Home and Garden

SURPRISE !

Hope springs eternal and we are therefore all looking forward to a much better year than the last one, bees included. The winter months are usually quiet ones for beekeepers and bees alike. The bees are tucked up in their clusters, keeping warm and venturing out on milder days for a quick poo and to see what’s going on. Beekeepers will check the state of their hives to ensure there’s been no damage, and spend the rest of the time cleaning equipment, buying new gloves (or is that just us?!) and preparing for the Spring. We also read avidly – there are hundreds of books out there on all aspects of beekeeping – but the weird and wonderful has recently captured our attention, and we’d like to share some of these stories with you.

A few years ago beekeepers in the Alsace region were puzzled by the sudden appearance of strangely-coloured nectar being stored by their bees (SciTechDaily October 2012). When the resulting honey was harvested it was blue and green and tasted exceptionally sweet, and unfortunately wasn’t strictly honey and therefore could not be sold. The alarmed beekeepers of Ribeauville investigated further and tracked the source of the ‘nectar’ to a nearby biogas plant which was processing waste from the nearby Mars chocolate plant. This produced M&Ms (aka fake Smarties) and the bees from the village had discovered the leftover sugary deposits! The company operating the biogas plant changed its process and now stores all incoming waste in covered containers, depriving the bees of their sugar fix. Even now, tales of green ‘honey’ appear in the news from time to time, but it is almost always because the bees have discovered a non-nectar source of carbohydrate. Beekeepers have to keep an eye out for pests and predators, and try to protect their bees where possible. This includes putting chicken wire around hives to deter badgers and woodpeckers, placing discriminatory traps near apiaries to reduce Asian hornet predation, and reducing the entrances of hives to prevent mice from nesting in them over winter. Recently there have been reports of small piles of decapitated bees being found outside hives and this puzzled beekeepers until some video footage showed the culprit to be pygmy shrews (Richard Rickitt, Beecraft, January 2022). As their name suggests, pygmy

by Kevin and Amanda Baughen

shrews are extremely small, with an average weight of just 4g and length of 50mm, but they are insectivores, fairly aggressive and need to eat every two hours as they have a fast metabolism. The shrews in The Case of the Mysterious Headless Bees were taking dead bees from outside the hives, but were also observed entering the hives and snaffling drowsy inattentive bees. We have only ever been on the lookout for mice making their homes in hives, not shrews eating the inhabitants of the hives! Finally (for now, at least), imagine the surprise of a beekeeper who discovered a waxy rope in the bottom of one of his hives. He’d be the first to admit that he wasn’t that tidy a person, but he was quite sure he hadn’t left any twine inside a hive. He managed to unstick it from the hive floor only to find that it was actually a very dead snake (story courtesy of Paul Clark at Arbres et Abeilles). The creature had clearly entered the hive, a nice warm, dark, quiet place, and had been stung to death by the unwelcoming colony. Bees are fastidious housekeepers but the snake had been too big for them to eject and so they had covered it in propolis, thereby containing any decay that could possibly infect the hive. A sort of hygienic shrinkwrapping! We are hoping that this beekeeping year will be without any strange surprises, and we look forward to welcoming you at 13 Bees when you decide to join us in this fascinating hobby. For more information please visit our website www.13bees. co.uk or phone us on 05 45 71 22 90.

www.13bees.co.uk Tel: 05 45 71 22 90 Amanda and Kevin Baughen, 13 Bees, Confolens

Love your garden

by Greenfingers

After what seems like days of wind and rain, there has been some respite and the rain has become gentle drizzle and the wind is just a whisper………at the moment! The garden surfaces are soooo wet and walking outside just serves to increase my height by several centimetres when the soles of my boots collect mud as I walk along. Although there is not a lot of digging I can do, I have cuttings and seeds germinating in the greenhouse that are putting on good growth, looking healthy and in need of transplanting very soon. Their greenhouse shelter now in its’ twelfth year, has rocked in the wind but stayed upright, so all is at peace with the world. I am promising myself a new greenhouse when the sales begin, but my old faithful stays close to my heart; it’s where I have spent many hours planting, sowing, making tea and listening to good murder stories……a peaceful, dry haven on a wet afternoon. I have been very tardy with the bulb planting and still have a few to ‘get’ in, but they will still flourish, if a little later than the others. The bulbs in the flower beds are already showing green tips and even buds on some of them, so those floral delights when they come, will remind me of why I plant them in the first place. I have sourced new suppliers who deliver directly from Holland and found that their variety of plants is very attractive and their method of packaging and time of delivery is superb. Wonderful to be able to increase the number and colours of differing species into the garden. Most of the garden centres seem to stock many of the same plants and I’m variety ‘hungry’! I love this time of year, when the buds on the shrubs and trees are swelling and will soon be fresh green leaves. I have found a new variety of flowering cherry. It is a tiny, round shrub (in a pot for the moment) but I’m assured, will be a mass of cherry blossom in the spring, followed by lots and lots of cherries. Fingers crossed the jardinière is right! The numbers and species of birds visiting the garden has increased hugely and bird food is now the first item on the shopping list….they easily eat more than I do in a week! I have had to increase the number of feeders on the peach tree to ensure that they all get a chance to gorge themselves. Favourites on the menu are by far, the sunflower seeds, followed closely by millet and niger seed mix and honey sticks. I collected up all the ‘past their best’ pears and put them into a large open bird bath and they have been feasted upon too…a good use of a glut! I’m continuing the walks with a friend out into the open countryside and around a local lake. The fishing season has just finished and on the last day, there were more fishermen than usual making the most of the hours that remained. We have seen huge fish leaping from the water, bream and carp mostly. One day we were looking over the catch of one fisherman and admiring the size of his fish. He said ‘Oh that’s nothing, I’m after the 15 kilo specimens that I know are in there’! I hope he doesn’t get them! On another day we saw what looked like an otter but may have been a young coypu, entering a hole in the bank of the lake. Moorhens and coots abound and we have seen some beautiful herons, poised and silently watching for a silver dart swimming through the water, before grasping it for a meal.

There has been a lot of tree pruning and felling and an enormous pile of trunks and branches was quickly turned into a mountain of bark chippings which disappeared onto local flower beds and borders, recycling at its’ best!Greenfingers

Now is the time to:

• Sow seeds of annuals such as poppies and nasturtiums.

These seeds do not need a lot of heat to enable germination and as long as the temperature doesn’t go below 3°C and the compost is not too wet, they will germinate quickly. If sowing directly into a flower bed, prepare the soil a little first by raking and smoothing it down, then sprinkling the seeds on top and covering with a fine layer of compost.

Don’t water in, they will find water in the soil and rain will settle them in very well. Pulsatilla seeds can also been sown now. These prefer light, well drained soil or compost and preferably, alkaline. They like sunny spots and after flowering can be divided to make more plants. Ranunculus bulbs and anemone corms can be planted now too.

• Make sure that peony plants have supports in place. The foliage and stems can be heavy and sometimes the flowers are enormous and heavy too, so it is better to put the support in now, than have a plant with snapped stems and ruined flowers. • Plant a new wisteria now, but do not add lots of fertiliser to the planting hole. The vine will produce lots of foliage but fewer leaves if you do! Chinese wisteria has the best perfume, but the Japanese variety has the longest flowers.

Remember to install a really strong support frame because the plant becomes very heavy and can twist wooden poles under the weight!

Cut back side shoots of established wisteria vines and shorten summer pruned stems further by two or three buds.

• If you are planting a rose that has arrived in netting, remove the netting and separate out the roots and make sure the graft point is not damaged. Trim off any broken roots or diseased stems. Prepare a hole twice as deep as the size of the plant and make a small mound of earth at the bottom to support the plant; spread the roots out in all directions and backfill the hole with compost or earth. Make sure that the graft point is above the level of the soil.

Winter Garden In winters’ cold and sparkling snow, The garden in my mind does grow, I look outside to blinding white, And see my tulips blooming bright. And over there a sweet carnation Softly scents my imagination. On this cold and freezing day, The Russian sage does gently sway And miniature roses perfume the air, I can see them, blooming there. Though days are short, my vision’s clear. And through the snow, the buds appear. In my mind, clematis climbs And morning glory does entwine, Woodland phlox and scarlet pinks, Replace the frost if I just blink. My inner eye sees past the snow, And in my mind, my garden grows.

Cynthia Adams 2003

• Spread enriched compost onto the base of camellias to encourage new growth to start.

• Prune clematis to a pair of low, healthy buds 15-30 cms above the soil. Do this on a frost free day and spread organic compost around the base afterwards. • Plant new bare root trees and shrubs now, otherwise it may be a bit too late.

• Remove all dead foliage from perennials that was providing protection for plant crowns, to make way for the new growth which will be appearing very soon. Dried up or rotting foliage will encourage pest and disease and must be got rid of. • If an olive tree develops a black, warty-like growth on a branch, cut the branch off completely and disinfect the cut surface with white vinegar. Once completed, treat the treatment with a copper based fungicide. If left, this infection will spread to the whole tree and other trees nearby.

• Sow seeds of aubergine and leave in a warm place, at least 20°C. • Sow seeds of lettuce, onions, leeks, and celery under a cold frame or in a cool place. • Continue to harvest winter vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, endives and leeks.

Continued .....

• Cover a portion of the potager with a light excluding membrane and leave in place for several weeks. The membrane will kill off weeds very quickly, will warm the soil and it will be ready for sowing direct with very little digging required. • Prune autumn flowering raspberry canes right down to ground level. Remove dead or diseased plants from strawberry beds and trim back old runner shoots

• Prune hazel trees once the catkins have shed their pollen. • There is still time to plant lily bulbs. Use a gritty mixed compost and make sure the pot is deep enough for proper root formation. Asiatic bulbs should be planted about three times their height in depth as they produce roots not only from the base but also from the stem as well. Oriental lilies need to be placed on the compost at a depth equal to their size as they produce roots from the base. • Grass borders should be tidied now, cutting miscanthus, calamagrostis and deschampsia down to the ground. This should be done before new green shoots appear. Evergreen grasses such as cortaderia and stipe should not be cut back; just ‘comb’ through them to remove (with gloved hands!!!!) dead foliage and debris. Apply thick bark mulch around the bases. Don’t use garden compost or manure as this is too rich for these grasses. • Divide and replant snowdrops once the flowers are finished.

Plant dormant lily-of-the-valley crowns with the tops just poking out of the soil. They do well when planted between shrubs.

• Prune heathers now removing all of last years’ growth.

Carefully pick out any prunings that fall back onto the plants as they will prevent light from reaching the new growth. • Check the root balls of any trees or shrubs that were planted in the autumn. If they have been lifted by frost, firm them back into the ground.

• Remove dead, damaged or weak stems of bamboo by cutting them down to ground level.

• Deadhead winter bedding in pots and borders as this will encourage repeat flowering. • Sweet peas that were sown in autumn will be ready to be potted on now leaving on a window sill or in the greenhouse until April when they can be transplanted outdoors.

• Lawns may need mowing soon. Use a mower on a high setting and avoid wet or frosty conditions or ground that is very soft. • Citrus trees/shrubs can now be reshaped by removing overcrowded branches, and by shortening leggy stems to encourage thicker, bushier growth. Remove any sprouts coming from the trunk. • Fuchsias that have been kept indoors can now be started into fresh growth by re-potting and feeding………use a slow release fertiliser and increase watering, but don’t overwater.

Place in a sunny spot. • Bourganvillea and plumbago that are growing in conservatories can be pruned now. Cut sideshoots to three or four buds from the established framework and tie in new healthy lateral branches.

• Buddleia and perovskia can be pruned this month.

• Provide nesting boxes for birds and place a stone in the bird bath so that smaller birds can access the water more easily.

Keep safe and warm! Greenfingers

DÉCHETTERIES

Up to date information about opening hours, restrictions, etc for your local déchetterie? Visit the website www.smc79.fr for details For waste disposal outside of the Deux-Sèvres there’s an alternative website www.decheteries.fr

DONNA IN HER POTAGER

February

Hurrah! The longest night is long gone and there is light, albeit grey, at the end of the Winter tunnel. Although I do like winter, I am a bit picky as I like a cold, dry, clear winter with beautiful blue skies and clear, frosty nights where I can gaze at the celestial bodies and listen to the owls calling. This winter, so far, has been largely grey and wet – not good for the feet or the morale!

I’ve managed to spend some dry time in the potager working on the straw bale area, finalising the outside placement and clearing of the old, decomposed bales. For the last couple of years I’ve been putting the old bales along the bank and fencing it in place to level it up. Last year I had a beautiful display of nasturtiums just by moving the straw which was full of nasturtium seeds there and have added to that part with more nasturtium laden straw. I went a bit mad with nasturtium seeds in the bales last year – I sowed some, which didn’t appear to do anything, so sowed some more rather generously, well, over generously and the bales were engulfed by nasturtiums. Very pretty, great for snacking ( I do tend to nibble when I’m in the potager!) and wildlife but not good for anything else trying to flourish!

by Donna Palframan

The old bales were still supporting the rainbow kale, so they have been carefully moved to the side of the potager where there is a bank which is covered in grass and really not very useful as it is. Plenty of rain has helped to bed it in and the chard has got its toes in nicely, so there will be fresh leaves for the rest of the winter from them. There are also some strawberry plants in the straw which have been put on the bank and will hopefully trail down the front.

The outside bales are now in place and soaked through thoroughly by the rain I’ve been trying not to complain about but when the garden is a quagmire, it tends to have that effect! This year, I have a ‘C’ with bales outside the posts that support the wires – these bales will be for courgettes this year. Plenty of room for them to spill over and spread without choking other plants. Every year, I change the configuration a little bit. This year, the long arm of the C is going to be three bales wide, with the shorter arms having the bales perpendicular to, and protruding past, the wires. Along one arm will be climbing haricots and the other will be for cucumbers. My cucumbers were rubbish last year and I have vowed that this year will be a glut year again! Other climbers will be grown along the long arm, not many, but definitely cornichons.

to put in the five block later.

So, that is the outside straw bale garden in place, just the irrigation to put in place before I condition the bales and then sowing and planting can begin! When it comes to conditioning time, I will share the regime with you so you too can try straw bale gardening! Before then, I need to track down some high nitrogen fertiliser for conditioning it needs to be 20N or above to start decomposition quickly. I did see pure crystalline urea a couple of years ago so shall continue the hunt, otherwise a grass fertiliser would do the trick as long as it isn’t slow release or have weed killer in it. The polytunnel bales will be in position in the next couple of weeks, so more about that next time.

More potager news is that my manure man has been in touch saying he has more manure and I have found another chap who will let us muck out his loose boxes so although it won’t be rotted, it will soon rot down and provide us with more manure. He expressed surprise that we didn’t own horses as he thought ALL British people kept horses and sheep in France. He knows differently now! Sergio, my main manure man has, however, put me on hold as the ground – and manure - is just too wet at the moment. Hopefully when we can raid his manure pile, I’ll be able to restart my Hugulkultur bed again which has definitely slumped and bedded in but with some more layers of vegetable matter, I think should work a treat. Maybe nature was telling me not to rush!

I’m still getting leafy greens and the inevitable rainbow chard from the potager, and the curly and Blue Russian kales have a wonderful flavour now ( we have actually had a little frost!) with lovely tight curly leaves which have been used often in a kale and flageolet soup. I’m still not convinced about the Red Russian kale but as I have seeds, I’ll grow it again and try cooking it in a different way. There aren’t many carrots and parsnips left and a few radis noir and turnips are still available; not enough to see us through the rest of the winter I don’t think, but considering how difficult last year seemed to be for growing anything, I’m quite happy. I have also a block of five bales in which I was planning to grow sweetcorn as it likes to be grown in a block but after checking with the guru, Joel Karsten, decided not to put sweetcorn in bales. He says that with the big roots that corn produces, the most that could be planted in a bale would be two – and that is in US bales which are bigger than mine, so I shall use a no dig bed for sweetcorn this year and decide what

This year will be better…won’t it?!