GARDENING TIPS
When I had my gardening programme, one of the most popular features was the exchange of gardening tips. I thought I'd do the same on this web site. I'll periodically post a few tips here and if anyone would like to contribute a gem that's worked for them, please do so. Email me via:-
and who knows, I might award a small (well, perhaps not that small) prize. So here goes:-
1. One of the most frequent questions asked of me is do you have to prune clematises and if so how?
Well, yes you do! Clematises fall into 3 distinct groups.
The first group are the early flowerers-C.alpina, C.macropetala, and C. montana varieties. They should be pruned directly after flowering, usually late May, early June. You need to shorten weak stems and remove any dead growth.
The second group are those that bloom around midsummer - varieties like "Nelly Moser", "Miss Bateman" etc. They need to have any dead growth removed in late February and other growth shortened to a strong pair of buds. It's important to cut back some stems shorter than others so that you end up with flowers all over the shrub.
The final group are the late flowerers- C.orintalis, C. tanguitica, C. viticella and varieties like "Gypsy Queen" and "Betty Balfour". These are the simplest of all to prune. Simply cut back (about 12-18") to a strong pair of buds in late February.
Clematises need to be pruned regularly and produce more blooms and last longer if done on an annual basis.
2. Is your houseplant suffering from a dreaded whitefly attack? Before you reach for that spray can, try this novel remedy. Suck up the majority of the whitefly with a vacuum cleaner and then stand the pot on a mirror. The whitefly become disorientated and fly away! Try it, it really works!
3. The Queen has a chamomile lawn at Buckingham Palace and as the saying goes:-
"A chamomile bed, The more it is trodden, The more it will spread!"
Chamomile has the ability to revive and improve any plant growing next to it and chamomile tea has been drunk for centuries as a nerve tonic. Pour me another cup, mother!
4. The next time you sow your broad beans, sow a row of the herb, summer savory, on either side of the drills. This pungent annual with pale blue flowers repels the blackfly from the beans. It is also known as the "Bean" herb, as a couple of sprigs placed in a dish of beans not only improves the flavour but reduces the flatulent effect!
5. The pansy is a symbol of love, hence its old name of hearts
ease. On no account must you pick a pansy with dew on it, as
this will cause the death of a loved one. If pansies are picked
on a fine day, this will ensure rain falls. So remember this next
time there's a drought!
6. Make your own bio- degrabeable pots by rolling a double thickness of newspaper (Garden News is particularly good!) around a rolling pin and gumming the edges together, so that you end up with a paper cylinder. Slide the paper off and cut the tube into 5 inch lengths Place these in a seed tray, fill with compost and sow seeds. These can then be planted direct in the soil when the seedlings are big enough. Eventually these will rot down adding fibre to the soil. A good job for the kids on a rainy day.
7. Plants are very much like people. They get on well with some of their neighbours and yet can't abide others! Lettuce, for example, loves peas, beans and beetroot next to them but can't abide parsley! They show their disdain by growing slowly and quickly running to seed.
8.Got a vacant spot and can't decide what to grow in it? Whilst you are making up your mind, sow some hardy annuals in it. They will help break up the soil and provide a welcome splash of colour. They also attract beneficial insects which will help keep the pest populations down and of course provide flowers for cutting. Furthermore, many will self seed and so provide copious seed for subsequent years.
9. A block of oasis cut into 2 inch squares makes an ideal cutting unit. Make a hole in the centre of each square and insert your cutting. Stand the blocks in a tray of water and the oasis will only take up the amount of water it needs, thereby preventing the cutting getting water logged and rotting. When roots appear through the oasis, pot it up in the normal way. You can also use this method for sowing large seeds such as sweet corn or marrow.
10. When pruning all your prickly shrubs such as berberis, holly etc. save the prunings and dry them off. Then when you come to sow your peas and beans, place the prunings in the trench to keep away the mice. This is a far safer method than the one used by Victorian gardeners who used to roll the seed in red lead and paraffin to keep the rodents away. I often wonder what the resultant crop tasted like?!
11.There are many tried and tested ways of keeping moles out of your garden. One of the more unusual is to utilise the mechanism from one of those dreaded musical cards that drives everyone up the wall. Placed in a recent mole run, they drive the moles away. I wonder why?! My friend swears this trick works but the moles I tried it on must have been deaf .
12.There are two rampant climbers ideal for quickly covering an eyesore such as an old shed or oil tank. The Golden hop (Humulus lupulus "Aureus") has twining stems and distinctive hairy yellow leaves. It will easily grow 20 feet in a season and has a bonus of hops in the autumn.
The second climber needs no introduction- The Russian Vine (Polygonum baldschuanicum). Now this really is rampant- hence its' common name of "Mile a minute" vine. In a good season it can grow 40 feet - yes, that's right 40 feet! It produces masses of white or pinky flowers in the summer along twining stems. Treat both plants with caution as they tend to outgrow their welcome!
13. One of the earliest and most welcome of the spring flowers is the primrose. Needless to say its steeped in folklore. It was believed that fairies used to shelter under the blooms and country people used to rub the leaves on their cheeks to produce a pleasing blush! Primrose tea was a good cure for worms and the leaves added to salads are supposed to help arthritis. Please don't pick the wild primrose as it is now a protected plant.
14.To make your shampoo, which is just as good as some of the more expensive brands, first buy some cheap shampoo. Pour away or use an inch of shampoo. Tie together to sprigs of rosemary and two stinging nettle stems ( To avoid getting stung, ask someone else to do this for you!) Next place the bottle on a sunny window sill for 3 weeks. After the three weeks, pull the herb bundle out and top up the bottle with malt vinegar. This shampoo will give a good shine to dull hair and is good against dandruff. One of my students added a beaten egg to the mixture and said it really gave her hair body. I've tried this on my rapidly receding pate and it does seem to work. Be sure to rinse off thoroughly or you'll get some strange looks in the pub!
15. A few small pieces of charcoal placed in a bottle garden or terrarium will help keep the soil sweet and so prevent algae.
16. Instead of the ubiquitous slug pellets, try placing a ring of coarse sand, crushed egg shells or even cinders around susceptible plants. Slugs can't crawl over rough surfaces and will leave the plants alone. Thistles work equally well.
STOP PRESS:- I've just been reading an article that says that all gastropods (slugs and snails to you and me!) can't abide copper. Apparently if your soil is defecient in copper then you will have a glut of
gastropods (lovely expression-glut of gastropods!). Some enterprising
manufacturer is now producing copper impregnated mats to place around vulnerable plants. I'll get some and let you know how I get on.
Right folks, that's all for now. More tips later.
Why don't you send me your favourite tip?