Surrey Homes | SH21 | July 2016 | Interiors supplement inside

FOR ALL YOUR TREE
SURGERY NEEDS
Crown reduction, lifting
and thinning
Stump grinding
Deadwooding of tree canopies
Hedge trimming and reduction
Supply, planting and aftercare of new trees
& hedges
Removal and responsible recycling of
green waste
Tree Protection Order (TPO) research,
application for planning consents with local
authorities and conservation area trees
completed free of charge
majus, foxgloves, Lunaria annua (Honesty) are all quick and
easy to grow directly into the soil of your cutting patch.
Cosmos, antirrhinums and cleome are fantastic and longlasting,
but they’re half-hardy annuals, so don’t grow them
outside until all danger of frost is past.
Shrubs and foliage
Shrubs for foliage, bark, berries and blossom are vital for
autumn, winter and early spring displays; the stems of plants
like Pussy willow, dogwoods, Viburnum bodnantense and
quince will help you to prolong the cutting season, and plants
like eucalyptus, Osmanthus, Euonymus and Ruscus will provide
long-lasting evergreen foliage.
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quality summerhouses
accomplished landscaping
& mindful design since 1997
For a free Scotts summerhouse
brochure, call or click anytime
Visit our new show
gardens at Grow at
Brogdale, Faversham
& Small Loads Ltd,
Paddock Wood
L A N D S C A P E S
01323 833600 / 843488
www.catandmouselandscapes.com
Cutting and preparing
Cut your flowers in the early morning, or at dusk, as these are
the times when the stems are turgid and full of sap. Airlocks
may form once stems are cut, so make a slanted cut with
sharp scissors and plunge them immediately into luke-warm
water; apparently tepid water is better, as it has less oxygen
than cold and therefore less chance of airlocks.
Once the stems have been cut, it’s time to prepare them.
Cut a further 3cm off the stems and strip off leaves that will
end up below the surface of the water to stop them rotting
and remember to keep your flowers cool once cut. Soft stems
should be kept in deep water and left for several hours if
possible. Hollow stems can be turned up-side-down and filled
with water – use your thumb to plug the stem then quickly
invert them back into the water to stop the airlock. Do not
smash stems, as was once recommended, as this prevents the
flow of water up the xylem.
There are many simple tricks to help improve vase life.
Bacteria multiply in unwashed vases, so keep them clean –
and you can use a teaspoon of bleach in the water. Also keep
your tools, such as secateurs clean. Use floral preservative,
or a spoonful of sugar in vase water, to prolong the life of
the flowers.
Planning and preparing to grow cut flowers is great fun,
but the reality can be somewhat gruelling, so factor in time
constraints, not to mention the weather/pests/weeds or Acts
of God/dogs/chickens/children. With any luck, you’ll soon
be harvesting armfuls of home-grown flowers and gladdening
vases all over the place. Let’s get growing.
Contact Jo for border designs, planting and garden advice:
01233 861149 jo@hornbrookmanor.co.uk
www.wealdentimes.co.uk
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