Dulwich Gardening - Gardening Tips for July

[Dulwich Gardening]

July is the season of high summer when the garden really comes alive, so you?re either going to have weeks of enjoyment over the coming months or weeks of back breaking work trying to tame and control it.

The Garden

? Be water-wise, water your plants only and during the cooler parts of the day to avoid absorption and possible scorching. In this warm time of year, regular watering or spraying is essential for abundant flowers and growth so never let the soil dry out too much.

? Flowering shrubs can be pruned as soon as they have flowered. Cut back branches that have flowered to a new shoot. If there is no new shoot, cut them back to the ground.

? All potted plants need watering daily and in very warm weather, perhaps even twice a day. Don?t forget your hanging baskets, as evaporation is much greater and they will dry out faster than any other planters

? Hanging baskets need soluble plant food each week. Annuals, in particular, need a lot of nutrients whether in baskets, tubs or pots.

? Deadhead plants after flowering as this will encourage them to flower again later in the season.

? Hoe borders regularly to keep down weeds and if there are getting out of control you could put down a mulch to help.

? Shade greenhouses to keep them cool.

? Keep an eye out for blackspot and mildew especially on roses. However, if you are going to spray them, try to spray during the evening, when most insect activity has stopped

? This is the time to shorten the new shoots of Wisteria that are not required for the framework, to about six inches in length.

? If you haven't added any fertilizer to your borders, it is not too late to do so.

? Don't wait to support and tie-up tall growing plant as an unexpected downpour can easily flatten them.

? Provide supports for any tall plants/shrubs such as Dahlias, Gladioli

The Lawn

? The lawn needs regular mowing this month. During long sunny spells the grass should not be cut too short otherwise it is in danger of scorching (turning yellow).

? For the best result, give your lawn some fertilizer every month. Choose an overcast day for this, again to prevent yellow patches.

? In long dry spells, your lawn will need regular spraying. Give it a good soak (a few hours) once a week. This is much more effective than 15 minutes every day.

Fruit and Veg

? If you have pruned your fruit trees during the winter, by May and June lots of suckers (small twigs that grow straight up) will have appeared. Indeed, where you have pruned particularly hard, entire brooms can spring up. These shoots take up a lot of water and nutrients that could be used better elsewhere. July is good time to remove these suckers.

? Treat your fruit trees to some extra trace elements and minerals this month such as seaweed extract.

? Thin out fruits from Apple, Pear and Plum. By removing the smaller ones the remaining fruits get a better chance to develop.

? Start sowing summer vegetables fennel and, looking ahead to winter, different kinds of cabbage

? Gives strawberries a weekly dose of soluble fertilizer high in potassium. When picking ripe strawberries pick the crown attached as the fruits will keep longer and the plants are less prone to fungal infections.

? Herbs like dill, parsley and thyme can be picked and dried or frozen into ice cubes.

Happy Gardening!

Dulwich Gardening Company

in association with David Cheetham Gardens

[OliviaDee]

How generous. Thank-you.

[SteveT]

I have been double digging a trench to plant more veg as I'm shortening back the lawn.

The soil is so dead nothing moves in it when I turn the soil over, no worms or earwigs, even the robin is not interested in poking around.

So I am removing all the stones and any other bric-a-brac and then adding a dose of pellated lime, as any earth becomes acid if it's not cultivated.

I shall leave it turned over with the lime and wait until it rains before I do anything else to it.

After the rain I shall add a sack or two of compost to it so that it remains softer and more likely to hold moisture for the pea plants, and then all the sticks I can find to keep the blessed pigeons off it.

[LadyTaTa]

Thanks Dulwich Gardening! Very kind.

I have a real problem with my honeysuckle (growing in a very large pot on the balcony). It seems to be fine in the cooler months, as soon as summer comes it gets mildew and drys out at the same time (amazing I know). I give it a tiny bit of water every other day. I keep it out of direct sunlight against a wall so it's not buffeted by winds or anything. I've tried spraying it for mildew but no luck.

Does anyone have any advice? The other plants all seem fine. It's such a shame because when it produces flowers they smell wonderful. It has produced a few so far and quite a few last year that were short lived. This years lasted about one week! There is still new growth coming.

[SteveT]

Try a different variety perhaps.

[LadyTaTa]

But that would mean letting it die.... noooooooooo!

[SteveT]

Perhaps give it to someone as a present so it lives in a different position,

one that it prefers,

where it can live a fulfilled un-mildewed life.

The ungrateful so & so.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Can you put in ground? I've split mine and the ones in the ground are thriving, the ones in pots show mildew/lack of water and need a good soaking everyday - almost not worth the effort.

[sophiesofa]

I'm new to all this gardening malarkey so I have some possibly stupid questions:

Our honesuckle plant was covered in thousands of mini grey insects. I, in my novice panic must do something now role, just chopped off all the insect covered ends and hosed it down. If it happens again do I just buy insecticide and spray any bug covered plants?

Some of our trees, particularly our elderflower have patches of sort of fury cotton wool on the bark. No idea if that's a normal or a bad thing?

Anyone got any general pearls of gardening wisdom for me?

Thanks

[????]

I'd buy the bugstuff....but I'm naughty

[sophiesofa]

I might be naughty too then.

Forgot to say Dulwich Gardening, I love your monthly tips, thank you very much.

[katie1997]

Anyone know where I can buy horseradish seeds locally (ish)?

thanks

[LadyTaTa]

Thanks for the honeysuckle advice. I think I'll give it to my parents and try something more suitable.

Can anyone recommend a large flowering plant that would like a south-west facing balcony? I already have Forsythia and that does well.

[SteveT]

Jasmine smells nice, is evergreen, and tends to grow happily any where.

Another sweet smelling shrub is Mock Orange my neighbour has the most fragrant one I know but it's grown large at 12 feet high.

If fragrance is not important perhaps a clematis, there's loads to choose from.

[R&A]

>"During long sunny spells the grass should not be cut too short otherwise it is in danger of scorching (turning yellow). "

x

[LadyTaTa]

Thanks for the plant advice. They sound like nice ideas.

[Dulwich Gardening]

Well everyone,

It's amazing to read and take onboard all the fabulous tips and advice.

With regards any climber in a pot (regardless of the size) you will eventually have some problems. The pots reduce root development and therefore the plants become more prone to pests and diseases.

I have a couple of bay trees in containers that are going through similiar withdrawal symptoms. You could repot the plant/shrub into something larger, but this is not always practical. So, try digging out as much soil as possible from the container (watch out for the root ball) and replace it with some new compost. Whilst you have the old soil out, really soak the root ball before back filling with the new compost. Also, buy some slow release fertilizer capsules and put them in the pot/container.

Hopefully, this will help to give the root system a new lease of life. But, remember that plants/shrubs do have a life span.

With regards the "insects and furry cotton wool" they sound like Blackfly and either Powdery Mildew or Sotty Mould.(no I don't make these up!!) So, I'd get down to the local garden centre for a selection of sprays and fungicides. Also, if the "furry cotton wool" infection is really bad you'd be advised to remove the infected branches.

Happy Gardening

Dulwich Gardening Company

in association with David Cheetham Gardens

[SteveT]

Dear Dulwich Gardening,

I have a victoria plum tree which does provide some fruit but is rather cyclical, the leaves look as though they have

been through a washing machine and it's left a soapy coating.

This blessed tree which I inherited with the purchase has never looked healthy,

even though I prune, feed, and water regularly, does anyone on your team know the solution to making it healthy?

Is it a lost cause, should it be replaced, and if so which variety of plum would you recommend for this area and why?

[Dulwich Gardening]

Steve T,

With fruit trees generally, you could be facing a range of problems. Does the tree get much blossom as this equates to a good crop of fruit? It could be a problem with fertilisation due to a lack of bees. It may also be a probelm with spring frosts or cold weather conditions, poor pruning, pruning at the wrong time etc etc - and so the list could continue.

If you've had it a long time, been looking after it, then as you say it could simply be a lost cause but you could also try a soil test around the base to see what the soil conditions are.

A good variety is Prunus domestica 'Jefferson' its got a heavy and reliable cropping habit of golden yellow plums. Excellent dessert variety of good juicy flavour.

However, you'll need to do more research on site, size, soil type etc as there may be some work to be done before you replace the existing tree.

Happy Gardening

Dulwich Gardening Company

in association with David Cheetham Gardens

[sophiesofa]

> With regards the "insects and furry cotton wool"

> they sound like Blackfly and either Powdery Mildew

> or Sotty Mould.(no I don't make these up!!) So,

> I'd get down to the local garden centre for a

> selection of sprays and fungicides. Also, if the

> "furry cotton wool" infection is really bad you'd

> be advised to remove the infected branches.

Wow, thank you so much for sharing your expertise.

[Dulwich Gardening]

So as a lover of nature and all things green in and around the garden (well when I get time to enjoy it) I'm looking for feeback and experience of 'Artifical Lawns'.

Now, I'm not easily converted but recently saw it in action - artifical lawn that is and was amazed.

The pros, it's low maintenance, doesn't need mowing, doesn't get muddy, wont die, wont go brown or yellow, wont be uneven, full of weeds, ant hills, worm holes or mole hills, it comes in a range of textures and colours, is difficult to distinguish between real turf, is soft and shock-absorbent and ideal for kids of all ages.

The cons, may need sweeping occasionally, ranges in prices from about ?7.00 - ?35.00 per sq meter and does not smell or feel like grass!!

So what does everyone thing???

Happy Gardening

Dulwich Gardening Company

in association with David Cheetham Gardens