Gardener's Diary
May 2007
Seventy third edition -
May 2007

Greenhouses at this time of year will be bursting at the seams with bedding
plants. If your greenhouse is unheated be vigilant about the possibility
of overnight frosts and cover plants with horticultural
fleece if there's a chance of temperatures dropping too
low.. And don't be temped to put bedding plants out in the
garden before the end of this month - I've been caught out
before now and once lost dozens of Zinnias, which are
particularly susceptible to frost.
Remember hornets? Swarms of them, renowned
for their vicious stings and skill at massacring honeybees,
have settled in France. And there are now so many of the
insects that entomologists fear it will just be a matter of
time before they cross to Britain,
see here..
Jobs for the month -
May
An introduction from Rosemary Martin...
I have been gardening now as a hobby for about thirty years, but
have no formal training.. I don't have a
favourite style of gardening, traditional is nice, but I
also think the modern trends work well.
This column adds a new dimension to my interest in all aspects of
horticulture and will hopefully help others find pleasure in
this healthy and therapeutic pastime ...
Please e-mail me
with your garden problems, comments, or ideas for this section of laterlife,
remembering to tell me which country you are from..
Click here for
previous editions
of Gardener's Diary..
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House plants
The warm, dry spring can encourage Red spider mite to
thrive on your houseplants, and it's not always noticeable
until the infestation is well advanced.. Take infected
plants outside and spray them with an appropriate spray,
making sure to spray underneath the leaves too.. Leave the
plants outside for a few days and clean them using a fine
spray on the hose pipe.. This spring has been exceptional so do examine all
your houseplants regularly for infestation by other types of
bugs!
Lawns
It has been too dry in much of the UK to
apply a weed and feed treatment, which needs to be applied
on warm, damp soil, three days after cutting your lawn...
But don't worry, you can apply the treatment up till
September, and I'd bet money it'll rain before then!
If your lawn is already looking a bit sad
through lack of rain, raise the heightof the cutting blade
on your lawnmower and make sure the lawn has neat edges,
which will make it look cared for.

Shrub borders and roses
Keep the borders weed free using a hoe. Use
plant supports for flowers such as Delphiniums that will get
flattened by wind, rain and heavy flowers. The ones you see
on the right can be raised as the plants grow taller.
Paths, walls and fencing
It's not too late to paint your fence. In
fact it's a smashing job for a nice warm day.. There are
some wonderful colours for fences on the market and mostly
they won't harm the plants like creosote used to do... Walls
and paths that have algae on them after the damp winter can
be pressure washed to freshen them up, which is another
therapeutic job, but you'll need to wear wellies for it!
Greenhouse

From mid-May start putting the trays of
bedding plants outside to harden off, providing there is no
late frost.. At the end of the month they can be planted out
into the garden. Start planting up your hanging baskets and
leave them in a warm and light place to grow on before
putting them out at the end of the month..
Vegetables
The warm spring is wonderful for growing
lettuce in the garden and conservatory... The tomato plants
are doing well, as are all the other edible crops I've seen
in local allotments, other gardens and the nearby fields..
Crops to sow outside or under cloches during early May
include dwarf French beans, beetroot, sprouting broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, summer and savoy cabbage, cauliflower,
lettuce, marrows, peas, radish, spinach, swede, sweet corn
and turnips. Delay sowings if soil conditions are cold and
wet.
For an early crop of beans, sow French and runner beans
in pots in the greenhouse or on a windowsill. Choose deep
pots, if possible, sowing two seeds per pot, and thinning to
leave the strongest seedling which is then planted outside
in late May or June. Alternatively, sow directly outside
under cloches in May or June for a slightly later crop.
Trees and shrubs
Trees and shrubs will appreciate a good
mulching this month to conserve water, stop weeds growing
and add goodness to the soil. Look for any signs of disease
or pests and spray accordingly.
Ponds and Water gardens
Pond maintenance should be completed by now
and your fish will hopefully be feeding well, but for those
of you who are new to fishkeeping this website is excellent:
http://www.pond-doctor.co.uk/
All items holding water in your garden
should be made safe for young children, including ornamental
ponds, wildlife ponds, water features and even water butts.
This is equally applies to older people or neighbours who
may have young grandchildren visiting.. Last month a 15 month old child died in the UK by falling
into a water butt that had been sunk into the ground, and
it had a lid on that the child had removed..
Wildlife
Be aware, if you are planning any pruning, that many hedges,
dense shrubs and trees will have birds nesting in them, and
it would be kinder to wait until they have raised their
young before you do the necessary. Birds in our garden are still busy
feeding on the sunflower seed hearts they so love, and I
don't have the heart to shoo off the female squirrel who is
so obviously hugely pregnant.. Even the blackbirds have
devised a way of hovering like humming birds at the bird
feeders. It's all very entertaining!
Happy gardening till next month....

Volunteers are active in all parts of the National Trust,
from the new central office in Swindon to the summits of
Snowdonia and Divis Mountain near Belfast.
View their latest opportunities, or find out more about
the kind of roles and different places you can volunteer:
Still with the
National Trust, some of the most
visited National Trust properties are now holding regular farmers' and food
markets.
Click here for details
and dates.
RHS gardens
Their four flagship gardens not only provide
year-round interest and offer a wide range of courses, talks and
demonstrations, they also demonstrate the best gardening practices, new
techniques and exciting new plants to try in your garden.
Or go to their website for a diary of all other events
at:- http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/index.asp
Tickets for RHS
members
Privilege rate tickets are available for RHS members
to all RHS shows, but tickets must be booked in advance.
Click on the individual show links below for further
information. RHS members are not charged a booking fee for tickets
purchased except for advanced tickets to the Malvern
shows.
To
find out how to become an RHS member click here
Do you take advantage of the
BBC Gardening website for
information? I find it a valuable source of information, for up
to date legislation, countryside matters and useful information
such as plant pests and diseases, which saves me ploughing
through all my gardening books, with the knowledge that their
information is bang up to date...
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Thompson & Morgan
Visit
www.thompson-morgan.com
where full information is available on their product varieties and orders
can be taken on-line. Have a look to see what is new and any special
seasonal offers
Some places to visit...
www.edenproject.com
The living theatre of plants and people The Eden Project is a gateway into the world of plants and
people. A meeting place for all to discover how we depend on plants
and how we can help to manage and conserve them for our mutual
survival.
Kew Gardens two locations:-
http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/
Tel: 020 8332 5655 (24 hr) Fax: 020 8332 5197
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Richmond Surrey TW9 3AB
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Tel: 01444 894066 (24 hr) Fax: 01444 894069
Royal Botanic Gardens Wakehurst Place Ardingly Nr Haywards Heath West Sussex RH17 6TN
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The National Botanic Gardens of Scotland comprise:
Royal Botanic
Garden Edinburgh Scotland's Premier Garden
Benmore Botanic
Garden, Argyll Argyll's Magnificent Mountainside Garden
Dawyck Botanic
Garden, Borders Wonderful Woodland Garden
Logan Botanic
Garden, Galloway Scotland's Most Exotic Garden
The National Botanic Garden of Wales
www.gardenofwales.org.uk
The star attraction here is the 91 metre long domed glasshouse, that
houses landscapes normally found in the Mediterranean. This would be
a super place to visit on a chilly day...
Some websites of interest to gardeners:-
www.carryongardening.co.uk
Gardening is an important part of many people's lives. You
don't have to give up gardening because of accident or illness, the
onset of disability or the problems associated with growing older.
The information on their website is designed to provide you with the
information to Carry on Gardening.
Carry on Gardening was initiated by the horticultural charity
Thrive and is funded by the
National Lottery Charities Board. It brings together
information on easy ways of gardening gathered over 23 years by
Thrive and research carried out since the early 1970s by Mary
Marlborough Centre, Oxford, on tools and equipment for disabled and
older people.
Useful reading:-
"The Yellow Book" contains information of all
Gardens of England and Wales open for charity, and can be bought
priced ?5 from National Gardens Scheme
www.ngs.org.uk
National Trust Gardens Handbook is ?6.99 and the
new edition is out in May Telephone 01394 389 950 or see
their website
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
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