Weekend gardener: nourish to flourish
Edibles
Sow peas in trenches filled not quite to the top with a mix of compost and soil. Not filling the trenches completely will mean water will drain into it more readily, keeping the moistureloving peas happy.
Plant brussels sprouts and tomatoes. Sow main crop carrots and beetroots.
Pumpkins are gross feeders, that is, they need rich soil and lots of supplementary feeding to do really well. Generous applications of compost around the base of the plants will help, and feed often with liquid fertiliser – see below for recipe.
Earth-up potatoes by drawing soil up around the stems to form a ridge. This can be done several times throughout the season as the plants grow, to a final ridge height of about 30cm. Earthing-up stops light reaching the tubers. Sunlight can make the tubers go green, which can be toxic if eaten.
Feed tamarillo trees with wellrotted animal manure and compost. A potassium-rich fertiliser is also good.
Should your soil be heavy and you want to grow black passionfruit, try planting them on a mound of good-quality (and light) soil on top of the garden soil. Mulch with wood chips or a fineish bark.
Ornamentals
Fuchsias appreciate some TLC at this time of year. A thick layer of compost around the bottom of plants will benefit them and the soil – and help it retain moisture.
Reward your roses for their magnificent blooms with generous applications of well-rotted manure. Or give them regular long drinks of fertiliser tea, made by soaking cow or horse manure in a drum of water. Nettles, comfrey and seaweed may be added to the drum for extra potency.
Keep an extra vigilant eye on trees and shrubs planted this season to ensure they don’t dry out. This is more likely than with established plants as their roots have not had as much time to go deep. The same goes with new lawns – keep them well-watered.
Plant out dahlia tubers and canna lilies rhizomes.
Take softwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs, such as forsythia, fuchsia, hydrangea, philadelphus and spiraea.
Spring-flowering bushes and perennials such as felicia and marguerite daisies could well do with a light trim. Cut off old flowers and within six weeks they should flower beautifully again.