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GARDENING  TIPS  FOR  AUGUST  2012 

SAYING 

AUGUST  BRINGS  THE  SHEAVES  OF  CORN 

THEN  THE  HARVEST  HOME  IS  BORNE 

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MICK’S  TIPS 

LAWNS

CONTINUE MOWING NEW AND ESTABLISHED LAWNS, DON’T CUT TOO SHORT IN DRY WEATHER. A GOOD MONTH FOR SOWING GRASS SEED IS SEPTEMBER AND NEW TURF IN OCTOBER.

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JOBS FOR  AUGUST    

1. KEEP ON TOP OF WEEDS BY HOEING
2. MAKE SURE SWELLING FRUIT HAS ENOUGH WATER
3. PLANT NEW STRAWBERRY PLANTS AND POT UP RUNNERS FROM ESTABLISHED PLANTS
4. WATCH OUT FOR APHIDS, BLACKFLY, WHITE FLY, ETC.  PESTICIDES CAN BE USED OR TRY A STRONG JET OF WATER.   

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HANGING BASKETS ,TUBS & POTS & CONTAINERS

WATER ON A DAILY BASIS, MORNING AND EVENING IN HOT WEATHER. FEED ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH MIRACLE GROW OR EQUIVALENT.  ALWAYS READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USE.

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BEDDING PLANTS 

KEEP WATERED IN DRY WEATHER, AVOID WATERING IN FULL SUN AS THIS CAN CAUSE BURNING OF LEAVES. KEEP DEAD-HEADING TO ENCOURAGE MORE GROWTH.

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GREENHOUSE 

ENSURE GOOD VENTILATION. SHADING CAN BE USED IN HOT WEATHER. WATCH OUT FOR PESTS SUCH AS WHITEFLY  ETC. TRY SOME STICKY YELLOW CARDS, ONCE THEY GET ON THE CARDS THEY CANNOT GET OFF.

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TOMATOES 

KEEP FEEDING ON A REGULAR BASIS.  KEEP WATERING ON A DAILY BASIS, DRYING OUT CAN CAUSE BLOSSOM END ROT, ALSO KEEP ANY SIDE SHOOTS IN CHECK.

 SOW_

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YOU CAN NOW SOW THE FOLLOWING SEEDS.  SPRING CABBAGE, LETTUCE ( HARDY VARIETY )  TURNIPS, SPINACH, WINTER HARDY SPRING ONIONS.

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ASPARAGUS

FOLIAGE SHOULD BE TALL NOW, THIS WILL ENABLE THE CROWNS TO BUILD UP RESOURSES FOR NEXT YEAR.

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ONIONS & SHALLOTTS 

THESE CAN BE LIFTED AND DRIED THIS MONTH

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POTATOES 

BLIGHT CAN BE A PROBLEM AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. A PRODUCT BY ( BAYER GARDEN ) CALLED FRUIT AND VEGETABLE DISEASE CONTROL CAN BE USED. ALWAYS READ INSTRUCTIONS FULLY BEFORE USE.

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KEEP PICKING & CUTTING 

MARROWS, COURGETTES, FRENCH AND RUNNER BEANS, ALSO BROAD BEANS, PEAS,  ETC.

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AN  OLD  SAYING

WHEN YOUR JOINTS ALL START TO ACHE

                                        RAINY WEATHER IS AT STAKE   

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HAPPY  HOLIDAYS 

GARDENING TIPS FOR AUGUST 2011

MICK’S TIPS

OLD SAYING

RED SKY AT NIGHT , SHEPHERDS DELIGHT

RED SKY IN THE MORNING, SHEPHERDS WARNING

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SHALLOTS & ONIONS

THESE CAN BE LIFTED AND DRIED. TRY KEEPING THE LARGER SHALLOTS FOR NEXT YEARS SEED.

SWEETCORN

GROWS VERY QUICKLY NOW KEEP WATERED IN DRY WEATHER.

COURGETTES & MARROWS

KEEP WATERING THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS AND CUT THEM YOUNG TO ENCOURAGE MORE GROWTH.

POTATOES

LIFT, DRY, AND STORE ANY REMAINING EARLY AND SECOND EARLY VARIETIES. DAMAGED TUBERS SHOULD BE USED FIRST . PLACE GOOD TUBERS IN HESSIAN OR PAPER SACKS, IN A COOL DARK BUT FROST FREE PLACE. EMPTY THE SACKS OUT A FEW WEEKS AFTER TO CHECK FOR ANY POTATOES GOING OFF. CHECK YOUR MAINCROP VARIETIES FOR POTATO BLIGHT.

CELERIAC

THESE SHOULD BE SWELLING NICELY NOW, REMOVE ANY SIDE SHOOTS AND THE LOWER LEAVES SO AS TO EXPOSE THE CROWN.

CELERY

NEEDS PLENTY OF WATER IN HOT DRY WEATHER, LIQUID FEED WITH A SOLUBLE FERTILIZER IN SUMMER MONTHS.

TOMATOES

KEEP WATERED ON A REGULAR BASIS IF YOU DON’T THIS CAN LEAD TO FRUITS SPLITING AND FEED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

BRASSICAS

KEEP AN EYE OPEN FOR CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY EGGS ON AND UNDER THE LEAVES. THESE ARE YELLOW AND IF NOT DEALT WITH WILL HATCH INTO CATAPILLARS.

FRENCH & STICK BEANS

WATER AND PICK YOUNG TO ENCOURAGE MORE GROWTH. PINCH OUT RUNNERS THAT HAVE REACHED THE END OF THEIR SUPPORT.

HANGING BASKETS,TUBS, & CONTAINERS E.T.C.

KEEP WATERED TWICE A DAY IN VERY HOT WEATHER AND FEED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SPRING CABBAGE

THE SEEDS CAN BE SOWN MID AUGUST IN DRILLS IN OPEN GROUND, OR PLANT SEED THINLY IN SEED TRAYS, BEFORE PLANTING OUT IN LATE SEPTEMBER.

LETTUCE

SOW A WINTER VARIETY SUCH AS VALDOR. THESE ARE VERY RISISTANT TO COLD, AND WET CONDITIONS.

SOWING

THE FOLLOWING CAN BE SOWN KOHLRABI, RADISHES, SPINACH, TURNIPS, AND WHITE LISBON WINTER HARDY SPRING ONIONS.

GREENHOUSE

ENSURE GOOD VENTILATION. CONSIDER SHADING IN STRONG SUN. WATCH OUT FOR WHITE FLY TRY MARIGOLDS TO DISTRACT THEM OR USE STICKY YELLOW CARDS.

WEEDS

KEEP HOEING OFF AS THEY APPEAR AND THE HOT WEATHER WILL SOON KILL THEM .

GREEN MANURE

MUSTARD IS FAST GROWING. IF SOWN WHERE POTATOES HAVE BEEN HARVESTED IT CAN CONFUSE THE POTATO EEL WORM INTO BREEDING AT THE WRONG TIME. DO NOT USE IF YOUR SOIL SUFFERS FROM CLUB ROOT.

BEDDING PLANTS

KEEP WELL WATERED IN HOT SUNNY WEATHER AND DEAD HEADED TO KEEP FLOWERS BLOOMING.

SWEDES

CHECK FOR POWDERY MILDEW AND CLUB ROOT KEEP WATERED OR THEY CAN BECOME ( WOODY )

FRUIT

CONTAINER GROWN FRUIT SHOULD BE WATERED DAILY. IF YOU ARE GOING ON HOLIDAY MOVE THESE INTO THE SHADE. HARVEST EARLY APPLES AND PEARS. WATER FRUIT TREES AND BUSHES IN DRY WEATHER. WASPS LIKE RIPE FRUIT, TRY HANGING STICKY JUICE IN JARS IN THE TREES TO CATCH THEM.

LAWNS

DON’T CUT TOO SHORT IT WILL SURVIVE BETTER IN HOT DRY WEATHER. IF BROWN PATCHES APPEAR , IT WILL RECOVER WHEN THE RAIN COMES.

HERBS

SOME HERBS SUCH AS MINT , PARSLEY,CHIVES, MARJORAM CAN BE POTTED UP FOR WINTER USE. A GRITTY COMPOST IS USED AND KEEP IN THE SHADE , MOVE INSIDE BEFORE BAD WEATHER ARRIVES.

WHAT DO YOU GET IF YOU DIVIDE THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF A PUMPKIN BY ITS DIAMETER. ? PUMPKIN PI.

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THERE’S NOTHING LIKE YOUR OWN VEGETABLES,

SO ENJOY EATING THEM FRESH .

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