Amateur Gardening 9-Jul-2022

“Patience is the key to gardening, and sometimes we must accept a long wait before enjoying the benefits of our work. Nearly four years ago, I planted an apple tree and the crop has been a regular four or five apples; delicious, but hardly numerous. However, when I look out on my tree this year, I count 23 young apples and I’m already planning pies and salads! The tree is quite close to a rambling rose and the latter has made itself known to my young tree. If only I could fast-forward 15 years and see the rambler having established itself around the apple tree’s trunk, with roses everywhere and branches heavy with apples. I guess I’ll have to be patient!”…

THERE is generally something to prune at most times of the year and in midsummer we turn our attention to flowered shrubs and certain fruit trees. This week I’ve been trimming an early summer flowering Weigela and Deutzia, as well as to our ornamental cherry tree, ‘Victoria’ plum and greengage. The deciduous Deutzia and Weigela, alongside Philadelphus and Kolkwitzia are cut back immediately after they have flowered to give this year’s subsequent growth ample time to mature enough to produce next year’s blossom. Leave it too late and they won’t flower as well (this is the same reason why we prune forsythia, which flowers in early spring, straight after it has bloomed). When tackling these shrubs, cut back the side branches to just above a healthy leaf bud. New buds will soon form and…

WHILE flowering shrubs such as Weigela and Philadelphus are pruned now to give them enough time to produce mature wood for next year’s blossom, other trees get a summer trim to keep them healthy and protect them from disease. These varieties include plums and gages, cherries including ornamental trees, apricots, peaches, nectarines, rhododendrons and laburnum. We cut them back in midsummer, rather than when they are dormant like fruiting trees such as apples and pears, because they are vulnerable to silver leaf disease. This is caused by a common fungus called Chondrostereum purpureum, the spores of which are most prevalent between September and May. Because it is easily transmitted via wounds such as those caused by pruning, susceptible trees and shrubs get their trim when the risk is lowered. Symptoms of silver leaf include…

ROSES should be at heir peak now and if you have been deadheading regularly they will be carrying plenty of buds for their second flowering. However, because we’ve had rather temperamental weather so far this summer, with plenty of rain and humidity, you may find that some of the flowers have failed to open. Instead they’ve stayed as tightly furled buds, some of which may have been attacked by grey mould. This is a phenomenon called flower balling and it happens when buds are dampened by rain, which glues the outer petals together, sealing them shut. Try to remove affected buds before they attract grey mould, then cut away any weeds and other vegetation that is blocking light and air to your rose. Feed roses after their initial burst of flowers and they should keep…

Other shrubs that can be pruned in high summer include evergreens and early-flowering clematis. Evergreen shrubs don’t react well to being pruned in cold weather as they are less frost-tolerant than most deciduous varieties and cold weather can burn their cut stems. Give them a trim in the warmer weather and, as with all shrubs, feed and mulch afterwards, Early clematis such as C. montana and C. armandii can also be given a trim now to remove any stems growing out of their allotted place and to remove dead flowerheads.…

A NEW rose will be available later this year in honour of Dame Deborah James, the former teacher, journalist and podcaster who raised millions of pounds towards bowel cancer research by detailing her life with the disease. Deborah, who was presented with a Damehood by Prince William in May, was known online as ‘Bowel Babe’ thanks to her tireless campaigning for greater awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer. She aimed to raise £500,000 for Cancer Research UK, but more than £5 million was rained in days when she announced that she had stopped treatment and was moving to palliative hospice care at her home. Dame Deborah has been inspirational Now the Harkness Rose Company has released a scented floribunda rose named ‘Dame Deborah James’ that produces masses of white blooms with a subtle…