Page 26 - Frittenden Parish Mag - June - 2021

Gardening Society Gardening Society

From the If I come across a plant that did not survive the net clothes to protect them from pigeons and
winter I mark the spot and think about possible
once the danger of frost has really passed I
will plant out the runner beans and the peas
replacements while moving along. I might also
Garden squash a cluster of slug eggs pre-venting damage currently growing in old guttering.
later. Having managed to weed everywhere ( I
I have had great success using the Three Sister
know!) I even remembered to feed the shrubs
and roses but the frosty nights spoilt much of the Plan - growing a matrix of Sweetcorn (not a row,
Diane Campos new growth and blossoms. I wish I had invested so that the plants pollinate each other easily)
in big bags of mulch. with courgette in between and french beans that
then climb up the sweetcorn.
The sunny days encouraged me to sow seeds in
I am a fair-weather gardener and started the unheated greenhouse but again they are slow I have Kale Cavolo Nero seedlings to plant up.
early this year as the ground had finally to germinate and not nearly as tall as usual so I It is a great veg. to grow as it lasts through the
dried out enough to hand weed the flower have succumbed and bought a greenhouse heater winter and you just keep picking off the side
beds- something I quite enjoy when the and at last things are sprouting, especially the be tied in as they get taller. I seem to have a lot leaves as it grows taller and taller. They are
soil is friable as the weeds can be lifted white Cosmos Purity and a new variety for me of Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’ a big dinner plate style delicious shredded then roasted in the oven with
without removing great clods of soil Double Click Cranberry a burgundy coloured flower and a few unknown where the labels have a little olive oil and served with a tahini dressing.
We have only just eaten the last of the pur-ple
and working slowly I remember where frothy double cosmos - I should have plenty of disappeared. I’m not using plastic labels anymore sprouting and leeks - I use Duncan Rouse’s
the perennials are planted with the new spare plants later. This year I have used wooden but wooden ‘throat depressors’ instead, the rolled up damp course liner trick placed round
growth emerging so I don’t damage the satsuma boxes from Stable Stores lined with old problem being they do rot away. the young plants to encourage lots of tender
green tips as I might with the quick action membrane which have worked well for flower In the vegetable beds the broad bean seeds white flesh.
of a hoe. seeds and salad leaves. planted in March are doing well and are under
In the autumn I did not plant new tulips in the
beds but put them in pots so that I could protect
them with netting from mice and what ever else Plan your garden visits
dug them up last year. I kept them watered (all
the butts are empty now) and they have made a Frittenden Gardening Society have
really colourful display. a garden visit to The Old Rectory,
Frittenden, arranged for Friday 18th June
Later in May when they have finished flowering at 6pm, Covid restrictions permitting.
I will dead head them, then lift and replant them Check the village Facebook page for
at the end of the garden where some survive and details nearer the date.
some don’t. I’m told there is a better success rate
if you replant them at least 8” deep but tulips There are lots of NGS Kent gardens
don’t really like our heavy clay. I leave the narcissi open in June and I recommend these
in the beds as they come back better each year, two local ones:

Jobs to do in June Sunday 13th June Boughton Monchelsea
Place ME17 4BU See website for details
I am going to move the self seeded Purple www.boughtonplace.co.uk
Verbena Bonariensis and plant it with Tithonia Sunday 20th June Little Mockbeggar
- a tall vivid orange annual. Hopefully the two Biddenden TN27 8ES - FGS visited
different forms should complement each other there a few years ago and it is a lovely
and they both like a sunny well drained site. garden crammed with plants and
The dahlias potted up in March have new growth carefully designed areas.
and will be plant-ed out and staked so they can

26 Frittenden Parish Magazine June 2021 Frittenden Parish Magazine June 2021 27