Gardeners must always be prepared to look to the future. Planting bulbs is one of the brightest ways to achieve this.
Much to the horror of those master bulb growers the Dutch, bulb sales in North America have stagnated over the past few years. North America accounts for 30 per cent of world flower bulb demand so clearly a boost was needed. And a boost there will be – $5.7 million in marketing support spread over the next three years. You will likely see it under the tagline “Bulbs. Dig, drop, done.” In all fairness, that is pretty well it. Other than discouraging squirrels from what they fondly believe is an instant cafeteria . . . This leads gardeners to indulge in coprolalia, or tendency to swear, even perhaps trichotillomania, tearing of the hair.
Diversion No. 1
How plants sound as well as how they look helps them attract pollinators, a new study has found. Research published in the journal Science found that the Cuban rainforest vine Marogravia evenia, pollinated by bats, has evolved dish-shaped leaves with such conspicuous echoes that nectar-feeding bats can find its flowers twice as fast by echo location [Source: Science Daily]
September is National Potato Month when we celebrate all things concerning Solanum tuberosum of the family Solanaceae. The family Solanaceae also includes tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant in 96 general and about 2500 species of annuals and perennials, not forgetting petunias and tobacco, along with a few shrubs and even trees. So perhaps September should instead be a celebration of the Solanaceae.
Certainly down on the home farm, everything is coming to fruitation – if that is the correct description for a plethora of veggies. Unless that is you suffer from lachanophobia, an excessive or morbid fear of vegetables. And don’t think it’s over yet! Keep up with regular watering, weeding and pest control because you are likely to enjoy harvesting for another month or more.
Time to dry herbs for use over winter: pick early in the morning but after the dew has dried on them. Spread raised fly screens in a shaded area protected from breezes. Bring inside at night. Most herbs will take two or three days to dry. Rub up, discard stems and bag or store in glass bottles – plastic containers are liable to condensation. Label neatly, including date stored.
Diversion No. 2
“Caring the Plants: Keep off the grass. Do not put down or break off twigs or flowers. No fighting. No gambling, no any other illegal actives, such as superstition. No spitting or pissing in public. The pet is not allowed to bring in.” Beijing Scenic Area, China, sign seen by Steve McDowall and submitted to
The Daily Telegraph.
September is sod care month and time once again to fertilize. In those far-off days before the advent of specially formulated lawn fertilizers or for that matter even artificially nutrients, gardeners still maintained lush inviting turf. Their secret was to top dress, as it was – and is – known with well-aged compost. This might be the answer for those blessed with substantial compost heaps. Urban gardeners on smaller lots should be so lucky.
Some retailers are now offering rich, black top dressing for just this purpose. But be wary of resorting to composted cattle or sheep manure. A by-product of stockyards, unless properly and carefully processed it may contain a large percentage of weed seeds. Some concerns have also been raised that such animal-derived compost may contain high levels of salt that might damage turf.
On a personal level, the writer is old enough to remember achieving great results with composted pellets from the family’s pet rabbits a.k.a. rabbit raisins. When that is the same was not having the same success in the vegetable, fruit and flower gardens.
Diversion No. 3
“I don’t care tuppence about colour. Shape is far more important in a garden, and if you have contrasting shapes and textures, colour is secondary.” Penelope Hobhouse, leading British gardening designer, plantswoman and garden historian, profiled by Clare Foster in House and Garden
Later in the month as the nights grow cooler bring houseplants that have spent the summer vacationing in the garden back inside. First however, drench the soil heavily, forcing any worms, slugs and other thugs that may have taken up residence to evacuate. A precautionary foliage spritz with insecticidal soap will mean less likelihood of introducing bugs into the home. But also later in the month it is time to move any amaryllis that have remained in the house outside to commence the cool treatment they require in order to flower again in a few months time.
If you’re planning to save tropical perennials used as bedding or container plants over summer, you will similarly need to soak thoroughly after uprooting and potting them up. Also, since the growth they made this past season will not easily adapt to indoor conditions, they will require vigorous pruning. Smaller specimens such as geraniums and impatiens should be cut back to a few inches. Woody plants such as hibiscus, fuchsia, and bougainvillea require three-quarters of the current season’s growth be removed.
Diversion No. 4
It’s a garden 30 feet wide and three-quarters of a mile long . . . and yours for £340,000. The new owner of The Gables at Alne, 11 miles from York, will need to be prepared for more than a little gentle weeding, warns the Mail on Sunday. The North Yorkshire two-bedroom house has a hedge running down one side of the property. The former railway worker’s cottage garden was originally a private railway, removed in the 1950s, located next to a level crossing.
Canada’s first National Tree Day will be Wednesday, 21 September 2011. Promising to be an annual event, back last March, the House of Commons to declared that it will occur on the Wednesday of National Forest Week, the last full week of September.
Royal Gilipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orleans who introduced the Private Members Motion, wants Canadians to “spend just one day reflecting on the link between their lives and that of the tree.” Given the incredible importance of trees to our nation, it is an excellent and thought-provoking idea.
