Dulwich Gardening

Hi Everyone, Still seem to be getting some questions via the April message, so would appreaciate messages on here now. Thanks Shane

Hi Karrie, Trees should be ideally be fertilised in late winter or early spring. Over fertilisation (feeding at the wrong time) may cause a flush of new growth that would be susceptible to damage by an early frost and also divert growth from more established branches. And W**F, many thanks for the walnut tree information as well. I've been doing some research and as of yet can't find anything specific. However, I have read that when staking trees the trees should still be able to sway as this forces the roots to establish themself quicker. I'll keep looking. Shane Dulwich Gardening Company

As David Cheetham Gardens are in full flurry for the forthcoming Chelsea Flower Show, I am taking up the challenge of broadening the gardening minds and souls of EDF readers from the seclusion of Finca Lucia in Andalucia. Now on my travels to this delightful haven of peace and tranquillity (volcanic ash permitting) I?ve browsed across the Spanish Gardening Forum, hot topics for this month include; ?how is your orange crop, flowering cacti and the tales of the poor palms?. Reading through the comments on orange crops I can see that gardening is taken just as seriously here as it is in the UK. But back to our green and pleasant pastures. Now that most of the country is enjoying a period of prolonged warmth (not really heat) we should be seeing changes throughout the garden. Weed Control And as we experience the start of the growing season so cometh the weeds. Regular hoeing will keep the weeds down and stop them from becoming too big and overpowering. Also, putting down a layer of mulch will help to stop further weeds but remember to water well first, as this helps to seal in the moisture around your plants. Lawns Your grass will be growing well now so you'll need to keep on top of the mowing ideally on a weekly basis. Avoid scalping the lawn by keeping the blades relatively high, but each time you do mow it, lower them slightly. This is also a great time to feed established lawns and don?t forget to water them during the prolonged hot spells before they start going brown. Vegetable Plot This month is the perfect time to sow runner and French beans outside and if you sowed leeks earlier, these can go out too. Marrows and courgettes are tender plants so protect them from any late frosts and keep them well watered throughout the summer. If you don?t have room for a vegetable plot then don?t forget you can grow a wide selection of veg favourites and berries in pots and containers. Flower Beds & Boarders Stake your flowers now as this makes them easier to train. Begin cutting and deadheading as soon as blossoming begins and for late blooming bulbs be sure to take off the bloom and leave plenty of leaf so the bulb can store energy for next season. With so much available in sow direct seed, you should try and plan successive sowings of your favourite flowers. Have a look around your local garden centres for seeds or buy them direct on-line. Plan to add edging plants to borders and walkways. Good annuals include ageratum, alyssum, dusty miller, petunias, lobelia, phlox, portulaca, marigolds, nasturiums, pansies and verbena. And, don?t forget your window boxes and planters. Mix flowers, herbs and a little ivy for a beautiful display. Happy Gardening - Have fun and experiment! Shane Hickey Dulwich Gardening Company

Hi Karrie, Many thanks for the tree query. To be honest, I've not heard about the technique of bashing a tree but will do some research and talk to some of my peers. With both apple and pear trees a lack of blossom and fruit can be contributed to a number of factors including over fertilisation, which make the tree produce more wood than blossom, poor pruning, late frosts as the flowers are very sensitive and bad or no pollination. I'd give it more time to establish and then see how it fairs next year. Shane Dulwich Gardening Company