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Ash Village Hall, Queen's Road,
Ash, Canterbury, Kent , CT3 2BG
what3words: star.hexes.villager

Affiliated to the RHS and The National Vegetable Society (NVS)

Ash Village Hall, Queen's Road,
Ash, Canterbury, Kent , CT3 2BG
what3words: star.hexes.villager

Affiliated to the RHS and
The National Vegetable Society (NVS)

May 2024

Well, we have certainly had enough high wind and heavy rain lately. However, my two climbing roses, Canary Bird and Banksia Lutea, both with lovely creamy yellow flowers, and ideal for north-facing walls, are a joy to see at the moment in spite of this.

After the blossoms of early Spring have faded, now is the time to prune shrubs. Take out one or two old stems from Forsythia, Wigelia and Spirea, pruning back to a nice compact shape.

Clip back ivy that is growing too high and thickly on fences, walls, and sheds.

Keep it clear of gutters which can be cleared of moss and debris at the same time. Keep an eye on Hosta plants and mulch with grit or gravel to prevent slugs and snails from devouring them.

Rockeries should be at their best now. Keep dead heading and clip over to prolong flowering. Any gaps can be filled with sweet Alyssum, Dwarf Dianthus and bedding Begonias. Keep Snow in Summer and dwarf ornamental nettles under control as they can easily take over large areas and swamp more delicate and attractive plants.

As Spring goes into Summer, Wallflowers, which along with most flowering plants, have bloomed so well in Spring, will soon be replaced by Summer planting. I will miss their heavenly scent in the evening! Polyanthus and Primulas can be planted in a shady corner, adding some leaf mould or compost when planting. These can be split and replanted in the border next Spring, but don’t forget to water in dry periods.

Pots with Daffodils should be given a feed (Growmore is useful for all of the garden to encourage strong growth. Water into the soil and fork over if no rain is forecast,) leave the top growth to die down naturally before digging them up to dry and store for next year. Any spent flowers and weeds, along with grass cutting should be added t the compost bin, but not nettles, dock and bindweed, which should be burnt.

Pansies can be deadheaded and trimmed and replanted in borders and rockeries. Any plants to be moved now should be thoroughly watered before planting, then water the hole well and replant elsewhere.

Ventilate greenhouses and cold frames and harden off hardy annuals and hanging baskets, leaving them outside in the daytime but keeping them in at night for a few days to acclimatise them. Carefully pot up cuttings of Fuchsia, Geraniums and Marguerites to make good strong plants for pots and containers next month. Plant up Dahlias, adding a cane as you plant to avoid piercing the tubers if added later.

Keep plantings, seedlings, and soft fruit well-watered rather than little and often. Sow spinach, carrots, and lettuce again now for continuity of cropping. Plant out Dwarf French Beans and Runner Beans after all danger of frost has well passed. Grow these either up wigwams or between poles in rows. Keep runners tied in to start them up their supports. Water these especially in the evening as it soaks in better.

Place straw around strawberry plants as they begin to produce fruit Place straw around strawberry plants as they begin to produce fruit as it will keep them clean and dry. Make sure to net the strawberry bed. Netting can be stretched over hoops made from thin blue water pipe held in place by metal tent pegs or alternatively over flowerpots upturned on the top of canes, again anchoring securely. These cages are also useful for protecting cabbage and other brassicas but need to be taller and finer netting to deter butterflies. Pigeons will soon denude all green produce if left unprotected.

Potatoes should be earthed up to keep them free from frosts. Plant main crop potatoes to harvest in September and October. Sow spring onions, radish and coriander which will crop in about 6-8 weeks. Weed onions by hand to avoid infestation by onion fly. Carrots should be sown thinly, a little fine sand mixed with the seed when sowing helps thinning to be kept to a minimum as carrot fly, like onion fly, will find the crop by smell if extra seedlings have to be pulled up.

Keep indoor tomatoes growing on steadily, moving up to a slightly larger pot one at a time and give a high potash feed when the first truss of flowers form, remove side shoots as they appear and tie into a stout can. Outdoor tomatoes must be gradually and carefully hardened off, keep some fleece ready in case of a chilly spell.

Check ponds and feed fish more frequently. Look for some new plants to add to the margins, such as Iris or Arum Lillies. Look at the bog area where frogs and newts will be able to lay spawn and eggs and birds will be able to wash and drink more easily if these are kept free of weeds and planted up with ferns, grasses and reads to give cover for wildlife such as Water Boatmen, Dragonflies and Hoverflies.

Take time from all this busy life in the garden at this time of year, to enjoy the longer evenings and the warming of the weather and the growing life in the garden.
Christine Brown, President, Ash Horticultural Society.

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