A Coronavirus free zone - but still plenty to grumble about

Cast your mind back about three weeks and all that torrential rain. Now here we are with Easter just gone and what am I doing? Getting up an hour earlier than normal so I can water my greenhouse and the outside pots and urns before the sun warms up.

It is quite ridiculous to have moved from flood to virtual drought in a matter of three weeks. One of my two 45-gallon water butts is already empty and the second about two thirds full. I really didn’t think I’d be praying for rain at this stage of the season.

Beware! Slugs!

Beware, the slugs and snails are already active. I found a snail this morning in the greenhouse, heading up the framework towards my spring cabbage plants. He got more than a headache. But seriously, it has been a warm winter and they will have bred vigorously, so take precautions now.

Take extra care if you have over wintered pots and urns, here is the triple risk of slugs, snails and vine weevils. I use Nemasys nematodes to control the slugs and vine weevils and hand picking for the snails – always look beneath the pots.

Nematodes

The nematodes are poured into a 5-gallon container and mixed thoroughly. This forms a stock and a fixed proportion of the stock is poured into a watering can which is then filled with water and poured onto the areas to be treated. The proportions and other vital information is printed on the inside of the Nemasys pack.

Daffs

The daffodils are absolutely lovely in the garden but, already, we are dead heading the early blooms. This is back aching work but vital if you want to have similarly lovely blooms next year. One tip my grandfather told me is that before the leaves of the daffs die back, give the whole area a good feed with a liquid fertiliser diluted in a watering can with a fine rose.

Happy Gardening

The Grumpy Gardener