Read the July / August 2012 edition online - Ollerton with Marthall

Make use of your lawn cuttings by using them as a mulch around your fruit
trees. Even though we have had a huge amount of rain, it is still essential
to check hanging baskets and all containers, the rain never manages to
penetrate in to the soil as all the plants create and umbrella and tend to keep
the soil beneath dry.
If you haven’t done so already it’s time to cut all your daffodils and tulips
down to the ground, all the goodness will by now have gone back in to the
bulb.
Net all your soft fruits to protect them from birds.
Make sure all your perennials are secured with canes and tie in, with this
heavy rain they will easily bend and snap.
Tie in your tomatoes to their supports as they grow, feed every week.
Keep on top of spraying your Roses to protect from pests and diseases, dead
head to encourage new blooms.
Dead heading applies to many fl owers around the garden, with regards to
the Day Lilies by dead heading on a daily basis preferably fi rst thing in the
morning, you will have a prolifi c display throughout the Summer.
Take cuttings from your lavender, as these plants are particularly short-lived,
by propagating them you will have a fresh set of plants for next year.Out of
all the Lavender ‘Hidcote’ has to be my favourite, it has the most wonderful
blue purple exquisitely scented fl owers, the thing to remember about Lavender
is that it is a Mediterranean plant so when planting it is advisable to put a
handful of grit underneath each plant so it never sits in water, when pruning
or cutting your Lavender remember never to cut in to the old wood, by doing
this you will encourage growth and keep a healthy bushy plant.When your
sweet peas are in fl ower, keep picking them and remove any seed pods to
plants remain productive.
Liquid feed all container plants regularly and where possible place saucers
under pots to conserve water!
In the Greenhouse - Begin removing the lower leaves on tomato vines to
aid ripening and encourage the plants to put their energy into fruit production.
Most other plants can be moved outdoors for the summer.
• Tie shoots of honeysuckle and climbing roses to supports.
• Pinch out the shoot tips of dahlias.
• Deadhead lupins.