June’s Jottings By Arthur Brice
Planting and sowing seeds become easier as air and ground temperatures rise. Hanging baskets and other containers are ready to go outside. Salad crops can be sown, plus various herbs and other edible crops. These include French and runner beans, beetroot, carrots, cucumbers, Swedes, New Zealand Spinach, turnips and sweet corn. It is possible to buy some vegetables as seedlings, thus avoiding any risk of poor germination.
Watch out for pests and disease, and do keep hoeing, weeding and mulching. Raspberries, uncomplicated red currants and gooseberries give a great deal of pleasure to small garden owners. Top fruit such as apples and pears are also worth their space, giving both beautiful blossom and real tasty fruit. Choose a variety for size and flavour.
Herbs are Both Decorative and Edible
The savoury fragrance of Dill or Thyme in the air adds more than a touch of flair in any garden. Many gardeners seem to favour cluster of herbs in various parts of their plot. The once common practice of keeping them in a separate herb garden enabled the grower to observe closely the healing power of seed and extracts along with culinary usage. Growing herbs is a must for both children and adults.
Flowering Plants and Foliage
The scope of gardening for flower and foliage effects covers a wide range of plants, to suit a variety of human tastes. No-one should be discouraged by how much there seems to be to learn. One cannot go into even the smallest of gardens without learning or seeing something new. The greatest amount of pleasure you will obtain from your garden will be growing those plants that you love best, and are suitable for your soil and situation. One does not need botanical knowledge to grow trees, shrubs, roses, bedding plants and cottage garden types of flowers. Most can be purchased, ready for you to plant. Well prepared soil and tender loving care should do the rest. Always select plants that appeal to you, and if possible from a source that you know and can trust.
Do look around your garden for signs of any pests, also weeds. Dealt with at an early stage, stops the rapid increase in numbers. If you are happy using pesticides, there are plenty on the market of ready to use chemicals. Physically rubbing off pests such as greenfly is a quick and easy alternative, it also gives you green fingers, much sought after by many gardeners!
Most biennials can now be sown in pots or in open ground for flowering next year. This includes wallflowers, Canterbury bells, foxgloves, and honesty.
Shrubs that bloomed in spring should be pruned as soon as possible this should allow new growth to form for next year. Pruning consists of cutting back all stems that carried blooms to above new shoots lower down on the bush. It also gives you the opportunity to shape and restrict the size if this is required.
Constant feeding of all containerised plants should take place about six weeks after planting, and a simple way to achieve this is to add a quarter strength of a soluble food each time you water. This, together with regular dead heading will give good results.
Soil fertility is undisputedly the key to success. Gardeners should direct as much effort as possible to improving and working the soil prior to any sowing or planting. The aim should be to achieve a crumbly texture, rich in nutriments, and be well drained but moisture retentive. The main agent for this improvement is humus. The introduction to the soil on a regular basis of organic matter which when broken down is humus. It improves soils structures and the state of the soil and prevailing weather conditions should be your guide to operations in the garden rather than calendar dates
Additional notes for the month of June
For all its glory June makes its demand on the gardener. It is a urgent month in many ways where growth and change is rapid.
Dahlias, zonal pelargonium, fuchsias, salvias, Gazanias, cannas and heliotrope can all be planted out. These could also be potted up using a 5 inch pot for summer flowering in greenhouse or conservatory. (perhaps one will be seen at flower show.)
Plants of Azalea Indica kept from last winter should now go outside. Plunge to the pot rim in a shady spot keep well watered using rain water. This plant is acid loving.
