july 2021 newsletter
TRANSCRIPT
July 2021 Newsletter www.gardenclub.org.uk
Hello
Summer has arrived in spectacular form with lots of heat and rain too with everything growing when we least
expected it after the dry Spring and we have lots to look forward to.
We are delighted the Summer Show is going ahead – see Jane’s write up about the Show and of course her gardening
tips for the month.
The National Garden Scheme, NGS, is gradually opening up. Some of you will have enjoyed Higher Denham Gardens in
May. If you missed it, they are open again on Sunday 18th July 2-5pm. At least three gardens will open including Wind
in the Willows and teas will be served at the Community Hall.
We are continuing with our monthly Speakers on Zoom and welcome John Tyler as our July Speaker. His talk will be
about some unusual wildlife featuring his own photography, details below.
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Virtual Talk Wednesday 21st July 2021 7.00pm for 7.30pm
John Tyler: ‘Volcanoes & Dragons’
John Tyler will talk to us about that part of Indonesia which boasts the world’s largest living lizard, the Komodo
Dragon; a fearsome predator weighing over twenty stone, reaching nine feet in length and easily able to outrun and
bring down a person, it lives on just a handful of small remote volcanic islands. Here we visit the Dragon’s home and
meet some of the other animals, plants and people with which it shares its kingdom. The talk will be illustrated by
John’s own photos.
Having studied Zoology and Conservation, John Tyler worked with the Ecological Parks Trust in London, later to
became Warden of the Sevenoaks Reserve in Kent. He has since been based in Buckinghamshire, giving talks and
leading wildlife walks. He volunteers for the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust and is
interested in woodcarving, wildlife photography and coracle-making.
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A Zoom link for John’s Talk will be sent out by email on Monday of that week.
The Talk will start at 7.30pm and last for 50 mins plus Q&A. Zoom will open around 7pm to give people time to settle
and say hello.
You do not need to download ZOOM, just click on the link as shown in the email with video and audio on.
Julie Pearson Chairman
Hut Report - July 2021 I’m sure we are all aware of the concerns about the use of peat in our composts. I did manage to obtain a few bags of
RHS-approved ‘Sylvagrow’ early in this season but the supply dried up. I’ll be asking our suppliers which peat-free
composts they intend to stock next year, although we are still at the point where obtaining anything is a ‘result’. One
thing will be certain – we’ll be paying more; an advert in the current ‘Garden News’ for a bag of peat free costs £14!
If anyone has any knowledge of really good peat-free composts, or observations, do please share via email (below)
We have stocks of bug killer sprays – but do read the labels carefully; I had greenfly on sweet peas, but on close
inspection of the (very small print) they are included on the list of plants unsuitable for treatment.
We also have stocks of liquid feeds (Seaweed, Growmore, Basket/Container, etc) but are unable currently to replace
dry pellet type such as Q4.
Richard Mitchell 01895 234609; 07443 229626; [email protected] www.gardenclub.org.uk
OPEN ON SUNDAYS 10am to 12noon
June’s Talk Report Chris Thorne: “Houseplants – how to look after them and top tips
It was good to welcome back Chris who started his talk by advising us to get to know our houseplants. The most common cause of houseplant death is over-watering. They wilt because they are too wet, so we water them more and this makes the whole situation worse. Lift the pot, feel the weight of it. Some plants need more water than others. Some houseplants are good for the air. Spider plants (Chorophytum) and Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) scrub the air. Other plants which are useful around the home are Sarracenia, which trap annoying fruit flies and Mother in Law’s tongue (Sanseveria) which filters out formaldehyde, common in cleaning products. Venus fly traps are also useful, but they don’t like closing up too many times! Sanseveria is as tough as old boots and can be propagated by leaf cuttings. Cut an H shape in the leaf and put the two yellow edges down into compost so that it re-grows with the variegated colour. If you have a Cape primrose (Streptocarpus) you can make leaf cuttings. Cut a leaf into 4-5 sections and plant in compost, cut side downwards. Alternatively take a leaf and whilst it is still attached to the plant chop into the main vein 3-4 times and peg it down. One of the top 10 plants purchased in this country is the African violet. They don’t mind being neglected and propagation can be achieved by pulling off a leaf and putting it in a small pot of water. A fern such as Maidenhair fern can get tired looking, chop the tops of the leaves off and they will re-grow. Easy to grow is Philodendron scandens, known as the Sweetheart Plant, or Heart-Leaf, due to the beautiful leaf shape. It can be left trailing or grown up a moss pole. Check the health of your plant’s roots by pulling it out of the pot, if you see new, white roots that is a good sign. If they look soft they may have been kept too wet, the roots tell a story. Some plants tolerate dark places, but the Umbrella plant (Schefflera) will lose its variegation. Anthuriums, such as Flamingo flower, need to be kept warm but will do well in a dark spot and bring colour to it, they will just grow a little more slowly. Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea) is also tolerant of dark places. Gerbera is a colourful plant, a pot plant can be purchased for £6.99 and last for a long time, however, just one stem in a florist will cost £1 each. Ayletts treats its staff well. When the shop closed for lockdown staff were able to take home as many houseplants as they wished. In recent times they have been helping test food at the newly refurbished tea room due to open soon, complete with air con and new furniture. The hare-foot fern (Phlebodium) is part of the decoration, this plant likes moisture from steam in bathrooms and matting can be purchased to go at the base of the pot, the pot must be flat. If you need to water plants whilst on holiday Chris suggests Hozelock Aquasolo Watering Cones. These come in two sizes and attach to different size bottles of water which slowly release liquid over a period of time. Capillary matting is also useful either underneath the plant pot or on the floor of a greenhouse. Plants like to be dusted! Lightly wipe the leaves with a soft cloth, this allows them to absorb more light. Leaf shine products can be sprayed onto suitable plants to keep their leaves glossy. If your plant has problems try checking for bugs, especially under the leaves. Rapeseed oil can solve the problem, spraying it onto the leaves kills insects by suffocation but only lasts a day or so, Baby Bio Houseplant Bug Killer protects for 2 weeks. If you have a problem spray 3 times in a two week period which should solve it. To feed plants use Tomorite, dilute as normal, or for general use Baby Bio has been trusted for years and a bottle lasts forever. Do something rather than nothing. Some plants are potted with compost which includes peat or coir, which can shrink from around the roots. For re-potting use a peat free compost such as Sylvagrow which is recommended by the RHS. Don’t forget to check that any plant, or basket of flowers received as a gift, is in a container with drainage holes. When watering baskets watch for leakage, and split up the plants at a later stage and re-pot them. Ivy is usually made up of mini cuttings so these can be divided up. A lively question and answer session followed, a useful question was what should we water our plants with? Chris said rainwater is always best as limescale can build up around plants’ roots. Personally I don’t own one single houseplant, but as ever Chris was inspiring with his talk and I might just go along to Ayletts and buy a few plants to bring the garden indoors. Hoselock Watering Cones are also on my shopping list. Plus there is talk of that excellent tea room, clearly a worthwhile journey to make.
Karen www.aylettnurseries.co.uk Aylett Nurseries, North Orbital Rd, St Albans, Herts, AL2 1DH
For Your Interest
Open garden at Craigleigh House, on Saturday, 3rd July, 2pm – 5pm, Austenwood Lane, Chalfont St Peter, SL9 9AD Funds will go to Bradbury House, an Abbeyfield home for 41 elderly people in Old Beaconsfield. The acre garden is a relaxing setting to roam around and enjoy, along with a plant sale and afternoon tea will be available. Admission £5. Parking in nearby St Joseph’s Church car park. Wheelchair accessible.
Reminder - Church Gardens, Harefield – visit - August 11, 11am
If you are wishing to visit the gardens, please let me know via email or ‘phone ([email protected])
or 01895 234609 if you haven’t already done so.
The entry charge will be £10, payable at the Church Gardens entrance. This includes light refreshments.
Due to COVID no coach is currently planned - the garden is situated near the Church and Commonwealth
War Graves (signposted) in Harefield - UB9 6DU. There is adequate parking close to the house.
JANE’S GARDEN TIPS – July Sow early perennials such as wallflowers, honesty and foxgloves either in a cold frame or in their final position in the
garden.
House plants can be moved outside for the summer season, it’s a good idea to clean house plant foliage by wiping with a
damp cloth or using a soft brush for spiny or hairy leaves. Check plants in conservatories and greenhouses for pests
such as whitefly, red spider mites etc, yellow sticky traps are a simple way to monitor pests.
Divide spring flowering perennials, also bearded iris, which need division every 4 years to avoid overcrowding and loss of
flowering.
Now is the ideal time to plant autumn flowering bulbs such as colchicum and nerine.
Look out for unwanted suckers growing around the roots of woody plants, particularly those below the union of grafted
plants such as roses. Tearing off rather than cutting the shoots removes dormant buds and reduces the likelihood of its
regrowth. Remove suckers as close as possible to the point of origin.
Keep greenhouses well ventilated and damped down, apply shading to glass as necessary, tomatoes need moist air for a
short time each day to help fruit set on trusses which is helped by damping down. Continue to feed tomatoes, peppers,
chillies and melons with high potassium feed, tomato liquid feed.
To ensure a good crop of marrow and courgettes pollinate by hand - pick male flowers with plenty of ripe pollen and use
to pollinate the female (ones with swelling behind the flower) keep watered and feed with liquid tomato fertiliser.
Continue succession sowings of peas, beetroot, carrots and salad crops.
Harvest onions and garlic as the tops start to fall over, dry out completely before storage.
Tie in new canes on raspberries.
After “June” drop on fruit trees inspect to see if they need further thinning to ensure maximum crop.
Once harvested eat early potatoes as they don’t store well.
Top up ponds and water features as necessary as they are a very important place for wildlife in the garden.
Summer Show Saturday August 21st 2021
You will be pleased to hear that we are going ahead with the Summer Show.
Schedules have been printed and you will be receiving yours shortly if you haven’t already picked it up from
the hut.
When you receive your schedule please start planning your entries. Our visitors always enjoy admiring the
exhibits. For this year only it will be free to enter your exhibits into the show, so are expecting some good
entries this year. More information in next month’s news letter.
Cup Winners 2019
If you still have to return your Winning Cup please do so ASAP to the hut. Jane and the Show Team.
Hospital Update As I write this, the next hospital bag is about to go out the door to Sue Mills, to be collected by her daughter who is a Senior Matron at Wexham Park Hospital. Her daughter then takes the bag to the intensive care unit or sometimes to other departments such as accident and emergency. The other bag is taken by Laura to the Chalfont St Peter ambulance station, which is next to the library. In the bags are tea, coffee, fruit teas and other teas, hot chocolate, and of course chocolate biscuits! Both the bags contain a thank you note from the club and any other members’ notes if they have included them with their donation, plus a knitted bear crafted by Laura. We are now at the half-way stage of delivering these bags, 6 out of the 12 promised monthly donations for 2021 have been assembled. The key thing is to keep up the momentum, please keep donating until the end of the year. I only wish you could see the photos Sue’s daughter sends of happy nurses opening the bags, but I don’t feel it is fair to publish them without their permission. If we blocked out their faces there wouldn’t be much left of the photo! Donating refreshments to the hospital and ambulance station is a way of saying how much we appreciate the medical staff who are helping us get back to pre-covid days of monthly meetings, coach outings etc. They not only work long and difficult hours in their day jobs but then work extra hours after their shift finishes to help with vaccinations, they have been doing this month after month and must be exhausted. Heroes each and every one of them! Karen Johnson I am so proud of our club members and supporters. You have been busy knitting premature baby hats, jackets and sewing wriggly bags for oncology patients Hickman lines. We have received a letter of thanks from Shakeela Banno the Clinical Matron of the Neonatal Unit, Frimley Health. If you have any spare wool 3/4ply or children’s cotton fabric, please consider donating to our knitters and sewers. Unwanted garden implements and tools can be donated to Work Aid. Thank you Sue Mills
Thank you for supporting the One Can Trust foodbank. Here’s a list of the current items needed for us to
support approx. 352 people per week in South Bucks.
*** Eggs ***
Pasta sauces UHT milk
Baby Formula Milk: (only Aptamil or Cow and Gate Stages 1 & 2)
Tinned ham and corned beef Meat pies
Tinned potatoes Tinned fruit
Biscuits
Instant coffee *** Fresh fruit and veg ***
My address is
6, The Drive, Chalfont St Peter, SL9 0BD
Gerry Eaton 07896 946275
There is a collection box by my garage door.
Gerry cannot take fresh fruit & veg unless on the
day she is taking to the Centre.
Soup Rice
Peas and sweetcorn Crisps and confectionery
Tea (plus alternatives such as fruit and green tea)
Homemade food Toiletries Alcohol
Empty egg boxes Thank you but we either currently have plenty of
these items or don’t collect them Contact onecantrust.org.uk to find a Collector closer to you.
GARDEN CLUB CONTACTS www.gardenclub.org.uk President Alan Davison
Chairman Julie Pearson 01494 873744 [email protected]
Secretary Josie Mitchell 01895 234609 [email protected]
Treasurer Jennifer Brooke [email protected]
Membership Karen Johnson 07925 249983 [email protected]
Newsletter Diana Longshaw 01753 884448 [email protected]
Hut Manager Richard Mitchell 01895 234609 [email protected] (07443 229626 mobile)
Committee Linda Hills-Harrop 01753 883800 [email protected]
email [email protected]