Garden clean-up now will pay dividends later

Press, 3 June 1983, Page 11

Garden clean-up now will pay dividends later

GARDENING

by

M. Lusty

Time to get on with an over-all clean-up of the garden this month. Compost leaves, straw, and vegetable remains, but exclude woody material, badly diseased and pest riddled plants, and all perennial weeds, all of which can be burnt. Bring in all stakes, scrape clean of soil, and apply a coating of sump oil or wood preservative. Use slug bait in good time if slugs and snails have been a nuisance in the past — don’t wait for the damage to occur before acting. Aphids can still persist even during the winter although they are far less active; control such as acephate is worth applying to susceptible plants. Soil warming Cloches, mini-glass houses, or wire-supported polythene covers should be placed over well prepared ground in the garden to enable the growing and forwarding of plants which would not now be feasible in the open. Best return from these soil warmers occurs if used from autumn throughout winter and into spring. It is important to block openings and seat them well in the soil. They are ideal for strip cropping of vegetables. Vegetables Brussels Sprouts should be stopped, i.e. the terminal growth pinched out when the basal sprouts are about 15mm in diameter. Earlier stopping can result in top sprouts “blowing” and later treatment results in little benefit. The terminal shoot can be utilised just like cabbage. Removesprouts

with a sharp knife or scissors. Asparagus. Cut down fern if not already done. This can be achieved by running a rotary hoe lightly over the surface thereby chopping up the fern and any weed growth which can be left to provide organic matter. But first, carefully remove all berry-bearing plants to prevent their seeding. Celery. Keep weed free and apply zineb at two to three weekly intervals if leaf spot is unusually troublesome. Leeks do not need to be blanched by moulding soil up around them. They are perfectly hardy and can be left to overwinter in almost any locality except where constant waterlogging is experienced. Digging. Throughly turn over all vacant ground in the vegetable section and allow to fallow over winter. Dig deeply and incorporate plenty of organic matter in the bottom of the trench. Aim to build up and maintain a deep friable top soil: it will reward you well. Use a sharp spade and remember only the back edge of the blade is sharpened. Roses Apply lime sulphur before leaf fall. Rake up all fallen leaves and burn

them particularly if plants have suffered from rust at all. Place orders for new and replacement stock now; this applies particularly to the newer releases and very popular old favourites, all of which can be in short supply. Be discriminating in your choice of plants — a good root system is of primary importance with at least two good stems.

Pruning Know the flowering or fruiting habit of whatever you prune before you start. Pruning of fruiting subjects: Definitely an annual job, and a task where it is imperative to recognise the different fruits and their fruiting characteristics. Young and fully established subjects all require attention. Fruit on current season’s shoots; Kiwi fruit (Chinese gooseberry) grape, passion fruit, tree tomato. Fruit on previous season’s growth: Black currants, raspberrys and allied berries, peach and nectarines. Fruit on predominantly previous season’s growth: and older wood; apricot, cherry, gooseberry and Japanese plum. Fruit on two year and old wood: Apple, pear, European plum, red and white currant. Spraying fruiting subjects: All deciduous top fruit, bush fruit, and vines will benefit from a thorough spraying with winter oil. Pruning ornamentals: prune when dormant. Abelia, berberis, buddleia, callicarpa, hydrangea, kerria, lonicera, thus, roses, spirea, tamarix (late

flowering), viburnum (berry bearing species, but not the winter flowering ones). Prune after flowering: Akabia, celastrus, chaenomeles (unless fruit required), daphne, forsythia, hydrangea hortensis, Kolwitzia amabilis, philadelphus, ribes, tamarix (spring flowering), viburnum (winter flowering). Lawns Maintain regular mowing with the catcher on. If using a rotary machine, remove any cut grass which may be deposited in thick wads in various places. Succulent and wet grass at this time of year tends to clog such machinery in particular: clean thoroughly after every occasion of use — it does not

take long now, saves much later on and enables the mower to perform proficiently more readily. Check the machine for oil requirements, keep greased, and generally clean. Do not apply weed killers on lawns over winter. Leaves Make good compost and can be stock piled with or without incorporation of other material. Moisten well otherwise they will take a very long time to decompose. Add ammonium sulphate to every 30cm layer to assist in the decomposition. Cover the accumulation with a layer of soil. When properly prepared it takes about six months to one year to obtain good leaf mould.