The
as Alexander pope put it the ”vast chain of being, a world of divine order, that all’s well” but more often than not, there tends to be more of a gentle plea of chaos. the weather this summer, as usual, has been more than odd with less than half the average rain falling, then two inches in one day. Our own garden plot suffers from the prevailing wind and the fine view of start point and start bay is marred by the fact that this is the direction our weather comes from. the rhubarb started well, then half a gale of wind rips it to
O
shreds. the crowns are strong, so with a little tLC, normal service is
resumed. runner beans can be burnt black and shrivelled to nothing whilst the cabbages twisted out of the ground. All of this during our so-called summer months. so August tends to be a month to look after what you’ve got
and reflect and plan for what might be next year. I find taking photos useful, a digital record of successes and failures. A notebook dedicated to what was sown or planted where. It’s not too late to sow some quick maturing salad crops in a sheltered spot such as summer lettuce, radish, sorrel, and bulb fennel. early peas for pea shoots can make an appetizing addition to salads. now would be the time to prune plums, cherry and all stone fruit immediately after harvesting.
tie in any new growth of soft fruit such as cultivated
blackberries, tay berries etc pruning out any old fruited wood to encourage strong new wood. tidy the strawberry bed by removing the used straw and cutting back old leaves. I have seen this carried out using a rotary lawn mower set on its highest setting. Cutting out the old leaves helps reduce infection and strengthens new leaves for next year. prune out fruited summer raspberry canes and tie in the new ones. In fine weather, hoe any bare soil and water with a can to get up close with your crops. this makes it easier to spot disease and pest problems and also the water goes where needed. blossom end rot can affect aubergines and tomatoes causing unsightly black sunken blotches on the skin of the fruit. usually due to haphazard watering and a lack of calcium, the disease can be stemmed by amending your watering habits to ensure the calcium found in the soil is fed through the water to the plant – so water regularly and don’t allow the soil to dry out. throw out any damaged fruit. there are a whole host of summer shows to attend but
why not have a go at entering the odd class or two. It all helps to keep these bastions of village life going and they are great fun. the rivalry can be intense but fun, you just might win a prize or two and claim the bragging rights to the best rhubarb in the district!
WINDOW AND
GUTTER CLEANING
www.sdlgarden.com 01803 839251
121
Don’t go chasing waterfalls By Alex Webster
Dartmouth Gardener
ne would hope that now that the year has turned and the day’s length recedes, that all is well in the garden
GARDENING
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