost zone, for now anyway, and the daytime temperatures will generate good growth. The greenhouse will also be ideal for starting seedlings early in the New Year. I was given a number of Chilli plants this year which have happily ripened in the greenhouse and given a decent crop. They are drying in the conservatory and the seeds will be re-sown next year. One of them is the Carolina Reaper which apparently is the hottest chilli on the planet scoring 2,200,000 on the Scoville Heat Scale. I tried a very small piece in a large Chilli Con Carne and it was hot. I then made the mistake of licking my fingers and realised just what 2,200,000 SHUs really means. Four ice cold beers in 30 minutes finally managed to tame the raging inferno but it was an hour before I could talk and my eyes stopped streaming. I will wear gauntlets the next time I handle this Habanero from hell.
UHS is 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
OCTOBER SHOW
Sponsored by: Upchurch River Valley Golf Club
Upchurch Horticultural Society will be holding their
October Show on
Saturday 30th October 2021 in the barn to the rear of
97 Chaffes Lane, Upchurch
Open to the public from 2:00pm
Sale of produce at 3:40pm
Refreshments - Plant sale - Ample parking
Covid 19 risk assessments have been carried out.
Please wear a mask inside the Barn and observe social distancing outside - thank you
Upchurch Matters
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
Finally, we got some dry weather in September and for the first time this year, the water butt ran dry. We have enjoyed a decent Indian Summer but now head into Autumn with October upon us. It can be a mild month, but the evenings will draw right in, the clocks go back and it’s time to light the fire. For me, October is the last working month in the garden and I aim to get everything tidied up and put to bed. There are always things to do through the winter like raking up leaves but I do not actively garden through the winter months. It’s time to take to the kitchen and rinse out the cook’s glass.
The lawn can do with any minor repairs or re-turfing and can have a last cut this month. Scarify with a spring tyne rake and get all the dead thatch out to keep it healthy during Winter. There is no reason why the mower cannot be wheeled out for a quick trim on a good day, but when it gets wet it’s best not to walk on it too much.
The summer crops will finish up in October and any frost tender vegetables should be taken and put in store. Dig a trench for next year’s climbing beans and fill it with compost. The trench can be left open to place kitchen trimmings in or raked over and the corners marked with canes. Winter crops like Parsnips and Leeks can be left in the ground and lifted when required. I also have a small crop of Turnips coming along nicely and looking forward to lifting them at the end of the month. Personally, I leave my Maincrop Potatoes in the ground because they last much better than in a canvas bag but the best advice is to lift and store. Give the patch a good digging over, remove all the weeds and leave it ready for next Spring. Mulch the Rhubarb with compost or manure when it finally dies down, although mine is showing no signs of slowing up.
Give the borders a final weed and tidy and plant out Tulip bulbs. Perennials can be divided and replanted. I like to prune back everything this time of year although some people argue that it’s best to leave it until the Spring to provide shelter for small creatures and insects. Tidy up pots and containers and replant for Winter/Spring. There will be a dazzling array of Primulas, Pansies and Violas available in the shops.
Last year was a bumper year for apples but my Braeburn hasn’t amounted to much this year. The fruits are small and blemished and I will pick them towards the end of the month and see what I can do with them.
The Potting Shed pub at Langley - Dog friendly.
My quest for the spiritual pub was finally realised when we visited The Potting Shed at Langley on the Tenterden Road. It represented a great union of gardening and drinking inducing a nirvana of extreme contentment that was shattered when the Junkyard Mutt took a dislike to a poor Labrador. The low menacing growl that emanated from her beastly form sent parents reaching for their children whilst fearing for their lower limbs. Before we knew it the place was empty.
UHS is 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 shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
