Preview Of September
Anne & Ivor Column
FORUM ARTICLE
September in the Garden by Anne Edge-Rowe & Ivor Spade
Clogger remember him. Ivor had a letter from him thanking us for his stay. He's now working at the 'Oslo Orchid Experience'. I said Clogger was a sweet man. Not so according to Ivor. While he was here he fell under the spell of that wicked witch
nextdoor. Pandora Parsillane! Guess what? They shared an experience, which was more than horticultural. For some reason, which is beyond me. Ivor is beside himself and is into a bout of the deepest sulks. Consequently, I've had to feed the chickens and ducks all week, as well as grooming the donkey. Am I na�ve? I sometimes have the feeling that I am missing something.
Incidentially, duck and chicken waste is really powerful stuff if left to mature in the compost heap. The aroma is pure heaven. If you can't get any. A good substitute is 'Rooster', pelleted chicken manure. Our club sell it for just �4.60 for 7kg tub.
We did promise last month to tell you all about our holiday visiting the lost gardens of Walmington on Sea. Due to a slight problem with map reading, and no sense of direction whatsoever, we couldn't find it. Ended up in a bed and breakfast in Reigate which we'd rather not go into. Ivor's offered to go back to the Cod & Duck to see if we can get our prize changed to a few loads of manure, but after a few carefully chosen words from me he's decided not to.
September is a great time for dahlia and chrysanthemum lovers. Ivor spends time with his during the year. Talking to them while he's disbudding them, (although I'm not sure whether it's English or Korean he's speaking!). He usually takes out all the buds except for the last one on each of the sideshoots. This produces large blooms. For sprays he removes the one at the end and leaves the rest. Then by September they're as good as any you'll see in a show. (Buds normally come in threes).
The lawn is showing signs of wear and tear so a few running repairs won't go amiss. This is a good month to sow grass seed as we're hardly likely to get a drought. It's also a good time to give an autumn feed. October is not too late.
Speaking of droughts - we were passing the Town Hall the other day and happened to notice the window boxes??!!! We seriously considered resigning our posts and seeking jobs with the County. How could anyone be so thoughtless. The boxes are a mess. They appear to have not been watered all season. Plants have feelings too. If we get anywhere in 'Britain in Bloom' it will be a travesty.
The shops and garden centres are full with spring bulbs. If you want bulbs growing "naturally" through the lawn. All that is required is a square of lawn cut with a spade on three sides, lift, plant your choice - we decided on anemones, crocuses and snowdrops - then replace the turf and wait until Spring. You can you use a bulb borer. You can also plant at different levels to produce colour and growth.
Thanks to the coolness of this summer the greenhouse vegetables have suffered. To help the tomatoes to ripen Ivor's been lighting the heater at night. Tomatoes don't need sunlight to ripen them just heat, or ethylene, (that s the gas given off by ripening fruit). There is no need to take off any leaves that are not yellow and diseased. You can also ripen them indoors by putting them in a basket with a banana or apple and covering them with a cloth.
Coincidentally, Pandora just shouted across the fence that she has received a postcard from Clogger inviting her to go to Oslo. She's going. Ivor is consoling himself by walking up and down the garden with our donkey. (The donkey always walks the same route). This has a lot to do with the fact that I acquired it as from an animal sanctuary in Rhyl thinking it was a suitable gift for an Ivor. Who really is a complete ass, especially where Pandora is concerned.
The last word - keep one eye on the weather forecast. It can be really cold at night.
Frosts have been known towards the backend of the month.
Good gardening. Anne & Ivor.
OUR GARDEN --- The Dahlias
Link to Anne & Ivor Column Jan to Aug 2000.
