All Natives!
12.07.2024 - 20:32 / gardenersworld.com
July growing with Cel Robertson
It’s been a bit of a tricky year for gardeners hasn’t it? Non-stop rain, cool temperatures and an explosion in the slug and snail population doesn’t make for easy growing conditions – but there is still time to sow some of your free seeds if you haven’t done so already! I am delighted to have some flowers blooming at last in my pollinator bed, all grown from my Gardener’s World free seeds! The echium and the first batch of sunflowers are blooming, and I’m sure that the cosmos and strawflower will be in flower quite soon. I have re-sown the zinnia plants that were munched by the snails and I expect that I’ll have some flowers from these in a few weeks’ time.
Do a final sowing of the free sunflower, cosmos and zinnia seeds now for a late flush of blooms in mid-autumn. Sow the seeds directly into the soil where they are to flower; they will germinate and grow very quickly if sown at this time of the year. Remember to protect your seedlings from slugs!
I like to pinch out my cosmos, zinnia and strawflower plants; removing the leading shoot means that you will get lots more flowering stems produced from lower down the main stem. The plants will be bushier and more stable which is a benefit if you garden in a windy spot!
Tall sunflowers can get a bit top heavy; they will need to be staked firmly to stop them being toppled in a summer storm!
Keep deadheading the cosmos, zinnias and strawflowers as the blooms fade. This will encourage the plant to produce lots more flowers over a longer period of time.
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Photography by Mangiwau / Getty Images
Scattered rain fell over the weekend. Peppers and okra are coming as the watermelon harvest finishes up. Disease and insect pressure remains high, and planning for strawberry planting is beginning. See details below.
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Some planting combinations are designed to be stable and static, with reliable perennials that work well together and stay largely in proportion for years. Other schemes are more dynamic, changing dramatically year by year as plants self-seed and move around, perhaps making use of annuals and biennials to add interest.
Annuals are a topic that elicits strong responses from many gardeners. With the word come visions of manicured plantings, most frequently including foliage obscured by a lavish floral display. While some folks love the bright and reliable spreads of color, others meet them with disdain for their intensive use of resources and stiff appearance. Typically, when I think of annuals, I think of a different group and look entirely: increasingly, I usewater-wise annuals as texture-rich fillers that compete with weeds in new or revamped plantings, and as filler color where I expect to have a dull spot in the perennial beds and meadows. I’ve begun using them also as cut flowers, complementing the smattering of perennial blooms I cut for the kitchen counter. Such annuals blend effortlessly with naturalistic and cottage plantings, and reliably reseed each year. Many of these plants aren’t what come to mind when someone says “annuals”; if you’re more interested in annuals that complement your beds rather than replace them, read on.
A few areas received rain over the last week, contributing to increases in disease and fruit split. Sunscald and blossom end rot are becoming common, and insect pressure remains high. See details below.
Scattered rain this past weekend brought some much needed relief to parts of the state. Insect pressure remains high in some places, and disease pressure is climbing. Harvest of several summer crops is starting to slow as preparations for fall crops are beginning. See details below.
Kaleidoscope Ginnel Garden by Petrus, RHS Tatton Flower Show 2024
You can’t even begin to garden without the proper preparation of your soil. Well-maintained, aerated soil is necessary for your plants to be as strong and as healthy as possible. However, this is often quite a daunting task, requiring soil to be rejuvenated through loosening and turning over. Forks make this easy – they’re one of the simplest but most effective tools in the garden. Not only are they great for cultivating and getting areas of soil ready for planting & sowing, they’re also designed to easily lift and transplant plants. There are several different types of forks, and most people’s go-to is a digging fork. However, these forks can be unwieldy, and ill suited to smaller areas of the garden like borders. They can also be a little too clumsy for more delicate tasks like transplanting plants and harvesting from raised beds. Border forks offer an easy alternative. A little smaller and narrower than digging forks, they’re great for getting into tight spots without compromising on strength or efficiency. They offer a finesse that makes them great for weeding, or lifting clumps of perennials from cramped borders. Their lightness also helps if you have mobility issues, or if you lack strength and stamina. A good border fork turns all of the above from a backbreaker into a breeze. It should be indispensable; a lifetime companion in the garden.