My gardening DIARY
MONDAY There’s more soggy foliage around than usual after the wet weather we’ve had. Old leaves of crocosmia have fallen in tumps (a good Welsh word), burying some emerging spring treats, primulas and Time to remove them and give these new shoots a chance.
TUESDAY Some of the nerines and agapanthus have had their leaves smi en by frost. Even is a bit dishevelled. We’re leaving them alone for now. If we cut back these leaves, new ones may be encouraged, which might again be hit by frost.
WEDNESDAY Pruning our blackcurrants by taking out a few of the oldest stems right down to the ground. There are a few strong sideshoots on some of them, so we may try them as hardwood cu ings.
THURSDAY Selecting hellebores to cross pollinate. I always get too ambitious but it pays to remember that each successful cross may yield scores of seeds. The process of moving pollen from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of another needs ideally to be repeated on three consecutive days.
FRIDAY Around the brick garden there are several clumps of
with their heads of lime-green inflorescences. We leave it as long as we can but now each old stem must be cut back to the base. It needs brute strength and sharp secateurs .
SATURDAY Neil is feeding the birds assiduously. He puts out peanuts, mixed seeds, sunflower hearts, niger seed and the latest craze, half coconut shells with suet and mixed bird seed, which is particularly popular.
SUNDAY I must grow more winter veg next year. Though we have good pumpkins and beetroot, leeks and flourishing chard, broccoli isn’t ready and there have been no sprouts or parsnips.
Seed sowing strategies need to be deployed!
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