gardening

The garden in May

April in the garden

Laura Allison Gardening March 2011

Laura Allison August column

Monteviot - a gem of a garden

June 2010

Gardening April 2010

Laura's column Sept 09

Laura's column July 09

It's happening at Woodside

Laura's gardening column April 09

Let's go eat some worms!

Laura's column August 08

Laura's column - July 08

Borders Organic Growers

Laura's column - July 08

At last Laura's column is here! Her style may sound casual, but we can assure you she's a true expert and really knows her onions!

The advantage of this column is that it's local. Many gardening magazines are published in the south and we gardeners are totally out of sync with their timing. So Laura will tell you what you can do in your garden here and now!

Laura writes:

The tasks to do in the garden in July are endless, but here are a few to keep you out of mischief!

Bedding plants should be well on the way to being established now. Continually dead head to prolong their flowering period.

Ensure that all your tall herbaceous plants such as the mighty delphiniums are staked and supported.

Spray roses to protect against blackspot, mildew and rust.

Feed tomato plants regularly using a high potash liquid feed.

Solomon seal sawfly larvae cause total destruction of the leaves (well, they do in my garden). Either pick the caterpillars off or treat with a ready to use insecticide.

Pick fruit crops including rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and currants. Try making strawberry and rhubarb jam - it's to die for!

Trim clematis montana if it is becoming too overgrown. The flowers are now finished and this is an ideal time to give it a haircut.

The straggly branches of weigela can also be tidied up after the flowering has finished.

Turn the contents of your compost bin to aerate and to activiate the bacteria which decomposes all your waste.

Thanks so much Laura for this - look out for her column each month...

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