Gardening: Your jobs for the weekend | Brian Kidd
Our gardening expert has plenty to keep you occupied outside and in the greenhouse this weekend.
• Spray rows of peas with Copper Mixture fungicide to reduce an outbreak of powdery mildew – one of the reasons why people don’t grow their own peas.
• Indoor hibiscus plants are growing rapidly. To keep them shorter, nip out the tips of all the main stems.
• Remove dead flowers from all annuals and when the weather is hot, use a high nitrogen fertiliser instead of tomato feed.
• Buy a packet of spring cabbage seeds. Try Duncan F1 or Offenheim 2, these don’t bolt if the weather suddenly turns hot in spring. These must not be sown until the second week in August. I will remind you.
• Disbud dahlias. Leave the top bud and remove the two little flower buds which grow each side. When cutting dahlia blooms, long stems are required but before cutting look where the side shoots are left because these will bloom in a few weeks.
• Check the glass in the greenhouse. If there are any panes which need replacing, this is the time to do it. Replacing glass in winter is not an easy job.
• Pay a visit to Keydell Nurseries, if you don't like crowds choose an unpleasant day when it is pouring with rain. You will enjoy a lovely time in pleasant surroundings as most of the displays are under cover. The products mentioned in these notes are available at Keydell.