Flower Show: month twoBy Anne Kenyon
April is a month when recently the weather has been very erratic – snow showers, winds and, of course, frosts just when the magnolias, camellias and other blossoms are delighting us – not to mention plums, apples, cherry and other fruits. The bees are feasting on early blossoms and even swarming as early as April, so keep a wary eye out for this. We need more honey entries in the show!
Potatoes are split into four groups: earlies, second earlies, main crops and salad. Now is the time to plant the chitted earlies.
Give your rhubarb a good dressing of manure and cover with straw to protect the young sticks and encourage early growth.
Have you tried starting your peas in a gutter or half-round drainpipe filled with soil, in the greenhouse? Beware of the mice! But it is then easy to transfer to their planting position once the seedlings are hardened off.
Now is the time to mulch your borders and plant summer flowering bulbs, allium, gladioli, lilies, also onions, garlic and shallots if not planted in March.
Hostas, fuchsias, begonias, grasses and other pot plants are now ready for dividing or repotting, feeding and generally loving for exhibiting in July. The rules in the schedule dictate that pot plants must be in the hands of the exhibitor for a minimum of two months before the show date (i.e. by 19th May).
There are a number of new or nearly-new allotment holders – exciting news. Enjoy the challenge of the earth and skies. We look forward to your success, maybe for starters, the novice classes! The 2008 schedule will be on your doorstep in early May. Something to look forward to.