Gardening Mary Payne MBE

Let’s get growing – spring is on the way

OVERthe past couple of years many folks have taken to growing some of their own vegetables and have reaped the rewards of harvesting and eating produce straight from the garden or allotment. During lockdowns, tending growing crops gave us a common purpose and put huge pressure on the seed suppliers to keep pace with the overwhelming demand.

Things have got a bit easier in that respect now, but if you have been hooked by the bug of “growing your own” the momentum is sure to continue.

The desire to avoid using pesticides, where possible, means we need to resort to cultural techniques such as, using fleece or very fine (Enviromesh) netting to avoid the scourge of all brassicas, the dreaded cabbage white caterpillar or carrot root fly.

There is now a biological control for caterpillars involving a microscopic eelworm (nematode) that is sprayed on when the caterpillars are around. Do not order in advance, as it only has a two-week shelf life.

It is also effective against the sawfly that defoliates your gooseberries and currants. Sadly, plant breeders have yet to come up with a cabbage, or indeed any brassica crop, resistant to the caterpillar, but they have been working very hard on our behalf to breed other vegetables that offer tolerance or resistance to a variety of pests and diseases.

This does not involve genetic modification, simply good oldfashioned hybridisation. Mildews are a common disease on many plants and there are two types. Powdery mildews show as white mould on the upper surface of leaves and are a common problem in dry seasons, whereas downy mildews show on the underside of the leaves and are associated with damp conditions and there are many varieties that are now showing good resistance to these problems.

The good news is that the mildew on your courgettes will not affect your peas or fruit trees. Fungal diseases tend to be “host specific” but may attack close relatives. To help guide you through the minefield of varieties, I thought it might be useful to know what is available that are pest or disease resistant, or at least tolerant.

The price of seeds, like everything these days, seems to be on the rise, but if you belong to a garden or allotment club then it is worth pursuing a group discount. Most of the major seed companies do this and some give a 50% discount to club members.

The club is given a discount code to pass onto its members and can despatch orders directly to each member rather than one member needing to collate and distribute the seeds. The plants raised from F1 seeds are very uniform, show hybrid vigour and tend to mature at the same time.

Carrots always suffer from carrot fly, the larvae of which tunnel into the roots. “Flyaway” and “Resistafly” both give improved crops, and even better ones if you sow a sacrificial row of a traditional variety next to them.

The soils in our area tend to be on the neutral to alkaline side so we rarely get problems with club root disease, but for those who do, then most types of brassicas now have varieties that show resistance. Cauliflower “Clapton” and “Zaragoza”, cabbage “Kilazol” and “Kilbaro”, and Brussel sprout “Crispus”.

It is important to plant all brassicas very firmly, especially

With MARY PAYNE MBE

Brussels, which tend to produce loose sprouts unless very stable.

Poor setting on runner beans is often a problem but is easily remedied by growing “Firestorm” “Moonlight” or “Snowstorm”. These have been bred with a touch of self-pollinating French bean blood, although they look and taste like runner beans.

Tomatoes, both indoors and out, suffered from potato blight (they are very closely related) last season due to the warm humid weather conditions. So, this year I am trying “Crimson Crush”, which has been bred for resistance and claims to have good flavour. My favourite yellow cherry variety “Sungold” is prone to splitting, and a new variety “Honeycomb” is looking to replace it.

If the spines on courgettes annoy you then try the spine free “Midnight”, or for mildew resistance go for F1 “Tosca”. Cucumbers can suffer from both mildews, but F1 “Passandra” is an all-female, small fruited type showing good resistance. If your leeks regularly suffer from leek rust try F1 “Sprintan” or F1 “Below Zero”.

In the field of soft fruit you can now select gooseberry varieties resistant to mildew “Invicta” and “Pax” (virtually spine free). Blackcurrant “Ben Hope” shows resistance to big bud mite while raspberry “Glen Mor” is resistant to the dreaded raspberry root rot, while “Glen Moy” and “Glen Ample” have spine free canes.

The latest breakthrough in plant breeding is to produce the Sunion, an onion that does not induce tears when being prepared. The breeders in New Zealand have used traditional techniques to select for a lack of the enzyme that leads to tears. At present, the seed for you to grow, is not available in the UK but some supermarkets will be selling these this year.

Selecting varieties for resistance, or tolerance to a problem, does not mean that we can forget about rotating our crops. This will always remain best practice, not only for disease control, but it recycles nutrients in the soil, and enables leafy crops to be grown on the residue of the nitrogen fixing of pea and bean crops grown on the land the previous season.

Finally, don’t be tempted to sow seeds too early, the light levels are too low, and later sowings always catch up.

• Sow geraniums, fibrous rooted begonias, antirrhinum, lobelia, petunias and impatiens. Make sure you use fresh compost, clean seed trays, some heat and fresh water! • Prune clematis this month. Those that flower after midsummer should be cut back hard (they only flower on newlygrown shoots) but those that flower before mid-summer should be more lightly pruned to about 75cm. Put plenty of well-rotted manure around your roses. • Harden off forced hyacinth bulbs after they have finished flowering. Then plant them out in the garden where they will thrive and flower for many years to come. • When snowdrops finish flowering lift crowded clumps, carefully divide them and replant immediately. Snowdrops hate to have their roots broken so be careful but this is the best time to plant them! • Don’t forget to buy seed potatoes and set them up to shoot –“chitting”. Early varieties like Rocket will benefit but later varieties will yield better too if encouraged into growth before planting out. If you have room for only one variety, grow Charlotte. • Continue to plant shallots. They prefer soil that hasn’t been used to grow onions, leeks or shallots for several years before and a well manured plot. Plant onion sets if warm. • Lots of vegetable plants can be sown now e.g. turnips, lettuce, broad beans, peas, stump rooted carrots, early cabbage, cauliflower and spinach in trays on the windowsill. These could be planted out later this month. • Raspberry canes and rhubarb can still be planted now.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NURSERY

MASBURY, NR. WELLS, SOMERSET BA5 3HA

TEL: 01749 841014 FAX: 01749 841055 www.rockymountainnurseries.co.uk COME & SEE OUR FINE RANGE OF FRUIT TREES, SHRUBS, GERANIUMS & FUCHSIAS Visit our MASBURY’S CAFE

Serving breakfast, lunch & afternoon tea Delicious homemade meals. Sunday Roasts, Outside catering, buffet lunches delivered, themed cuisine events. Telephone 01749 841155 for further details.

BROWSE AROUND JAMES STORE

SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS WWW.ROCKYMOUNTAINNURSERIES.CO.UK ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS – SET IN 12 WONDERFUL ACRES –

Friendly - Reliable - Qualified Licensed - Experienced

Licensed for PA1PA6 Pesticide Knapsack Spraying • Mowing • Strimming • Harrowing • Rolling • Hedge & Tree Trimming • Garden Clearance • Fencing • Jet Washing

Areas covered: Somerset and surrounding counties For free quotations Tel: 01934 615396 • Mob: 07702 095607

Timberwork Buildings

Bespoke buildings to suit you

We specialise in the manufacture of quality standard and bespoke garden buildings to suit your individual needs including:-

WORKSHOPS/GARAGES GARDEN SHEDS

SHELTERS & STABLES PLAYHOUSES

Let our dedicated team assist you in your choice whatever your budget . . . Full design, installation and delivery service available –customise your shed to suit your needs We also do: Chicken Houses • Dog Kennels • Bin & Log Stores

YOUAREWELCOMETOVISITUSANDSEEOURSHOWMODELS – OPEN 7 DAYSAWEEK THE TIMBERYARD • SHUTE SHELVE • CROSS • NEAR AXBRIDGE Tel: 01934 732 396 • www.timberworkbuildings.co.uk • e.mail: info@timberworkbuildings.co.uk

PERFECT PAVE

Perfect Pave, based on the Valley Line industrial estate, in Cheddar, has built an enviable reputation over the last 16 years for the quality of its work installing block paving and other landscaping products. Now founders Alex Howley and Simon Bethell have set up a new service run by James Starmer supplying these products to both the trade and public, as well as continuing to expand their installation team. e company now has contracts all over the South West and offers a wide choice of projects.

It’s not only friendly, professional service that sets us apart, we can’t be beaten on price and ensure our prices beat those of builders’ merchants and garden centres.

Showroom open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12noon Sat

Snowdrops at East Lambrook

THROUGHOUT February Somerset’s famous cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor will be celebrating the snowdrop season once again with its fourth Festival of Snowdrops. Celebrated plantswoman Margery Fish created the iconic cottage garden in the 1940s, 50s and 60s and started collectiong rare snowdrops.

The garden has a collection of around 150 different named varieties and many of these are used to make a special display in a raised bed.

Snowdrop tours for small groups will offer an interesting introduction to the genus. Sculptor Chris Kampf will also be exhibiting his popular steel snowdrops. Visitors should check the website for the latest information.

The annual NGS Snowdrop Open Day is on Thursday, February 10th, with all entry money going to charity, and RHS members have free entry on Wednesdays. There’s no charge if just visiting the nursery.

Elworthy Cottage

ELWORTHYCottage is a one-acre plantsman's garden in a tranquil setting. Island beds, scented plants, clematis, unusual perennials and ornamental trees and shrubs provide year-round interest.

In spring it has pulmonarias, hellebores and more than 350 varieties of snowdrops.

The garden is planted to encourage birds, bees and butterflies, resulting in lots of birdsong.

There are wildflower areas and a wildflower meadow is being developed. The garden boasts a decorative vegetable garden and a living willow screen. There are seats for visitors to enjoy views of the surrounding countryside. Opening dates and time: Sunday, February 27th plus other dates later in the year., 11am-4pm. Admission: £4.50, children free. Address: Elworthy, Taunton TA4 3PX between Wiveliscombe and Watchet. Contact: Mike and Jenny Spiller, 01984 656427, mike@elworthy-cottage.co.uk www.elworthy-cottage.co.uk.

Yeo Valley (pictured below) the Bishop’s Palace and East Lambrook are also holding snowdrop festivals.

Other Gardens Open for the NGS To see more gardens open for the NGS, see The Garden Visitors Handbook, or the Somerset County Leaflet, available from local Garden Centres, or go to: http://www.ngs.org.uk

Saving the Stanton Plum

THE Stanton Plum has made a comeback and is likely to survive for many more years thanks to the hard work of Liz Richardson and gardening expert Mary Payne.

Last January we reported that after nearly going the way of lots of disappearing varieties of fruit, parish council chairman, Liz Richardson, noticed a homemade golden vodka at the local flower show, which had used Stanton Plums, which she had never heard of.

She contacted Mary Payne and the pair decided to try and take cuttings of the few old trees remaining in the village.

Mary said: “The cuttings were taken in December 2020 from very old diseased trees, so we were not expecting much success. They were treated with a rooting hormone to encourage rooting, bundled in pots until March 2021 when they were planted out in rows.

“The success rate far exceeded our expectations with cuttings from some donor trees making better plants than others. Young trees have been given to all cutting donors and others in the villages have purchased plants in the hope that the Stanton Plum can continue for many years to come.”

You can now now buy a Stanton Plum, bare root, for £5, with money going to local projects.

Liz Richardson (left) and Mary Payne

Details: Liz 01761 490958 email lizr1@mac.com

Going wild over wildlife

A GROUP in Frome which aims to attract more wildlife to the town’s private gardens and shared open spaces has a series of events lined up for 2022.

Frome’s Wild Bunch is open to anyone who is interested in gardening for wildlife. It is supported by Frome Town Council and deputy mayor, Councillor Sara Butler, a professional gardener herself, said: “Neighbours coming together to explore gardening and encourage the wildlife in our gardens is great on all levels – for our wild friends, our mental health and our communities.

The Wild Bunch gatherings will take place on the third Thursday of every month. Currently they will take place online but will move outside when the weather improves.

To sign up visit: https://bit.ly/WildBunchFrome

Weston Garden Machinery

Garden Machinery & Woodburning Specialists

Behind Shell Garage Winterstoke Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 2YS Tel: 01934 626093

NORTON GREEN

GARDEN CENTRE NOW IN STOCK!

SEED POTATOES –GOOD CHOICE OF OLD FAVOURITES & NEW VARIETIES TOO!

THOMPSON & MORGAN, UNWINS & COUNTRY VALUE FLOWER & VEGETABLE SEEDS

WILD BIRD FOOD, PEANUTS, SUNFLOWER HEARTS, MEALWORMS, FAT & SUET TREATS, FEEDERS, NEST BOXES, BIRD TABLES & MORE!

SUMMER FLOWERING BULBS, ONION SETS, SHALLOTS & GARLIC AVAILABLE SOON!

KILN-DRIED HARDWOOD LOGS, KINDLING, CALOR GAS, PARAFFIN & HORTICULTURAL FLEECE

WELLS ROAD, CHILCOMPTON, RADSTOCK BA3 4RR Telephone: 01761 232137 Open Mon–Sat 10am to 4pm • Closed Sundays