Maggies Blog - August

The last two months have been a busy time in the garden. All the young vegetable plants that were nurtured in my greenhouse and lovingly planted out are now growing madly and starting to pay me back by producing delicious tender vegetables. The runner beans are coming at a great rate of knots. If your runner beans are not setting very well, a good tip is to spray the flowers in the evening with water that has some sugar mixed in. This attracts the bees which help germination.

The broad beans have not been prolific this year, I think it was because June was so dry and hot and as I was away I was unable to give them a good watering which I normally do in dry weather. The plants produced a lot less pods than normal.

My raspberry canes have nearly finished fruiting and, as usual, I will then cut the old ones off at ground level, tie in the new shoots and give them a good feed and water. Someone has given me some canes of an autumn fruiting variety which I planted earlier this year and are now growing well. Hopefully, I will get a second crop of my favourite fruit each year.

The wisteria plant that grows up the back of the house was beautiful earlier in the year when it flowered, but is now looking very straggly. I will be cutting back all the new 'leggy' growth, and tying in the rest to give it support. It may even flower a second time later in the year

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All the spring flowering shrubs are likewise looking untidy and I like to give them a 'hair cut' to neaten them up (shrubs such as Spirea). To make the job easier I use the Planto Pruining Sheet. It fits round the base of the plant, collecting the clippings. Handles on the corners enable you to gather the sheet up with the clippings inside to put straight into the composter. No Mess. Brilliant!

I have been particularly pleased with a new planting scheme this year. After seeing a picture, I edged a border with Lavender contrasting with the lime green of the Lady's Mantle.

There is still time to get in a last planting of quick growing salad plants such as radishes, lettuce and beetroot. I will be planting more salad crops and, if the weather turns, I will just pop my Planto Bio Fleece tunnel over them to protect them until they are ready to eat.

Happy Gardening!!