The Scotsman

Act quickly to minimise effects of storm damage

- Jowhitting­ham

Raking fallen leaves is not normally at the top of the to-do list during summer, but thanks to mid-june’s unseasonab­ly high winds that’s what I have been doing over the last couple of weeks. Tidying and repairs have been needed all over the garden, where the broad beans were flattened and some of my climbers and wall-trained fruit trees were wrenched from their supporting wires. Many neighbouri­ng trees also lost branches; their leaves catching the gusts like sails.

Some gardens will take time to recover, while others will barely have been affected, but it is worthwhile checking for damage and removing any debris. Broken branches on trees, shrubs and climbers should be cut back cleanly with a sharp pair of secateurs to help the plant heal quickly and prevent disease entering the wound. Secure climbers and wall-trained plants back onto their supports as soon as possible, especially if they are weighed down with heavy flowers or fruit. Stake tall flower stems or plants such as broad beans that have been blown over, and add supports to other tall perennials to keep them standing through any further storms. Cut back delphinium­s and geraniums, especially if they’ve been flattened, to encourage a second flush of flowers in late summer.

Regular deadheadin­g promotes more blooms both for bedding displays and many perennials. Congested clumps of bearded iris don’t flower well, so lift them this month, give the soil a thorough weed and replant the young rhizomes with healthy roots and shoots, for a better display next year. Water any plants growing in containers or under cover regularly, along with anything recently planted in the soil which hasn’t fully establishe­d its roots. Rather than watering the lawn try setting the mower a little higher in summer, because slightly longer grass remains greener and is more resilient during dry spells.

The productive garden is now in full swing, with strawberri­es, currants, gooseberri­es, blueberrie­s, potatoes, garlic, peas, beans and salads among the crops being harvested. Keep feeding greenhouse crops regularly and side-shoot tomato plants. Tomatoes, cucumbers and climbing beans should also be ‘stopped’, by pinching out their growing tip when they reach the top of their supports. This is also the time to sow spring cabbage, as well as leaf crops, such as Swiss chard, mizuna and spinach beet, in modules to plant under cover for harvesting in winter. There is still time to sow crops in the ground this month to cloche later as the weather cools.

 ??  ?? Regular deadheadin­g encourages more blooms
Regular deadheadin­g encourages more blooms
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom