The Beacon May 2012 - Beacon Parish of Ditchling, Streat ...

Ripe for Change
In an ideal world, there would be no weeds or backache, endless time to
complete all those seasonal garden jobs and unlimited funds to spend on plants.
But the reality is that many find the burden of caring for their garden a little
overwhelming. I remember how depressed I was when the garden went from
diva to down-and-out after my child was born.
If things are going from bad to worse in
your garden, take action now to save on
heartache and work later. The single most
important thing is weed control – if you
can keep on top of these monsters, then
your garden remains manageable. Weed
seeds settle on exposed soil, so ensure full
coverage. This can be achieved using geotextile
membranes, mulch, weed mats or
by dense planting. Mulches of chipped
bark should be applied in very thick layers
as it breaks down over time. An added
advantage of mulch is that it reduces
water evaporation and increases soil
insulation. Pretty it is not, but ANYTHING is better than a border seething with
weeds.
My preferred weed suppression technique takes the form of blanket planting -
this doesn’t have to be hugely expensive or time consuming. Buy annuals and
biennial seeds that form soil-covering mounds or carpets and invest in perennials
that spread quickly and will out-compete the weeds. Within a few years, forgetme-nots
can form dense forests, foxgloves, love-in-the-mist, lady’s mantle and
calendula self-seed madly, so a single purchase provides years of coverage. Just
fling the seeds in various spots around the garden and enjoy the haphazard
result. Fast-spreading perennials with basal leaves are perfect for weed
suppression: Phlomis russelliana, verbascums, geraniums and polemoniums.
Don’t forget ornamental grasses, which are superb for the war on weeds. And if
all this seems just like too much work, buy some grass seed and just have fence
to fence lawn!
Haut Talk by Karoline Baird
07742 731967 haughty.culture@virgin.net
The Beacon in the Past
On the opposite page are excerpts from previous issues of the Ditchling Beacon.
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