CATISFIELD GARDENING CLUB NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2018

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Catisfield

Gardening Club

Newsletter August

2018“THEY SAY CALIFORNIA DOES NOT HAVE SEASONS! THAT

IS NOT TRUE, THEY HAVE FIRE, FLOODS, MUD AND DROUGHTS!” – PHYLLIS DILLER

EDITION 8/2018

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGEDear Members,I hope you and your gardens are enjoying the rain that has at last arrived. Apart from a very light shower a week or two ago overnight we had not seen rain for some two months now and gardens were suffering greatly with dying and dead plants and shrubs and others very stressed indeed including some surprises like buddleia. I don’t know if you remember but this time last year it was very different indeed. Perusal of these newsletters reveals that last June was very dry but last July we had very heavy rain indeed. Do you recall we had to cancel the Club’s Tea Party on 22 July and the standby date of 29 July was also avoided because of very heavy rain. We eventually took advantage of taking a chance of believing the weather forecast and went for a sunny interlude forecast on Sunday 30th before the next heavy rain arrived on the Monday. That paid off. How different it is this year. Of

course we were pleased that the rain stayed away for the Club’s Away Day visit to Staunton Country Park on Thursday 12 July. Approximately 30 members enjoyed an afternoon talk by the Park's Chief Horticulturist; Chris Bailey, followed by tea/coffee and cakes before a guided tour of the walled gardens and the greenhouses. We were then left to visit other parts of the substantial Country Park as well as the animals. We were blessed with very fine weather indeed and the temperatures in the room we had the talk tested the eyelids of some of our members! We would welcome Club Members thoughts and Ideas for next year's visit.

Club Members gather for a group photo outside the Greenhouses at Staunton

Country Park

*****Our August Club night takes place on Thursday 9 August when BBC Radio Solent garden personality; Brian Kidd, a regular speaker for us will undertake his last talk to the Club. Brian is retiring after this talk, so come along and hear him talk to us about Ventnor Botanical Gardens on the Isle Wight where Brian’s son is the Curator.

I also want to take this opportunity of reminding members about our September meeting which is again very special when we have our first

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international speaker visit us when Peter Gulikers from the Eyewitness Museum, Beek, Netherlands gives us a fascinating talk about Holland and the Dutch people in the Second World War Theresa and I visited this museum last year and were incredibly impressed with both the museum which places the visitor back into the second world war and the Dutch people coping with Nazi occupation of their country. Peter’s knowledge and delivery is first class. This is an evening not to miss.

*****Visit to Gardeners Barbara &

John Holton in Stubbington Lane Anyone driving down Stubbington Lane on the way to or from the sea front at Lee on the Solent can’t help but notice the garden of Barbara and John Holton which is full of colour throughout the summer months. Catisfield Gardening Club caught up with Barbara and John recently to speak to them about their garden and the techniques they use in ensuring that they achieve that wonderful colour year after year.

John & Barbara Holton in their front garden They started back in 1970 and grow all their plants from seed, except for geraniums which they purchase as plug plants and the Agapanthus which they have several clumps of. They started from just one plant and as a clump gets over size John divides it and they plant a new clump within the garden and so their Agapanthus grow in number. Talking to Barbara and John this is one example of how very well organised they are. It is John who starts things off in February, when he starts off the seed he has been obtaining since the end of the last season and plants the seeds in the large greenhouse they have which incidentally is not heated. This is a very inexpensive way of producing a lot of colour in your garden. You can obtain 1000 Petunia seeds on e-bay for about £1 and even buying from a reputable dealer such as Thompson and Morgan will cost you something like £3 for 100 seeds dependent on the variety. Very much cheaper than purchasing plug plants for instance. A tip John was keen to pass on is that he takes care to ensure that his seedlings all come together at the same time for planting out. He therefore plants the smallest seeds first, such as lobelia, then pansies, followed by alyssum, petunias and marigolds. Propagation take place in heated trays and takes about 10 days. At this point John shifts his seedlings to a second batch of heated trays which are on a very low heat. When

ready he pricks them out placing 40 seedling to a tray. A lot of people have concerns about pricking out seedlings. There is a nice simple video by Monty Donn at the following link: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-prick-out-seedlings/The key to it is to wait while your seedlings produce leaves that are similar to the adult plant. At first all seedlings produce two leaves and at this stage they have no roots. It is when the proper leaves develop well that you should prick out the seedlings leaving the less well developed seedlings for pricking out later. Always hold the seedling by the leaves and never the stem. Transfer your seedlings to the new pots or trays using a potting compost and make sure your seedlings develop in a location with a nice even temperature throughout day and night. Not too warm and not too cold. John produces about 18 trays of lobelia, 18 alyssum, 6 pansies and 8 petunias.

John & Barbara and their greenhouse – the centre of operations!

When the weather allows he transfers the trays to cold frames and then on to the patio. It is then over to Barbara who undertakes the planting over 4 to 5 days, dependent upon the weather but always after 6 May as Barbara explains. And the secret of the soil; well each year John tops up the soil in the garden using B&Q’s Verve Multipurpose Compost + Grow More and he rakes this into the ground in

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April. He adds nothing further to the ground throughout the year. Incredibly when we visited them they were watering just once a week and their garden was holding up well. Barbara and John attribute this to the ground cover that the Petunias give because they are planted very close together which keeps the soil moist. The extreme temperatures have affected the lobelia badly this year. One last tip from John he finds the best alyssum is ‘The Mound’ form and now only available from Mr Fothergill seeds.

The Club always welcome donations of raffle prizes. Please ‘look out’ any items suitable for donating as prizes for our monthly raffles. Please bring them along to any of our monthly meetings and please give them to Jan who will be very pleased to receive them.

Add the ‘Wow’ factor to your garden

Osteospermum ‘Purple Sun’ has won this year’s FleuroStar’s award for the ‘Wow Factor’. This award goes to the plant with the highest visual impact. Purple Sun has show-stopping orange flowers darkening towards the centre and ringed in purple. This flower was

judged to excellent outdoor performance with strong no-fading colours. Look out for it in garden centres from spring next year. If you want to have a garden with the ‘Wow’ factor then this plant is for you along with perhaps some or the previous winners of the ‘Wow Factor’ Award by Fleuro Star. For the record they have been:2017/18 - Calibrachoa ‘Double PinkTastic’ which has a completely new three-dimensional colour pattern. 2016/17 – Begonia ‘Miss Malibu’. Has massive dark huge orange/pink blasts of colour. A semi-trailing plant it is perfectly suited for containers, hanging baskets and bedding schemes. Miss Malibu is easy to care for and grows well in partial shade.2015/16 – Petunia ‘Night Sky’ The white spots on the dark violet flowers look like an ever-changing star constellation in the night sky. Easy to grow and transport thanks to its semi-trailing plant habit.2014/15 - Canna – Bronze Scarlet is a F1 hybrid that brings a Mediterranean feeling into the garden. This is a flamboyant yet elegant plant. The large bronze leaves contrast spectacularly against the scarlet, lily-like flowers making this a highly ornamental garden plant. 2013/14 - Gerbera ‘Cartwheel Strawberry Twist’ brings an assorted bouquet of explosion of colour to the patio. The variety offers stunning pinks, soft yellows, striking reds and sunny greens in pots and containers for both indoor and outdoor use. Cartwheel Strawberry Twist’s huge semi-

double flowers on pot-filling plants catch the eye in container combinations. The colour blast of a Gerbera bouquet lasts from spring to autumn.2012/13 - Verbena Twister Red has a unique colour pattern combining no less than three colours; red, white and pink in each flower. You can view a list of all winners from 2009/10 at the following link: https://www.fleuroselect.com/fleurostar/winners/

Improving your LawnAn idea from Brian Kidd on repairing those bare parts of the lawn: First you measure the bare patch and you will need two ounces of best grass seed and one pound of seed compost. Then mix them together and leave them in a black polythene sack for 7 days. The seed will have Chit (started to shoot) and will be of no interest to birds. Water the lawn and using a digging fork make holes about one inch deep. You need about 12 holes to each square foot. Scatter the compost and seed mix over the lawn. The mix will fall into the holes. Keep the surface moist and the lawn will be transformed in 4 weeks.

1 - 5 August 2018RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show, near Chelmsford, Essex 10am - 5pm daily. A five-day floral extravaganza set in the beautiful surroundings of RHS

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Garden Hyde Hall. The show provides a fabulous day out for family and friends with specialist nurseries, gardening sundries, expert advice, craft and gifts, live music and tasty food and drink, as well as the chance to explore the garden in full summer bloom. RHS members gain FREE access to the show, along with one family guest (or 2 children 5-16 years).

17 - 19 August 2018RHS Rosemoor Garden Flower Show at Great Torrington, near Bideford, Devon highlights the very best the South West has to offer in nurseries, atmosphere and local fare, all set against the stunning backdrop of the 65 Acre (26ha) garden which includes the stunning Hot Garden, filled with waves of late-season colour. More than 20 nurseries will be represented along with expert talks by nurseries, Rosemoor staff and RHS advisors. There will be inspiring floral displays, carefully selected quality trade stands, a range of food and drink.

Saturday 4th AugustBartley Horticultural Society Annual Show 1:30 pm Copythorne Parish Hall, Pollards Moor Rd, Copythorne, Southampton SO40 2NZAdults £1. Children free

Lavant Horticultural Society Annual Flower Show 2:00 pmLavant Memorial Hall, Pook Lane, Lavant, PO18 0AH Saturday 11th AugustYapton & District Cottage Gardeners’ Society Annual

Show & Summer Fair 2:00 pm – 4:00 pmYapton Village Hall and Marquee on adjacent King George V Playing Field Sunday 12th AugustCandover Valley Gardening Club Show Public viewing from 2.30pm to 4pm. Preston Candover Village Hall

Saturday 18th AugustDenmead Horticultural Society Summer Show, All Saints Church Hall. Grounds open 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Admission Adults £2.50 OAPs £1.50 Children under 14 FREE.Refreshments available

Farlington & District Garden Club Summer Show 1:30 pmUnited Church, Drayton Havant Road / Station RoadCost: £1, Children freePlant Sale, Refreshments, Stalls and Raffle

Ropley Horticultural Society – Summer Show 2:30 pm – 4:00 pmRopley Parish hall, Vicarage Lane, Ropley. Entry free, home-made refreshments available.

Winchester Horticultural SocietyAnnual Open Late Summer Show2-4 pm. Badger Farm Community Centre, Winchester.

Sunday 19th AugustPurbrook Horticultural Society Annual Summer ShowCrookhorn College, Stakes Hill Road Waterlooville PO7 5UDDoors open to public at 2pom with awarding of Trophies at 4pm

Adults £1 accompanied Children most welcome FreeFree Parking, Refreshments available. Plant sales Saturday 25th AugustSteep Flower Show 2.00 - 4 pmBedales Church Road Steep Petersfield GU32 2BZPlant sale, outdoor games, live music, teas.

West Moors Horticultural Society Summer Show 1:30 pmMemorial Hall, Station Road West Moors.

August usually has warmth and all too often as we know it rain making the vegetation rampant. However this year we might be in for something different with the long term weather forecast predicting a hot summer continuing. With different plants growing at different rates it can mean that some plants can overwhelm others whilst weeds romp away with tremendous speed and vitality. In order to keep on top of things it is necessary to weed and reduce some plants very regularly indeed whilst trying to overcome the temptation of sitting down in the garden with a long cool drink and enjoying the summer!

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AUGUST CHECK LISTMain crop potatoes should be lifted. Second-cropping potatoes will produce new potatoes in Autumn if planted now.Roses are coming to the end of their first flush. You can get repeat flowering if you deadhead and feed with blood, fish and bone or a potash rich tomato fertiliser. Don’t forget to order your spring-flowering bulbs.Camellias and Rhododendrons start producing their flower buds now so it is essential that they are given a good amount of water in dry conditions. If you don’t they you will seriously reduce the number of flowers you get next spring.Clip evergreen and deciduous hedges.Prune the current season’s whippy side shoots of Wisteria to five or six leaves. A second prune then takes place in January or February when pruned shoots are shortened further to just two buds from old wood. Once strawberries are over, weed clear straw and cut off old and tired foliage then give the whole bed a mulch with something nutritious. The recent drought we have experienced needs us to collect as much rainwater as we can and to really investigate ways of capturing more of it just in case we have any more dry periods. It is simply amazing how much water comes off a shed roof for instance.

Collect seeds from perennials and hardy annuals such as poppies, hardy geraniums and don’t forget to label well and place in an airtight container for sowing next spring.You can get excellent monthly advice from the RHS web site at the following link: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/august You can then click on other months.