May Newsletter 2017

Hasn’t spring been incredible this year? I find it hard to believe that we’re only just into May. It is one of the loveliest months, with much to enjoy, including, once again, the Love West Dulwich Spring Fair. Join us!

Saturday 20th May, from 11am – 5pm

Love West Dulwich Spring Fair

As in previous years there will be

• Funfair rides for small people
• A visit from the animals at Vauxhall City Farm
• An entertainment tent
• Delicious food stalls from around the world
• In-store events and promotions within West Dulwich businesses

It’s going to be a fabulous day, so please put it in your diary now. Further details (including timings) are available on the facebook page (facebook.com/lovewestdulwich) or you can follow on twitter @lovewestdulwich, or just just pop into one of the local shops and pick up a leaflet.

During April and May the most difficult thing for us at the centre is reining in our enthusiasm on the buying front …. There’s so much gorgeous stock on offer from our suppliers that we just want EVERYTHING! Of course, as you well know, we manage to get an extraordinary amount into our rather tiny space. Here are the edited highlights:

• Climbers: Along with the usual array of Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Passionflower, Trachelospermum (‘Star Jasmine’) and Clematis, we have some beautiful Wisteria still in bud and flower, including the dwarf variety ‘Amethyst Falls’, which is the only Wisteria I know of that you can grow in a pot.
• Perennials: As always, our small independent growers have done us proud. We use a couple of different growers, who between them grow an amazing array of plants, which we delight in bringing into the centre for you. The Salvias and Geraniums are looking particularly spectacular, as are the Heuchera and Hostas (as an aside, a couple of customers have commented on how good ‘Strulch’ is at keeping the snails and slugs away from their Hostas. So, we’ve decanted some out of the usual 100ltr bags into smaller ones, and have them ready for you to pick up right next to the Hostas on the shady table.)
• Roses: Valerie continues to pick out some wonderful climbing, rambling, and shrub roses – from purest white to deepest red. There’s a rose for every garden, even the shadiest, smallest of spaces, so you don’t have to miss out.
• Acers: Blazing burgundy and vibrant green, the delicate leaves on these beautiful trees are gorgeous. They are the ideal tree for a small garden, and are happy grown in semi shade and also in pots. Their promise of spectacular Autumn colour is what draws most people to them, but I love the way they look during the spring and summer just as much.
• Trees: There are many ornamental trees just coming into their own right now. The Photinia Red Robins are looking amazing, as do the Betula (birch), Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy, Robinia and Prunus.
• Herbs: The range continues to increase as the weather warms up. We still have herbs in small 9cm pots, as well as the Hairy Pot range. A few varieties are still available in larger pots, but with very limited stock please snap them up fast if you want them.
• Vegetables: The range again is increasing all the time, and it seems that each year we stock more and more varieties of tomatoes!
• Summer bedding: We are delighted to be stocking the full range of summer bedding. As always, these hard working little gems line the driveway to our gates, waiting to tempt you as you arrive. They will reward you with constant colour and charm all through the summer, as long as you remember to feed and water them.

Apart from plant stock, other things you might want to have a look at are the range of rusty iron plant support spirals – essential for tall herbaceous perennials that may flop over if not supported. They blend into the border beautifully and all but disappear from view while supporting your growing plants, be they herbaceous or otherwise. Then, once the herbaceous plants die back, they look great left in situ over winter as they add structure and interest.

We have the usual outstanding selection of pots and planters, including some ridged metal ones that are proving very popular.

With the longer evenings and warmer weather, our thoughts turn to al fresco dining, and what better way to do so than with a Kadai firepit/babeque. We have 3 sizes available, so that even a small terrace or patio garden can have one gracing it.

Martyna is keeping the houseplant area looking like a jungle at the moment. She is a mine of information on all things to do with keeping your indoor space green and lush, so make sure you speak to her if you have any questions.

Sally’s section of ‘tasks’ follows. Don’t be daunted by the huge amount you could be doing this month. Remember, the wise gardener always takes some time to sit back and enjoy looking at the fruits of their labour. Even better if you can do so with friends and family, on a warm late spring evening, with something chilled and delicious in hand.

Whatever you’re up to this May, make sure you take time to enjoy your garden.

Karen

Garden jobs

South Africa has a ‘Garden Day’ in spring when friends are invited to admire gardens which are fresh and ready for the season ahead, or simply to enjoy time in the garden for oneself, without wielding a lawnmower or hoe. The simple rule is ‘no gardening’. However, before the given date, lots of effort is put in to tend, tidy and get things ready, so here are some ideas for us all this month.

My 2 top jobs for this month

1. Get your best containers in position and plant them with summer bedding for months of sizzling colour, with herbs for the kitchen, or with a classic long lasting group of perennials for sun or shade.

2. Keep on top of weeds before they take over your plot!

General garden maintenance

• Stake or support your plants now. If you leave it later than mid-May, you will be fighting a losing battle. This is essential for herbaceous plants before they get too tall, or for those, like peonies, that produce heavy blooms.
• Sweet peas need training and tying in to their supports to encourage them to climb and make a good display.
• Continue to tie in shoots on climbers that are growing madly, such as clematis, roses, honeysuckle and jasmine. It is particularly important to tie in the shoots of climbing roses as near to horizontal as possible. This suppresses the flow of sap which encourages the plant to send out more side shoots, which will produce lots of flowers.
• Deadhead remaining spring bulbs. Give the leaves a feed and let them die back before cutting them. Divide clumps of 'blind' daffodils, dig them up and plant them in a new spot.
• Towards the end of May, think about the ‘Chelsea Chop’ on perennials which have a habit of getting tall and unwieldy, such as some Sedum, Rudbeckia, Helenium, Veronica and more. The idea is to cut or pinch back plants by half resulting in bushier plants that flower later on in the season and often flower more prolifically.
• Keep watering any recently planted shrubs and trees, including fruit, even if it has been raining. They won’t have had time to get their roots down yet, so are vulnerable to dehydration.
• Thin out direct sowings of hardy annuals. This is best done in two or three stages at fortnightly intervals.
• Lift clumps of Forget-me-nots as they fade and before they set too much seed. They can become invasive if left unchecked.
• Trim back spreading plants like Aubretia and Alyssum after flowering to encourage fresh growth and flowers.
• If you haven't done so already, mulch beds and borders with a good organic compost.

Container gardening

• Get into a routine for watering your containers in the morning or evening, not the middle of the day, and get to know how much different plants need. In sunny or windy weather, you will need to water more.
• Start a feeding regime. You can boost plant growth and health tremendously with the right fertilisers, either by using slow release fertiliser when you plant, or by using a weekly fertiliser when you water.
• Plant up troughs, pots, window boxes and hanging baskets with tender summer bedding plants now. Incorporating water retaining crystals and slow release fertiliser in the compost will help to ensure a continuous display throughout the summer.
• For a more permanent container collection, plant herbaceous perennials such as long flowering Erysimum Bowles Mauve, grasses, Sedum, Erigeron and Phlox. In shade, try Hosta, ferns, Brunnera or Heuchera.

Pruning

• Early flowering Clematis such as C. montana C. Alpina and C. armandii can be pruned after flowering to keep in check, and this may lead to another flush of flowers later.
• Prune overgrown Camellias once they finish flowering and start putting on fresh growth. Cut to young side shoots, which will flower next spring. Feed with an acidic fertiliser.
• Evergreen hedges and topiary can be lightly clipped to keep them neat. Make sure your shears are clean and well-oiled before use. Pick an overcast day, or wait until after the sun has set, to avoid leaf scorch.
• Cut out any plain green shoots on variegated shrubs and trees.
• Thin Spirea when the flowers have faded removing up to a third of old wood.
• Cut back the flowered stems of Choisya to encourage a second flowering in the autumn.

Planting

• The ground is warm and ready for planting. The lengthening days of spring are perfect for plants to get their roots down and top growth up.
• Plant with the right compost and drainage.
• Plant up a new border, rejuvenate an existing corner, brighten up the front garden to cheer passers by. Always remember, right plant, right place. Choose plants which will thrive in the conditions - lavender loves a sunny spot, but will be lank and sulky in the shade. Ferns, Tiarella and Vinca will thrive in partial or full shade, but may risk being frazzled in full sun.
• Have a look at our Planting Instructions for advice on planting if you aren’t sure.
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs throughout their first season, a bucket of water every 4 or so days, unless there is prolonged rainfall.

Vegetables and herbs

• Lots of vegetables can be sown outside this month, as the temperatures rise. Try french beans, courgettes, squashes, quick and easy radish, sweet corn and many more.
• Plant out vegetable and salad crops in containers, grow bags or the vegetable garden for tasty home grown crops later in the summer.
• Make successional sowings of salad crops such as rocket, lettuce, basil, coriander and more every 10 days or so.
• Earth up potatoes by 10cm when shoots are 23cm tall.
• Pot on tomato and other young vegetable plants into larger pots. Before potting on young seedlings, make sure they have a well developed root system - if not leave them for a bit longer before moving them into individual pots.
• Harden off all young vegetable plants before planting out, in a cold frame, or by placing them outside during the day and under cover at night. You can cover them in pots or in the ground with a layer of horticultural fleece.
• Vegetables and herbs can be grown in the smallest of spaces, in the ground or in a variety of pots, trugs and other containers. Find a sunny spot for tomatoes, chilli and peppers, but if sun only reaches an area for a few hours a day, go for a green crop of lettuce, rocket, pak choy, spinach or other green leafy delicacies.
• Herbs make attractive container plants. Plant some favourite herbs near the back door, or on the balcony... there's nothing better than stepping out to cut a handful of fresh herbs to to use in the kitchen. Use Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and thyme in a sunny spot, and mint, parsley, tarragon, coriander and dill in more shaded surroundings.
• Devise a routine of feeding and weeding your vegetable garden and containers, and water regularly.

Fruit

• Keep fruit plants and trees well watered in dry spells to ensure good setting and fruit development.
• Harvest rhubarb, picking no more than a third of stems.
• Cover strawberry beds with straw. Feed every couple of weeks with tomato fertiliser.
• Mulch around fruit trees and bushes to discourage weeds and retain moisture.
• If you don't have space for an orchard, there are fruit trees and soft fruit which can be grown in containers very successfully. Have a look at our guide to Fruit in containers

Companion planting

• Companion planting, where plants are positioned to benefit neighbouring plants, can help in the battle against pests, and help with pollination.
• Many herbs have nectar rich flowers which will attract beneficial insects to the garden.
• Some herbs have strongly scented leaves which can repel unwanted insects, so can be useful planted around the garden. Try planting sage next to cabbage-family plants to repel cabbage-white butterflies, chives next to apples to prevent apple scab, or next to roses to prevent blackspot.
• Nasturtiums are one of the plants which will attract blackfly away from precious crops.
• Carrot fly will start to appear in May. Sow carrots with annual flowers such as Love-in the-mist and Cornflowers in a roughly 50:50 ratio to discourage them.
• In the vegetable plot, use taller crops such as peas or beans, to create shady conditions for crops such as lettuce, coriander, rocket and spinach which have a tendency to bolt.

Lawn maintenance

• This is a perfect time to sow new lawns, or to lay new turf. See our instructions for Laying turf
• Continue with your lawn maintenance routine this month, increasing the frequency of cutting as long as the weather allows you to.
• Keep the blades high for the first few cuts, and always leave grass longer in shady areas.
• If using a ‘feed and weed’ product on your lawn, ensure it has been very well watered in, either by luckily timed rain or by hand with a hose or watering can.

Garden pests

• Guard against slugs and snails:
• Continue to protect lily, delphinium, hosta and other susceptible plants from slugs and snails.
• Rake over soil surfaces to expose slugs and their eggs to predators.
• Think about growing hostas and other susceptible plants in pots, raised off the ground, with copper tape below the rim.
• Use a mulch of gravel or grit on pots and around plants and seedlings.
• Encourage natural predators, such as birds, into your garden, who will happily munch on molluscs! Keep bird feeders topped up, and put up nesting boxes.
• Frogs and toads will also eat slugs, and a pond (however small) will encourage these amphibians to take up residence.
• Look out for Scarlet Lily Beetle and squish them when you find them.
• Viburnum beetle larvae can damage the leaves of evergreen and deciduous Viburnum. Keep a sharp eye on them.
• Aphids can multiply rapidly during mild spells. Remove early infestations by hand, spray with a soap solution, or treat with a pesticide.
• Watch for blackspot on roses and treat with a systemic fungicide.
• Adult vine weevil chew notches in leaves of plants such as rhododendron, camellia and olive. However it’s the vine weevil larvae which do the worst damage to plants in containers, eating the roots. Tip out the rootball of suspect plants, and look for the creamy, orange headed maggots, which tend to curl up into a ‘C’ shape. If you find them, take very swift action to eradicate them, with chemical or biological controls, or by disposing of the compost and starting afresh.

Wildlife

• Remember to keep feeding the birds as they begin to nest and raise young. Leave water for them too.
• Be aware of birds nests in the garden, and try not to disturb them.
• Sow or plant wildflowers to encourage insects, butterflies and bees.
• Plant single flowers which are easier and better food sources for insects than double blooms.

Plant focus - Roses

Roses are one of the largest groups of plants. Most rose species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwestern Africa.

Many cultivars and hybrids are repeat flowering and fragrant. Most are happy in a sunny or half shade spot, some will perform well on a cooler north or east facing wall. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through creams, yellows, pinks and reds.

Whether you want a magnificent rambling rose, climbing and tumbling over a wall, an elegant climber to festoon a pergola, porch or wall, or a bushy shrub sized plant in a bed, mixed border, pot or container, there is a nearly always a rose which will work.

Roses need well-drained soil – incorporate well-rotted manure or compost to the planting hole; bonemeal can also be added. Climbing roses will need a framework of wire or trellis to be tied in to.

Roses benefit hugely from deadheading - this encourages more flowers to be produced and helps keep the plant looking tidy. Either remove just the flower head or cut back to the first full leaf on the stem.

It takes a few years for the rose’s roots to find their own water supply so keep your newly planted rose watered, especially if the soil is very dry or if it’s in a container.

In early spring feed with a general purpose or rose fertiliser and then mulch with organic matter, well-rotted horse manure is ideal. You can also feed in summer to prolong flowering. All roses benefit from an autumn mulch too, again well-rotted horse manure or rich organic compost.

New roses are developed every year, often announced at Chelsea Flower Show. This year, look out for Rosa Dame Judi Dench from David Austin. It’s often a few years before new roses are widely available.

Have a look at our notes on Roses for help with pruning.

Finally,

Enjoy the promise of summer to come, and the lengthening evenings.

Sally