Version en français en bas de la page … The wet autumn has encouraged the proliferation of leaf disease on fruit trees. Some of the most prevalent are peach leaf curl, brown rot and scab. They are all caused by air-born fungus spores. Nowadays, there are no ‘chemical’ fungicides available to the domestic gardener, so […]
Version en français en bas de la page … It is possible to successfully keep geraniums over the winter. The somewhat contradictory aims are to keep the plants dry, but not too dry and to put them into hibernation whilst keeping them alive. First, lift them carefully from the pot or planter and remove as […]
Version en français en bas de la page … As we are having drier summers it is becoming more and more useful to mulch borders and beds. Mulch was traditionally used to reduce the need for weeding but now with increased summer temperatures, conserving moisture and reducing watering is a prime concern for many gardeners. […]
Version en français en bas de la page … Autumn leaves This morning I made a start on clearing the leaves that have already fallen on two of the lawns in the garden. If dead leaves are left on the grass, it encourages the worms to come to the surface to take the decaying leaves […]
Version en français en bas de la page … Old tomato, pea and courgette plants With all the recent rain, certain plants, especially tomatoes, will be rotting and mildewed (mildew is a fungal disease present in the air) if they’re still in the veg patch. When you dig them up, don’t put them in the […]
It’s very important to feed the birds from autumn onwards and sometimes even all year round if there’s insufficient wild food around. I decided to modify last years bird table by putting a roof on it so that the food can be kept dry to avoid it going mouldy, as there’s always something they don’t […]
Autumn is here and with it fall the leaves. Leaves are often regarded as a nuisance but leaves are an essential element in an organic garden. Most leaves can be turned into leafmould without being shredded first, the exceptions being holly – because of their spines – and thick leaves like plane tree leaves, which […]
Thanks to Bryan for prompting this post. The sight of spring bulbs and flowers in a woodland is a real boost to the senses. Before you buy the bulbs, take some time to think about the situation in your woodland. The trees shade the area during the summer and absorb a lot of water whilst […]
If you grow old varieties of tomatoes it’s a good idea to save the seeds in the Autumn. The interesting thing about old varieties of tomatoes is that they are not predictable croppers nor necessarily ‘pretty’ BUT the taste is so much better than the standard tomatoes bought in the supermarkets. It is also likely […]
Having paid a visit to Magasin Vert, I came away with some lettuce plants suitable for the autumn and early winter. I decided to plant them in an area that had been full of poppies and wild-flowers during the summer. Having cleared the area, I dug it over and raked it level. It was incredibly […]
