Lenham Gardening Society

(October 2003)

October and autumn is upon us. This season always used to be one of the most active for gardeners. The advent of containerised plants has changed this situation, as most plants can be planted all year round. However, the planting of hedging is still mostly done in the autumn because most hedging is only available as bare root plants.

If you intend to plant a hedge, prepare now. As a hedge is a permanent planting you should prepare the site by enriching the soil. Prepare a trench and bury good garden compost or farmyard manure and allow it to settle before planting, either in a single row or a staggered double row. Water the plants in if the soil is dry.

A mistake made by many is to allow the hedge to reach the ultimate required height before cutting it. This results in a bare bottomed, spindly hedge. You should cut the developing hedge top and sides regularly and allow the hedge to grow slowly to the height and width you require. The greatest virtue a gardener can have is patience!

Suggestions for hedging plants: Holly, berberis, shrub roses (rosa rugosa), hawthorn, blackthorn, yew, laurel, conifer, beech, privet, lonicera and pyracantha.

On the 16th October Mr B C Arnold will be speaking on ‘Country Characters – Fact and Fiction’, at 7.30 pm in the parish hall.
Jim Rose

August 2003

Last month I mentioned seed saving briefly and will now elaborate on selection of plants for the seeds. It is important to select plants to improve or maintain the best strain.
In years past, seed producers offered two strains of, for instance Ailsa Craig onions, these could be bought as Ailsa Craig and Alsia Craig Selected, or improved, the latter being an exhibition strain.

When saving seeds of any plant, you select what you think are the best for you. When saving runner beans, you save the longest and straightest beans.
This month the Speaker on Thursday 21st August at 7.30pm is Mrs. Sue Hartfree on “Creating Beautiful Borders”. Plants will be on sale.

Jim Rose.

October 2002
This month ‘October’ gardeners should be prepared for frost, many of our bedding and border plants are half-hardy perennials and will not survive low temperatures.

Plants like Geraniums, Pelargoniums, some Fuchsias, and Begonias and to some extent Penstemons are in the group of plants to be protected for the winter. The plants of this group, which are too large to be brought in, can be used for cuttings. When these have rooted they can be potted on and developed for planting out next year.

Having done this the planters and borders can be planted with Bulbs, Wallflowers, Pansies, Polyanthus, Brompton Stocks and Sweet Williams for winter and spring colour.
Jim Rose.

Lawn care in the wet
November surprised us all with the spring like days making it a pleasure to be out in the garden, although the ground is still very wet, and no doubt will continue into December. It is advisable to keep off the grounds as much as possible particularly on the lawn.

Do you replant your Christmas tree when you have finished with it after Christmas? Now is the time to think about bringing it in to the house. Water it well and let it drain, put it into a container with sufficient soil to cover the roots and finally cover with some red crepe paper already to be decorated. Don't forget the fairy on top!
Vera Smith

The August meeting of the Lenham Gardening Society is on Thursday 16th August at 7.30pm as usual in the Village Hall. We will be having a quiz night and a cream tea, at £2.00 all-inclusive. Do hope to see you all there - it's sure to be an enjoyable evening. Come along, have fun and exercise the brain!
Vera Smith, Chairlady

Enjoying winter gardening

Summer suddenly seems to be over and now bedding plants needs to be removed from the ground to make room for spring bulbs. Something to look forward to in the dim, dark, days of winter.
You may have noticed that there are lots of berries on the trees, which the birds will certainly enjoy. Does this mean we are in for a hard winter? Now the leaves are dropping, do collect them for your compost heap, they will be nice and friable by the spring. Make sure you keep the pathways free of leaves because when wet they are slippery and very dangerous.

Now is the time to put a bag of compost in the greenhouse to warm up, ready for cuttings. Enjoy your winter gardening.

Garden answers and plants for sale

The Society holds its meetings on the third Thursday of each month in the Village Hall - from January to October - with a variety of speakers talking on all aspects of gardening whether your garden is big or small.

Mrs M Scutts, Secretary 880360