WORK FOR MAY Storm Damage Repairs And Tidying Up

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31669, 3 May 1968, Page 6

WORK FOR MAY Storm Damage Repairs And Tidying Up

Undoubtedly the main topic for ditcuuion among gardeners at present will be the weather and its effects on plants generally. Had fine weather followed the recent storm it would have enabled “rescue" operations to proceed more rapidly and more efficiently. The continuing wet conditions made this very difficult

Straightening up and securely re-staklng may not always be enough assistance to various plants, and where the water has funnelled down at the base, as in the case of roses, air pockets will be left unless these regions are properly filled In. There are several ways of doing this, Including sluicing soil in with a li f tle water. Any stakes and ties provided must be more substantial than those normally used because the ground is so soft Many vegetable crops will have suffered and losses may be high. Water logging has a rapid detrimental effect on many of them, leaf crops such as the brassicas being particularly vulnerable. Potatoes may rot or develop secondary growth and splitting of carrots and parsnips will be prevalent There is really nothing that can be done to remedy this damage in this section of the garden. Remaining fruit should be harvested as soon As possible and any damaged limbs of trees carefully sawn off at a branch junction. Cut surfaces should be treated with one of the many proprietary brands of sealants and this should apply to all garden subjects which have received such treatment. Vegetable Section Considerable ground will have become vacant now and these areas should be thoroughly dug over to a full spade depth as soon as conditions permit In this way rubbish and organic matter can be turned in to allow soil bacteria to break it down more efficiently; drainage and aeration can be encouraged; plant roots will be able to penetrate the depth of the soli more easily and subsequent cultivation can be improved.

Digging need not be the laborious task that it is made out to be providing one has a good sharp spade and applies the right technique. A full spade width and blade depth should be turned over each time in such a way that all surface matter is buried and on completion of the job a relatively even plot exposing soil only results. The soil from the first round of digging should be removed to the back so that it can be used for filling in the last round, thus initially leaving a trench. The second round is filled into this void and so on.

Apart from digging over one spit deep double digging or bastard trenching should be applied every two or three years if time and enthusiasm permit. Using this method, soil is again removed from the first round of digging and the bottom of the trench thoroughly forked over. The top spit of second round is then inverted on top of it and the exposed trench again forked over. The spit of the third round is then thrown on top and the procedure repeated until the plot has been completely dug in this manner. Garden bonfires will be well supplied with considerable trash and although the use of incinerators disposes of such matter more quickly and efficiently where open fires are made there is not

the need to cut everything into manageable bits. The leaching by rain of the mineral contents of ash is rapid, and once cold ashes should be bagged up and stored in a dry place until needed. It is a most beneficial fertiliser, but should generally be used with care to avoid caking, particularly on heavy soil. Cloches should be brought out to maintain soil warmth and to give protection to such vegetables as lettuce, cabbage, and cauliflowers which could be sown beneath them. Fruit Section The completion of fruit picking reduces activities in this area until pruning commences next month. However, a clean up spray of Bordeaux mixture may be driven to control any prevailing fungus diseases.

It also pays to' strip the trees of any mummified or rotting fruits as they can harbour diseases such as brown rot, the spores of which are released under favourable conditions in the spring time. Where brown leaves and also shrivelled black fruit persist, giving the appearance of having been scorched, this is probably the disease known as fireblight. Of fruit trees, only apples, pears and quinces are susceptible to it. This bacterial disease must be summarily dealt with to avoid further spread. The only remedy consists of cutting the infected limb back to healthy wood, at least six inches below signs of infection. The antibiotic streptomycin has proved of value in control. Don't forget to place an early order for fruiting subjects as demand for certain kinds, varieties and stocks frequently exceeds supply. Check your available land first to make sure that you can accommodate all your requirements. Too dose planting is detrimental to good cropping and subsequent maintenance. Ornamental Section The late autumn early winter period usually provides much work of a “mopping up” nature, accentuated now by the recent rain and wind. Leaves must be raked off the grass, otherwise they will cause dead patches to appear. These should not be burnt but composted, either alone or with other materials. Leaf mould makes an excellent rooting medium when added to sand and soil or alone spread round the bases of plants such as rhododendrons and azaleas.

The leaves should be wet and put into 9in to 12in layers, over which should be sprinkled a handful of sulphate of ammonia to help with decomposition. While claims are made that beech and oak leaves are the best, all leaves from deciduous subjects can be utilised together. Although the leaves from some evergreens such as privets are harmless some such as needles from conifers are best left out Once all the leaves have been accumulated the heap should be covered with soil and decomposition can be accelerated by turning it two or three times during the year it takes them to decompose. Evergreen cuttings can be taken now. These should be made from the past season’s growth, with or without a short heel of wood. Shrubiness can be encouraged by removing the terminal growth, but this should not be done to conifers which are required on a single stem. Now is a good time to strike hedge plants and towards the end of

the month a start could be made on hardwood cuttings. Herbaceous borders require some attention and some plants such as rudbeckla and helenlum need annual breaking up; otherwise they degenerate, smaller and fewer flowers resulting. There are some which react conversely and resent too much disturbance, paeony, kniphofla and geum being examples of such and these should only be lifted when there are signs of deterioration. Many trees will. be shedding mature seed now and if sown in a sandy mixture in the next few weeks they will germinate in spring. Chestnuts, holly, birch and oak provide examples.