GARDENING

LALESTON GARDENING CLUB

September the month of ‘mellow fruitfulness’ so harvesting continues, and any gluts of fruit and veg can be frozen, pickled or bottled for those winter months. Cold frames and greenhouses can be cleaned and readied for winter. Perennials can be split and the planting of bulbs can commence, but if your annuals are still going you might, with dead heading, make them last a little longer. Laleston Gardening Club is holding a Flower & Veg Festival on the weekend of the 4/5th September at Cliff Cottage, Laleston. We will be open at 10am until 4pm on each of the 2 days; there will be displays of flowers, veg, flower arranging, handicrafts, photography and art to demonstrate the skills of members of the Club. The Festival will mark our Club’s 50th Anniversary Year, having been first formed in 1971 and it now continues to flourish as a prominent part of the local community. There will be stalls and refreshments in the marquee, a raffle and much more. It’s free admission and we look forward welcoming visitors and members alike. We will be selling veg at the end of the festival so a chance to purchase some lovely produce. Do come along and support our Anniversary Year!

NEW START FOR OUR CLUB

Put October 6th in your diary! We are delighted to announce the return of our Floral Society and hope to see all our existing members as well as some new faces. No experience is necessary and anybody looking for a new interest and expanding his or her social life would be very welcome. We meet on alternate Wednesdays at 7.30 pm. We have a monthly flower demonstration or speaker meeting, which alternates with a Practice night. We will be shown how to make a floral pumpkin display on October 20th and a Christmas wreath on November 17th. Our enrolment night will be held at Trinity church on Wednesday October 6th at 7.30 and Pat Llewellyn will give the floral demonstration. Our Pre-Christmas Open evening will also be held at Trinity on November 3rd and we are lucky to have Elizabeth Gordon as our demonstrator this year. All the floral displays are raffled at the end of the meeting so there is a chance to take home a beautiful creation. Details of our full programme, which includes visits to gardens, flower shows and festivals, will be given during enrolment. Just turn up on the night and have fun. For further information please ring 01656 222985 or consult our Facebook page.

Alison Thomas, Club Secretary Porthcawl Floral Society

CEFN CRIBWR GARDENING CLUB

Goodbye August, Hallo September! There is clarity about September, on clear days the sun seems brighter and the sky more blue (beware of frosts later in the month!) Having coaxed your plants through the summer heat its time to get ready for the start of the next season (I can hear you saying “what already!”) Autumn is nearly upon us. Plant new perennials while the soil is still warm and moist enough for the plant roots to become established before winter also divide the perennials you have already got, this will keep them healthy and vigorous year after year and multiply your stock, fab two for the price of one! When harvesting sweetcorn, test first to see if its ready, pinch a kernel, if it releases a milky sap its ready, if its watery it needs a little longer and if its starchy - whoops you’re to late! Did you know sweetcorn is grown on every continent except Antarctica, and it always, always has an even number of rows, clever plant. Cut to foliage of maincrop potatoes at ground level three weeks before lifting, this prevents blight spores infecting the tubers and helps firm the skin of the potatoes – love em!

Chris Early

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