Green Fingers: The need for something different continues
Geranium Rozanne, a perennial geranium, can flower all summer.
The weeks are flying by as, while we should be into warmer days, the reality is quite different where the constant cold days are holding growing conditions back and, therefore, many people are hesitating about getting planting completed until the weather improves.
In the meantime, some plants grow so fast during their growing season that they will need some support, as with wind and rain they would otherwise keel over and the potential flowers or vegetables will spoil.
The reason why this should happen lies with us giving them some nice compost and other growing conditions, and they, of course, respond to this kindness by growing happily away.
On the vegetable front it is usually beans and peas and, with flowers, there are too many to mention but they would include taller growing herbaceous perennials and climbing plants, such as clematis and honeysuckle.
Plant supports are common enough and come in a range of ready-made materials for climbers such as wooden and plastic trellis in a fan or straight rectangular shape up to around 2m (6’) high and widths of 30-180cm (1’-6’) but, as most climbers will cover up whatever trellis you have, handmade supports made with rough timber or a large sized chicken wire will do the job.
Supports for perennials and vegetables can be ready made plastic-covered metal or a DIY version can be made with the familiar chicken or plastic wire fencing, or you can use hazel or other branches just as well.
While a majority of people are usually pleased with the usual range of plants, there is always room for something different or unusual to spark an interest. This can come in all plant groups, with trees there are some nice new additions to the Norway and Japanese maples, but most come with herbaceous perennials or shrubs. They do not have to be new introductions but variations can occur too and I will mention just three perennials that are very long-flowering plants.
One is the ‘Shasta Daisy’, a hugely popular plant, which flowers most of the summer with large white flowers and a yellow centre, and the variety ‘Madonna’, flowering from June-October, is a big improvement as its long stems can stand without support.
Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ is a must-have in the border as it grows into a nice, neat 60cm (2’) high shape, topped with yellow flowers with a black centre, but it has close relations in Helenium varieties like ‘The Bishop’.
Lastly, some of the perennial geraniums can flower all summer and are worth including in your selection and these include ‘Rozanne’, a blue variety, and the dwarf ‘Max Frei’, which has deep magenta flowers.
Weeds around growing vegetables and flowers are more than a nuisance and often I get asked for some preventative weedkiller that the commercial growers use to keep their food crops clean. I have to tell them that there are none available for the amateur market and it is down to simple hand-weeding.
It is important to do the weeding when the plants are small as if the growth gets away, you could lose the entire crop.
If you have any queries or comments you are welcome to share them with me on 051 384273 or orchardstowngardencentre@hotmail.com and if of general interest I will include them in a future article.
