Orchard Park Gardening Articles - February 2007
Gardening Month by Month - February
Difficult month February - bit unpredictable, slightly depressing, but better than January with the prospect of Spring looming large. I am writing this in January, it's been wet 'n 'orrible and the forecast is not encouraging, as in wet, windy 'n 'orrible. February could go either way apparently. The excellent RHS web site has a weather link which speaks of the possibility of a negative NAO or North Atlantic Oscillation which would bring colder weather to the south and warmer weather to the north of this island home of ours. However climate warming is unpredictable, so it could go the other way? I am in no way making light of the problems that must lie ahead because of what we have done to our planet, only really saying that it is hard to know exactly what next month will bring. Personally I think we could do with a bit of winter to clear up some of the pest and disease problems that would otherwise get a flying start. Many plants are already into growth, buds on deciduous trees and shrubs are swelling ready to burst, and I know at least two people who have manage to cut the grass this month! This is confusing for experienced gardeners, so my heart goes out to new gardeners who have 'got the bug' but find it hard to know where to start. There's a good new TV show on veg gardening that is prompting lots of people to grow their own, but where do you start? In general, as in all things, you need to start with a plan - decide how much you really want to grow - whether it be long season root crops, or quick to mature leafy crops such as salads and spinach. Some things grow from bulbs and tubers [onions and potatoes] other plants are best started off in seed trays or pots [peas and beans]. Next step is to allocate a part of the garden to the project, work out a job schedule [when-to-do-what list], calculate the materials you'll need to start and get going - as soon as the weather allows. I recommend without any hesitation at all, buying a copy of Dr Hessayon's Vegetable Expert book - well laid out, full of information, and brilliant value. My copy is dog-eared through use. I will take it to my Desert Island. Buy other books as well to develop your knowledge, but start with Dr H!
Most modern gardens are smallish, and have to serve several functions providing the outdoor living room, play room, animal shelter as well as cut flowers for the house and vegetables and fruit for the kitchen. There are some great ways to create growing space using grow-bags, pots containers, raised beds potato barrels or even planting amongst the flowers in the way that people have done for years and years. Fruit needs more careful planning as the shortest fruit crops such as Strawberries still need a couple of seasons to reach any sort of potential.
Plant of the Month
Daphne - an early spring flowering gem. There are both deciduous and evergreen forms of Daphne, and they originate from a wide range of conditions in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Daphne laureola is better know as Spurge Laurel, and is a UK native. It has subtle lightly scented green flowers and glossy green leaves, doesn't get too tall and thrives in the shade. It is not glamorous at all but it could earn it's keep as a ground cover plant. Daphne odora is a wonderful plant. Evergreen and reasonably hardy in this part of the world, it produces deep purple-pink and white flowers any time now. They have a strong scent - unforgettable once you have smelt it. You will find the variety D. odora 'Aureomarginata' most places - it is the better form, and the leaves have a subtle creamy-yellow margins. It is well behaved, slow growing but doesn't get too tall.
Daphne mezereum, and Daphne x burkwoodii have a more upright habit, but are deciduous with their scented spring flowers carried on bare stems. Alpine Daphnes such as D. bholua are particularly eye catching in a rockery but need to be well drained in winter.
The Daphnes are not too difficult to grow, will take most soils except very acid ones, as long as they neither dry out or become waterlogged. In propagation, Daphnes can be difficult to root from cuttings, slow to grow from seed, with a high number of losses along the way, so don't expect them to be cheap! Established plants are not usually long lived [due to bacterial disease build up within the plant] but they are so worthwhile for their wonderful early scent. It is a fact that early flowering insect pollinated plants have to work hard and a strong scent will help them attract the insects they need. It's a very competitive world out there.
Jobs for the Month
It will depend on the weather. The chances of your day in the garden coinciding with a day of reasonable weather could be slim! My aim is to make sure all the winter pruning is done - that will include fruit trees and bushes, ornamental trees that need a little tree surgery or young trees that need shaping, deciduous shrubs that need thinning out [about a 3rd each year for many sorts], cut back overgrown deciduous hedges, and prune the wisteria. I did trim back the roses in November and am inclined to leave them until later in the month before giving them a proper pruning - although I do prune most of them with a hedge trimmer - doesn't seem to harm them. At the same time I will prune any winter flowering shrubs that have finished flowering. Evergreens are best left until March for pruning although hardy evergreen hedges can be dealt with now. Use secateurs on large leafed plants such as laurels to avoid leaf damage.
Bulbs are shooting up, if it goes cold they will slow up, but there is little you can do to protect them. Snowdrops are split and replanted after flowering - 'in-the-green' as are Winter Aconites.
Seed potatoes and onion sets are now in the garden centre - so for the best selection and the sought after varieties - get there early! It is very encouraging how many gardeners have gone back to growing potatoes - even a few plants of early spuds are worth trying. Once you've bought them, put them in a cool but frost-free light place to start them off "chitting".
If you are growing vegetables from seed, it pays to cover an area of ground with black plastic to allow the ground to dry out a little and warm up - makes early seed sowing more productive.
If it stays mild, Sod's Law will bring frost later when you don't want it - so keep an eye on fruit blossom and enough fleece to hand that you can cover vulnerable flowers if you need to.
Most modern gardens are smallish, and have to serve several functions providing the outdoor living room, play room, animal shelter as well as cut flowers for the house and vegetables and fruit for the kitchen. There are some great ways to create growing space using grow-bags, pots containers, raised beds potato barrels or even planting amongst the flowers in the way that people have done for years and years. Fruit needs more careful planning as the shortest fruit crops such as Strawberries still need a couple of seasons to reach any sort of potential.
Plant of the Month
Daphne - an early spring flowering gem. There are both deciduous and evergreen forms of Daphne, and they originate from a wide range of conditions in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Daphne laureola is better know as Spurge Laurel, and is a UK native. It has subtle lightly scented green flowers and glossy green leaves, doesn't get too tall and thrives in the shade. It is not glamorous at all but it could earn it's keep as a ground cover plant. Daphne odora is a wonderful plant. Evergreen and reasonably hardy in this part of the world, it produces deep purple-pink and white flowers any time now. They have a strong scent - unforgettable once you have smelt it. You will find the variety D. odora 'Aureomarginata' most places - it is the better form, and the leaves have a subtle creamy-yellow margins. It is well behaved, slow growing but doesn't get too tall.
Daphne mezereum, and Daphne x burkwoodii have a more upright habit, but are deciduous with their scented spring flowers carried on bare stems. Alpine Daphnes such as D. bholua are particularly eye catching in a rockery but need to be well drained in winter.
The Daphnes are not too difficult to grow, will take most soils except very acid ones, as long as they neither dry out or become waterlogged. In propagation, Daphnes can be difficult to root from cuttings, slow to grow from seed, with a high number of losses along the way, so don't expect them to be cheap! Established plants are not usually long lived [due to bacterial disease build up within the plant] but they are so worthwhile for their wonderful early scent. It is a fact that early flowering insect pollinated plants have to work hard and a strong scent will help them attract the insects they need. It's a very competitive world out there.
Jobs for the Month
It will depend on the weather. The chances of your day in the garden coinciding with a day of reasonable weather could be slim! My aim is to make sure all the winter pruning is done - that will include fruit trees and bushes, ornamental trees that need a little tree surgery or young trees that need shaping, deciduous shrubs that need thinning out [about a 3rd each year for many sorts], cut back overgrown deciduous hedges, and prune the wisteria. I did trim back the roses in November and am inclined to leave them until later in the month before giving them a proper pruning - although I do prune most of them with a hedge trimmer - doesn't seem to harm them. At the same time I will prune any winter flowering shrubs that have finished flowering. Evergreens are best left until March for pruning although hardy evergreen hedges can be dealt with now. Use secateurs on large leafed plants such as laurels to avoid leaf damage.
Bulbs are shooting up, if it goes cold they will slow up, but there is little you can do to protect them. Snowdrops are split and replanted after flowering - 'in-the-green' as are Winter Aconites.
Seed potatoes and onion sets are now in the garden centre - so for the best selection and the sought after varieties - get there early! It is very encouraging how many gardeners have gone back to growing potatoes - even a few plants of early spuds are worth trying. Once you've bought them, put them in a cool but frost-free light place to start them off "chitting".
If you are growing vegetables from seed, it pays to cover an area of ground with black plastic to allow the ground to dry out a little and warm up - makes early seed sowing more productive.
If it stays mild, Sod's Law will bring frost later when you don't want it - so keep an eye on fruit blossom and enough fleece to hand that you can cover vulnerable flowers if you need to.
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