A short horticultural spelling test

I’ve always been a bit of a poor speller. I kept post-it note lists of my dodgy words in the back of my notebooks throughout university and into most of my seventeen-year career in transport planning. You can say what you like about the present-day primary school curriculum, but my nine-year old definitely has the spelling thing nailed better than I ever did.

You can imagine, then, that having to learn a potting-shed load of ‘foreign’ words for a horticultural qualification throws up a few difficulties for me. There are some that just don’t seem to stick. Hopefully, through the process of writing this blog post, I might be able to conquer these four:

Fuchsia

Now, I could be forgiven for always wanting to spell this as ‘fuschia’ because that is honestly how everyone seems to pronounce it. If you say it in any other way, people just look at you as if you are weird (not far wrong there, I suppose). I even just chanced across a garden centre website that had it spelt incorrectly too.

Mycorrhizae

The number of ‘r’s’ and the position of the ‘y’ and ‘i’ seem to fox me every time. Mycorrhizae is the plural for the beneficial mycorrhizal fungi that exist in a symbiotic relationship with plant roots. They take sugars from the plant roots and supply it with moisture and nutrients gathered from the soil by their fungal strands. In this way, they become an extension of the absorptive area of the plant’s root system.

Phytophthora

This is a filamentous fungus-like pathogen (technically, an oomycete) that is responsible for phytophthora root and stem rot in a range of plants and trees. They thrive in wet soils and the symptoms above ground are tricky to distinguish from those due to waterlogged soil itself. The foliar symptoms of potato and tomato blight are also caused by the Phytophthora pathogen; P. infestans.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Now that one is a bit of a mouthful. It featured in one of our RHS Level 2 practical identification tests. Fortunately, we get supplied with a book of botanical names for the ident tests, so assuming you can remember the plant name, it’s possible to look up the exact spelling. This is a deciduous conifer, the dawn redwood. It turns yellowy-orange before dropping its needles for the winter.

Apparently dawn redwoods are an endangered species, so it was pretty devastating when the college felled the mature specimen at Cheadle, on the basis that the roots were interfering with the drains. The general feeling in other camps was that some stakeholder consultation (such as, with the college’s head of horticulture) would have been appreciated, not to mention consideration of the option, like, trimming the roots - especially as the drains are scheduled to be re-laid anyway.

Not to worry though. The head of horticulture is putting in a claim for three young Metasequoia glyptostroboides specimens to plant in replacement. Next year’s Level 2 classes haven’t got out of learning that one after all.

Restorative pruning of veteran apple trees

Last Sunday, I had a most therapeutic day on a tree-pruning workshop at Platt Fields Park, run by the Orchard Project.  As you’ll already know from January’s ‘Things to do’ blog post, this is the time of year for this. Our workshop started with a theory session, so here’s a bit of the why, what, where and when:

Why do we prune apple trees?

This also apply to pear trees. We prune;

·        To achieve a well-balanced and attractively shaped tree;

·        To let air and light in to the centre of the tree (to promote fruiting and reduce the risk of fungal disease);

·        To remove any dead, diseased or damaged material;

·        To encourage fruiting, or increase the size of fruits;

·        To control the height of branches, to make harvesting easier, or;

·        To raise the height of the branches, to prevent damage from some members of the public, in community orchards.

When to prune;

There are three main types of pruning, each type to be undertaken at the appropriate time;

1.      Formative pruning - of young whips each winter, in their first three or four years - to achieve the desired tree shape, and removal of water shoots in the summer;

2.      Maintenance pruning - usually in summer, to remove any dead or diseased material and potentially restrict growth, and;

3.      Restorative pruning of old, neglected trees in the winter - to encourage new growth and promote fruiting – as in the case of the trees in the Platt Fields community orchard.

How and what to prune;

You’ll need secateurs, loppers, a pruning saw and, if you’re going for the full works, a long-reach pruning saw and ladder.  Helmets and safety goggles are also advisable.

·        For veteran trees, remove only 20% of the total material, otherwise the tree may go in to shock;

·        Have a look at the overall shape and get a feel for how congested the tree is, and where;

·        Identify damaged, dead and diseased material, and remove that first; 

·        Remove any suckers around the base of the tree, as these will be from the root stock; 

·        Remove any crossing or rubbing branches that are damaged.  For undamaged but crossing branches, remove the branch that would contribute to most congestion, if left behind.

As with other shrubs, always make clean, slanted cuts, just above a bud.  Prune to an ‘outward facing’ bud.  This means, to a bud that will grow a shoot in an outwards direction, rather than into the centre of the tree, causing more congestion.

Correct pruning - just above a leaf bud

Some useful safety tips;

Pruning saws cut on the ‘pull’ so lighten off on the ‘push’.  If it jams, just wiggle it gently from side to side to release it. 

If using the long-reach pruning saw, it is easier to stand close in to the tree saw using more vertical (up and down) movements, rather than back and forth.  This is where the hard hat and goggles are important. 

Be aware of your surroundings and make sure everyone on the ground knows what is happening; take precautions to protect passers-by if necessary.  When all’s said and done, we wouldn’t want to rob anyone of the opportunity of enjoying the trees, their fruit or the cider, through decapitation with an apple bough!

Check back here next week a for a bit on wassailing.

Rosemary for remembrance

It’s been (and is going to be) a bit quiet on the Range Borders front, whilst I swot feverishly for my next four RHS Level 2 exam papers on 12th February.  In actual fact, if the swotting had been anything like at all feverish, I would probably have learnt a lot more of it, by now.

None of it is particularly hard, as such.  It’s just that there’s quite a substantial lever arch file to commit to memory, and my powers of retention and recall are somewhat diminished from the last time I took any notable exams, which is now nearly twenty years ago.  My brain is creaking from the effort and there is still over three weeks to go. 

In addition to the sensible and practical revision advice provided by the RHS class teacher, a staff-member at Hulme Community Garden Centre suggested some brain-boosting herbal remedies, one of these being rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis.

It appears that rosemary has a long history in folklore, for improving memory and salving addled minds.  Move forward a few more hundred years and a distressed and grieving Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet distributes herbs to members of the Danish court, recounting their medicinal benefits;

               ‘There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember…’

Rather more recently, in 2016, research by the University of Northumbria found that the herb really does appear to be connected to improving memory.  The research team hypothesised that in inhaling the scent of rosemary, the compounds are absorbed by the blood stream and transported to the brain, where they impact upon brain chemistry. 

Their fieldwork subsequently demonstrated that people occupying a room scented with rosemary performed significantly better in certain memory tests and other tasks of recall than those occupying a room scented with lavender, or those in an unscented room. The same team found that peppermint tea also had memory-boosting properties.

Perhaps the power of scent and association also play a large part; sniffing rosemary during my revision sessions and then again during the exam might fuel my powers of recall.  The plan tomorrow morning, therefore, is to sit down at my desk with a sprig of rosemary in one hand and a stimulating cup of peppermint tea in the other. 

Unfortunately, this then means there are no spare hands to open up my course notes or get out my index cards and coloured felt-tips, but never mind; there’s celeriac on the menu for dinner. Perhaps all the beneficial vitamins and antioxidants in this root veg will grow me another pair of hands.  Who knows?

Beat the January Blues

I won’t lie.  I find January tough.  And not just January.  A large proportion of February is pretty hard-going too.  The cheery relatives have all departed; Christmas decorations have been tidied away and the Council have shredded the tree.  My RHS exam revision fails to inspire.  I feel sluggish, demotivated and generally low - and I know I am not alone.

I concede that I don’t really help myself.  I comfort-cake-bake (and eat); I ‘forget’ to go to the Monday lunchtime yoga session; I make excuses to avoid going for a run (too slippery, dodgy calf muscle…). Topical then, that I should flick on Radio 4’s ‘Start the Week’ this Monday evening to hear Andrew Marr interviewing science journalist Linda Geddes about the significance of sunlight in improving general health and well-being.  

Most of us are aware of the importance of sunlight for our intake of Vitamin D.  Added to this, exposure to sunlight is also crucial for strengthening our circadian clocks, which contributes to improving our mood.  The level of illuminance (light level) in a standard, normally-lit office measures at about 200 lux.  On a dull, overcast winter’s day, the level of illuminance outside will still clock in around ten times more, at about 2000 lux; on a bright, clear winter’s day, it can be as much as 70,000 lux.

For those with desk-based and indoor jobs, this is compelling evidence for the benefit yielded by going outside in the lunch-break, even if just for a short time.  Your mood and productivity in the afternoon will improve vastly.  

Make it a priority to get outside during your lunch break; you’ll feel so much better for it.

I always, without fail, feel better for being outside, every single time.  Once I’ve overcome the effort required to find and put on a few extra layers and locate my work boots, I know for sure that I won’t regret getting out into the fresh air.

Yesterday, I decided to take my own advice (see previous blog) and clear some space to install my second compost bin.  I also gathered up the remaining leaves to throw in, in order to weigh it down a bit and get the composting started.  An hour passed in a flash and the light was starting to fail, but I felt brighter and more alert; satisfied in a list-ticking kind of way - and perhaps even justified in rewarding myself with that piece of homemade chocolate brownie.

I love eating cake… but in the winter, I need to make myself qualify for it.

To keep me hanging in there, I look forward to mid-February; we’ll arrange some fun (hopefully outdoor) stuff to do during the half-term holiday; my RHS exams will be done and dusted; the days will be getting noticeably longer, and what’s more, it’s my birthday!

In the meantime, my advice to everyone is to take a high-strength vitamin D supplement and get outside!

January 'things to do' in the garden

It’s damp, grey and gloomy outside.  Why would I possibly want to do anything in the garden?  Well, I may not want to, but there are plenty of jobs that are worthwhile doing, and once I’ve put on plenty of warm clothes, got myself outside and got started, the time seems to fly by.  This is what I’ll be doing:

Prune deciduous trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials

Still a good time to do this, whilst the plants are dormant and when it is easier to see the overall shape of the plant.  If the herbaceous perennials have died back and are looking a bit untidy or diseased, cut all of the stems back to ground level.

Collect remaining fallen leaves

I’m just about to start off a new compost heap so a layer of leaves will be good for providing a bit of the volume required to raise the temperatures sufficiently to start composting process.  Take care when disturbing large piles of leaves, in case there might be hibernating hedgehogs in there.  Also, be sure to clear away dead leaves from the crowns of herbaceous perennials, to prevent them rotting.

Check container plants

Pots and containers that are located under the eaves or up against walls are often in rain shadows and may not get sufficient water.  If temperatures are sufficiently above freezing (5 degrees C or more), check to see if the container’s soil surface is dry and water if necessary.  Remove any dead or dying material to keep the containers looking attractive, and prevent the spread of any diseases.

Spread mulch

If the soil freezes, this is actually a perfect opportunity to spread mulch, such as homemade garden compost or well-rotted manure; walking on frozen soil doesn’t damage it.  The mulch will supply nutrients and help water retention, once the weather warms up.  Avoid barrowing mulch across a frozen lawn though; if there’s no alternative route, use planks to protect the grass.

Make plans!

If the weather is truly atrocious and the only option is to cosy up on the sofa with a cuppa, why not peruse those gardening books you’ve had on the bookshelf for years, to get some ideas for the forthcoming season? 

I’m planning to make one or two raised beds and grow my own salad greens this year so I’ve been enjoying nosing through the seed catalogues and deciding on what cultivars to grow.  The choice seems endless and it’s easy to get a bit click-happy when shopping online.  However, being a fiddle player, I have to admit that I couldn’t resist ordering some Spinach ‘Violin’ seeds.

Young spinach plants

Keep an eye out for my blog post later in the month about pruning apple and pear trees - another winter job.

My gardening new year’s resolution; to garden more sustainably

I’d like to think that my gardening practices were reasonably environmentally sustainable, but there is definitely still room for improvement.  Here are my intentions for 2019:

1. Cut back on plastic

The horticultural industry is notoriously bad for generating mountains of single-use, non-recyclable plastics.  I don’t recall ever purchasing empty plastic plant pots; there is an abundant supply at Hulme Community Garden Centre’s pot rescue station.  However, I do have some black plastic modular trays lurking in my cellar. 

Now is therefore the time to embrace the Blue Peter approach and start collecting cardboard toilet rolls.  These can be cut in half and used as modules when it comes to seed-sowing time in the spring.  When the seedlings have been potted on, the old cardboard can just be thrown on the compost heap.

2. Use harvested rainwater

The exceptionally dry summer of 2018 was a case in point, and as the effects of global warming become more evident, the need to conserve water becomes paramount.  We inherited three large water butts from the previous home owner. They are connected in series, refill impressively quickly when it rains, and I estimate their combined capacity to be in the region of about 1,000 litres.

Unfortunately, utilising the water from our water butts involves filling watering cans one at a time and carrying them up and down the garden, which is somewhat laborious.  I must confess that the easier option of clicking a hose with spray-gun on to the outside tap meant that I didn’t even empty the water butts, despite the drought. 

In 2019, I will look into the pumps and connections required to connect the water butts to the hosepipe.  Watering the garden with harvested rainwater will become easier and less time consuming whilst contributing to water conservation efforts.  What’s not to like?

3. Adopt more permaculture planting principles

My first two resolutions are already important permaculture principles.  In 2019, I would like to focus more on perennial planting, including research into perennial food crops that might be appropriate for my garden. 

For edibles, one easy win is to plant some rhubarb; I’ve been meaning to do that since we moved in.  Also, instead of planting up summer containers for my front garden with water-hungry annuals such as petunias and busy lizzies, I will look in to some perennial alternatives which are happy to over-winter in their containers or can be planted into the back garden for the colder months. 

I’ve had three hardy fuchsia plants in containers for more than five years now.  With an occasional light pruning and an annual top-dressing of compost, I am hoping that they will continue to bring me pleasure for many more years to come.

The poinsettia; the 'Flower of the Holy Night'

Very timely that we would be learning about this festive flower in our RHS theory class so close to Christmas.  The bright red leaves (called bracts) of certain poinsettia cultivars make it a popular choice for indoor decorations at this time of year.

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherimma) is known as a ‘short-day’ flower because it is the deprivation of light that causes the leaves to turn red.  Nurseries buy stock in early autumn from suppliers in its native Central America.  They then use greenhouses or other protected environments to simulate completely uninterrupted dark nights of at least fourteen hours, followed by artificial, bright, sunny days.  This process lasts for around two months and stimulates the development of the sought-after coloured bracts.  So, all things considered, I’m afraid they don’t score very highly on the sustainability front.

The poinsettia in legend

The legend connecting poinsettias to Christmastime dates back to 16th century Mexico, when a young girl, too poor to present a gift in church to honour Christ’s birthday, was visited in a dream by an angel; the angel instructed her to gather weeds at the roadside and offer these up at the church altar instead.  On doing so, the weeds immediately sprouted beautiful crimson leaves and became poinsettias.  In Guatemala and Mexico, the poinsettia is called ‘Flower of the Holy Night’, referring, of course, to Christmas Eve.

And why are they so mad for them in Hong Kong?

I have to admit that I never really clocked poinsettias as a Christmas ‘thing’ until we spent two years living and working in Hong Kong.  At Christmas time, every shopping mall, apartment lobby and office foyer are decorated with them en masse and I have only just found out why, courtesy of Hong Kong’s English language newspaper, the South China Morning Post. 

The Cantonese for poinsettia is yat bun hung (一品紅) which means, literally, “a red item”.  Yat bun can also mean “superb” or “first-rate” so you could translate yat bun hung as “reddest of them all”.  Red is a highly auspicious colour in Chinese culture, symbolising luck, happiness and joy, so for this reason, Hong Kongers will have their poinsettias on display from Christmas right through into the Chinese (lunar) New Year.

So whether you are celebrating Christmas with or without any poinsettias, I wish you plenty of happiness, joy and luck; Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Non-evergreen trees and shrubs for winter interest

As I walked home from ‘the school run’ in the watery morning sunshine earlier this week, my attention was drawn to the row of winter-flowering cherries along Old Birley Street. 

Whilst you’re all bringing the holly and ivy indoors to make your festive decorations, it’s worth noting that not all plants grown for winter interest need to be evergreen.

If you are lucky enough to receive any garden centre vouchers this Christmas, and feel that your garden could provide a bit more excitement during the short, dark, dreary days, here are few plant ideas worth considering:

Three Trees:

Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’

This winter-flowering cherry is a small deciduous tree whose leaves turn an attractive yellowy-gold colour in Autumn.  The pretty pale-pink flowers open during late autumn, continuing through to early spring.

Acer griseum

One of the common names for this one is the Paperbark Maple; it has attractive coppery-coloured, distinctive peeling bark, which turns more orangey in the autumn.  The leaves turn a fabulous red before falling, in autumn. 

Acer griseum

Betula utilis var jaquemontii ‘Grayswood Ghost’

Our walk to school also takes in a few of these Himalayan Birches, and they are really good value for all-year-round interest; striking, bright white bark during the winter months, catkins in early spring and glossy leaves that turn yellow in autumn.

Three Shrubs:

Hamamelis x intermedia

This shrub provides some good autumn colour but I like it in late winter / early spring with its gently perfumed frondy spider-like flowers. The pink-red cultivars remind me of sea anemones! It flowers before it comes in to leaf.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Primavera’

Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’

The Curly, Corkscrew or Contorted Hazel is cultivated by grafting a weaker species of hazel on to stronger root stock, resulting in interesting twirly branches.  These are great for Christmas flower arrangements and for hanging decorations from.  It also produces showy yellow catkins in late winter / early spring. 

It has a tendency to put out straight suckers at the base, from the root stock.  These need to be pruned away, or they will become dominant and the tree will lose its curliness.

Cornus alba

Dogwood seems to be a popular choice for low maintenance and amenity planting, and its abundant supply at Cheadle College means it is our go-to choice for practising propagation of hardwood cuttings.  Cornus alba has striking red stems in the winter, as do cultivars of C. sericea and C. sanguinea.

Cornus alba

I’m always keen to expand my knowledge of trees and shrubs for domestic gardens so if you have other non-evergreen favourites, drop me a line below.