9 minute read
Getting ready for Winter in SW France - The Local Buzz
Winterising your Pool
BY RUDOLF DE LANG, POOL TECHNICIAN FOR 25 YEARS AND SPECIALISING IN ELECTRONIC LEAK DETECTION.
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Some do, some don’t - but should we? We asked a pool technician with 25 years of experience to explain the benefits.
Pool Winterising is the process for reducing the chlorination and filtration in your swimming pool over the winter when it is not used as frequently. Winterisation can save energy and, therefore, save you money on electricity bills, whilst also ensuring that your pool is ready for swimming when the weather turns warm again.
If chlorination and filtration is reduced and the water balance is not managed there is the risk of green algae blooms, blackspot and mustard algae. For this reason it is essential that the pool water is balanced throughout winter and not simply forgotten about and allowed to turn green.
Indeed, many pool owners have the misconception that they can simply switch off their pool equipment in Winter. In doing so they are most likely causing an expensive green pool cleanup in Spring. In addition to the possible effects on the pool’s longevity, pool equipment that has been left off for months can often break down when started again and potentially need repairing and/or replacing at the beginning of the swimming season.
1. Don’t simply turn the filter off and forget the pool for months. This is a false economy because the time, effort and money needed to get the pool water correctly adjusted next season, will be far more than the little resources required to maintain it during winter.
2. Balance your pool water correctly.
3. Take your pool cleaner out of the pool.
4. Clean your pool filter/s.
5. If you have a sand filter, simply backwash and rinse it and add a good pool clarifier.
6. If you have a cartridge filter, remove the filter element and clean it. Note: filter cartridges should be de-greased.
7. Place the filter in position and turn the system on.
8. Get a good winteriser and disperse it around the pool. Run the system for 24 hours and then auto times (eg: 6 hours per day) for one week.
9. Backwash or clean cartridge after 1 week.
10. Re-test your water and then continue to inspect and test the pool water every 2 weeks in winter.
Having carried out these procedures it should only be necessary to check the chlorine level every 2 weeks, and empty the skimmer basket if it has a build-up of leaves, etc. These simple tasks will ensure that your pool does not go green and will be ready for the first warm days of Spring and Summer. Also, if you have a salt system, use chlorine, because most salt systems do not work under 15°C.
Rudolf de Lang
me47@live.fr 07 68 77 21 33
Preparing for the Cooler months
Generally speaking, the hotter the summer, the more vibrant the autumn display. It’s exciting to see the spectacular foliage, and the hidden gems emerge from the soil.
BY SUE SARGEANT, PASSIONATE GARDENER, NOVICE WRITER
Late flowering Anemones add a burst of colour.
For me the autumn months are a time for reflection and careful consideration about the future of the garden. I take stock of what has worked well, which plants have survived and thrived, and which plants are not looking forward to another year. I also look at which plants can be used to keep the garden looking fresh and colourful.
Late summer plants such as Asters and Anemones, and bulbs such as Nerines will take your garden into a beautiful autumn.
Repeat Flowering
If you have repeat flowering Roses and Dahlias and have dead headed them after flowering they will give you a lovely autumnal display. A perfect rose to plant is the Meilland rose La Sevillana. It flowers from spring to frost and makes a wonderful shrub or hedge.
This is the most rewarding plant having sat patiently in the garden, it now triumphs in a range of colours from pink to bronze leading up to Christmas when dry flower heads make a perfect decoration. The group of plants known as Acres make a spectacular display, especially if they are grown in large pots that can be positioned in the garden or patio.
Sedum
Bushes, Shrubs & Trees
Callicarpa
The leaves of the Callicarpa turn red and violet, followed by stems of polished purple berries. More commonly known as Dogwood, Cornus shrubs are usually bought for the colour of their striking stems and the red stems of Sibirica or the golden stems of Flaviramea will add a touch of drama to your garden if planted in groups of five. The Rhus, or Sumach, is grown for its brilliant autumn crimson fruits and also looks good in a summer border, with its over-arching branches providing shade to the neighboring plants.
The leaves give an admirable display of red, purple and gold. Give it space and you will not be disappointed. Ornamental grasses give structure and are stylish if planted in groups for a natural prairie effect. Try edging your gravel garden with Stachys Byzantine ( Lambs ears) for a softer edge to the border. It establishes very quickly and holds the soil and gravel in place during those sudden cloud bursts.
Lamb ears
Prune, Mulch, Water
As with any time of year, the garden needs to be looked after in the autumn too. Whilst they are still clearly visible before the leaves fall, I mark any branches which have not survived, making them much easier to identify when they need lopping later. Mulching with compost will continue to suppress weeds, put nutrients into the soil, conserve moisture and keep the roots warm during cold spells. I always have at least three compost heaps on the go to allow it to mature properly. If you have a well with a pump you are very lucky. Water butts are great but even they can run dry at times so choosing the right plants that are drought tolerant is something to consider. It is better to water really well in the evening or early morning, once or twice a week. A good soaking will encourage the roots to reach below ground rather than just under the surface where the ground dries out quickly. When it rains I also put as many containers outside as I can to catch the free water.
Sumac
Next season
The best time to choose your trees and shrubs for next season is during October. The garden centers and nurseries will be well stocked to give plants a good few months to settle into the warm soil before winter. When planting shrubs and perennials, I am mindful to plant everything much deeper than I did before I moved to France. Keeping the roots well below the surface is much better in areas where there is likely to be low rainfall and hot temperatures. It can be hard to imagine just how hot it can be here when you can also experience cold, wet and windy winters. For me, the extremes of temperatures have been and still are the biggest challenge in the garden.
In the next issue I look forward to sharing some of the jobs on my “must do” list in preparation for a new year in our garden in France.
Bees love the white Centranthus Ruber which flowers into the Autumn.
Don't stop the Workers
Before you get your swatter out...
Autumn is an essential time of year for Honey bees. The Worker bees are out collecting nectar for long hours to ensure enough supplies to feed and maintain their colony through the winter months. That’s why you are going to see lots over the next few weeks, especially around asters, golden rod, chrysanthemums and Russian sage.
Winter Sustenance
The nectar and pollen they collect provide life-saving carbohydrates and proteins. Beekeepers sometimes have to supplement the colonies in their hives with sugary substances during winter but solitary bees are left to their own devices. So please be sure to leave them bee. Drone bees are a little larger than Honey bees and are unlikely to be seen at this time of year. They never collect food and their sole purpose is to mate with the Queen.
Golden brown to almost black in colour, Honey Bees are small and are often seen collecting pollen together or swarming on walls and between shutters and windows, basically anywhere that is warm and dry. If you don’t disturb them they will not harm you. Bumblebees have more fur and are rounder and larger than a Honey bee. They have a number of different coloured stripes on the end of their tails. They are great pollinators so please leave their nests alone. Solitary, wild bees will be seen emerging out of a wall or tiny holes in the ground. Again, they are good pollinators and, because they pose no threat to humans or animals, should be left alone to collect as much food as they can.
Bumblebees have more fur and are rounder and larger than a Honey bee.
Perfect Compost Recipe
Depending on the size of the garden, you will need a compost bin, or a few pallets and breeze blocks to create an enclosed area. As a guide, 20 tonnes of compost will “feed” a 5700m² garden. For a top dressing mulch, leave to “cook” for six months. For soil conditioning, the compost should ferment for up to nine months.
THE LAYERING METHOD
Cut the grass and allow the cuttings to dry (too much wet grass can lead to smells). Do not include couch grass or tap root weeds. Place in the compost container.
Collect fallen autumnal leaves and add to the cuttings.
To this mixture, add various quantities of vegetable peelings shredded cardboard, egg shells, coffee grains and tea bags (not general food waste).
Continue to add these ingredients and include twigs or straw to help with air circulation.
Try to keep the pile wet
Turn over with a pitchfork every now and then especially after rainfall.
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