Green Fingers: Marking time before the big push
Polycarbonate greenhouse
We are again at the starting blocks of the race and, just waiting for the signal to go out into the garden knowing that it is safe to sow and plant. It is always a tricky time as, if by a miracle you sow now and get away with it, you will have earlier maturing crops but, the downside is that bad weather can get in the way and ruin all your work.
Gardeners used to build glasshouses in order to speed up the growing process and keep them protected from any adverse weather and also from some pests. Now we have a much wider range of options such as tunnels and makeshift perspex or polycarbonate greenhouse spaces and these have added comfort for people while pottering around tending plants. Quite often it is a space to escape to from the maddening crowd and, it is common enough to discover a recycled armchair there with associated benefits like a small table and magazines.
Another form of protection is the lightweight fleece which covers plants like a blanket and helps keep some frost and severe weather off young growths and seedlings. It is a great help around the susceptible plants from now until May but, this does not apply to hardy trees and shrubs which can withstand frost and bad weather so you can add these to your garden whenever you please.
This is an in between time before flowering trees and shrubs come into their own and then we will have an avalanche of blooms and, of course, that is why so many garden shows are held between April and June with Chelsea being the best known but, Bloom is probably our solitary remaining show in Ireland which will be held again in June. Back at the ranch, anyone involved with growing will be tending seedlings and constantly moving them so they do not get too leggy or die before potting on into the next size up.
I always feel that we need at least a few flowering plants to pull us through the late winter months and there are some hardy and beautiful plants that will fit the bill. Camellias are an obvious choice, which can be in flower from November until April and, do so well in these counties but, I would suggest a few other plants with merit and, not so well known. Willows will have their mostly silvery catkins with golden anthers on show but, there are some varieties with pink (‘Mount Aso’) or Black (‘Melanostachys’) catkins which are also good for indoor decoration but they need space so are not suitable for small gardens.
The snowflake (Leucojum) looks like a giant snowdrop and can be in flower for about five months by choosing three types such as L.vernum (Feb-Mar), L.aestivum (April-May) and L.autumnale (September). Cyclamen are typically seen as indoor flowering plants but, the real treasures are those with tiny flowers which thrive outdoors in all weathers and by selecting a few types you can get a succession of flowers such as C.hederifolium (Sept-Nov), C.coum (Jan-Mar) C.repandum (Apr-May) and C. purpurascens (July-Sept). You will have to have patience to obtain all these bulbs as only a few are freely available but, it is worth keeping an eye out for them in specialist nursery centres.
While the ground is still too cold to plant out flowers and vegetables, you can definitely get digging to loosen up the soil and leave it rough until needed from mid-April onwards. Seeds of all types can be sown inside to be planted out when the danger of frost has gone and, potatoes can be planted out direct in the ground or in containers if small numbers are needed. If you have any queries or comments you are welcome to share them with me on 051-3842173 or orchardstowngardencentre@hotmail.com and if of general interest, I will include it in a future newsletter.
